Patients in nursing homes often have medical conditions that make it difficult for them to move. They may spend most of their time in a bed or a wheelchair. Staying in one position for extended periods of time can make nursing home residents susceptible to bedsores.
Staff in long-term care facilities should receive training so that they understand what causes bedsores and how to prevent them. They should take steps on a regular basis to prevent bedsores and should check patients often for signs of a problem.
If your loved one did not receive appropriate care and developed bedsores, he or she may have suffered excruciating pain and possibly serious complications. A Jacksonville bedsores lawyer may be able to help your family pursue justice.
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the facility to seek a financial award. Your loved one may be entitled to compensation for medical bills for care that was required to treat the bedsores, as well as for pain and suffering. Call our office today at (800) 842-6366 to discuss your relative’s injuries with a member of our staff and to learn more about how we may be able to help.
The Causes of Bedsores
According to the Mayo Clinic, bedsores, or pressure ulcers, can develop when a disabled patient spends a long period of time in one position and a section of the skin is exposed to continuous pressure. Bedsores generally form in bony areas where the skin is in direct contact with a bed, chair, or wheelchair.
When skin is exposed to continuous pressure, that can restrict blood flow to the area. If the skin and surrounding tissue do not receive adequate oxygen and nutrients, they can become damaged and can eventually die. Friction and shear, or movement in opposite directions, can also contribute to bedsores.
Patients who are incontinent may be at greater risk of developing bedsores. Skin that is exposed to waste over a period of time may be more vulnerable to damage.
Bedsores can vary in terms of severity. In some cases, the skin may be discolored but unbroken. In other cases, the skin may be broken, and the underlying muscle and bone may be damaged.
Nursing home residents with bedsores may experience serious and life-threatening complications. Skin, soft tissues, bones, and joints may become infected. Patients may also develop cancer or sepsis.
How Nursing Home Employees Can Prevent Bedsores
Although bedsores can be treated, they can be extremely painful and may not heal completely. That is why preventing them is essential.
If a person is unable to move and change positions, staff members in a nursing home should move the patient regularly so that one part of the body does not experience continuous pressure. It is also important for workers to make sure that patients with limited mobility receive appropriate nutrition and hydration. That can keep their skin healthy and reduce the risk of damage.
Nursing home employees should keep the skin of immobile patients as clean and dry as possible. They should clean patients who are incontinent and change their clothing and bedding as necessary. Staff members can also use a cream to protect the skin from moisture.
Employees should be taught how to spot signs of a developing bedsore. Those may include changes in skin’s color, texture, or temperature; tenderness; swelling; and pus-like drainage. A worker who notices a bedsore or signs that one is developing should provide prompt treatment to prevent complications.
For a free legal consultation with a Jacksonville Bedsores Lawyer serving Jacksonville, call (800) 794-0444
What to Do If Your Loved One Developed Bedsores in a Nursing Home
Even though bedsores are preventable, they are common in long-term care facilities. They can make life even more unbearable for patients who were already struggling to cope with chronic pain or other problems.
If your family member suffered because of bedsores that developed in a nursing home, you and other relatives may be feeling angry that your loved one did not receive the type of care that he or she needed and deserved. You may want to hold the facility accountable.
A Jacksonville bedsores lawyer may be able to help. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm has represented families across the United States and helped them seek justice on behalf of vulnerable relatives who experienced abuse or neglect in long-term care facilities. We may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the nursing home.
Jacksonville Jacksonville Bedsores Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
How an Attorney Can Help Your Family
Our team can investigate to find out what type of care your relative received and how bedsores were able to form. We can review your family member’s medical records to understand the nature of his or her condition and how it affected your loved one’s ability to move.
We can review the facility’s treatment plan and consult independent medical experts to learn whether the protocols that were put in place to prevent bedsores were adequate. We can also review other records to learn whether employees received appropriate training and followed the nursing home’s guidelines.
If the facility and its employees did not take adequate action to prevent bedsores, or if workers did not provide appropriate treatment, a Jacksonville bedsores lawyer may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. The team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to negotiate a settlement with the facility to spare both sides the time and expense of going to trial. If we are unable to reach an agreement on a financial award that we consider fair, we may go to court to seek justice on behalf of your loved one.
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Call Today for a Free Case Evaluation
You do not have a lot of time to take legal action against the nursing home. According to Florida Statutes §429.296, the statute of limitations to file a personal injury lawsuit is two years from the date of the incident or two years from the date when it was or should have been discovered. A lawsuit may not be filed more than four years from the date of the incident. If your relative is in failing health, that may further complicate efforts to seek justice. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 842-6336 so we can begin gathering evidence as soon as possible.
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