How To Make A Claim For Sepsis Compensation

Last Updated 7th January 2026. Sepsis compensation can be awarded when negligent medical treatment leads to sepsis or delays in the correct diagnosis/treatment, causing physical, psychological, or financial harm that could’ve been prevented. 

In the UK, sepsis compensation can range from a few thousand pounds for moderate symptoms to hundreds of thousands of pounds for severe cases involving organ failure, brain damage, or long-term care needs. 

Each medical negligence claim is assessed individually and usually includes general damages for physical and psychological suffering, and special damages for financial losses such as lost income, care costs, and ongoing medical treatment. 

Our advisors are available around the clock to provide a free eligibility assessment and to answer any questions you may have. They could also connect you with a No Win No Fee solicitor from Advice if they believe you have a strong case. Get in touch by:

• Calling on 0161 509 2856.
• Contacting us online.
• Using our free live chat.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Is Sepsis?
2. Can I Make A Claim For Sepsis Compensation?
3. Am I Able To Claim On Behalf Of A Loved One?
4. What Amount Of Sepsis Compensation Could I Get?
5. How Can Compensation For Sepsis Help Me?
6. What Evidence Do I Need To Prove Sepsis Negligence?
7. Is There A Time Limit For Making A Sepsis Claim?
8. Claiming For Sepsis Compensation On A No Win No Fee Basis
9. More Information

What Is Sepsis?

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s immune system has an extreme response to an infection. It often causes widespread inflammation of the body, which can lead to organ or tissue damage.

Ordinarily, the body destroys infection as part of its natural immune response. However, in cases of sepsis, the infection-fighting process will turn against the body, often destroying healthy cells. In some instances, sepsis can lead to long-term health issues or death.

What Are The Symptoms Of Sepsis?

Sepsis has many symptoms, but some of the most common include:

• Laboured or fast, shallow breathing.
• Skin changes, leading to a pale or mottled appearance.
• Increased heart rate.
• Confusion or slurred speech.
• Fever and chills.

Treatments Used For Sepsis

Generally, treatment will depend on the stage and severity of the sepsis. Notwithstanding, any form of sepsis is potentially life-threatening and must be treated quickly.

In early-stage sepsis, where the infection has not spread to other organs, treatment is relatively uncomplicated. It typically consists of antibiotics, IV fluids, and vasopressor medications to raise blood pressure levels.

However, in later-stage cases, more invasive treatments may be needed. These treatments can involve surgical operations, kidney dialysis, and supplemental oxygen and are often held in an intensive care setting.

Can I Make A Claim For Sepsis Compensation?

Yes, you could make a claim for sepsis compensation provided that you meet the following eligibility requirements:

• You were owed a duty of care by a healthcare professional.
• The professional had breached their duty of care.
• The breach directly resulted in you suffering avoidable harm, such as developing sepsis because a doctor used unsterilised equipment.

Meeting these 3 criteria is essential to have a valid medical negligence claim. All healthcare professionals have a duty to provide their patients with a standard of care that meets the minimum expected of them. For instance, a medical professional may fall below those standards if their failure to listen to your sepsis symptoms delays a diagnosis and causes you unnecessary harm.

However, not all harm is due to someone’s negligent actions, nor is sepsis always preventable. You could still develop and suffer from the condition even when medical professionals meet expected standards. If you would like to find out whether you are eligible to make a sepsis compensation claim, please contact our team for free, confidential advice.

Examples Of Sepsis Negligence

There are many reasons why sepsis negligence happens. Please see the following examples:

• A healthcare provider concludes a patient suspected of sepsis has a high risk of severe illness or death. Despite this, they fail to have a clinician make an urgent assessment of the patient, causing delayed treatment and leading to kidney failure.
• A doctor misinterprets test results that show their patient is at high risk of developing sepsis due to a spreading infection. They conclude otherwise, which delays diagnosis and leads to the patient suffering long-term organ damage.
• A medical professional misdiagnoses a patient’s sepsis symptoms as being a chest infection. Consequently, they do not order any testing, allowing the sepsis to worsen and result in septic shock.
• A nurse fails to follow appropriate hygiene standards by not washing their hands between patients. This results in a patient developing a severe hospital-acquired infection that quickly leads to sepsis.

These examples provide only a small glimpse into how sepsis negligence might occur. Before we continue, it’s important to reiterate that not every case of sepsis will be due to medical negligence or result in a valid claim. To discuss your particular circumstances and find out whether you could make a claim, please contact one of our advisors today.

Am I Able To Claim On Behalf Of A Loved One?

Yes, you may be able to claim for sepsis compensation on behalf of a loved one in the following scenarios:

• The claimant is a child under the age of 18 and so cannot claim by themselves or;
• They lack the mental capacity to claim for themselves.

In any of the above situations, you could be appointed by the courts as a litigation friend to make a claim on their behalf. Litigation friends are usually parents, guardians, or solicitors and must protect the claimant’s best interests throughout the process.

If you want to learn more about claiming on behalf of a loved one, feel free to reach out to one of our helpful advisors.

Fatal Sepsis Claims

If your loved one passed away due to sepsis negligence, you could be able to claim compensation.

Provided there is evidence of sepsis negligence, you may be able to claim as a dependant under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 if your relation to the deceased is:

• A spouse or civil partner.
• A parent or ascendant.
• Their child or someone treated as their child through marriage or civil partnership.
• The brother, sister, aunt, or uncle of the deceased.
• Someone who lived as a spouse with the deceased at least 2 years prior to their death.

However, dependants can only make a claim if the deceased’s estate has not already done so for them. Moreover, the claim can not be started in the first 6 months of someone’s passing, and dependants cannot seek compensation on behalf of their deceased loved one.

In the first 6 months, only the deceased’s estate can claim, as set out by the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1934. This piece of legislation allows the estate to claim for the pain, suffering, and financial loss suffered up to the deceased’s passing.

Please get in touch with one of our trained advisors if you want to discuss making a fatal sepsis negligence claim.

What Amount Of Sepsis Compensation Could I Get?

Sepsis compensation is calculated on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the severity of the harm caused and how it has affected your life. In the UK, sepsis negligence claims are usually split into 2 parts.

The 1st part is general damages. This compensates you for the physical and psychological pain and suffering that has resulted from the sepsis negligence. Solicitors can use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to assess these injuries, such as:

• Brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation. 
• Kidney failure requiring dialysis. 
• Amputation following septic shock. 
• Long-term bowel or organ damage, 
• Loss of amenity as a consequence of any of the above (the decrease of quality of life).

The final sepsis compensation amount reflects how severe the sepsis was, whether it caused permanent damage, and the long-term impact on your work, independence, and quality of life. 

JCG Figures

Below is a list of some figures in the JCG. Please note that the first entry doesn’t come from the JCG, and these examples are not a guarantee of how much sepsis compensation you could receive:

• Multiple severe forms of harm with financial losses – Such as medical expenses, loss of earnings, and home modification costs – up to £1,000,000+
• Very severe brain damage – A claimant will retain some ability to follow basic commands. However, they will need continuous care and show no meaningful response to their environment – £344,150 to £493,000
• Moderate (i) brain damage – Claimants will have moderate/severe intellectual deficit and other issues that affect personality, sight, senses, and speech – £183,190 to £267,340
• Loss of both legs – The level of award is determined by factors such as the success of prosthetics, if there are any phantom pains, and related psychological problems – £293,850 – £344,150
• Kidney (a) – Serious and permanent damage to or the loss of both kidneys – £206,730 – £256,780
• Kidney (b) – Claimant will have a significant risk of developing urinary tract infections or other complete loss of natural kidney function – up to £78,080
• Kidney (c) One kidney will have been lost without there being any damage to the other – £37,550 to £54,760
• Bowels (b) – Total loss of natural function and colostomy dependence (depending on age) – up to £183,190
• Loss of one arm (ii) – Amputation above or through the elbow. This bracket considers any difficulties with prosthetics due to stump length – £133,810 – £159,770
• Amputation of one foot – Due to the loss of the ankle joint, this bracket is treated similar to an amputation below the knee – £102,470 – £133,810 
• Amputation of all toes – The level of award will consider factors like the extent of forefoot loss and lingering impact on mobility – £44,570 – £68,430

To learn more about compensation and to discuss your specific experiences, feel free to talk to a member of our advisory team.

How Can Compensation For Sepsis Help Me?

Sepsis compensation can not only restore a sense of justice but also give you the funds needed to support your recovery and improve your quality of life. For instance, you may need to get long-term physiotherapy without paying out-of-pocket. 

With that in mind, the 2nd part of sepsis compensation is special damages. These cover the financial losses linked to the negligence, including:

• Past and future loss of earnings. 
• Professional care and support needs.
• Medical treatment, medication, and rehabilitation costs. 
• Home or vehicle adaptations. 
• Travel and additional living expenses. 

You will just need proof of these expenses like receipts and invoices, which one of our No Win No Fee solicitors can help you gather.

To find out how much sepsis compensation you could potentially be entitled to claim, please contact us today. 

What Evidence Do I Need To Prove Sepsis Negligence?

To prove sepsis negligence, you’ll need to be able to demonstrate that your healthcare provider gave you substandard medical care, and you suffered harm that could’ve been prevented from this. The following steps can support these elements:

1. Seeking medical attention immediately – this is an extremely important first step to have the best chances of recovery. Your medical records can also be used as evidence. 
2. Gather immediate information – if anyone was there to witness you receive substandard medical care, such as another healthcare professional or a family member, get their contact details. You should also get details from the negligent professional, such as their name, role, and where they work. 
3. Document everything – take photos of the likely cause of the sepsis and of your visible harm, such as unhygienic conditions in the hospital. Also keep evidence of the medications that you need to treat your symptoms. 
4. Report the negligence – you can raise a complaint directly with the healthcare provider involved using their internal complaints procedure. 
5. Get as much further evidence as you can – request all of your medical records and keep copies of correspondence confirming your medical appointments and treatment; a medical negligence solicitor from Advice can help you collect all of the evidence needed to support your claim.

For further help on what evidence is needed in order to claim sepsis compensation, please contact us today. 

Is There A Time Limit For Making A Sepsis Claim?

Yes, there is a 3-year time limit for starting a medical negligence claim, as per the Limitation Act 1980. This time limit runs from either:

• The date that the medical negligence occurred.
• The date of knowledge, which is the moment you reasonably realised that you suffered avoidable harm.

Exceptions apply to 2 groups who cannot legally start a claim for themselves:

• Minors have 3 years to start their claim from the day they turn 18.
• Those lacking sufficient mental capacity will not face a time limit unless they regain the ability to act for themselves. If that occurs, the 3-year time limit will then begin from the date of recovery.

Alternatively, as we discussed earlier, another person could take action for someone from these 2 groups by becoming a litigation friend. Besides family, the role can be filled by other suitable adults, including solicitors, friends, and professional advocates.

To find out whether you have enough time to claim, please get in touch with one of our helpful advisors.

Claiming For Sepsis Compensation On A No Win No Fee Basis

If you have suffered because of sepsis negligence, you could be entitled to make a claim on a No Win No Fee basis. Specifically, our solicitors can offer you a Conditional Fee Arrangement (CFA), which comes with the following benefits:

• You won’t pay any upfront or ongoing fees for your solicitor’s services.
• You won’t pay any solicitor fees if you don’t win compensation.
• If your claim is successful, you will pay a small success fee for your solicitor’s work that will be deducted from your compensation. The success fee is small thanks to the percentage taken being capped, meaning you’ll receive the bulk of the compensation.

How Advice Can Help You

Our advisors work around the clock to ensure you always get a timely answer to your questions. If you’re ready to get started with claiming compensation for sepsis negligence, please reach out to our team by:

• Calling on 0161 509 2856
• Contacting us online by completing these forms
• Using our free live chat

More Information

To learn more about making a medical negligence claim, please see some of our other guides:

• Learn about how to claim for poor care in a hospital.
• See how to claim for misdiagnosis of cancer.
• Get help with MRSA claims.

Additional external information:

• Government guidance on statutory sick pay.
• The General Medical Council (GMC) details the duties of medical professionals registered with it.
• The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing has resources on infection prevention and control.

Thank you for reading our guide on how to claim for sepsis compensation.