HIV and Hepatitis are infections known to affect millions all across the United States. Individuals who experience any of these infections may exert different symptoms and may have contracted it through different means. While these infections can be contracted through sexual activity, it may also be acquired through someone’s infected blood and even medical devices that are not properly kept sanitized. When an infection like HIV is acquired through a health service visitation or services, the victim of the infectious exposure may have enough grounds to create a claim against the hospital or medical provider who was negligent and allowed the patient to contract an infection that they did not have to begin with. These types of infections will usually require that the victim consume different forms of medication to control the side effects of the condition.
Because an individual can live their whole lives with these conditions that will require treatment to control, the expenses and emotional trauma that it may cause the victim may be too much to bare. For that reason, St. Petersburg lawyers for Hepatitis and HIV infection exposure malpractice are ready to gather all evidence present and determine the causation and liability of the health care provider to ensure that their victim is able to receive as much compensation allowed for the damages that they endured. Patients seeking help should not be leaving the hospital or physician’s office with an acquired infection during their care.
How Can These Infections Be Spread?
As described above, these infections can be contracted through different means. One way that these infections can be exposed to a person is through medical negligence. Some ways that medical negligence can cause a patient to become infected with Hepatitis or HIV include:
- Using unclean needles with numerous patients
- Failing to sanitize reusable medical instruments like forceps or clamps
- Organ transplant and blood transfusion already infected because they were not tested
- Intubation and feeding tubes not kept clean
Hepatitis and HIV Figures and Information
- In 2014, 8,081 died due to the Hepatitis virus
- 39,513 individuals were diagnosed with HIV in 2015
- Approximate 6,721 people die from HIV each year
The Life of An Individual Who Contracts Hepatitis or HIV Will Never Be the Same
HIV and hepatitis is a serious infection that remains with the individual for the rest of their life. This infection may cause them social damage, emotional distress, problems with their relationships, and financial expenses. All of these are considered to be damages of which the victim can recover with the aid of a litigation for malpractice that can be created by a well-equipped HIV and hepatitis infection malpractice St. Petersburg lawyer at Percy Martinez Law Firm.