While nursing homes are expected to care for the elderly, these environments can often create opportunities for abuse or neglect. One of the most common signs of neglect is when a patient develops bedsores.
When you or a loved one is the victim of suspected negligence by a nursing home, you should seek legal help. A lawyer could help you recover compensation for bedsores in Orland Park nursing homes. Call MJB Law Offices today to speak with a compassionate nursing home abuse attorney.
Common Causes of Bedsores
Bedsores are pressure injuries that initially damage the skin and underlying tissue. They result from prolonged pressure on a certain body part, which can combine with factors such as friction or moisture. Certain areas of the body are also more likely to develop bedsores.
A restriction in bodily movement often causes prolonged pressure that can lead to bedsores. These injuries are more common among the elderly or people in wheelchairs.
When an elderly person with limited mobility experiences nursing home neglect, bedsores are often one of the initial signs. While these injuries may start as red patches of skin, they can escalate to open wounds.
A person suffering from bedsores may also have difficulty healing, as these wounds often develop in areas with poor circulation. In addition, the limited mobility and pressure that initially caused the bedsore can slow healing or lead to infections without proper precautions. In the most extreme cases in Orland Park, untreated bedsores in nursing homes can cause sepsis, which can lead to death.
How Bedsores Can Prove Nursing Home Neglect
Federal and state laws like the Illinois Nursing Home Act require that nursing home residents receive adequate care. This means that nursing homes are required to do the following:
- Treat residents with care, dignity, and respect
- Refrain from abuse or neglect
- Refrain from retaliation for patient complaints
When a nursing home patient develops bedsores, this is typically a sign that they are not receiving adequate health care. Nursing homes owe a duty of reasonable care to their patients. When a nursing home breaches this duty, and that breach causes harm to patients, injured parties can file a personal injury lawsuit for negligence.
The evidence needed to prove abuse will vary from case to case. Photos, witness statements, and medical reports are some examples. Patients or family members should contact an Orland Park lawyer immediately if they suspect that bedsores on their loved one in a nursing home are the result of negligence.
Potential Damages For Nursing Home Neglect
When a patient can prove that a nursing home was negligent in causing an Orland Park patient to develop bedsores, the individual can pursue various damages. Compensation can include recovery of economic losses, such as medical bills or physical therapy.
In many cases, the damages from nursing home abuse do not have a quantifiable dollar amount. The state also allows patients to pursue noneconomic damages for immeasurable nonfinancial losses such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Disability
- Mental anguish or emotional distress
- Lost quality of life
- Disfigurement
The injured party can pursue punitive damages against the nursing home if the defendant’s neglect was intentional or grossly negligent. Punitive damages are intended to punish the defendant and deter future misconduct.
Talk to an Orland Park Attorney About Nursing Home Bedsores and Abuse
When you see signs that a loved one is suffering from bedsores in an Orland Park nursing home, you should seek immediate medical attention. This condition is dangerous when left untreated.
After receiving medical care, talk to a lawyer about filing a lawsuit to recover compensation. Clients must not delay as the state imposes a two-year deadline to bring your claim. Call our law office today to speak with a seasoned personal injury attorney.
