Managing Progressing Bedsores in a Virginia Nursing Home
Bedsores often become extremely serious and painful, and can even become life-threatening wounds. The good news is that they are highly preventable if nursing home staff members are educated and stick to a few strict measures of care. The bad news is that some staff are negligent or unwilling to do so and can cause or further contribute to the development of bedsores.
Managing progressing bedsores in a Virginia nursing home should be a top priority for all nursing homes. Letting a bedsore develop and progress shows negligence on the part of the nursing home and can make them liable for the resident’s medical care, pain and suffering, as well as other damages.
If you have an elderly family member in a nursing home who suffers from a bedsore, legal help may be available to you.
Nursing Home Resident Rights in Virginia
Residents in Virginia nursing homes have a multitude of rights per federal laws and under Virginia Code § 32.1-138. These rights include the right to be appraised of and educated about their medical conditions, to be able to participate in their own medical planning and treatment if they so choose, and to be treated with respect and dignity. They also have the right to be free from abuse of any form.
When a bedsore develops and is mismanaged, the rights of the nursing home resident have been violated. Not only does this violate rights it also breaches the duty of care that the nursing home has to the resident.
Bedsore Negligence
In breaching their duty, the nursing home has been negligent. Perhaps they failed to train their staff on the standard of care for bedsore prevention and treatment, are short staffed, or have staff who do not care about resident rights or well-being. If Virginia nursing home has caused or contributed to the development of progression of bedsores they may be liable for negligence.
Liability in Managing Progressing Bedsores in a Virginia Nursing Home
Once a bedsore has developed, diligent and appropriate care is vital to successful treatment. If bedsores are not medically managed in accordance with current medical standards, they will not heal and will likely progress to further stages. They may also cause or lead to extreme pain, disfigurement, infection, and sepsis.
Bedsore management usually involves the expertise of a wound care nurse specialist and specialized wound care products. These wounds must heal from the inside out and treating them like a superficial wound does not work.
Bedsore victims and their families may be entitled to even more compensation if the nursing home failed to mitigate further damages from the bedsore and allowed it to progress without taking proper steps to care for the wound.
What is a Bedsore Case Worth?
Families and residents who may have valid bedsore case should speak to an experienced attorney to help determine what their case may be worth. There are many factors that may contribute to how much compensation victims may receive for their damages including:
- The severity of the bedsore;
- How long the resident has had the bedsore;
- Measures that were taken, or not taken, in the treatment and prevention of the bedsore;
- The age of the resident;
- The prognosis of the bedsore;
- Whether other complications exist such as sepsis or disfigurement
Talk to an Attorney Regarding Progressing Bedsores in Nursing Homes
Managing progressing bedsores in a Virginia nursing home requires money, skill, patience, and the appropriate staff. Some nursing homes are not willing to invest in these resources and want to cut corners when it comes to bedsore prevention and care. Your loved one deserves better.
If you are ready to hold the nursing home accountable for violating the rights of your loved one and breaching their duty, call an experienced nursing home abuse attorney today for a case evaluation.
