Along with the basic understanding the Hepatitis and HIV can be contracted sexually, individuals undergoing operations, receiving organ transplants, and even being injected with a syringe can acquire it. When a patient contracts HIV or Hepatitis while they are in a medical setting and did not have it before, this could suggest that medical negligence was present and led to them contracting it. If this is the case, the patient might have enough evidence to prove that the hospital, medical professional, or other personnel were medically negligent and caused them to be exposed to these infections. Because these infections will always require medication and other forms of treatment, they will provide to be expensive in the long-run.
Patients should never think that they are in safe hands and will be cured of their current situation. They must realize that they can be placed in additional harm when receiving medical treatment. The concerns of a victim of HIV or Hepatitis exposure can be expressed to an attorney for HIV and Hepatitis malpractice at the West Palm Beach firm. Being exposed to infections and other diseases should not be a possibility when being cared for, but unfortunately, it is. For this matter, not only do hospitals and medical professionals need to take preventative measures, but patients need to be knowledgeable about the various ways that they can become a target of malpractice.
How Can Exposure to HIV and Hepatitis Occur in a Medical Setting?
There are different situations where medical negligence can result in a patient’s exposure to these infections. Some known occurrences that have been linked with these types of exposure include:
- Infected organ being deemed healthy for organ transplant
- Syringes not being properly sanitized
- Blood transfusions that have not been tested for infections
In addition to a patient being at risk, the medical professionals are also at risk if they do not follow safety measures like knowing how to handle a needle without being pricked.
Statistical Information on Hepatitis and HIV
- 75% of chronic Hepatitis C cases are said to be tied to those born between the year 1945 and 1965
- Hepatitis C is present in every one out of four individuals infected with HIV
Because a medical setting can have different patients coming in for different problems, there may be some who are infected or diseased. For this reason, preventative and safety measures must be in place in order to secure exposure to these conditions. Understanding the various damages that they can be recovered from medical malpractice for exposure to these infections can be attained with a West Palm Beach lawyer from Percy Martinez law firm. In addition, the firm will work to recover as many damages as possible.