Sepsis Compensation Claims

Sepsis is a serious condition, but treatable if diagnosed early enough. Unfortunately, many cases of sepsis (and septicaemia) go undetected for too long, leaving patients and families devastated by the consequences. If sepsis was misdiagnosed or not picked up at the earliest opportunity, our medical negligence solicitors may be able to help you make a sepsis claim.

Helping you get answers after a missed or late sepsis diagnosis

If you or a loved one has been affected by sepsis, it’s natural to want to know what went wrong, particularly when it leads to permanent damage or bereavement.

This is where our specialist sepsis negligence solicitors can make a difference. We can help you to hold medical professionals to account and recover the compensation you need to fund rehabilitation and care.

Case study | Apology for family of Bristol man who died from undiagnosed sepsis

Why choose Barcan+Kirby for your sepsis compensation claim?

Barcan+Kirby’s Medical Negligence team has proven success in sepsis compensation claims. We are proud of our ranking by Chambers and Partners UK for our medical negligence practice.

Our medical negligence solicitors also hold a tier 1 ranking by Legal 500.

The team is headed up by panel members of Action Against Medical Accidents, the charity for patient safety and justice, as well as the Law Society’s Clinical Negligence Accreditation Scheme.

We can offer a no-obligation initial consultation on starting a sepsis claim. Our expert team will guide you through the process, offering professional and practical support.

Case study | £650k for man who passed away from untreated sepsis following heart surgery

Start a sepsis claim today

Our clinical negligence solicitors act for clients across the UK from our offices across Bristol and South Gloucestershire, in Bedminster, Bishopston, Bristol city centre, Kingswood and Thornbury. To speak to us about starting your sepsis claim, call us on 0117 325 2929 or complete our online enquiry form.

“We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to anyone else if they needed your help; you provided a very professional yet friendly service.”

– Medical Negligence client

What is sepsis?

Sepsis is caused by the body responding to an infection. Also known as blood poisoning, sepsis is where the immune system overreacts to an infection or injury. Our immune system normally fights infection, but sometimes it attacks our body’s organs and tissues, causing the blood to clot and areas to become inflamed.

If not treated immediately, sepsis can result in organ failure and be life-threatening. And yet, with early diagnosis, sepsis can be treated with antibiotics.

What are the causes and symptoms of sepsis?

There is no one sign of sepsis and symptoms present differently between adults and children.

Common signs and symptoms of sepsis can include:

• Increased heart rate
• Shivering
• Fever
• Breathlessness
• Slurred speech or confusion
• Not passing urine
• Discoloured skin
• Vomiting
• Fitting
• Feeling lethargic

In addition, people who are already ill, have recently had surgery or are very young or old are more likely to experience sepsis. Sepsis is often accompanied by septicaemia (bacteraemia) and can lead to septic shock.

There is more information on NHS Choices and the Sepsis Trust website. If you suspect you or someone else is suffering from sepsis, you should call 999 immediately.

Case study | £37k for woman who died after developing sepsis from untreated pressure sores

How can medical negligence cause sepsis?

When diagnosed and treated straight away, the survival rate for sepsis is good. This is why it’s important to act fast. If there are delays in diagnosing and treating sepsis, and you or a loved one has suffered as a result, you may be entitled to compensation.

Sepsis can become a medical negligence claim due to:

• Misdiagnosis, e.g. a medical professional believed you had a different condition and treated it as such, meaning the infection got worse.
• Delayed diagnosis, e.g. hospital staff took longer than is expected to diagnose sepsis.
• Negligence in treatment or testing, e.g. medical staff failed to carry out the appropriate tests to form a correct diagnosis or did not provide the correct medication to treat sepsis.

If you believe that you or a loved one has experienced any of the above, our specialist solicitors can advise you on whether you are eligible to claim compensation for sepsis, and on the next steps.

Blog | Martha’s Rule backed by UK Government: what this means for patients and families

Sepsis diagnosis – what should I do next?

If you or a relative have been diagnosed with sepsis and you believe it was avoidable, i.e. not diagnosed or treated when it should have been, get in touch with our medical negligence solicitors.

We can offer you a free and thorough phone consultation in confidence to talk through your situation and whether you might be owed answers and compensation.

Useful sepsis resources

NHS Choices Guide to Sepsis: The go-to NHS resource for medical information about sepsis

UK Sepsis Trust: A not for profit organisation specialising in sepsis care and research

Action Against Medical Accidents: The UK’s leading patient safety charity, with lots of great guides and resources for victims of medical negligence

Making a sepsis compensation claim

Our specialist team can help you to get the answers about what went wrong with the management of your sepsis. We can guide you through the entire sepsis claim process and help you to achieve the best chance of securing fair compensation as soon as possible.

For more information about sepsis claims or to arrange your free consultation, simply give our clinical negligence solicitors a call on 0117 325 2929 or fill out our online enquiry form.