Compensation For Deep Vein Thrombosis
If you or your loved one has suffered because of a hospital acquired blood clot, you could be entitled to claim compensation for the damage this has caused.
Blood clots in hospital
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is when a blood clot develops in one of the body's deep veins – usually the legs. It is something that can affect anyone, but hospital patients in particular are at risk. This is because the majority of people in hospital are unable to move, whether due to surgery or illness. This inactivity hinders the flow of blood in the legs, increasing the chance of a blood clot developing.
It is therefore essential that medical practitioners in hospital take steps to prevent blood clots. This should begin as soon as a patient is admitted to hospital, and should continue throughout the course of their stay.
Risk assessments for blood clots
When a patient is admitted to hospital, nurses should carry out a risk assessment to ascertain if he/she is at risk of suffering a blood clot. Factors that must be considered include whether or not the patient: is likely to be immobile, overweight, smokes, has a condition that affects circulation (such as cancer or diabetes) or a history of thrombosis.
If a patient is deemed at-risk, measures should be implemented to help prevent a clot from developing. This will include the use of compression stockings, as well as anti-coagulant medication to stop the blood from clotting randomly.
Monitoring blood clots in hospital
All patients must be regularly monitored for signs of a blood clot during their stay in hospital, regardless of whether they have been deemed at-risk. Medical practitioners should watch out for the tell-tale signs of DVT, which include a leg that is aching, hot to touch, swollen and red. If these symptoms are detected, immediate steps should be taken to diagnose and treat DVT, or the consequences could be devastating.
Hospital acquired blood clots
If an at-risk patient is not provided with preventative treatment, or a hospital acquired DVT is not recognised in a timely fashion, this could be very troubling for a patient. Indeed, if a blood clots breaks of and travels to the lungs it will lead to a pulmonary embolism, and if it travels to the brain it will lead to a stroke. Both conditions are potentially fatal.
If DVT complications do occur and medical error is to blame, there will be grounds for a medical negligence compensation claim. This is because the level of care will be considered substandard, which in turn caused a patient to suffer injury. This will amount to medical negligence.
If you or your loved one has been harmed because of a hospital acquired blood clot, get in touch with a solicitor today.
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