Hypothermia happens when the body loses heat and a person’s internal temperature drops. When untreated, hypothermia can be fatal. When treated improperly, a patient might suffer significant complications.
On the other hand, medically induced and monitored hypothermia is an accepted treatment for some conditions. However, mistakes or carelessness could lead to disastrous results.
When you or your child suffer complications because medical personnel did not treat your hypothermia correctly, get legal help as quickly as possible. The team of medical malpractice attorneys at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, has been helping injured people get justice after shoddy medical treatment for decades. Consultations can be held in person or remotely—but they are always free—so you have nothing to lose by discussing your situation with a Connecticut hypothermia lawyer at our firm.
People may develop hypothermia when they are exposed to cold temperatures for extended periods. Many people develop hypothermia when they are outdoors, but being in a cold environment like a refrigerated warehouse or storage area can also lead to hypothermia. Some patients develop hypothermia in cold operating rooms.
Being submerged in water or wearing wet clothes can lead to hypothermia even when the temperatures are warm. Older adults, children, people with diabetes and some other medical conditions, and people taking certain medications are at higher risk of hypothermia.
Hypothermia is a medical emergency. People with hypothermia can develop gangrene in their limbs, damage to their blood vessels, and may suffer respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. Hypothermia can be fatal.
Hypothermia has the potential to do significant damage to the body. Medical personnel must monitor a patient very closely and respond to indicators of complications immediately. When they fail to do so, a Connecticut hypothermia attorney can help you hold them accountable for your harm.
Treatment of hypothermia requires warming the body gradually so the patient does not go into shock. Depending on the severity of the hypothermia, wrapping the patient in warm blankets and administering warm liquids by mouth may be sufficient. More severe cases may require infusions of warm saline, warming the blood with a dialysis machine, and pumping warm water into the stomach.
Treating accidental hypothermia successfully requires close monitoring and acute judgment. When the patient is treated with warming blankets or hot pads, burns can occur. If the patient’s extremities are warmed at the same time as their core, the cold blood moving to the patient’s heart and brain can cause shock, heart attack, and death.
Sometimes, medical personnel intentionally cool a patient’s body to reduce the impact of other injuries. It can be effective at reducing the secondary impacts of traumatic brain injuries in adults. Hypothermia treatment is also common when babies suffer certain injuries, especially brain injuries, at birth.
Like any medical treatment, therapeutic hypothermia must be administered with due care, and the patient must be monitored closely. Therapeutic hypothermia can cause several complications, notably cardiovascular problems and infections.
A healthcare facility or medical professional treating hypothermia or administering therapeutic hypothermia must use appropriate skill and judgment to avoid causing harm to the patient. When errors or carelessness result in further injury, the patient can hold the facility and treating professionals liable for malpractice.
You have two years from the time of treatment to file a lawsuit in Connecticut, but it is best to consult a hypothermia malpractice lawyer as soon as possible. Connecticut General Statute § 52-190a(a) requires your legal professional to obtain an expert medical opinion that you suffered from medical negligence before filing a lawsuit. Contacting D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, soon after the incident allows plenty of time to investigate the matter and obtain an expert opinion before the deadline.
When medical malpractice causes your injury, you are entitled to damages. You could receive compensation for your medical expenses, missed time at work, and incidental costs associated with your injury. You can also collect money to compensate for your pain and suffering.
When medical negligence causes you harm, you deserve compensation. However, proving medical malpractice requires experience and skill.
At D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, we have been helping victims of medical malpractice for decades. We offer free consultations, and you can come into the office, or we can arrange to meet remotely. You have nothing to lose by learning about your legal options. Get in touch with a Connecticut hypothermia lawyer today.
