Bedsores should not happen while in a nursing home or hospital.
Often they are due to neglect and negligence.
Yes, you can sue for bedsores. Bedsores, Pressure Sores, or Decubitis Ulcers are not the fault of the patient. At a hospital or nursing home, there are federal laws in place to protect patients and assure they get the proper care. When these standards of care are not used sores can develop. Simple duties like turning an immobile patent frequently to relieve pressure, proper cleaning, and hygiene are sometimes not provided. If a sore develops the patient has now become a victim. The sores can cause extreme pain and suffering and unfortunately even death. You can sue. And you have every right to do so and get financial compensation. Depending on the case, monetary awards can be in the millions. Below are some of the different types of lawsuits relating to sores.
Medical Malpractice
Medical Malpractice cases arise when a health care practitioner departs from the accepted standard of care in the medical community. In more simple terms, when a hospital, doctor, nurse, practitioner commits a serious error in his/her care and treatment, which results in further injury to the patient. Some common examples are failing to diagnose the bedsore; failing to report bedsores or pressure sores; failing to admit a patient into the hospital for bedsores when necessary, and failing to perform a medical procedure or provide treatment for bedsores.
FREE BEDSORE FACTS BOOKLET>
June 5, 2020, added Free Bedsore Facts Booklet
Nursing Home Liability
The elderly population frequently suffers due to serious neglect once they become patients or residents in nursing homes or any long term care facility. Some critical issues relating to sores are: over or improper medication; lack of supervision; inadequate wound care leading to infections; not reporting the issue in a timely manner and overall neglect.
The severe injuries that patients experience along with the constant pain and suffering associated with bedsores are often the result of preventable situations. In our experience in handling these types of cases we have found frequent examples of poor care planning; lack of stimulation; failures to turn and position patients; failure to provide adequate pressure relief devices to patients; and unbelievably, failure to change adult diapers and failure to provide sufficient quantities of food and water. As a result of neglect in Nursing Homes, the illnesses range from severe infections and amputations to dehydration and, unfortunately, death. Bedsores and pressure sores often lead to further infections and illnesses.
Hospital Negligence
At one time or another, we all go to hospitals. While patients there, we have the right to expect quality medical care and treatment. The unfortunate reality is that there are often tragic outcomes that are the result of medical malpractice which should never occur. This is especially true with bedsores.
Hospital Negligence occurs when there are “departures in the standards of good and accepted medical practices” that one should be able to expect in the local medical community given the current state of medical treatment and technology. These departures in the standard of care can stem from negligent treatment on the part of Doctors, Surgeons, Specialists, Lab Technicians, Physician Assistants, Nurses, Nurses Aides, Therapists, Administrators, Pharmacists and any other member of the Hospital Staff whose conduct, actions, or inaction, causes injuries and suffering that should not have occurred.
Some examples of Hospital Negligence include failure to provide proper medication or medical devices; failure to provide proper monitoring and supervision; failure to order consultations to other medical specialists; failure to diagnose bedsores in a timely fashion; failure to prevent infection and amputation; failure to turn and position the patient resulting in pressure sores, bedsores or decubitus ulcers; failure to perform a medical procedure or surgery properly; failure to warn patient of risks of a surgery or medical procedure; failure to keep family members informed regarding medical decision making; and failure to provide safe and proper discharge instructions.
Wrongful Death
This type of lawsuit occurs when a spouse or close relative has a right to recover when a loved one dies due to the sores or a medical complication that was related to the sores. Recovery is from the at-fault or negligent party. Recovery can include loss of income, services, comfort, and society. New York has a very restrictive and complicated wrongful death statute. Our knowledgeable lawyers take you through it one step at a time. We understand that dealing with the loss of a loved one is not easy, so we are extremely sensitive when dealing with family members. Unfortunately, left untreated or not treated in time, bedsores can rapidly progress from stage 1-4 and lead to further complications often resulting in wrongful death.
If you or someone you know is a victim of bedsores, the first thing to do is get the stage of the sore identified and immediate and proper medical attention. If you think you have a lawsuit then contact me on how to proceed. We may even be able to help you get better medical attention at the same time. Feel free to email about these matters at bedsores@RaphanLaw.com. You can also visit our website for a Free Online Evaluation.
Regards, Brian
Elder Law News 
my husband has bed sores and pressure sores on his rear end it is so bad is eating through the skin.he’s been in Stony Brook hospital since the 29th of January 2016.my husband is a double amputee so he has no legs he cannot move himself he was intubated and sedated for 3 days
My mother was a diabetic and she was in a nursing home my mother had no sores on her before she went there she ended up with a pressure ulcer known as bedsore on the heel of her foot and one on her backside my mother got an infection which spread it throughout her body she had to get her leg amputated and then passed away three weeks after that
Tangela, Sorry to hear about this situation. I replied to you via email a few minutes ago.Please check. Thank you, Brian
My mom just recently had to have surgery on her bedsore that she developed at Lexington extended care and they said it’s her fault because she didn’t want to get back in her bed and they left her in a wheelchair for 9 hours without changing her position in the wheelchair every two hours as the doctor has been instructing them too the staff is rude and childish and treat most of the patients bad you can hear them screaming for help and nobody comes to help them my mom says it’s hard to get them to come to her room after she hits the call light
Heather, sorry to hear about this situation. Have they staged the sore? Make sure she is being seen by a wound care specialist. If you want to discuss further in regards to your rights and legal options, please email me at braphan@raphanlaw.com
Uhardison@gmail.com Hello my name is Unda Hardison I ended up in the hospital back in 2015 and end up with us also under the bottom of my heel and had to get it after I paid it but the statue of limitation is up it was up last year what can I do
Hello Unda, unfortunately if the statue of limitations is up there isn’t legal recourse. Additionally the injury would have had to be severe enough and prove cause. Usually a stage 3-4 or beyond. Hopefully you have gotten past treatment and the wound has been able to heal.
First of all Thanks for your wonderful post about Pressure ulcer lawyer.
Hello my mom had surgery and the day after they came in and did a head to toe assessment. They saw that she had a bedsore and began to take pictures. Now the board and Care where she resides said she got it from the hospital. I have mixed feeling can this be true?
Yes it certainly can be true. Have her seen by a doctor and determine the stage of the wound as the bedsore will likely need treatment or care. They can progress quickly to a dangerous stage. If stage 1 and treatment begins healing a viable lawsuit is rare. Other stages and a stage 4 sore can also cause other medical complications and victim may be also able to sue for them as well. You can email us at bedsores @raphanlaw.com if you want a private conversation about a lawsuit. Get her medical attention today.
My aunt 102 fell at home two people who visit her on a regular found her no bruises or sours was in the hospital for 3day hospital record no report on bruises or stage 2 or 4 wound went to rehab.for 30 days and was discharge stated in there discharge medical record stage wounds stages 2and 4 I think that was negligent.
Hello Wentworth, First make sure your aunt is being seen by a wound-care specialist and/or doctor. Our bedsore intake coordinator has tried to reach you via BedsoreHotline. For your privacy let’s take this discussion offline. Please email us at bedsores@ bedsorehotline.com with good time we can reach you to talk. Thank you.
Where are you located? We live in Las Vegas, I need to see an attorney for my moms pressure wound, I am very concerned.
Thanks,
Karyn
Hi Karyn, We are located in New York City and representation is available together with local Las Vegas counsel. You can reach us at 800-278-2960, 212-268-8200, or bedsores@raphanlaw for a free consultation. Of course, be sure that she is being seen by a doctor and wound care specialist. They should provide you with treatment, stage of the sore and prognosis. Did they alert you of the sore when it was first found?
My mother (87 years old) had a L leg above the knee amputation on 7/5/19 due to peripheral artery disease. First they said they would take it below the knee, then about an hour later, they said they would be better off doing it above the knee. Within the first 24 hours, she developed a decubitus pressure ulcer. The last I knew, it was unstaged, although it is chemically debrided, and has been scored by a wound care nurse, so it may be staged now. She has also developed a yeast infection on the site. The vascular surgeons called a general surgeon to see if it needed surgical debridement, but he has said not yet, so they are continuing with chemical debridement. Also during the first 24 hours, someone applied a reducing sock on her stump, and it created a deep tissue wound all along the circumference of her thigh above the amputation, that is now being chemically debrided as well and treated by the wound care nurse. My mother is writing in pain every minute of the day and night – so bad that they have her doped up on methadone and oxy and those are not helping her. Before she was discharged, the wound was seeping, gaping, and edges were blackened (necrosis), and a huge area of discoloration on one side with blisters. It is now a month and a half later, she is getting worse instead of better… they have had to do two revisions/debridements on the actual amputation itself and are talking about a hip disarticulation – they have my mother MESSED UP! Please help! I have tons of photos chronologically and have her medical records from January through to 8/6. This is her 6th operation by this group of vascular doctors (5 within 2.5 months!), 7 total. They should have been intricately familiar with her vascular illness that this mess never should have happened. Not even a year ago, she was independent, caring for a 13 room house, painting ceilings, repairing sheet rock, climbing ladders. Now the vascular doctors tell me her wounds will kill her within about 6 months, and they are trying to rush her out of the hospital and into a nursing facility. And those 6 months she has left will be spent twisted in pain from wounds that she never should have received. I’m so mad, I’m so sad… I need help!
Sorry for the terrible situation that took place. For privacy reasons we will email you separately right now.
We just replied, however, your email address is not active. Please contact us at bedsores@raphanlaw.com so we can help.