Assessing Bedsores in Virginia Nursing Home Abuse Cases

One of the many important jobs of nursing staff in a nursing home is to assess the condition of their residents’ skin on a routine basis. Doing so can help catch any pressure points that may be prone to bedsores in the early stages of ulceration. When the staff fails to complete these simple tasks, bedsores are much more likely to develop.

Many families hire an attorney to help them recover damages if their loved one develops a bedsore while in a nursing home as a result of negligence. Doing so could help pay their medical bills and bring justice for their family member. Assessing bedsores in Virginia nursing home abuse cases is vital evidence for the case.

Are Bedsores a Form of Nursing Home Abuse?

Virginia nursing home assessment requirements are detailed in 12VAC5-371-§250. The law requires that nursing home residents are assessed medically on intake and on a regular basis. If this is being done in accordance with the law, the risk of developing a pressure ulcer is reduced significantly.

Allowing a resident to develop a bedsore could be a form of nursing home abuse as well as give rise to a civil lawsuit. The staff at the nursing home have a duty to reduce the risk factors of pressure ulcers by repositioning immobile residents, providing excellent hygiene care for residents that need help, and reducing shear and friction when the resident moves. The nursing home has a duty to instruct and train their staff to perform these functions.

If the staff at the nursing home does not receive proper training or they choose not to act appropriately, they have violated their duty. By itself, violating a duty does not give rise to a civil negligence lawsuit. However, if that violation causes a bedsore which inflicts financial or other losses on the resident, the nursing home resident and their family may have a viable claim.

Different Stages of Bedsores

Assessing bedsores in nursing home abuse cases in Virginia is an essential part of building a case against the nursing home. The bigger or more severe a pressure ulcer is, the more compensation a resident could potentially seek. If the bedsore has developed or caused complications, this could also inflate the amount of compensation they receive.

There are four different stages of bedsores:

  • Stage 1: Persistent skin redness but the skin is intact
  • Stage 2: Outer and inner layer of skin is damaged or lost, and the open area of the wound is pink or red
  • Stage 3: Ulcer may look like a crater with fatty tissue exposure as the full thickness of skin is lost
  • Stage 4: Deep wound with extensive damage that reaches into the muscle, bone, tendons, and joints

Get Help Assessing Bedsores in a Virginia Nursing Facility Abuse Case

Nursing homes need to be held liable when residents develop bedsores while in their care as a result of negligence. These sores are expensive, painful, and sometimes disfiguring. They often take a long time to heal completely.

If your loved one develops a pressure ulcer, you may need help assessing bedsores in Virginia nursing homes to determine if a valid legal claim exists. An experienced bedsore attorney in Virginia could help in this process and file a lawsuit on behalf of the injured nursing home resident. Reach out today for a case consultation.