Medical

Preventing Bed Sores: Understanding the Role of Negligence and Legal Options

Nursing home residents in New York are often subjected to negligence that leads to various health issues, such as bed sores. Also known as pressure ulcers, these types of sores occur when a person is confined to a bed or wheelchair for too many hours or days without being repositioned or moved.

Bed sores can be painful, leading to severe infections and other health complications. If you suspect that your loved one’s bed sores are caused due to nursing home negligence, you should immediately contact a bed sores lawyer and file a personal injury claim. Here is how bed sores are prevented, how to identify negligence that led to their development, and your legal options.

Bed Sores Prevention in Nursing Homes

Nursing home residents provided with appropriate care and treatment shouldn’t develop bed sores. If they do, more often than not, it’s most likely due to nursing home abuse or neglect, which may give rise to legal action.

All nursing homes in New York have a duty to provide adequate care and treatment to their residents to prevent the development of bedsores. Some bed sores prevention steps include:

  • Regularly repositioning residents
  • Using special mattresses or cushions for residents that are predisposed to bed sores to relieve pressure on bony areas
  • Keeping the skin clean and dry
  • Monitoring residents for signs of skin breakdown and taking the necessary steps to prevent bed sores from getting too severe, and taking additional actions for treatment or remedy

If nursing home residents aren’t regularly repositioned, don’t have access to special mattresses or cushions, or stay in humid unsanitary areas, they are more likely to develop bed sores. Residents who show signs of skin breakdown or other symptoms that highlight the presence or aggravation of bed sores are entitled to specialized care and monitoring to treat their conditions.

The actions or inactions of nursing home staff that lead to the development or worsening of a resident’s bed sores can be considered negligence; therefore, they are liable for legal repercussions, and the victim is entitled to compensation.

Legal Options for Nursing Home Negligence

Nursing homes have a duty to provide proper care and treatment to their residents. If this duty of care is breached, and negligence is the cause of a resident’s poor state of health, then the nursing home is liable for negligence.

Some legal options for nursing home negligence related to bedsores include:

  • Filing a complaint with the New York State Department of Health
  • Pursuing a civil lawsuit against the nursing home
  • Seeking compensation through an arbitration or mediation process

In order to take the best course of action, the nursing home resident or their family should consult with an attorney specializing in nursing home abuse and neglect cases. An attorney can guide you through the legal process and advise you on the best legal options for your nursing home negligence case.

Aside from pursuing a personal injury case, you should report your case to the New York State Department of Health or the nursing home’s ombudsman program to ensure that no one else at the nursing home will become a victim of negligence in the future.

Institutions tasked with taking care of the elderly should be exposed for their negligent actions. Before pursuing your bed sores negligence case, be sure to take photographic evidence of the injuries, collect medical records, and write down the names and contact information of eyewitnesses. Evidence is crucial in personal injury cases, but other things can strengthen your claim as well. Contact a bed sores attorney to learn more.

Related Posts

Rick Weinberg, Editor in Chief, California Business Journal

Rick Weinberg is Editor-in-Chief at California Business Journal. He is a well-known writer, reporter and on-air talent who has worked for the New York Times, FOX and ESPN. He launched California Business Journal to focus on California businesses and business professionals as well as California business news and information. Contact: Rick@CalBizJournal.com / 949-648-3815

Recent Posts

From Molds to Masterpieces: How Cast Iron Sand Enables Designs

Have you ever marveled at the intricate details of an iron gate or a beautifully…

47 mins ago

The Importance of Regular Commercial Disinfection in High-Traffic Areas

Do you own or manage a high-traffic establishment? If so, then you are probably well…

56 mins ago

The Importance of a Product Launch Checklist for Your Business

Are you preparing for a new product launch? A product launch checklist is crucial for…

1 hour ago

The Importance of Hiring an Experienced Auto Lawyer

When you're involved in a car accident, the aftermath can be overwhelming. Between dealing with…

1 hour ago

Cyber Centaurs: Mastering Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity

In a world where cyber threats are evolving at breakneck speed, the need for robust…

16 hours ago

The Button of Whimsy

It was a dreary Saturday afternoon. Rain drummed against the window, a steady, monotonous rhythm…

16 hours ago