Nursing Home Negligence Lawyers: Bedsores
Bedsores are a serious health problem particularly for nursing home residents who are not ambulatory. Also called pressure sores or decubitis ulcers, bedsores are formed when continued pressure cuts off circulation to a part of the body and causes skin and underlying tissue to break down.
The areas of the body most prone to bed sores are those in which bones have little protection from fat and muscle, such as the hipbones, tailbone, shoulder blades and heels.
People who are confined to a bed or wheelchair are at high risk for bedsores. Bedridden people who are incontinent are at even greater risk. Skin breaks down more easily when it is constantly moist. Diabetes, circulation problems, dehydration and malnutrition are risk factors for pressure ulcers.
On Ounce of Prevention
To prevent bedsores, nursing home staff members should turn or reposition bedridden patients every two hours. However, understaffing at nursing homes can prevent residents from receiving adequate care and lead to the formation of bedsores.
Bedsores can form quickly and progress rapidly. If they become infected, they can be fatal. Christopher Reeve, the actor who played the role of Superman before suffering a paralyzing injury, died of complications from a bedsore.
At Dansky Katz Ringold & York, our attorneys have successfully resolved numerous cases for clients with bedsores caused by nursing home negligence. If someone you love developed a bedsore while in a nursing home or died of complications from a pressure ulcer, please contact our law firm today to arrange a free consultation and case evaluation.
We represent clients throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including the South Jersey and Philadelphia areas.
