Sepsis is a word no family wants to hear, especially when it’s spoken in the same breath as a nursing home. For older adults in long-term care, sepsis isn’t rare. It’s one of the most serious threats they face. What’s worse is that many of these cases could have been prevented with proper care and attention.
How a lawyer can help you take legal action after a sepsis diagnosis
If your loved one developed sepsis in a Chicago-area nursing home, you may be wondering if it was just bad luck or if something more serious happened. In Illinois, the law does allow you to take legal action if negligence played a role. But how do you know when the line between unfortunate and unacceptable has been crossed? An experienced Chicago nursing home neglect lawyer can investigate the situation, find out what happened, and identify who to hold accountable.
What is sepsis, and why is it so dangerous in nursing homes?
Sepsis is a medical emergency that begins with an infection. The body’s immune system, in trying to fight off the infection, goes into overdrive. That overreaction can damage tissues, shut down organs, and quickly become life-threatening.
In a nursing home, sepsis often starts from infections that should have been caught early. Common culprits include untreated bedsores, urinary tract infections from poorly managed catheters, or pneumonia that went unnoticed. These are not rare events. In fact, nursing home residents are among the most vulnerable to sepsis due to age, chronic illness, and dependence on others for care.
What makes sepsis especially tragic in these settings is that it's often missed until it’s too late. Staff may dismiss early symptoms, such as confusion or low energy, as signs of aging rather than warning signs of something much more serious.
When is a nursing home legally responsible for sepsis?
In Illinois, nursing homes have a legal obligation to provide proper medical and personal care to their residents. That’s not just a moral expectation; it’s written into state law through the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act. This law requires facilities to protect residents from neglect and to provide services that help them maintain their health and dignity.
If a nursing home fails to meet that standard, and your loved one becomes seriously ill or dies as a result, that could be grounds for a negligence claim.
Negligence means the facility didn’t act with the level of care that a reasonable facility would have. That might include failing to monitor wounds, ignoring signs of infection, or delaying necessary treatment. Sometimes, the claim may involve medical malpractice if a licensed nurse or doctor fails to recognize critical signs or makes a treatment error.
If the worst happens and your loved one passes away due to sepsis, the family may have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit under Illinois law. That kind of legal action can help you recover for funeral costs, loss of companionship, and emotional suffering.
How does sepsis happen because of nursing home neglect?
While no facility can prevent every illness, many cases of sepsis stem from patterns of poor care. Bedsores are one of the clearest signs of neglect. They form when a resident isn’t turned regularly or left in wet or dirty linens. Once a sore becomes infected, bacteria can quickly spread into the bloodstream.
Another common problem is catheter-associated infections. If staff don’t clean and monitor catheters properly, it opens the door for serious urinary tract infections. Pneumonia is also a frequent danger, especially when residents are not properly supervised or helped with feeding and hygiene.
The underlying cause in many of these cases is a lack of staff and inadequate training. When facilities cut corners, it’s often the residents who pay the price.
What should you do if you suspect sepsis?
If your loved one experiences high fever, chills, rapid breathing, confusion, or extreme fatigue, this might be a sign of sepsis. Get them to a hospital immediately. Early treatment can make all the difference.
Once they are safe, start gathering information. Request copies of their medical records from both the nursing home and the hospital. Write down what you saw, what the staff said, and when the symptoms began. If there are visible wounds, take photos of them. These steps are important not only for your peace of mind but also for any potential legal action that may arise in the future.
You should also file a complaint with the Illinois Department of Public Health. The department oversees nursing homes and can conduct its own investigation to determine whether the facility has violated care standards.
Then, talk to an attorney who understands nursing home neglect. The earlier you do this, the better. An experienced Chicago nursing home neglect lawyer can begin preserving evidence and reviewing records while the details are still fresh.
What kind of compensation is available for nursing home neglect?
If the nursing home is found responsible, you may be able to recover several types of damages. These include medical expenses, the cost of ongoing care if the resident survives, and compensation for pain and suffering. If your loved one died, a wrongful death claim can include funeral costs, loss of emotional support, and other family losses.
Why should you consult a nursing home neglect lawyer?
If your loved one suffered from sepsis in a nursing home, don’t wait to take action. Ask questions. Demand answers. Speak with an experienced Chicago nursing home neglect lawyer at Ferrell Young, LLC. Nursing homes and their insurance companies vigorously defend these cases. They often claim the resident was already sick or that sepsis was unavoidable. They may even attempt to shift the blame to the hospital or another party.
Our legal team knows how to cut through the excuses. We can hire experts, dig into the facility’s history, and build a clear case that connects the facility’s failures to the harm your loved one suffered.
We’ve seen the damage that nursing home neglect can cause. We also know how to hold facilities accountable and fight for justice on behalf of Illinois families.
Contact us online or call our Chicago law office today to learn more about your legal options. You deserve the truth, and your loved one deserves justice.
“Thank you, Ferrell Young LLC, for working so diligently on my case. Everyone I came in contact with was exceptionally friendly and responsive, and made such a stressful time in my life more at ease. I can’t thank you all enough!!” – Kirby B., ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐