Both medical and legal professionals have noticed a growing trend over the last few years: an increasing number of medical malpractice suits filed by people who contracted serious infections while being treated in hospitals. The Center for Disease Control estimates that 2 million people catch infection-causing bacteria in hospitals every year, leading to 90,000 deaths annually. In response to this grave problem the CDC and other health care agencies have issued detailed guidelines for hospitals that may reduce the rate of infection.

Doctors and personal injury attorneys are understandably divided on the source of this problem. Some doctors and their legal representatives tend to maintain that infections are simply a reality of hospital life, provided that precautions are taken to keep them to a minimum. There are other health care professionals, however, who claim that the risk of infection can be lowered to nearly zero if proper protocol is followed. The guidelines for hospitals recommend that workers should wash their hands before and after visiting every patient, regularly clean and sterilize the facilities, and screen incoming patients for infections that may be spread through the hospital.

Infections can create the need for invasive medical procedures, and can also cause complications such as pain, disability, and sometimes even death. If you or a loved one has contracted an infection due to hospital negligence, contact Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers Lowenthal & Abrams at 610-667-7511.