Bedsores Indicate Neglect and Abuse In New York Nursing Homes
If you or your loved one suffers bedsores in a nursing home, you may have a nursing home abuse case
Bedsores are one of the most common injuries in nursing homes. They are also the most avoidable, caused by the neglect of the staff. Bedsores, also called pressure sores or pressure ulcers, occur with high frequency. This in no way makes them an acceptable part of nursing home living. Bedsores are avoidable when the proper standard of care is used. d
If you or someone you love is suffering from bedsores while under the care of a nursing home, you may have a cause of action for nursing home negligence. Contact Alonso Krangle, LLP to find out how you can file a complaint and collect any monetary damages allowed by the law.
Bedsores Cause Pain and Suffering
Bedsores are potentially deadly, painful injuries that are the result of immobility. People who are bedridden or in wheelchairs are most susceptible to them. Bedsores occur when the constant pressure of one’s body weight causes blood to stop flowing to parts of the skin and the tissue underneath. The result? The skin and tissue die, break apart and leave open, painful wounds. If the injuries are not treated, they can lead to infection and death.
Caretakers are supposed to “turn” patients at regular intervals who are unable to move on their own. This protocol is how to avoid pressure sores and the pain and potentially fatal illness that can follow. A nursing home patient who suffers from bedsores has been neglected by the people paid to protect them.
Unfortunately, nursing home residents are often unable to advocate for themselves. It may be up to family members to “stay on top” of the staff at the facility. You may have to ask questions and physically check for sores if you want to ensure your loved one is not being neglected in a nursing home.
Bedsores Can Occur All Over the Body
Bedsores can occur on any part of the body, and are most likely to appear wherever there is little body fat. The most common bedsore sites include:
- Elbows
- Spine
- Hips
- Heels
- Tailbone
- Shoulder blades
- Back of the head
Bedsores in any of these locations hurt the patient physically and emotionally. Imagine being unable to help yourself, and relying on someone who has neglected you to the point you develop bedsores? It is hard to understand what it is like to be at the mercy of another person.
Nursing homes are being paid to ensure that you or your loved is receiving proper care. The failure to do so is negligent, and may support a cause of action against that nursing home.
What are the Four Stages of Bedsores?
There are four stages of bedsores, all of which involve pain for the person who has them. Each stage has the potential to lead to complications for the victim. The stages of bedsores are determined by the amount of damage they cause to the victim. The four stages include:
- Stage 1- The mildest stage. The pressure only affects the top layer of your skin. The skin usually develops a dark red patch. The victim may feel pain, itching, burning, and tenderness. Without proper treatment such as moving your body, the bedsores will become worse.
- Stage 2- Bedsores at Stage 2 affect the secondary layers of skin; the outer layers have worn away. At this stage, your skin ruptures, leaves an open wound or forms a pus-filled blister. The bedsores may ooze fluid. Stage 2 bedsores are very painful and require significant treatment if they are to improve.
- Stage 3- At this stage, the bedsores are deep enough to affect layers of fatty tissue beneath the skin. The sores look like holes or craters in the skin and often have a terrible odor. You may have other signs of infection such as redness, pus, drainage or heat emanating from the wounds.
- Stage 4- Bedsores at this stage are the most serious and can affect and expose your muscles, bones, and tendons. The sores are usually big and deep. The area surrounding the bedsores usually turns black and is clearly infected. Stage 4 bedsores can require surgery, extended antibiotics to fight infection, and often lead to sepsis. Sepsis is a blood infection that frequently results in death.
Bedsores Should Not Occur in Nursing Homes
Regulations govern nursing homes and the standards of care they should employ. Every nursing home worker should receive training on how, including when to turn patients who are susceptible to bedsores. Bedsores can usually be avoided when caretakers follow the proper protocol.
If pressure ulcers do develop, despite following regulations, caretakers may be able to treat them in the early stages to avoid complications. Nursing home patients who receive proper treatment can recover. However, if your loved one has stage 3 or 4 bedsores, it is crucial that you contact someone for immediate medical care. Once care is secured, call our nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP.
Contact Our Attorneys to Learn More about Filing a Complaint for Nursing Home Neglect in New York
It is not easy to decide to place someone in a nursing home. It is a decision that is fraught with mixed emotions and worries about the well-being of a person we love. The law requires nursing homes to maintain a certain level of care for residents. Their job is to ensure that our loved ones are physically and emotionally safe while under their supervision. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and neglect occur with frequency, placing our family members in danger.
Our attorneys provide compassionate counsel to victims of nursing home abuse and neglect. We work hard to ensure that those in nursing homes are cared for in the manner required by law. When caregivers act negligently and cause injuries to nursing home patients, we can hold them accountable.
Our senior abuse lawyers are available to help protect your rights. We can investigate your claim against the nursing home, and pursue your rights legal remedies to the fullest extent the law.
Call Alonso Krangle, LLP today if you or your loved one is a victim of nursing home neglect. We are here to help, and can answer any questions you have. Call us now at 800-403-6191.