Philadelphia Bed Sores Lawyer
Bed sores occur when someone with limited mobility is left in the same position for too long. Blood flow to the affected are gets cut off and the surrounding tissue starts to die. This typically takes place in bony areas of the body. Bedsores are also referred to as decubitus ulcers or pressure sores. Unfortunately, these are too common in nursing homes. Nursing home residents are more vulnerable then a healthy person. If a person is physically fit and were to lay in bed for an extended time they would not usually get a bedsore because they could change position when they are not comfortable. Often nursing home residents are limited to their bed or are wheelchair-bound and need assistance to change their positions. Our experienced team of nursing home lawyers see more incidents involving bedsores than almost any other type of nursing home negligence. A Philadelphia bed sores lawyer at our firm has had great success in showing that these ulcers were caused by the nursing home failing to follow their own procedures and guidelines. Sometimes a care plan is never developed to ensure the nursing staff follows the correct procedure.
The need bedsore prevention is obvious, yet thousands of residents suffer needlessly. That is why our team of Philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers is committed to holding Pennsylvania and New Jersey nursing homes accountable for their care. There is typically no justification for a nursing home to patient to develop a late stage bedsore. When this happens, please contact one of our lawyers for assistance. We will vigorously fight for the resident’s rights and demand the nursing homes provide the care their patients need.
Bedsores are usually easy to prevent. In well-run nursing homes in Philadelphia, the staff regularly moves or turns the resident. If a bedsore starts to form it is critical to start treatment early, before it progresses to a more severe stage. If untreated the sore can rapidly become bigger and deeper and lead to other health risks. Often deep ulcers will become infected and can lead to sepsis and ultimately death. When bedsores reach stage 4, the final stage, they look like large blisters, and the dead tissue reaches down to the muscle or bone. At this late stage the resident will need hospital care to surgically remove the dead tissue and to clean out any infection. Bedsores can be particularly painful if untreated, which then usually leads to additional medication that can impair the patients cognitive function.
Often bedsores develop because the nursing home failed to provide essential care and ignored the resident’s needs. Sometimes the nursing homes are understaffed and do not have the personnel to meet their obligations to move the patient regularly. In addition to turning the patient other care factors can contribute to ulcers. Nutrition and hygiene play an import role in keeping the skin healthy and preventing sores. If the body is not nourished, or becomes dehydrated, the skin will start to breakdown. Also poor hygiene will promote bedsores, particularly the failure to change soiled under garments.
It is important to treat these sores promptly. The longer to sore persists the larger it will grow and the more difficult to treat. As the skin continues to breakdown infection is likely to set in, which further compromises the body’s ability to heal itself. Once the bedsore reaches the final stages they do not often heal and the resident spends the remainder of their life in discomfort and pain.
Due to the prevalence of bedsores, federal law requires a nursing homes facility to create a preventative plan. Pennsylvania also has extensive regulations regarding the treatment and care of nursing home residents.
With offices in greater Philadelphia and surrounding area, Rosenbaum & Associates represents clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey who have suffered from bedsores and other injuries due to nursing home neglect. We offer free consultations, so you can tell us about your loved one’s care and learn about your rights at no risk. Call an experienced Philadelphia bed sores lawyer at 1-800-7-legal-7 or contact us on line for a Free Evaluation.