A recent outbreak of Clostridium difficile at a Quebec hospital, Honore-Mercier, that killed 16 is the source of a medical malpractice lawsuit that has been filed. The outbreak occurred in 2006, when the so-called superbug, a bacteria resistant to antibiotics, and festered for several months before being brought under control. These bacteria are difficult to treat, because they have mutated in environments where habitual use of antibiotics have allowed them to become immune, and prey on the elderly and weak, making them a major danger in hospitals and nursing homes.
Infections with these strains of bacteria has been listed as one of the “never events” by the National Quality Forum, that Medicare will not pay hospitals for the treatment of, and should never happen to you or your loved ones. Control of bacteria should be manageable in all hospital and nursing home settings, but, as in the case at the Quebec hospital, it can blossom out of control as a result of shoddy infection control and cost-saving cutbacks in maintenance and room cleanliness by hospital officials.
If a loved one has suffered wrongful death as a result of bacterial infection, contact the Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers at Pomerantz, Perlberger, and Lewis, LLP today for a free initial consultation and case evaluation.
