Infectious Diseases In Hospitals Can Lead To Medical Malpractice

The current Ebola crisis may potentially bring up issues of hospital negligence. Although the virus is highly infectious, there are discussions about the increase of safety precautions needed to carefully avoid spreading it.

Circumstances in Which Ebola Spread in a Hospital Setting

The nurse who recently contracted Ebola after treating a patient supposedly wore the right protective gear, but doctors say that contamination may also result from bodily fluids being transferred onto the surfaces of this gear or through medical equipment.

Mistakes made in the case of Ebola can quickly become fatal medical errors. What may be medical professional negligence led to this nurse’s own contraction of the virus, but further issues that affect other patients in a hospital could bring up questions of medical malpractice.

In this instance, doctors say breach of infection control may be to blame. Although the case happened in another city and state, it could just as easily happen anywhere in the U.S. including New Haven, Connecticut.

Ebola has been said to be more easily treatable if it is found early. So failure to diagnose could also lead to a much worsened medical condition that can quickly turn deadly.

Speak to a Skilled Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today

If you should find yourself in the predicament of having an infection that is worsened by medical malpractice or hospital negligence, you could be eligible for compensation to cover medical expenses as well as other related damages.

It is important to understand your rights to be protected against infectious diseases when you are in a hospital, and to trust that you will not suffer a potentially fatal outcome due to negligence by doctors or nurses.

Source: CT Post, “Can all US hospitals safely treat Ebola?,” Marilyn Marchione, Oct. 13, 2014