Free Consultation
Tampa Nursing Home Bedsores Lawyers
More than 35 years of experience fighting for personal injury victims in Florida
The risk of bedsores (also known as pressure ulcers) in nursing homes is well-known. Every nursing home should understand the risks and the possible complications. At MattLaw, our personal injury lawyers file personal injury and wrongful death claims against nursing homes that fail to prevent bedsores from occurring or fail to treat bedsores competently and promptly when they do occur. In many cases, routinely moving residents and examining residents can prevent these dangerous pressure disorders from occurring or from becoming infected.
Our Tampa nursing home bedsore lawyers demand compensation for the medical costs and pain and suffering bedsores cause. We represent families when bedsores are tragically fatal.
Free Consultation
How we can help you
- What are bedsores/pressure ulcers?
- What causes bedsores?
- Why are residents of Tampa nursing homes prone to bedsores?
- What signs indicate a nursing home resident in Tampa has bedsores?
- What are the dangers if bedsores occur?
- How do bedsores develop?
- Are there treatments for bedsores in Tampa?
- What damages can residents of Tampa nursing homes receive for bedsores?
- Do you have a Tampa nursing home bedsores lawyer near me?
What are bedsores/pressure ulcers?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, people who are not mobile for long periods are prone to bedsores. Bedsores are skin wounds due to prolonged pressure on a person’s skin. The people most prone to bedsores are people who use a wheelchair or are confined to a bed. Left untreated, bedsores can cause infections and may be deadly.
Other names for bedsores are:
- Decubitus ulcers.
- Pressure injuries.
- Pressure sores.
- Pressure ulcers.
- Pressure wounds.
Nearly 2.5 million people develop bedsores every year. The most common locations for bedsores are the hip, back, buttocks, tailbone, ankles, heels, and elbows.
What causes bedsores?
The Cleveland Clinic states that:
“Bedsores occur when pressure reduces or cuts off blood flow to your skin. This lack of blood flow can cause a pressure wound injury to develop in as little as two hours. Skin cells on your epidermis (your skin’s outer layer) start to die. As the dead cells break down, a pressure ulcer injury forms.”
The risk of bedsores increases if the patient experiences moisture from stool, urine, or sweat and if there is “traction (pulling or stretching of skin) from sliding down in an inclined bed or wheelchair.”
The Mayo Clinic identifies the following causes of bedsores:
- Pressure on a body part reduces the flow of blood (which provides essential nutrients, including oxygen) to the tissues. Without these nutrients, the tissue may die.
- “Friction occurs when the skin rubs against clothing or bedding.”
- “Shear occurs when two surfaces move in the opposite direction. For example, when a bed is raised at the head, a person can slide down in bed. As the tailbone moves down, the skin over the bone might stay in place, pulling in the opposite direction.”
Why are residents of Tampa nursing homes prone to bedsores?
Nursing home residents are especially prone to bedsores because many cannot physically move without assistance. Patients with dementia or other cognitive disorders may not understand that they have to move regularly. Residents may be confined to a bed or a wheelchair for prolonged periods of time.
Another risk factor is that older residents usually have dry, thin skin that has little elasticity. Other risk factors include certain diseases like diabetes, dehydration and malnutrition, infections, smoking, and any disorder that affects blood flow.
What signs indicate a nursing home resident in Tampa has bedsores?
The Mayo Clinic identifies the following signs that a resident has bedsores:
- Swelling
- Unusual changes in a resident’s skin texture or skin color
- Pus-like draining
- Skin that is a different temperature than the rest of a person’s body
- Tenderness
What are the dangers if bedsores occur?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, possible complications of bedsores include the risk of deadly infections, like septicemia and cellulitis. Residents may develop sepsis or require an amputation.
Another complication is the development of “sinus tracts, which are passages that connect the pressure sore injury to structures deeper in your body.” Sinus tract injuries may cause:
- Bacteria in your bloodstream (bacteremia), which can lead to bacterial meningitis or endocarditis.
- Bone infections (osteomyelitis) or joint infections (septic arthritis).
- Group A streptococcus infections.
How do bedsores develop?
The Cleveland Clinic identifies the following four stages of bedsores. Tampa nursing homes should recognize these stages:
- Stage 1. The skin is a different color (red or purple) but the skin does not have an open wound.
- Stage 2. “A shallow wound with a pink or red base develops. Some loss of skin, abrasions, and blisters may occur.”
- Stage 3. There is a noticeable wound that can penetrate a resident’s fatty skin layer.
- Stage 4:The wound penetrates the three layers of skin, exposing muscles, tendons, and bones in the resident’s musculoskeletal system.
Bedsores require immediate care by a physician.
Are there treatments for bedsores in Tampa?
Bedsore treatments include reducing pressure on skin, treatment of any wounds, pain management, preventing or treating infections, and healthy nutrition. It requires the following medical professionals to treat bedsores:
- A primary care doctor
- A wound care specialist
- Nurses who provide care and educate residents about wound care
- A physical therapist to help with movement
- An occupational therapist to help ensure the residents have the correct seating surfaces
- Dietitians to provide a healthy diet
- A dermatologist to treat the skin
Residents may also need medical care from a neurosurgeon, vascular surgeon, orthopedic surgeon, plastic surgeon, or social worker.
What damages can residents of Tampa nursing homes receive for bedsores?
At MattLaw, we hold nursing homes accountable when they fail to reasonably protect their residents from bedsores/pressure ulcers. Our Tampa nursing home bedsore lawyers work with your loved one’s doctors and our network of doctors when necessary to verify the full scope and severity of the bedsore injuries.
We will help obtain compensation for all of the resident’s current and future:
- Medical bills.
- Physical pain and emotional suffering.
- Inability to enjoy life’s pleasures.
- The cost of a transfer to a safer nursing home, if necessary.
We also file wrongful death claims on behalf of the family members when nursing home neglect causes bedsores that are fatal.
Do you have a Tampa nursing home bedsores lawyer near me?
MattLaw meets nursing home residents and their loved ones at our Tampa, Florida office, located at 304 S Plant Ave., Tampa, FL 33606. If your loved one cannot physically travel, we will arrange to see your loved one and you away from our offices. We also speak with clients by phone and through online video consultations.
We’ve helped many nursing home residents understand and assert their legal rights.
Speak with our Tampa nursing home bedsores lawyers now
MattLaw is respected by former nursing home residents and their families for our commitment to our clients and our impressive record of verdicts and settlements. Our Tampa nursing home bedsore lawyers demand justice for residents when nursing homes fail to protect them from well-known dangers such as bedsores. Please call us or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We handle nursing home bedsore claims on a contingency fee basis.