Bedsores or decubitus ulcers are a common sign of nursing home neglect and abuse. A patient with bedsores has often been left in a bed or chair for an extended period of time. Nursing home patients with bedsores may experience extreme pain, infections, and other complications from pressure ulcers.
The Boston nursing home abuse lawyers of Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP represent nursing home residents and their families in lawsuits against long-term care facilities. With over 100 years of legal experience and substantial resources, our lawyers are prepared to fight the largest corporations and insurance companies.
If you believe your loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse in Boston, MA, contact our Boston personal injury attorneys at (617)-391-9001 for a free consultation. Let’s work together to hold the nursing home staff responsible for your loved one’s pain and suffering.
Patients in nursing homes and long-term care facilities deserve to be treated with respect and compassion. They deserve to receive adequate medical and personal care. That’s why our Boston bedsores lawyers take it personally when nursing homes abuse or neglect their elderly residents. That’s why we work to hold negligent facilities accountable for their wrongdoing.
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Bedsores or pressure sores are areas of damaged skin. They are caused when a person stays in one position for extended periods of time. Pressure ulcers result in an open wound that can be very painful.
A patient may develop bedsores on any body part. Stage I bedsores are the mildest form of pressure ulcers. They result in reddened areas that could be more sensitive to pain. Stage II bedsores result in damage to the upper layers of skin.
Stage III bedsores cause damage to all skin layers, and the ulcer could reach into the fat layer of the skin. Stage IV is the most severe level of bedsores. In addition to skin death, the patient may suffer damage to the tendons, muscles, and bones.
Nursing home residents often develop bedsores because of neglect. Preventing bedsores requires good hygiene, changing the patient’s position every two hours, and using pillows or other devices to relieve pressure.
A patient may suffer chronic pain because of the bedsore. Additionally, infections may develop that could require hospitalization. In some cases, bedsores can cause permanent injury or life-threatening conditions.
A nursing home resident could be entitled to compensation for damages caused by bedsores, including:
Family members may receive wrongful death benefits if the bedsores result in the death of a family member. The types of damages available for a nursing home abuse case depend on the facts of the case.
Generally, nursing home staff members are responsible for preventing bedsores. They should reposition residents every few hours and use other techniques to relieve pressure on various body parts. However, nursing homes that are understaffed or have poorly trained staff members may leave residents in bed or chairs for long periods.
The nursing home may be held liable for damages caused by neglect or abuse. Individual staff members may also be held liable for negligence or intentional abuse of a patient. In some cases, the matter could result in criminal charges or government penalties.
A civil lawsuit against the nursing home and other parties may be necessary to pursue financial compensation for damages. Financial compensation does not undo the pain and suffering your loved one experienced. However, it can reimburse your loved one for expenses related to the bedsores and provide additional care.
Suing a nursing home also holds the parties responsible for nursing home neglect and abuse liable in court. Their actions are made public, which may prevent other patients from suffering the same harm as your family member.
Many cases of bedsores are preventable with proper care. If your loved one suffered injury or harm because of neglect or abuse, contact our Boston nursing home abuse lawyers for a free consultation.