Chicago Hospital-Acquired Infection Lawyer
If you developed an infection during a hospital stay in Chicago, and it was not present when you were admitted, you may have a medical malpractice claim.
Hospital-acquired infections often result from preventable mistakes. When doctors, nurses, or hospital staff fail to follow basic safety protocols, your condition can become far more serious than it should have been. A Chicago hospital-acquired infection lawyer can review your case and help you take action.
At Ankin Law, we represent patients whose recovery was disrupted by preventable medical errors. We investigate how the infection developed, whether proper safety procedures were followed, who was responsible, and what the additional illness has cost you. Then we build the case around those facts.
“When you enter a hospital, you expect safe care. If an infection developed while you were staying in a hospital for medical care because basic protocols were ignored, that failure matters. We focus on what happened in your case and work to hold the right parties accountable.”
— Attorney Howard Ankin
If your infection could have been prevented, you should not be left dealing with the consequences alone. Call Ankin Law at (312) 600-0000 for a free consultation.
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How a Chicago Hospital-Acquired Infection Lawyer Can Help You
If you contracted an infection while receiving care at a hospital, one of the first questions is whether it could have been prevented. Hospitals often claim that infections are a known risk. That is not the full story. Many infections occur because staff failed to follow established safety procedures.
Our lawyer helps you move from uncertainty to answers. That process includes:
- Reviewing your medical records for signs of preventable errors
- Identifying when and how the infection developed
- Consulting with medical professionals about the standard of care
- Determining who is responsible for your injuries
- Building a claim that reflects the full impact on your health and finances
Your case depends on details. A missed step in sanitation, delayed treatment, or improper monitoring can all lead to serious complications. We focus on those details and how they affected you.
What Is a Hospital-Acquired Infection?
A hospital-acquired infection is an infection that develops during medical care and was not present or incubating when the patient was admitted. These infections may occur after surgery, through medical devices such as catheters or central lines, or through exposure to contaminated surfaces, equipment, or healthcare workers.
These infections often develop because bacteria, viruses, or fungi enter your body during treatment. This can include bacteria such as staph, which can spread through surgical procedures, medical devices, or contact with contaminated surfaces.
In a hospital setting, strict infection control protocols exist to reduce these risks. When those protocols are not followed, your exposure increases.
Common Types of Hospital-Acquired Infections
Some infections occur more often in hospitals, especially when safety procedures are not followed as required.
Surgical Site Infections
If you had surgery and later developed redness, swelling, pain, or drainage near the incision, you may be dealing with a surgical site infection. These infections can occur when instruments are not properly sterilized or when post-operative care falls short.
Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs)
If a catheter was used during your care, improper insertion or maintenance can introduce bacteria into your urinary tract. This can lead to pain, fever, and further complications.
Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSIs)
Central lines provide direct access to your bloodstream. If staff do not follow sterile procedures, bacteria can enter your system quickly, leading to serious illness.
Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP)
If you were placed on a ventilator, improper care can increase your risk of pneumonia. This condition can extend your hospital stay and complicate your recovery.
MRSA and Drug-Resistant Infections
Drug-resistant infections, such as MRSA, can spread in hospitals when hygiene protocols are not enforced. These infections are harder to treat and can lead to more severe outcomes.
If you have suffered a hospital-acquired infection, contact our team at Ankin Law to get started with a free consultation.
How Do These Infections Happen?
If you developed a hospital-acquired infection, you deserve to know why it happened. Healthcare providers must follow strict procedures designed to protect you at every stage of care.
Common failures include:
- Staff not washing hands between patients
- Improper sterilization of surgical tools
- Failure to isolate infected patients
- Delayed recognition of infection symptoms
- Improper use of catheters or central lines
- Inadequate monitoring after procedures
If any of these failures occurred during your care, your infection may have been preventable. Even a single lapse can allow bacteria to spread.
When Can You Hold a Hospital Responsible?
You can pursue a claim when your infection resulted from a failure to meet the accepted standard of care. This means showing that the hospital or provider did not act as a reasonably careful professional would under similar circumstances.
To build your case, you must establish:
- You were owed a duty of care
- That duty was not met
- The failure caused your infection
- You suffered harm as a result
Hospitals often dispute these claims. They may argue that your infection was unavoidable or related to your underlying condition. A careful review of your records can reveal whether those arguments hold up.
Call Ankin Law at (312) 600-0000 for a free case review.
How a Hospital-Acquired Infection Can Affect Your Life
An infection can change the course of your recovery. What began as treatment for one issue may now involve new and serious medical concerns.
You may face:
- Longer hospital stays
- Additional procedures or surgeries
- Strong antibiotics or ongoing treatment
- Increased medical expenses
- Time away from work
In more serious cases, infections can lead to sepsis, organ damage, or long-term health problems. These outcomes affect not just your health, but your daily life and financial stability.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
If your infection resulted from medical negligence, you may be able to recover compensation for the impact it has had on you.
This may include:
- The cost of additional medical care
- Future treatment needs
- Lost income while you recover
- Reduced ability to work
- Pain and suffering related to your condition
Your claim should reflect how the infection changed your situation. That includes both immediate costs and long-term effects.
What You Should Do Next
If you suspect your infection was preventable, taking action now can protect your health and your claim.
You should:
- Continue medical treatment and follow your provider’s advice
- Request copies of your medical records
- Keep track of your symptoms and recovery
- Document any additional treatment you require
- Speak with a medical malpractice lawyer before important evidence is lost or destroyed
Call (312) 600-0000 for Ankin Law. The sooner your case is reviewed, the easier it is to preserve evidence and identify what went wrong.
Why Patients Turn to Ankin Law
Hospital infection cases often come down to details buried in medical records: when symptoms first appeared, how devices were handled, whether infection-control procedures were followed, and how quickly doctors responded once something went wrong.
Ankin Law builds these cases around that evidence. We review the medical record, work with qualified medical professionals, identify the failures that contributed to the infection, and determine which providers or institutions may be responsible.
When a hospital argues that an infection was simply an unavoidable complication, we look at whether the facts support that claim.
Highly Recommended!!
Did an awesome job helping my Husband with his case. Very professional and always getting back to us with an answer. Karolina, thank you for all your help on always getting back to us when we had questions. Definitely will go back if I needed a lawyer again. Very patient with us and did not pressure us at all!
Ankin Law is one law firm that I would recommend anyone to use for cases of injuries. They are very thorough when working on your case and very professional. Their legal assistant Alex Quigley is a very polite and a pleasant person to work with. She is very thorough, very professional and very patient. If there were any problems that came about with your case, she would be right on it, and she would get the matter resolved. She cares about her/their clients, and she does her all to make you feel comfortable working with the law firm. Alex, continue to do what you do.
I was told to go to Ankin Law because they were the best, and they truly did not disappoint! Upon getting in contact with Ankin, I was introduced to one of their OUTSTANDING employees, Kat McHenry. Kat helped me get all the information I needed regarding my insurance issue and has helped me immensely with a plan to move forward. I would recommend both Kat McHenry and Ankin Law to anyone I know. Thanks for being so amazing!
Frequently Asked Questions About Hospital-Acquired Infections
Hospital-acquired infections raise serious questions about your care and your rights. Below are answers to common questions patients ask after developing an infection during a hospital stay.
How do I know if my infection was caused by negligence?
Not every infection is the result of negligence, but many are preventable. If your infection developed after a procedure, involved a medical device, or worsened due to delayed treatment, those facts may point to a failure in care. A detailed review of your medical records and input from medical professionals can help determine whether proper protocols were followed in your case.
How long do I have to file a claim in Illinois?
Illinois law limits the time you have to file a claim, which is generally two years from the date you knew or should have known about the injury. However, certain factors can affect this timeline. Waiting too long to file a medical malpractice claim can prevent you from recovering compensation, so it is important to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.
What if the hospital says my infection was unavoidable?
Hospitals often argue that infections are a known risk of treatment. While that may be true in some situations, providers must still follow strict safety protocols. If those protocols were not followed, your infection may have been preventable. A legal review can determine whether the hospital’s explanation aligns with the facts of your care.
Can I file a claim if a loved one died from an infection?
If a hospital-acquired infection led to a loved one’s death, you may have grounds to pursue a wrongful death claim. This type of case focuses on whether medical negligence contributed to the infection and its outcome. It can also address the financial and personal losses your family has experienced as a result.
Contact a Chicago Hospital-Acquired Infection Lawyer Today
If a preventable infection made you sicker, extended your hospital stay, or caused additional medical treatment, Ankin Law can investigate whether failures in your care contributed to the harm.
Call Ankin Law at (312) 600-0000 for a free consultation today.