Bedsores Can Indicate Nursing Home Abuse

Also referred to as pressure ulcers, pressure sores or decubitus ulcers, bedsores are skin injuries that develop as a result of prolonged pressure being placed on a specific area of the body. In most cases, bedsores develop on the areas of the body that are especially bony, such as the shoulder blades, elbows, hips, ankles and heels. Individuals who have the highest risk of developing bedsores include those who use wheelchairs, are in a coma or have some other medical condition that keeps them confined to a bed for extended periods of time.

While bedsores are 100 percent preventable if the proper care is taken make sure that an individual moves around or changes positions, bedsores:

• Can be difficult to treat once they develop
• Can lead to more serious health complications if left undiagnosed and untreated
• Are often a sign of nursing home neglect.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately:

• 10 percent of nursing home residents are currently living with bedsores.
• 25 percent of nursing home residents will develop bedsores at some point during their stay in the nursing home.

Symptoms of Bedsores

Some of the most common signs of bedsores include (but are not limited to):

• Red, depressed sores on the skin
• Skin tenderness
• Blisters filled with fluid (or ruptured blisters)
• Sloughing of the skin
• Exposed inner layers of skin (or, in the far more advanced cases, exposed fatty tissues or muscle tissues).

Recognizing these symptoms of bedsores early on is crucial to ensuring that affected nursing home patients get the treatment they need in order to prevent more serious health complications, such as the following, from developing:

• Sepsis, a life-threatening blood infection
• Meningitis, a life-threatening infection of the brain and spinal cord fluid
• Severe infections that affect the bones and/or joints
• Cancer.

Mount Vernon Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

If you suspect that your loved one may be the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, or if you have lost a loved one due to suspected nursing home abuse, contact us by calling (888) 896-9381 or by emailing us using the form at the upper right-hand side of the page. We can provide you with a free, thorough assessment of your case, along with professional advice regarding the best manner in which to move forward.

At the law firm of Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C., our experienced Mount Vernon nursing home abuse lawyers have been providing client-centered representation to our Southern Illinois clients since 1950. Our trusted attorneys focus on our clients’ needs, we are passionate about our clients, and we do everything we can to help them get the maximum possible compensation for their losses and injuries so they can focus on recovery and moving on with their life.

We take pride in tailoring our legal representation to specifically meet our clients’ needs and in expertly guiding them through each stage of the complex the legal process. While our attorneys are aggressive and effective litigators both inside and outside of the courtroom, we are also counselors that can provide our clients with helpful legal advice regarding their best options.