Columbia Medical Malpractice Attorney

Hospital-Borne Infections in Columbia

Looking for a lawyer who accepts cases involving hospital-borne infections in Columbia? You can turn to The Sumner Law Group, LLC for the knowledgeable and aggressive representation you're looking for. Attorney Brent Sumner's aggressive attitude has enabled him to obtain million and multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts on behalf of his clients which earned him membership into the Million Dollar Advocates Forum® and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®, a prestigious group of trial lawyers representing less than 1% of all U.S. attorneys.

CDC & Hospital-Acquired Infections

A hospital-borne infection, otherwise called a hospital-acquired infection (HAI) is an infection that flourishes in the hospital environment and is acquired by a patient during a hospital stay. Such infections include fungal and bacterial infections which are aggravated by the lack of resistance by individual patients.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on any given day 1 in 25 hospital patients has at least one HAI. The CDC reports that there were an estimated 722,000 HAIs in U.S. hospitals in 2011, and about 75,000 hospital patients with HAIs die during their hospitalization.

Estimated Number of Healthcare-Associated Infections in U.S. Hospitals in 2011 (CDC)

• Pneumonia – 157,500
• Gastrointestinal Illness – 123,100
• Urinary Tract Infections – 93,300
• Primary Bloodstream Infections – 71,900
• Surgical Site Infections – 157,500
• Other Types of Infections – 118,500
• Estimated Total Number of Infections in U.S. Hospitals – 721,800

Cause and Transmission of HAIs

HAIs are commonly transmitted when hospital staff fail to practice correct hygiene on a regular basis. Essentially, the hospital staff act as agents that carry and transmit infectious pathogens into the patients. Drug-resistant bacteria can survive for a long time on surfaces in the hospital and enter the body through wounds, catheters, and ventilators. While the main route of transmission is through direct contact, they can also be transmitted by:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Talking
• Dust particles
• Poor ventilation
• Airborne transmission
• Contaminated items (food, water, medications, devices, equipment)

The most effective ways to prevent hospital-borne infections include monitoring indoor air quality, equipment sterilization, wearing gloves, surface sanitation, and hand washing by all medical personnel before each patient contact.

Contact a Columbia Medical Malpractice Lawyer

If you acquired a hospital-borne infection or if you lost a loved one because of a HAI, contact a Columbia medical malpractice attorney from The Sumner Law Group, LLC.

 We represent clients in all types of medical malpractice and wrongful death claims and we welcome the opportunity to determine if you have grounds to file a claim for compensation against the negligent hospital.