MRSA infections are one of the biggest risk factors for hospital stays, especially in people who have had surgery or who are recovering from serious injuries and wounds. While they start as skin infections, they can quickly worsen and cause life-threatening infections in tissue, bones, and organs throughout the body.
According to a 2020 study published in the National Library of Medicine, there are more than 80,000 new hospital-acquired MRSA cases every year in the U.S. Another 2022 study determined that the type of medical facility matters, as community hospitals have a higher rate of hospital-related MRSA compared to large academic centers.
Because hospitals are supposed to be places where people go to get better, patients who contract a life-threatening infection might wonder if they can sue for medical malpractice.
When hospitals fail to take the necessary and recommended precautions to protect patients, they open themselves up to liability, including medical malpractice claims and lawsuits, when patients develop these infections.
If you’re considering your legal options, it’s important to understand what MRSA infections are, how hospitals can reduce their transmission, and when hospitals can be held liable.
What Is MRSA?
MRSA stands for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, and it’s a type of bacterial infection that is resistant to several common antibiotics. This resistance makes MRSA infections more difficult to treat than other bacterial infections.
MRSA is caused by a strain of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, commonly known as staph. Staph bacteria are found on the skin or in the nose of healthy individuals without causing any problems. However, when they do cause infection, they can lead to a range of issues, from minor skin infections to life-threatening diseases.
What Are the Complications of MRSA?
What makes MRSA distinct is its resistance to methicillin, a common antibiotic used to treat staph infections. This resistance also extends to other antibiotics in the same class, including oxacillin, penicillin, and amoxicillin.
MRSA infections can occur anywhere on the body. They often start as painful, swollen, red bumps that might look like pimples or spider bites. These can quickly turn into deep, painful abscesses that require surgical draining. The bacteria can also burrow deep into the body, infecting bones, joints, surgical wounds, the bloodstream, heart valves, and lungs.
How Is MRSA Spread?
MRSA can spread through direct contact with an infected wound or by sharing personal items, like towels or razors, that have touched infected skin. MRSA is also a concern in hospitals and healthcare facilities, where it can spread on the hands of healthcare workers or on contaminated surfaces.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says around 5% of patients in U.S. hospitals carry MRSA in their noses or on their skin. The percentage of healthcare workers in hospitals who carry the bacteria is similar. Because hospitals typically have hundreds of workers and patients, multiple people may carry MRSA at any given time, spreading it easily.
Risk Factors for Contracting MRSA in a Hospital Setting
Not every patient faces the same level of risk when it comes to hospital-acquired MRSA infections. Certain circumstances and health conditions make some individuals more vulnerable than others, which can affect both the likelihood of infection and the potential severity of complications.
Post-Surgical Patients
Anytime the skin is broken — whether through surgery, catheter insertion, or IV line placement — bacteria have an opportunity to enter the body. Patients recovering from surgical procedures are particularly susceptible if wound care protocols are not strictly followed.
Intensive Care and Long-Term Stays
Patients in the ICU or those with extended hospital stays face repeated exposure to bacteria. This can come from contact with hospital staff, medical devices, or shared spaces with other patients. Each additional day of hospitalization increases the chances of coming into contact with MRSA.
Chronic Illness and Weakened Immunity
Individuals with diabetes, cancer, kidney disease, or other conditions that weaken the immune system often struggle to fight infections. This makes even minor MRSA exposure potentially life-threatening.
Use of Invasive Devices
Ventilators, urinary catheters, and central lines create direct entry points for bacteria. When these devices are not managed with meticulous hygiene, the risk of MRSA infection rises sharply.
Elderly and High-Risk Populations
Older adults and those with compromised mobility may not be able to care for wounds or monitor symptoms effectively, which can lead to delayed detection and worsened outcomes.
Can Hospitals Prevent the Spread of MRSA?
Although MRSA is commonplace in hospitals, there are certain protocols they can follow to reduce its spread and keep patients safe:
- Hand Hygiene: This is the most effective way to prevent the spread of infections. Hospitals should enforce strict handwashing protocols for all healthcare workers before and after interacting with each patient.
- Screening and Isolation: Patients known or suspected to have MRSA should be isolated. Hospitals may conduct screenings for MRSA, especially in high-risk units like intensive care, to identify and isolate infected patients.
- Clean Environment: Regular and thorough cleaning of hospital environments—including patient rooms, operating rooms, and common areas, using disinfectants—is effective against MRSA.
- Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Healthcare workers should wear appropriate PPE, such as gloves and gowns, when treating patients with MRSA to prevent skin and clothing contact with MRSA bacteria.
- Education and Training: Continuous education and training is critical for healthcare workers and hospital staff about MRSA and infection control practices.
- Patient Education: Patients and their families should also be educated about MRSA, including prevention strategies, especially for those at higher risk or with open wounds.
What Happens When Hospitals Fail to Take Precautions Against MRSA?
In Ohio, hospitals can potentially be held liable for medical malpractice if patients develop MRSA infections, but this depends on specific circumstances. To establish liability, it must be proven that the hospital failed to meet the standard of care expected in preventing the infection and that this failure directly led to a patient contracting MRSA. This involves demonstrating negligence in practices such as hygiene, patient care, or infection control measures.
For example, a patient may undergo surgery in a hospital and develop an MRSA infection. Later, an investigation might reveal that the operating room used for the surgery was not sterilized, and the surgical instruments were contaminated with MRSA. Additionally, evidence might show hospital staff didn’t follow hygiene protocols, such as handwashing and use of personal protective equipment.
Due to the hospital’s lack of diligence, the patient suffers severe complications from the MRSA infection, leading to prolonged hospitalization and additional treatments. Because the hospital failed to take the necessary precautions, the patient and/or their loved ones may be able to file a medical malpractice claim against the hospital.
Compensation in MRSA Malpractice Cases
When a hospital-acquired MRSA infection is linked to negligent care, patients may be entitled to pursue compensation. The purpose of this monetary award is to address both the financial and personal impact of the infection. Patients could be entitled to reimbursement for additional medical treatment, extended hospital stays, and the cost of ongoing care. If the infection caused time away from work, lost income may also be recoverable.
Beyond the economic costs, compensation can cover the pain, suffering and diminished quality of life that often result from a serious MRSA infection. Our attorneys can answer your questions about the types of damages available to you.
Hospital-Related MRSA Infection? Contact Our Ohio Medical Malpractice Lawyers.
Thankfully, preventing MRSA infections is now a major priority for most hospitals in Ohio. However, that doesn’t mean the protocol for preventing these infections is always followed correctly or at all. Sometimes, doctors, surgeons, nurses, and other healthcare workers may skip steps or perform them carelessly, and that can put their patients at an unnecessarily elevated level of risk.
If you or someone you love developed an MRSA infection during or shortly after a hospital stay, it may be because the hospital failed to take the necessary precautions. The Ohio medical malpractice attorneys at Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy have helped many people who were harmed by negligent hospitals and healthcare workers, and we want to help you, too. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Updated October 27, 2025.
