Virginia Nursing Home Bedsores
More than one million residents live in nursing homes that are designed to care for their medical needs. Unfortunately, sometimes cases of negligence or malicious intent occur. One way that nursing home negligence manifests is with bedsores, often characterized by tender skin, redness, swelling, or even open wounds that drain.
Bedsores can be very painful and are a result of a resident or patient being left in the same position for too long. This is a deviation from the standard of care and is a clear sign of nursing home neglect.
If you or a loved one show signs of bedsores, speaking with a dedicated personal injury attorney may be the best way to tell if you have a strong enough case for a Virginia nursing home bedsores lawsuit.
What is a Bedsore?
“Bedsore” is a common term for a medical condition that goes by many names. These include:
- Pressure ulcer
- Pressure sore
- Pressure injury
- Decubitus ulcer
As many of the names imply, bedsores are caused by pressure that occurs when a patient’s bones and the surfaces they sit or lie on compress their skin and tissue, cutting off blood circulation to the area. This friction is harmful to the skin, soft tissue, and muscles. Often very painful even when they are small, bedsores can lead to serious conditions such as dead tissue, dead muscles, significant and dangerous infections, and even, in some cases, death.
An even scarier aspect of bedsores is that they can develop rather quickly. This is especially true for bedridden elderly patients, many of whom reside in Virginia nursing homes.
Causes and Preventions of Bedsores
The cause of bedsores is continuous pressure to the same area on the body, which hinders blood circulation and damages tissues. This pressure is often caused by neglect when nursing home staff fail to rotate or reposition residents. Repositioning patients and residents keeps the pressure from constantly being applied to one particular part of the body, so bedsores do not have time to develop. Other ways to prevent bedsores include:
- Regular washing of the body
- Keeping the body dry while bedridden
- Exercise
- A nutritious diet
These steps can help nursing home residents stay healthy enough to ward off infection, can boost blood circulation, and can prevent pressure and friction due to moisture.
When these steps are not taken and bedsores result, this may indicate a deviation in the standard of care. Victims of bedsores should contact a skilled Virginia personal injury attorney to better understand whether or not they have a valid nursing home neglect claim.
Steps to Take for a Nursing Home Neglect Case
To have a strong nursing home neglect claim involving bedsores, a person should take several steps. The first and most important step is to contact a Virginia personal injury attorney who can walk them through the legal process. Victims should document their bedsores and any resultant medical issues, obtain paperwork for medical bills that result from these bedsores, and preserve any available evidence that they have alerted the nursing home staff of their injuries.
Though an attorney can help clients with court procedures and the gathering and preserving of evidence, one important step is to ensure that the victim files their claim within the statute of limitations. For Virginia nursing home bedsores, as well as other forms of nursing home neglect, the statute of limitations is two years from the date that the victim was injured. The claim must be filed within those two years or the injured person may not be able to recover any compensation for their injury.
Lawyers for Virginia Nursing Home Bedsores
If you or your loved one show signs of developing bedsores, get in touch with an experienced Virginia personal injury attorney today. With their help, you can work to recover compensation for your suffering and medical expenses.
Since they have more legal experience with Virginia nursing home bedsores than the average person, they may be able to help you document the injury, gather evidence, and work toward a more just compensation amount if your case settles before trial.