Sepsis Claims

Sepsis Claims

Sepsis is one of the most life-threatening conditions a person can develop, and it is also one of the most time-critical. When healthcare professionals fail to recognise the signs of sepsis, delay treatment, or provide inadequate care, the consequences can be catastrophic — and in many cases, fatal. If you or a loved one has suffered serious harm as a result of negligent sepsis treatment, you may have a valid sepsis claim for medical negligence compensation.

At Curtis Legal, we specialise in sepsis claims on behalf of clients and their families across England and Wales. We act on a no win, no fee basis, so there is no financial risk to you in pursuing a sepsis claim.

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What Is Sepsis?

Sepsis — sometimes referred to as blood poisoning — is a life-threatening response to infection. When the body’s immune system goes into overdrive fighting an infection, it can begin to damage its own tissues and organs. Without rapid diagnosis and treatment, sepsis can progress to septic shock, multiple organ failure, and death.

The NHS estimates that around 245,000 people develop sepsis in the UK each year, and approximately 48,000 people die as a result. Many of these deaths and cases of serious harm are preventable with prompt, appropriate medical intervention.

Sepsis can develop from almost any infection, including:

• Urinary tract infections
• Chest infections and pneumonia
• Abdominal infections
• Skin wounds and infections
• Post-surgical infections
• Meningitis

The key to surviving sepsis is speed. For every hour that treatment is delayed, the risk of death increases significantly. This is why failures to recognise and treat sepsis promptly are among the most serious forms of medical negligence.

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When Do Sepsis Claims Succeed?

Not every case of sepsis gives rise to a sepsis claim. However, a sepsis claim is likely to succeed where the care provided fell below the standard that a responsible healthcare professional would have delivered.

Common failures that give rise to successful sepsis claims include:

• Failure to recognise the signs and symptoms of sepsis during assessment
• Delayed diagnosis despite clear clinical indicators
• Failure to carry out blood tests or other investigations promptly
• Delay in administering antibiotics — the cornerstone of sepsis treatment
• Failure to escalate care to intensive care when required
• Inadequate monitoring of a deteriorating patient
• Discharging a patient who was showing signs of sepsis

Where any of these failures occurred and caused or materially worsened your outcome, there may be strong grounds for a sepsis claim. We will review the medical records carefully and advise you honestly on the strength of your case.

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Who Is Most at Risk of Sepsis?

While sepsis can affect anyone, certain groups are at significantly higher risk of developing the condition and of suffering serious harm if it is not treated promptly:

• The elderly, whose immune systems may not mount a strong visible response
• Very young children and babies, in whom sepsis can escalate extremely rapidly
• People with weakened immune systems due to conditions such as diabetes, cancer, or HIV
• Those who have recently undergone surgery or invasive medical procedures
• Patients with long-term medical conditions including kidney disease or liver cirrhosis
• People with indwelling catheters, drains, or intravenous lines

Healthcare professionals are trained to be particularly vigilant for sepsis in these groups. A failure to apply that vigilance — or to act on clinical warning signs — can form the basis of a strong sepsis claim.

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What You Should Do If You Suspect Negligence

If you believe sepsis was mismanaged in your case or a loved one’s case, the following steps will help protect your sepsis claim.

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What We Need to Prove in a Sepsis Claim

To bring a successful medical negligence claim for sepsis, we will need to establish three things:

Duty of care. The hospital or healthcare provider had a legal duty to provide a proper standard of care. This is almost always straightforward to establish once the care relationship is confirmed.

Breach of duty. The care provided fell below the standard a reasonable, competent healthcare professional would have delivered. In sepsis claims, this typically involves examining whether the clinical warning signs were present and whether appropriate action was taken promptly enough.

Causation. The breach of duty directly caused or materially contributed to the harm suffered. In sepsis claims this can be complex — we work with independent medical experts to establish the difference between the outcome that occurred and the outcome that should have occurred with proper care.

The time limit for bringing a sepsis claim is generally three years from the date of the injury, or three years from the date you first became aware that the injury was caused by negligence. Where a loved one has since passed away, different rules apply and you should contact us promptly.

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Sepsis Claims — Compensation Outcomes

Every sepsis claim is different, and the amount of compensation awarded will depend on the severity of the harm caused, the degree of suffering, and the specific failings in care. Sepsis claims can result in significant compensation awards, particularly where the negligence has resulted in amputation, organ damage, long-term disability, or death.

We will always give you a realistic assessment of what your sepsis claim may be worth once we have reviewed the facts of your case.

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Our No Win, No Fee Promise

We act exclusively on a conditional fee agreement — commonly known as no win, no fee. This means:

• There are no upfront costs to pay
• If your sepsis claim is unsuccessful, you pay nothing — we absorb all the costs incurred
• If your claim succeeds, we recover our base costs from the other side, and under the terms of the agreement we are entitled to a success fee. This is capped at 25% of the damages awarded, and certain elements of your compensation are ring-fenced so you receive 100% of those amounts
• We guarantee that in the event of a successful outcome, you will receive at least 75% of the total compensation awarded

There is no financial risk to you at any stage of your sepsis claim.

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What Our Clients Say

“The service I received was excellent. The person who dealt with the case was very helpful and I would have no hesitation in recommending your services.”

“Excellent service throughout. The person who dealt with my matter was excellent and very helpful. I was very happy with the time it took and the outcome. There was no fuss and no trouble and not much work to be done by me as Curtis Legal did all the work on my behalf.”

“The service that I received was excellent with good solid advice. The person dealing with the matter was great support and very helpful. I would definitely use your service again but I hope I don’t have to.”

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Frequently Asked Questions About Sepsis Claim

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Speak to Simon Jenkins and the Team Today

If you believe sepsis was caused or worsened by negligent care, do not wait. Time limits apply to sepsis claims and early action preserves the best evidence.

Call us free on 0800 214 216 for a confidential conversation with no obligation. Alternatively, email [email protected] or complete our online enquiry form and we will call you back the same day.