People are admitted to medical facilities and hospitals because they are sick or injured. They expect to be treated for their illnesses or injuries and then, hopefully, discharged in better condition than when they arrived.
So the last thing people expect is to acquire a malady as a direct result of being admitted to the place that was supposed to relieve their suffering. Unfortunately, hospital-acquired conditions are common and, in some instances, make the patient far worse off than had they never been admitted to the hospital at all.
Every case of a hospital-acquired condition has its own contributing factors and causation. The effects on the patient and his or her family also vary. Patients who suffer from a hospital-acquired condition may end up with a prolonged illness, may need surgical procedures, and could even die.
That is why if you or a loved one has suffered a hospital-acquired condition, it is important to speak to a Colorado Springs personal injury lawyer with medical malpractice law experience. An experienced attorney can help you determine whether and to what extent you should be compensated for any damages that result from a hospital-acquired condition.
Types of Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HACs)
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has created a list of 14 possible hospital-acquired medical conditions that are expensive to treat, occur frequently, and are preventable through the use of reasonable care.
The 14 types of hospital-acquired conditions include:
- Foreign Object Retained After Surgery
- Air Embolism
- Blood Incompatibility
- Stage III and IV Pressure Ulcers
- Falls and Trauma
- Fractures
- Dislocations
- Intracranial Injuries
- Crushing Injuries
- Burn
- Other Injuries
- Manifestations of Poor Glycemic Control
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis
- Nonketotic Hyperosmolar Coma
- Hypoglycemic Coma
- Secondary Diabetes with Ketoacidosis
- Secondary Diabetes with Hyperosmolarity
- Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
- Vascular Catheter-Associated Infection
- Surgical Site Infection, Mediastinitis, Following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG):
- Surgical Site Infection Following Bariatric Surgery for Obesity
- Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass
- Gastroenterostomy
- Laparoscopic Gastric Restrictive Surgery
- Surgical Site Infection Following Certain Orthopedic Procedures
- Spine
- Neck
- Shoulder
- Elbow
- Surgical Site Infection Following Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device (CIED)
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)/Pulmonary Embolism (PE) Following Certain Orthopedic Procedures:
- Total Knee Replacement
- Hip Replacement
- Iatrogenic Pneumothorax with Venous Catheterization
A Colorado Springs Personal Injury Lawyer Helps Protect Patients With HAC
The hazards of HAC cannot be overstated. When a medical provider fails to takes the steps necessary to prevent the occurrence of hospital-acquired conditions and the patient suffers monetary loss, physical pain and suffering and emotional illness or distress from that failure, that patient has a right to seek compensation for those damages.
A Colorado Springs personal injury lawyer with experience in medical malpractice matters can help you determine whether you have a case against any of the providers responsible for your care while you were in the hospital.
For a free consultation to determine what you might be entitled to as compensation, call the attorneys at Levine Law at 719-471-3000 or contact us online.
