Bridgeport, CT Bedsore Injury Lawyers

Attorneys for Bedsores Affecting Nursing Home Patients in Bridgeport

People who receive care in nursing homes may be at risk of a variety of health issues. In some cases, bedsores may develop. The sores, which are also called pressure ulcers or pressure sores, are painful wounds that can develop when constant pressure restricts blood flow. Bedsores should be preventable with proper nursing care. When residents experience these wounds, this may be a sign of nursing home neglect. When facilities fail to provide the proper care, vulnerable patients may suffer painful wounds that can lead to life-threatening infections or other complications.

When bedsores occur and progress to advanced stages, families may question whether their loved ones are receiving the care they need from a nursing home. At Tremont Sheldon P.C., our attorneys can work with families to hold negligence facilities accountable and protect vulnerable residents against issues that could affect their health and well-being.

How Nursing Home Neglect Can Lead to Bedsores

Bedsores develop when pressure on different parts of the body cuts off blood circulation to skin and tissue. These sores may develop on heels, ankles, hips, shoulder blades, the back of the head, or other parts of the body that are in constant contact with a bed. When a person remains in the same position for extended periods, there may not be enough blood flow to these parts of the body, and tissues will begin to die. This can create wounds that start as reddened areas and can progress to deep craters that may expose muscle and bone.

Preventing bedsores requires consistent, attentive care that a nursing home may fail to provide. Facilities that have inadequate staffing levels may not be able to provide the frequent repositioning that is needed for immobile residents. Medical guidelines recommend turning bedridden patients every two hours to relieve pressure on vulnerable areas. When nursing homes employ too few staff members, residents may lie in the same positions for many hours, developing pressure ulcers that proper care would have prevented.

Understaffing can also lead to other conditions that may contribute to bedsore formation. Residents who soil themselves may wait for extended periods before staff members can clean and change them. Moisture from urine and feces can break down skin tissue, making it more vulnerable to pressure sores. Neglecting basic hygiene can accelerate the development of bedsores and worsen existing wounds.

Poor nutrition and hydration can also increase the risks of bedsores, because malnourished bodies cannot maintain healthy skin or heal wounds effectively. Nursing homes have a responsibility to ensure that residents receive adequate food and fluids. When facilities cut costs by providing insufficient meals, not assisting residents who need help eating, or failing to monitor a patient's nutritional status, they create conditions where bedsores become more likely.

Inadequate wound care may allow minor bedsores to progress to more severe stages. Early-stage pressure ulcers can often be healed with prompt intervention, including pressure relief, proper nutrition, and wound treatment. When nursing homes do not recognize developing bedsores, fail to document wounds, or do not implement treatment plans, small problems can become serious injuries that may require hospitalization or surgery.

Stages and Complications of Bedsores

Bedsores are classified by stages that reflect the increasing severity and depth of tissue damage when wounds go untreated.

• Stage 1 bedsores appear as reddened areas. The skin will remain intact, but it will show early signs of damage. At this stage, wounds are relatively easy to heal by eliminating pressure on affected areas. However, many nursing homes fail to recognize or document stage 1 pressure ulcers, allowing them to worsen.
• Stage 2 bedsores involve some skin loss affecting the outer layer and possibly deeper layers. These wounds may appear as shallow ulcers, blisters, or abrasions. Proper treatment can heal stage 2 ulcers relatively quickly, but neglect may allow wounds to progress to more serious stages.
• Stage 3 bedsores extend through the skin into underlying fat tissue. These wounds may appear as deep craters that may show exposed fat. Stage 3 ulcers are painful and prone to infection, and they may require significant medical intervention to heal.
• Stage 4 bedsores are the most severe, extending into muscle, tendon, or bone. These devastating wounds cause extreme pain, and they carry high risks for life-threatening complications. Healing stage 4 ulcers may require months of intensive treatment. Surgery may be needed to remove dead tissue and reconstruct damaged areas.

Complications from bedsores can be life-threatening, particularly for elderly nursing home residents who have weaker immune systems. Infections can develop when bacteria enter open wounds. Cellulitis, an infection of the tissue surrounding a bedsore, can cause swelling, redness, and pain. Bone infections may occur when bacteria reach exposed bone in stage 4 pressure ulcers. These infections are difficult to treat, and they may require surgical removal of infected bone.

Sepsis is one of the most dangerous complications of infected bedsores. This life-threatening condition occurs when an infection spreads through the bloodstream, triggering body-wide inflammation that can lead to organ failure and death. Elderly residents are especially vulnerable to sepsis, and they may be at risk of death even when they receive aggressive hospital treatment.

Chronic pain from bedsores can significantly reduce a person's quality of life. Deep ulcers can cause constant discomfort that makes sitting, lying down, and moving extremely painful. Pain medications may provide some relief, but they often have side effects that may include confusion, constipation, and increased fall risks for elderly patients.

How Bedsores Can Affect the Health of Nursing Home Residents

Beyond the direct effects of the wounds, bedsores can lead to additional health consequences for elderly nursing home patients. Painful pressure ulcers may make moving difficult or impossible. Residents who could previously walk with assistance may become bedbound. This loss of mobility may lead to muscle weakness and increased dependence on staff members for all activities of daily living.

Malnutrition can become worse for a nursing home resident, since their body will require extra calories and protein to heal wounds. Residents with poor appetites may struggle to receive adequate nutrition even under normal circumstances. The increased demands of wound healing may be impossible to meet, creating a cycle where malnutrition can make healing more difficult and extend the period during which increased nutrition will be required.

Depression and social withdrawal are common among residents who suffer from bedsores. Pain, embarrassment about wounds and odors, and inability to participate in activities can lead to isolation. Elderly people who are already vulnerable to depression may face increased risks when dealing with preventable injuries that cause suffering and affect their dignity.

Holding Nursing Homes Accountable for Bedsores

Families can take steps to hold negligent nursing homes responsible for bedsores that were caused by inadequate care. A negligence claim against a nursing home will require a demonstration that the facility failed to meet the accepted standards of care for preventing and treating pressure ulcers.

Evidence of neglect that led to bedsores may come from multiple sources. Medical records can document when wounds first appeared, what stage they reached, and what treatment was provided or not provided. Photographs can show the severity and progression of pressure ulcers. Staffing records may reveal whether the facility employed enough workers to provide the necessary care. State inspection reports may document previous violations related to wound care or staffing. Testimony from former employees, other residents, and family members who observed the conditions in a nursing home can provide additional evidence of neglect.

At Tremont Sheldon P.C., our attorneys can obtain complete medical records for a nursing home resident, including all documentation related to the treatment they received. We can also work with medical professionals such as wound care specialists and geriatric physicians to review records and provide opinions about whether the medical care a person received met the accepted standards. These specialists can explain how proper prevention measures would have avoided bedsores or how timely intervention would have prevented the progression of wounds.

Our lawyers will calculate the damages that an injury victim has suffered, including the medical expenses involved in treating bedsores, the pain and suffering endured by the resident, and other ways a person and family have been affected. Our goal is to ensure that our clients will be fully compensated for injuries that occurred due to nursing home negligence. By providing compassionate legal help, we can make sure families will be able to move forward after these difficult experiences.

Contact Our Bridgeport, Connecticut Nursing Home Bedsore Injury Attorneys

When nursing home facilities fail to protect vulnerable residents from bedsores or other preventable wounds, they should be held accountable. At Tremont Sheldon P.C., our attorneys help families of nursing home injury victims pursue justice and obtain compensation. Contact our Bridgeport nursing home bedsore injury lawyers at 203-335-5145 to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can help hold a nursing home accountable for neglect.