Unfortunately, when a nursing home resident gets bedsores, it can be a sign of abuse. Bedsores are usually the result of patients being left unattended and not properly rotated on a regular basis. An Atlanta bedsores lawyer can help you file a claim against the nursing home or its staff for their negligence and recover compensation for your loved one.
If your elderly loved one suffered harm in an assisted living home, contact an attorney from Schenk Nursing Home Abuse Law to discuss claims for bedsores in Atlanta nursing homes. An experienced Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyer can investigate the issue and advise you on your legal rights.
Contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation with a member of our legal team.
What Can Cause Bedsores in a Nursing Home?
Bedsores (bed sores), also known as pressure ulcers, pressure injuries, or decubitus ulcers, usually result from the constant pressure of sustained contact between the bodily surface and the surface of the bed. It often indicates long periods spent in a recliner, wheelchair, or bed.
They tend to appear on areas of the skin where the bone and skin are close together, such as:
- Hips
- Elbows
- Back
- Ankles
- Heels
Bedsores are often painful and necessitate medical attention. Elderly residents who cannot move on their own are vulnerable to pressure sores and require diligent attention from caretakers to prevent this condition.
If bedsores develop, it is critical to ensure proper care and treat them so they don’t get worse. If left untreated, several stages of bedsores can develop.
If bedsores develop, an Atlanta bedsores attorney from our firm can investigate to determine who may be held liable for nursing home neglect.
For a free legal consultation with a nursing home bedsores lawyer serving Atlanta, call (678) 823-7678
The Liability of Nursing Homes in Bedsore Cases
The staff of the nursing home where your loved one lives are not the only ones who can be held liable for any bedsores. The nursing home has a duty to ensure the safety of everyone living in the facility. This duty includes:
- Staffing properly to ensure there are enough people to look after all the residents
- Ensuring all employees have training to provide residents with the care they need
- Providing proper supervision of workers to ensure they are adequately caring for residents
If healthcare workers are not providing residents with the care they need, the senior care facility’s owners can be held responsible for the mistreatment. An experienced bedsores attorney in Atlanta can help you determine who is to blame and pursue compensation from any liable parties.
Atlanta Nursing Home Bedsores Lawyer Near Me (678) 823-7678
What an Experienced Bedsores Lawyer Serving Atlanta Can Do to Help With Your Case
When you hire an experienced attorney serving Atlanta to help you pursue compensation after your loved one suffers bedsores due to neglect or deliberate mistreatment, they will handle every aspect of your legal case. The first step your lawyer will likely take will be to conduct a thorough investigation into the care home where your loved one lives.
This investigation will aim to identify all at-fault parties and gather evidence to support your nursing home abuse case. They will investigate the business practices of the care home, as well as the individual actions or inaction of the nursing staff responsible for the care of your loved one.
After finishing their initial investigation, they will complete and file all the paperwork necessary for your nursing home abuse lawsuit.
They will continue to build your case as they prepare for court. In the meantime, they will also be engaged in settlement negotiations with the opposing party, attempting to come to terms on a fair settlement deal.
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The Four Elements of Negligence
When pursuing a claim related to the bedsores your loved one suffered, you will need to prove that the care home or the nursing home staff members either took deliberate abusive actions or were negligent in the care they provided.
To prove negligence, your nursing home neglect attorney will need to establish the existence of four elements in your case:
- Duty of care
- Breached duty of care
- Damages
- Causation
Duty of Care
The first thing you need to show is that your loved one was owed a duty of care. Proving a duty of care in these cases is straightforward. When your loved one moves into a healthcare facility, both ownership and staff assume a duty of care to ensure that your loved one receives the care they need to maintain the best possible quality of life.
Breached Duty of Care
Next, you need to prove that the duty of care owed to your loved one was breached. If you can show that staffing needs were not being met or that nursing staff failed to regularly check on your loved one and move them to avoid bedsores, the violation of their duty of care will be clear.
Damages
The next step is proving that your loved one incurred damages. Medical records attesting to the bedsores your loved one suffered and their related medical bills for treatment are the best way to prove the damages they sustained.
Causation
The final step is showing how everything ties together. An experienced nursing home abuse attorney can help demonstrate to the court how the liable party breaching their duty of care to provide proper care to your loved one directly led to the damages they sustained.
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Preventing Bedsores in Atlanta Nursing Homes
Bedsores are often preventable with diligent care. Specific techniques and medical procedures should help prevent or eliminate bedsores.
Skin Inspections
Skin inspections can help detect bedsores early to prevent them from worsening or becoming infected. A lack of inspections is often a sign of nursing home negligence.
Appropriate Nutrition
When patients are malnourished, they are more susceptible to bedsores. Without appropriate protein, nutrients, and vitamins, bedsores may develop more quickly and severely impact a patient.
Additionally, a lack of a proper eating plan is a sign of negligence, even if the patient does not develop pressure sores.
Rotating Patient Positions Regularly
People who have difficulty moving on their own require round-the-clock assistance. Moving a person to a different position every fifteen minutes or so is crucial in preventing bedsores.
Whether a patient is physically incapable of moving or lacks the cognitive ability to understand the need to move, nursing home staff must assist patients in regularly changing positions.
If the staff fails to provide this care and a patient develops bedsores, a local attorney could help the patient bring a claim for damages.
Consult a Skilled Bedsores Attorney in Atlanta on Claims for Bedsores
Bedsores often lead to other medical complications that can be painful and costly to treat. These conditions may signify neglect or abuse in a personal care home. Family members who notice bedsores on their loved ones should act immediately to address the problem and prevent it from worsening.
In severe cases, a nursing home abuse lawsuit may help the patient and family win compensation for harm caused by bedsores. Our seasoned attorneys are here to help hold negligent parties accountable for bedsores in Atlanta nursing homes.
Reach out to our firm today to discuss your case with a dedicated legal advisor during a free consultation. You can reach us by giving us a call or completing our online contact form.
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