Bed Sore Lawyer
Nursing home residents can develop bedsores if the facility’s staff fails to move and reposition them regularly. If you or a loved one developed bedsores in a California nursing home, Cutter Law’s bedsores lawyers can help.
Nursing homes have a legal duty to provide residents with proper care. Unfortunately, due to negligence, understaffing, and carelessness, nursing homes sometimes fail to regularly reposition bedridden and immobile residents, leading to bedsores and pressure wounds. If untreated, bedsores can lead to infection, which can cause mental confusion, weakness, and even death.
If you or a loved one developed bedsores at a California nursing home, Cutter Law’s tenacious and compassionate nursing home abuse lawyers can help. We have 130 years of combined legal experience and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for injured people and their families.
What Is a Bedsore?
Bedsores are ulcers that develop when constant pressure against the skin reduces blood flow to certain body parts. They are also called decubitus ulcers, pressure injuries, pressure sores, and pressure ulcers. Bedsores frequently develop on the following body parts:
- The back of the head
- The heels Â
- The back
- Shoulders
- Hips
- The backs and sides of the knees
Bedsores often develop when someone lies in bed, wears a cast, or sits in a wheelchair for a prolonged period. Bedsores start as red, painful areas that eventually turn purple. If untreated, the skin may burst open, and the area can become infected.Â
Bedsores can be a serious health issue for immobile and bedridden nursing home residents. Once a bedsore develops, it can take days, weeks, months, or even years to heal. Infected bedsores can cause chills, fever, weakness, mental confusion, and even death.Â
People with malnutrition, lack of pain sensitivity, circulation problems, and diabetes are at a higher risk of developing bedsores.
What Are the Symptoms of Bedsores?
There are four stages of bedsores, with stage 1 being the least severe and stage 4 being the most severe. Here’s a breakdown of the symptoms at each stage:
- Stage 1: The bedsore looks red and pink, but no open wound exists. The sore may look purple or blueish on darker skin. The resident may complain that the sore itches, burns, or hurts.
- Stage 2: The bedsore may have an abrasion, open sore, or blister.
- Stage 3: An obvious wound extends into the skin’s fatty layer.
- Stage 4: There is a large wound in the bedsore area affecting joints, muscles, bones, and tendons.
If you or a loved one has suffered a bedsore caused by the negligence of a California nursing home, talk to a medical professional to get diagnosed and treated. You should also consult Cutter Law’s experienced nursing home abuse lawyers to see if you can file an elder abuse lawsuit against the nursing home and its staff.
What Causes Bedsores in Nursing Homes?
Bedsores are almost entirely preventable when nursing home residents receive proper care. There are several causes of bedsores in nursing homes. These usually boil down to neglect or understaffing:Â
Nursing home neglect: Nursing homes must ensure their residents do not develop health issues, such as bedsores. If a resident develops bedsores, the nursing home and its staff may have committed nursing home neglect by:
- Failing to reposition the nursing home resident regularly
- Failing to provide adequate food and water
- Failing to identify and treat bedsores
Understaffing: Nursing homes may also cause bedsores if they lack sufficient staff to attend to residents and prevent or treat bedsores.
What Should I Do if I Suspect a Loved One Has Developed Bedsores Due To Nursing Home Negligence?
No one deserves to have bedsores after staying at a nursing home. If you suspect a loved one has developed bedsores due to nursing home negligence, take these crucial steps:
- Get medical attention: See that your loved one receives prompt medical attention. Depending on the bedsore’s stage, your loved one may require wound care and therapy, medicine, skin grafts, and debridement surgery, which involves the removal of any infected, damaged, or dead tissue.
- Document everything: Take photos and videos of your loved one’s bedsores. Focus on the severity, size, and location of the sores. You can use this evidence to prove your case if you file a lawsuit against the nursing home.
- Notify the nursing home: Tell the nursing home staff about your loved one’s bedsores. If the staff refuses to take action, escalate the issue to the nursing home owner or administrator.
- Request a care plan from the nursing home: Ask the nursing home to give your loved one a care plan for their bedsores. The care plan should detail how the nursing home will treat the sores, how often the team will monitor your loved one, and what steps they will take to prevent new sores from developing.
- Get a second opinion: Get a second opinion from a medical professional, such as your loved one’s general care physician or wound care specialist. A second opinion will ensure your loved one receives the best possible care.
- Contact Cutter Law: If you believe your loved one’s pressure sores result from nursing home abuse or negligence, contact Cutter Law’s savvy bedsores attorneys. Our lawyers will determine whether you can file a lawsuit for financial compensation and justice. They can also explain your legal options and walk you through the process of filing an elder abuse lawsuit or claim.
Who Can Be Held Accountable in a Bedsore Lawsuit?
Nursing homes are responsible for providing appropriate care to their residents, and they should prevent and treat health concerns like bedsores. As such, staff, managers, and owners can be held accountable for nursing home negligence that causes bedsores.Â
A trusted bedsores attorney can thoroughly analyze your case to determine whether you have enough evidence to prove liability against the nursing home.
How Much Is a Bedsore Lawsuit Worth in California?
How much a bedsore lawsuit is worth in California depends on several factors, including the following:
- Certainty of liability: The more evidence you have to support your claim that the nursing home was negligent, the more your case will be worth.Â
- The stage and extent of the bedsore injury: The more advanced the stage of the bedsore, the more you will recover.
- The victim’s pain and suffering: Victims who have gone through severe pain and suffering are more likely to recover large amounts. Nursing home wrongful death lawsuits can be filed on behalf of patients who died from bedsore-related injuries. They have the highest settlement or verdict amounts.
Nursing home bedsore lawsuits may be worth over one million dollars when your case involves gross negligence, significant pain and disfigurement, and wrongful death. Contact Cutter Law to learn how much you can recover for your case.
SETTLEMENT
$485,000
NURSING HOME ABUSE
Attorneys Brooks and Margot Cutter obtained a $485,000 settlement for elder abuse in a skilled nursing facility.
SETTLEMENT
$914,506.51
NURSING HOME ABUSE
Attorneys Brooks and Margot Cutter obtained a policy limits settlement of $914,506.51 for abuse of a dependent adult at a residential care facility.
When Must I File a Bedsore Lawsuit?
California’s elder abuse statute of limitations or deadline is two years from the date of the injury. Since neglect can last months or years, pinpointing a specific injury date may be challenging. Some nursing home residents may also suffer from mental disabilities or cognitive impairment, making the situation even more confusing.Â
As such, you should consult a bedsores attorney immediately when you suspect neglect has occurred. In most cases, the statute of limitations starts running when you first discover or should have discovered the abuse.
How Can Cutter Law Help
Nursing homes are responsible for providing a reasonable standard of care to seniors and others who need nursing services. They should regularly move immobile or bedridden residents and provide nutritious meals.
If you or a loved one developed bedsores due to nursing home neglect in California, contact Cutter Law. Our knowledgeable Oakland and Sacramento nursing home abuse lawyers can thoroughly analyze your case to determine whether you have enough evidence to file a lawsuit against the nursing home. If you do, we will explain California elder abuse laws, help you gather and preserve evidence, negotiate with the opposition for the maximum settlement, and fight for your rights in court.
Fill in this form today to schedule a free consultation with Cutter Law. We have offices in Oakland, Sacramento, and Santa Rosa.
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Cutter Law P.C.
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