Dayton Bedsores in Nursing Homes
When you choose a nursing home to provide for you or your loved one’s care, you trust that no harm will come as a result of your choice. However, elder abuse and neglect is pervasive in many nursing homes across the United States. One painful consequence of this abuse is the development of ulcers known as bedsores.
If you or a loved one is suffering from elder abuse-caused bedsores in a Dayton nursing home, contact Elk & Elk today. We can help you secure compensation for your injuries.
Why Choose Elk & Elk?
- Our attorneys focus on maintaining open and honest communication throughout every step of your case.
- Our firm operates on a contingency fee basis to make representation affordable. You do not have to pay any legal fees unless we win your case.
- Our attorneys have secured over $1 billion in settlements for our clients’ damages over our years of operation.
What Are Bedsores?
Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers, are severe injuries to the skin and tissue. They often develop on the skin over bones, such as heels, ankles, the tailbone, and the hips. Bedsores often develop when a person has prolonged pressure on his or her skin. They are most common in people who have limited mobility and spend much of their time in beds and chairs – such as elderly adults in nursing homes.
Bedsores range in severity and medical experts classify them in stages. The least severe types of bedsores include red, unbroken skin. The most severe types of bedsores have deep injuries with decaying muscle and bone, putting the patient at risk of disease and infection. Bedsores can be extremely painful and take years to fully heal, depending on the severity. Catching bedsores early can prevent these severe consequences from occurring.
Nursing Home Abuse and Bedsores
Three contributing factors for bedsores are pressure, friction, and shear. Pressure occurs when a person has consistent pressure on certain areas of the body, leading to less blood flow and nutrients. The skin and tissues can die and decay, leading to bedsores. Friction occurs when skin rubs against clothing or bedding for a long time. Shear occurs when two surfaces move in opposite directions, such as when a person slides down in bed, leaving the skin above his or her bone in a different place than the tailbone it was covering.
Nursing home staff must take precautions for their bedridden residents to ensure that they do not develop bedsores. Preventive measures for bedsores include taking residents out on walks, shifting them in bed, regularly changing their bed sheets, and keeping them clean. Nursing home staff should check their skin regularly for the early signs of bedsores. These basic care measures are the minimum that nursing home staff should follow.
Bedsores are more than just uncomfortable – they can be deadly. Nursing home staff who do not take proper care of residents can allow bedsores to progress into serious, dangerous stages, leading to deep wounds and injuries to residents’ muscles and bones. Without proper treatment from the nursing home staff, residents with advanced stage bedsores can develop the following complications.
- Cellulitis
- Cancers, such as squamous cell carcinoma
- Sepsis
- Bone and joint infections
Damages in Nursing Home Bedsore Lawsuits
The development of severe bedsores under nursing home care is a form of negligence. If you or your loved one suffered bedsores as a result of negligent nursing home staff, you can file a lawsuit against the home for the injuries. You can claim compensation for medical expenses to treat the bedsores, punitive damages for especially negligent or reckless behavior, and emotional damages, such as pain and suffering and a loss of quality of life.
Contact Us Today
If you or a loved one suffers from bedsores due to neglect in a Dayton nursing home, help is available. Elk & Elk can help you secure a settlement for your damages. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation with one of our Dayton attorneys.