If your aging loved one lives in a nursing home, he or she naturally needs a higher level of care and attention. Nursing homes are intended to help provide one of our most vulnerable populations with comfortable living arrangements and excellent health care. If your relative develops bedsores while under such care, it could be a sign of nursing home neglect that shouldn’t be ignored. Discuss your concerns with an experienced Chicago personal injury attorney today.
If you aren’t sure what bedsores actually are, the Mayo Clinic explains that these skin injuries are external ulcers, which are caused by prolonged bouts of pressure that lead to damage in the underlying tissues. Bedsores tend to occur on the boniest areas of the body, including ankles, heels, hips, and tailbones. Those who have difficulty freely moving themselves or changing positions when necessary – like the bedridden and those who spend much of their day propped in a chair – are most vulnerable to developing bedsores. Many nursing home residents fall squarely within this category, but adequate care and attention can help prevent these injuries from happening in the first place.
There are certain signs and symptoms that are closely associated with the emergence of bedsores, including:
Once a bedsore develops, the skin and underlying tissue can be broken down to the point that healing becomes extremely difficult. When this happens, the site becomes that much more susceptible to even more serious infections.
While the residents of nursing homes are far more susceptible to bedsores than people who are able to live independently, this does not mean that they are inevitable. The fact is that nursing homes are in the business of providing their residents with the health care and attention they need to live their healthiest lives. While not every bedsore is preventable, when a nursing home doesn’t have a solid protocol in place to help ensure that every resident gets the physical attention he or she needs to avoid them, bedsores become a near certainty. If your loved one has developed bedsores, it can be indicative of the nursing home’s failure to provide the care they are paid to provide. This amounts to nursing home negligence and should not be tolerated.
If your aging loved one lives in a nursing home and has developed bedsores – or exhibits any other signs of neglect – the dedicated Chicago personal injury attorneys at The Horwitz Law Group are here to help. Nursing home neglect is one of the most piteous branches of personal injury law, but our compassionate legal team is committed to skillfully advocating for your loved one’s rights and rightful compensation. To schedule a free consultation today, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly.
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