If your loved one has been a victim of bed sores or pressure ulcers, you should ensure that they receive immediate care; then you should report the incident to the state nursing home regulators and consult a Georgia nursing home bedsores lawyer to ensure your loved one’s rights are upheld.
Elderly residents deserve care, compassion, and respect at long-term living facilities. Unfortunately, cases of neglect can result in injuries. When that happens, our Georgia nursing home abuse lawyers are here to protect your loved one’s rights. Since 2022, we’ve provided dedicated legal services.
Contact us today for a free consultation about your loved one’s case.
Signs of Bed Sores or Pressure Ulcers
A person with a bed sore will develop a patch of skin that is red, purple, or blue. The patch may also feel firm and cold or warm, and it may be tender or itchy. These signs usually accompany a pressure ulcer in Stage I.
In a Stage II pressure ulcer, the skin may blister or become an open abrasion or sore. The area around the sore may be discolored, usually purple or red. During Stage II, swelling and oozing may also develop.
A Stage III pressure ulcer extends below the surface of the skin, and is more of a crater. A Stage IV pressure ulcer extends even deeper, reaching to the bone, muscle, joint, or tendon.
When a bed sore becomes infected, a person may experience fever, and the skin around the bed sore may become tender, warm, and redder than before. The sore may start to drain pus, and may smell foul.
What Should a Nursing Home Do to Prevent Bed Sores?
For every resident, nursing homes should evaluate the individual’s condition and risk factors for pressure ulcers, then develop a care plan to prevent the resident from developing bed sores. During care, staff should monitor the resident to ensure he or she has not developed bed sores, and should make changes to the care plan as needed.
For example, nursing home caregivers should help residents change position often, and provide opportunities for mobility if possible. Nursing homes should also maintain good hygiene for residents, and provide regular and timely assistance for residents who suffer from incontinence, as this is a risk factor for pressure ulcers.
They should also provide residents with a healthy diet and plenty of water, and should monitor residents with conditions that put them at greater risk for developing bed sores, such as thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus, and a history of pressure ulcers.
Georgia Nursing Home Bedsores Lawyer Near Me (678) 823-7678
Hold the Nursing Home Accountable for Bedsores With a Georgia Lawyer
In Georgia, nursing homes are responsible for ensuring that a resident who enters the facility without pressure sores does not develop them after being admitted to the facility. Nursing homes are also responsible for ensuring that a resident with pressure sores receives the treatment and assistance necessary for healing, and that the resident does not develop an infection or any new pressure ulcers.
What this means is that nursing homes should do everything reasonably possible to prevent residents from developing pressure ulcers, promote healing of current pressure ulcers and keep them free from infection, and prevent residents with bed sores from developing any further sores.
There may be certain cases in which pressure ulcers are unavoidable, and in these cases, the nursing home is not responsible for prevention, though it is responsible for providing treatment as soon as the ulcer appears.
What Compensation Can be Recovered After Bedsores in a Georgia Nursing Home?
By law, a long-term care facility that is responsible for a resident’s bed sores or pressure ulcers, or responsible for any infection developing from bed sores, may be required to give the resident financial compensation for the losses they’ve suffered.
These may include:
- Medical expenses: Medical bills for emergency medical services, doctor appointments, surgeries, antibiotics, and other needed care to address the bedsore.
- Pain and suffering: The physical effects of the bedsore.
- Relocation costs: If suspected neglect or abuse have made you fearful for your loved one’s safety, you may be eligible to recover compensation for moving them to another facility.
- Wrongful death damages: If bedsores led to the loss of your loved one, then you may be able to recover compensation for funeral and burial expenses, end-of-life medical care, and other losses. Our Georgia nursing home wrongful death lawyers can help you hold the care home accountable.
How Can We Hold a Care Home Accountable for Bedsores?
To hold the facility accountable and recover compensation, you will need to prove that neglect or improper care standards led to or exacerbated the bedsore. Our lawyers will do so by investigating.
Helpful evidence can include:
- Your loved one’s medical records.
- The facility’s incident reports.
- Photos or video footage of mistreatment.
- Expert medical testimony.
- Witness accounts, such as from staff or other elderly residents.
What Should You Do If Your Loved One Develops Bedsores in a Nursing Home?
The most important step is to ensure that your loved one gets the proper medical attention and care that they need. Once you have done so, there are a few key steps to take if you suspect nursing home neglect.
These steps are:
- Contact the Georgia Department of Community Health and file a complaint.
- If you suspect physical abuse in addition to neglect, you should file a police report as well.
- Request your loved one’s official medical records from the nursing home.
- Take photos of any conditions that may have contributed to the medical issue, such as a dirty room or unchanged bedsheets.
- Contact a nursing home bedsores attorney in Georgia.
- Relocate your loved one to somewhere safe.
Our Georgia pressure injury lawyer can offer advice on additional next steps and offer resources for support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are quick answers to some of the more common questions we get from concerned family members.
Will a pressure ulcer heal?
Pressure ulcers can take anywhere from three days to two years to heal, depending on the severity of the ulcer and what stage it has advanced to. An ulcer in Stage 1 or 2 can be treated by keeping the wound clean and providing proper wound care, reducing the source of pressure on the sore, and drinking lots of water and eating foods high in protein. An ulcer in Stage 3 or Stage 4 usually requires a doctor’s treatment.
Will the nursing home get in trouble if I report them?
After ensuring your loved one has received treatment from medical professionals for their bed sores, report the incident to the Georgia Healthcare Facility Regulation Department, or contact a local ombudsman. Bed sores in Georgia nursing homes often signal neglect, and the nursing home may be held responsible for any injuries your loved one has sustained.
Reporting the incident ensures that the long-term care facility is investigated, which can also help future residents.
Is there a deadline to seek compensation for my loved one?
Yes, under Georgia’s statute of limitations, you generally have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline may bar you from recovering compensation.
Are there ways to help prevent bedsores in the future?
If your loved one has a medical condition that may increase the risk of bedsores, talk to the staff at their living facility. The resident’s health needs are usually addressed on a case-by-case basis, so it’s important for them to have this information. Pressure-relieving devices, pressure-relieving mattresses, or more frequent movement may be necessary to help prevent future pressure ulcers.
Contact a Nursing Home Bedsores Lawyer in Georgia Today
If your loved one has suffered harm due to a living facility’s neglectful practices, we can help. The legal team at Schenk Nursing Home Abuse Law will advocate for fair compensation for their pain and other losses. Read our client reviews to learn how we’ve helped others.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so there are no upfront costs to you. Instead, you will only pay our fees if we recover compensation for you. Reach out today to schedule a free case consultation.
