Necrotizing Fasciitis Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Against Hospital

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against a Texas hospital after a man suffering from a flesh-eating strep infection, known as necrotizing fasciitis, died of toxic shock last year. 

The necrotizing fasciitis malpractice lawsuit was filed on August 5 by Hope Adkins, the wife of Brandon Adkins, in Jefferson County District Court. The complaint alleges that Memorial Hermann Baptist Beaumont Hospital and Dr. Nathanial Alford delayed medical treatment for Adkins, leading to his death on April 25, 2009.

Adkins went to the hospital on April 24, 2009, suffering from a streptococcal infection and necrotizing fasciitis. He died the next day of toxic shock. The lawsuit alleges that the hospital’s staff did not act fast enough to properly treat Adkins, resulting in his death, and accuses the defendants of negligence.

Necrotizing fasciitis, also known as fasciitis necroticans, is a rare infection caused by a flesh eating bacteria that attacks the deeper layers of the skin. It often begins with severe pain, causing many doctors to misdiagnose necrotizing fasciitis due to the appearance of the outter skin. However, if the infection goes untreated, it can progress rapidly and is fatal in nearly three-quarters of the cases.

The medical malpractice lawsuit is seeking an undisclosed amount of compensation for survival damages and loss of inheritance, according to a story by the Southeast Texas Record.