Liability in a Washington DC Nursing Home Bedsore Case

Washington DC nursing home residents deserve to receive adequate medical care. Undoubtedly, the family members who admit their loved ones to a nursing home expect that the nursing home staff will provide treatment that meets the standard of care.

However, in some cases, nursing home staff and physicians fail to provide adequate care to nursing home residents. Neglected or abused patients may develop bedsores as a result of the staff’s negligence.

If you suspect that a nursing home’s negligence caused your loved one to have bedsores, you may benefit from a consultation with a seasoned bedsore lawyer.

Contact a lawyer for information regarding liability in a Washington DC nursing home bedsore case.

Prevention and Treatment of Bedsores

Nursing home staff and physicians have a duty to provide adequate treatment to nursing home patients. As medical professionals, the treatment that they provide should meet the standard of care.

If nursing home staff or physicians fail to meet the standard of care, thereby causing an injury, they may be held liable for the harm caused.

One way in which nursing home staff and physicians may fail to meet the standard of care is in the prevention of bedsores. Bedsores are generally preventable with adequate care and monitoring. Since bedsores develop from the pressure of bony areas of the body against a surface, simply repositioning a patient every couple of hours may prevent bedsores.

Ensuring that patients are well-fed and hydrated can also help to prevent bedsores. In the hectic and fast-paced environment, nursing home staff may neglect their duties and bedsores can develop and progress.

Some individuals may be more prone to develop bedsores. If a nursing home patient is a high risk for bedsores, this risk factor should be documented and appropriate measures should be taken to prevent the development of bedsores.

If bedsores or pressure ulcers develop, nursing home staff should note the development and provide appropriate treatment. The negligent nursing home staff could allow a bedsore to progress and become infected.

In some cases, individuals with bedsores can face amputation and other surgical procedures that they would not have had to undergo had nursing home staff provided treatment in accordance with the standard of care.

Proving that a Nursing Home Failed to Provide Adequate Care

In a case alleging that a nursing home is liable for a patient’s bedsores, proving that the nursing home staff breached the standard of care could be complicated. The following could be beneficial to the case:

  • Medical records
  • Medical experts
  • Nursing home policies and procedures

Collectively, medical records, expert opinions, and nursing home policies can provide a clearer picture of what the nursing home staff actually did and what they should have done.

If nursing home staff did something that they should not have done or failed to do something that they should have done, they might be held liable in a Washington DC nursing home bedsore case.

Get More Information on Liability in a DC Nursing Home Bedsore Case

Assessing liability for bedsores can be a complicated process. Identifying all of the responsible parties and entities and pinpointing specific acts of negligence are crucial to a case.

If your loved one developed bedsores due to a nursing home’s negligence, you deserve to have an advocate to help you determine issues of liability in a Washington DC nursing home bedsore case. Call today.