It's important to understand what nursing home abuse is before you can understand what nursing home abuse lawyers do. The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term nursing home abuse is elder abuse. While this is certainly an important aspect of nursing home abuse, it is only part of the definition of what the term means.
If someone in your family is living in a nursing home, you can start by asking our legal team to reach out to the facility to ask about services that they offer. If your loved one needs the help of an attorney, you may want to consider hiring an experienced team of injury lawyers. We will be able to get the help that your loved one need.
Bed sores, also known in medical terms as pressure ulcers, affect nearly half of nursing home residents each year. They are caused by prolonged periods of being immobilized, such as those experienced while lying down, sitting, or sleeping. Nursing homes must provide adequate support surfaces that allow residents to move freely without putting undue stress on their skin. In addition, employees must regularly check for wounds and lesions that could lead to bedsores.
The CDC reports that 11% of nursing home patients suffer from bed sores. These injuries are sometimes due to poor nutrition and hydration, which can cause weakened bones, underlying tissue, and muscles. Other causes include poor circulation, incontinence, and immobility. Pressure ulcers can develop quickly, especially if they aren't treated promptly. If left untreated, pressure ulcers can become infected, resulting in serious complications.
If a loved one has suffered from bed sores or any type of elder abuse in their nursing home, contact our experienced injury lawyers to schedule your free consultation.
Nursing home bed sores affect nearly one out of every ten people living in a nursing facility. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 10 percent of nursing home patients suffer from a bed sore. While most cases of bed sores occur on the skin surrounding the hips, buttocks, heels, knees, elbows, shoulders, neck, head, and feet, some develop in areas such as the mouth or genitals.
The most common types of bed sores include:
• Pressure Ulcers – These wounds form under heavy weight or pressure, like sitting too much on a hard surface, lying down while wearing casts or braces, or being immobilized due to illness or injury. A pressure ulcer usually starts at the bottom of the heel and moves up toward the ankle.
• Venous Leg Ulcers – Also known as varicose veins, venous leg ulcers are caused by poor circulation in the legs and ankles. This type of wound typically starts near the knee and moves upward towards the calf.
• Decubitus Ulcers – Also called bed sores, decubitus ulcers are open wounds caused by prolonged pressure on certain parts of the body. They tend to occur on bony prominences, such as the elbow, hip, shoulder, or tailbone.
• Cellulitis – A bacterial infection of the skin that causes redness, swelling, warmth, pain, fever, pus, and blisters.
• Necrotizing Fasciitis – An inflammation of the fascia, a thick band of tissue that surrounds muscles and organs. It is characterized by severe pain, high fever, and rapid spreading of bacteria throughout the body.
Bed sores, also called pressure sores in nursing homes often go unnoticed because they are difficult to diagnose. They typically develop on pressure points such as heels, elbows, knees, shoulders, hips, buttocks, neck and head, and wrists. These areas become inflamed due to friction caused by prolonged contact with sheets, blankets, mattresses and pillows. This inflammation leads to open wounds that are susceptible to infection. Once infected, bedsores can take months to heal. In addition, patients who suffer from diabetes, cancer, heart disease, arthritis and dementia are especially prone to developing bedsores.
There are many reasons why these neglected injuries in elderly patients occur. Nurses and caregivers must ensure that residents receive adequate nutrition, hydration and pain relief. Patients should be moved frequently to avoid skin breakdown and pressure ulcers. When possible, residents should be turned every one to three hours during the night. Staff members should use caution when transferring patients, and should make sure that patients do not sit or lie on hard surfaces for long periods of time.
If you or a loved one was injured because of inadequate care while receiving nursing home health care in a New Jersey nursing facility, contact Garden State Justice Group to talk with an experienced attorney about getting compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. By filing a nursing home abuse lawsuit, you can advocate for your loved one and get them the help they need to get back on their feet.
Nursing home abuse is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone. Even if the person is your family member, you will feel bad if you know that your relative is suffering due to nursing home neglect.
It is very important to hire a lawyer for medical malpractice, because if you take legal action against the person responsible, then you can get compensation for the nursing home resident. If you don’t take legal action, then the owner of the nursing home neglect can deny responsibility. Lawyers who specialize in nursing home neglect cases will understand the law better than general lawyers. They will file a lawsuit for nursing home abuse bedsores on behalf of their elderly client.
Nursing homes are regulated by state laws, and anyone who suspects that an elder care facility is violating those rules needs to contact a qualified nursing home abuse attorney immediately. Elderly people often depend upon others to take good care of them. When someone fails to do so, it can lead to serious consequences, including physical and emotional harm. In some cases, the elderly patient might even die.
If you suspect that your elderly relative was abused or neglected while living in a nursing home, there are steps that you can take to protect yourself and your family members. Contact an experienced New Jersey nursing home abuse attorney today.
