Your elderly and weak family member possibly has bedsores because negligent staff at their nursing home left your loved one sitting or lying in one position for long periods. Failure to reposition a resident who needs such help can amount to negligence, and you need to claim compensation for injuries suffered. Legal aid can help you with weighing your options.
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 842-6336 now if you need assistance on how to proceed with such a case. Our Philadelphia bedsores lawyer is ready to offer legal assistance.
How Bedsores Form
A bedsore is an ulcer that forms when someone sits or lies on one side for too long. It commonly appears on skin that covers a bony area. A person operating in a wheelchair is likely to develop bedsores on their buttocks and tailbone. The body parts resting on the wheelchair, such as the legs and arms, are other places where such victims commonly develop these ulcers.
If your family member is bedridden and the nursing home is negligent, you may find ulcerations on the hips, ankles and heels, lower back, and shoulders. Johns Hopkins Medicine states that you can also find wounds on the buttocks, outside of the ears, back of the head, and sides of the head.
The four stages that a bedsore injury often goes through include:
- Stage #1: At this stage, a dark person’s skin may appear discolored, while a light-skinned person’s skin will appear red.
- Stage #2: Your loved one’s skin may develop shallow wounds that resemble blisters.
- Stage #3: The wound will have deepened and may expose dead tissue and fat.
- Stage#4: The ulcer may expose fleshy tissue, muscles, and bones.
Bedsores can be extremely painful. The Mayo Clinic reports that failure to seek immediate medical treatment can lead to other consequences, such as:
- Infections
- Tissue damage
- Swelling and pus-like draining
- Muscle damage
- Sepsis
- Damage to the underlying bone
- Amputation
- Death
Since it is easy to prevent bedsores, the people responsible for caring for nursing home residents should not let such injuries occur or progress. As a family member of a bedsores victim, you may want to speak to a lawyer to make all at-fault parties accountable.
Claiming Compensation Against the Nursing Home for Bedsores
Your loved one in a long-term care facility can claim compensation for their bedsores. Nursing homes owe residents a duty of care. The facilities have to assess the risk for bedsores for each resident who operates in a wheelchair or is bedridden.
If a resident’s sores have moved through all four stages, it is a clear indication of neglect. Often, residents suffer bedsores because of various factors, such as:
- Negligent hiring of staff, which entails employing people who have a history of neglecting or abusing people under their care
- Inappropriate training and supervision of staff
- Failure to meet the requirements of the resident’s known medical issues
- Failure to treat the bedsores
- Insufficient staff
You need to know the kind of life your loved one is experiencing in a long-term care facility. Check with your family member regularly to ensure everything is in order. Maintain a close relationship with supervisors and other staff members. Keeping an open dialogue with your family about nursing home experiences will help you identify any red flags.
If you suspect negligence, even when a bedsore is still at stage one, engage your Philadelphia bedsores lawyer to discuss your options.
For a free legal consultation with a Philadelphia Bedsores Lawyer serving Philadelphia, call (800) 794-0444
Possible Compensatory Awards in a Bedsores Case
An injury claim for bedsores can win your loved one various types of compensation, including:
- General damages: Compensation for trauma, pain, and suffering that your loved one experienced
- At-home care: While recovering from injuries, your loved one will need help with daily routines at home, but they can be compensated for the cost of hiring home caregivers.
- Loss of earnings: This can take many forms, such as your foregone earning opportunities while taking care of your loved one.
- Travel costs: The cost of transportation to and from the doctor’s clinic
- Medical expenses: Any cost related to present and future medical needs
- Loss of enjoyment of life: Your loved one’s bedsores can lead to other chronic illnesses that affect their day-to-day
- Wrongful death: You can claim the refund for burial and funeral expenses if your loved one dies due to their bedsores (medical bills the deceased left behind, loss of consortium, and emotional pain can be part of your claim)
Your legal team can clarify any matter relating to your claim.
Philadelphia Philadelphia Bedsores Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Get Help from a Lawyer and Their Team
Every facility should have standards in place for preventing bedsores. However, some unscrupulous nursing homes, hospitals, and staff violate such regulations. Their actions cause innocent, vulnerable residents unnecessary injuries (including bedsores).
Fortunately, you can get justice through a lawyer who can offer assistance in various ways, such as by:
- Scrutinizing procedures and policies that govern these injuries
- Establishing negligence
- Identifying all negligent parties
- Assessing employee compliance with rules, regulations, and policies
- Comprehensive documentation of the case
- Negotiating for a fair settlement and suing where necessary
Entrusting the care of your vulnerable loved one in a nursing home should come with the acknowledgment of (and commitment to upholding) this responsibility. Caregivers should spend their time and effort protecting your loved one. When they fail in doing so, they should answer for their breach of duty of care.
A lawyer can hold caregivers—and the institutions they work for—liable for any injuries they cause to residents.
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Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to Learn Your About Legal Options
When the health and life of family members are involved, you should do anything in your power to safeguard their interests. When your loved one gets unexplained bedsores in a nursing home, our Philadelphia bedsores lawyer can help you make the liable party provide financial compensation for the injuries they suffered. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 842-6336 to discuss your loved one’s legal options.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form