When your loved one is in a nursing home, you have the right to expect they will be well-cared-for and treated with dignity. Unfortunately, many nursing homes fall short of this basic expectation, and vulnerable residents pay the price. If your loved one experienced bedsores in a Kissimmee nursing home, the facility may be liable in a civil lawsuit.
The nursing home neglect attorneys at Colling Gilbert Wright—The Florida Firm—have had tremendous success holding nursing homes accountable for shoddy care. We are the firm that local lawyers and other professionals use and recommend for personal injury cases. They refer cases to us because they recognize our skill, care for our clients, and outstanding results.
Why Is a Bedsore a Red Flag?
Bedsores—also called pressure sores, pressure ulcers, or decubitus ulcers—are skin lesions that develop when there is unrelieved pressure on a specific area of the body. When a patient is bed-bound and remains in the same position for too long, pressure sores may develop in bony areas like the heel, ankle, tailbone, and hip. They are nearly always preventable if caregivers reposition the patient at regular intervals, provide adequate nutrition and hydration, and keep the patient and bedding clean and dry.
Bedsores can develop quickly, and the presence of a discolored spot on the skin at a pressure point signals the beginning of a bedsore. If nursing home staff notice the problem—as they should, if they are providing proper care—they can take immediate measures to prevent the development of a more serious skin ulcer. Left untreated, bed sores can penetrate through all layers of the skin and involve muscle and bone, which in turn often leads to infection and death.
Medical personnel grade bedsores from Stage 1 to Stage 4, with Stage 4 being the most serious. The higher the stage, the clearer the evidence of neglect, but even a Stage 1 bedsore is problematic. Our Kissimmee attorney could review the nursing home’s patient care protocols, the patient’s medical records and staff notes, staffing schedules, and facility payroll records, which often reveal that failure to meet an acceptable standard of patient care led to the bedsore.
What Should You Do If Your Loved One Develops a Bedsore?
If your loved one is a nursing home resident and cannot advocate for themselves, it falls on others to advocate for them. You can do your part by visiting regularly and critically assessing your loved one’s condition every time. If you discover or learn of a bedsore, you must take a proactive stance.
Make a complaint to the nursing home Administrator. If you make the complaint orally, follow up in writing to create a paper trail. Always ask for a written or emailed response from the facility, keep all correspondence, and make contemporaneous notes of any interactions or conversations with the patient or staff concerning the bedsore.
Bedsores are a patient care issue, so you could file a complaint with Florida’s Agency for Healthcare Administration by calling 888-419-3456 or filling out a complaint form online. You should also contact a Kissimmee lawyer at The Florida Firm to determine whether your loved one’s bedsores could form the basis of a legal claim against the nursing home.
Taking Action Against the Nursing Home
If your loved one suffered medical complications due to bedsores or died, and bedsores were a factor, you could bring a legal claim against the nursing home. According to Florida Statutes § 95.11, you must file the claim within two years of the discovery of the injury, or within two years of your loved one’s death if you are bringing a wrongful death action.
You could claim compensation for the funds paid for the negligent care and any medical or other expenses required to treat the bedsores and secondary conditions. You can also claim financial damages for the physical pain and emotional distress your loved one suffered. Attorneys at Colling Gilbert Wright have secured verdicts and settlements exceeding $1 million in several nursing home neglect cases in Kissimmee and other locales in Florida, including cases involving severe bedsores.
Has Your Loved One Developed Bedsores in a Kissimmee Nursing Facility? Contact Us To Discuss Your Legal Rights and Options
Bedsores in Kissimmee nursing homes are a sign of neglect. You must hold the nursing home accountable for its poor care.
Contact Colling Gilbert Wright to discuss your case, risk-free. We do not charge you until we obtain compensation for you, so get in touch with us today to get started.