Bedsore Treatment in Virginia Nursing Homes

If a nursing home failed to provide adequate treatment for your or a loved one’s bedsores, you might be wondering if the nursing home is liable for the injuries that they caused. A nursing home abuse attorney could evaluate your claim and provide guidance regarding the legal options which may be available to you.

You expect that medical professionals will address nursing home patients’ medical needs promptly and appropriately. However, nursing homes can be understaffed and patients might not receive proper medical treatment for bedsores.

If you suspect that a nursing home’s negligence caused your or a loved one’s pressure ulcers, contact an attorney to discuss potential legal claims for inadequate bedsore treatment in Virginia nursing homes.

Statute of Limitations for Nursing Home Bedsore Cases

In Virginia, injured individuals have two years to file a lawsuit based on a nursing home’s inadequate treatment of bedsores. The statute of limitations sets this strict two-year deadline, and very few exceptions exist.

It may be beneficial to begin pursuing a bedsore claim as soon as possible. It can be more difficult to get evidence and locate witnesses as time passes. Furthermore, failing to file the lawsuit within the statute of limitations could mean that the injured party will not be able to recover damages at all.

An attorney could help an injured individual or their family determine the date by which they must file the lawsuit based on bedsore treatment in a nursing home.

Liability Based on Bedsore Treatment

Nursing homes can be hectic environments, but health care providers have a duty to provide adequate treatment to nursing home patients. With proper monitoring and inspections, nursing home staff and physicians can discover bedsores and begin providing appropriate treatment before the condition worsens.

Treatment for bedsores varies based on the severity of the condition. Bedsore stages indicate the extent to which the pressure sore has invaded tissue and bone. As the condition progresses, skin and tissue can die. For this reason, early and appropriate treatment is key to avoiding infections and the loss of limbs.

Treatment for bedsores includes:

  • Antibiotics
  • Wound dressings
  • Debridement
  • Wound cleansing

Health care providers in Virginia nursing homes should be qualified and trained to assess a patient’s condition and provide the appropriate treatment to prevent the progression of bedsores to later stages. Failure to provide the appropriate treatment for bedsores could constitute a breach of the standard of care.

Negligence in treating a nursing home patient’s bedsores could cause a patient’s injuries to progress, leading to an infected wound or sepsis. Medical costs for bedsore treatment at an advanced or severe stage can be staggering. If the nursing home’s negligence caused an individual to incur charges for Stage 3 or Stage 4 bedsore treatment, the individual may be entitled to compensation.

Contact an Attorney to Discuss Nursing Homes’ Treatment of Bedsores Today

Prevention of bedsores is most beneficial for nursing home patients, but proper treatment becomes necessary if bedsores develop. Without proper treatment, a Stage 1 bedsore could progress into a deep infected wound.

Each patient deserves to receive the appropriate level of care, and nursing homes should be held accountable when their failure to adequately care for residents results in an injury. Speak with an attorney if you suspect that bedsore treatment in Virginia nursing homes was inadequate in your situation.