Speak to an Elder Abuse Attorney Los Angeles to Bring Justice to Your Loved One
If you have a loved one in a nursing home, you have the expectation they will receive the best of care. Though many nursing homes are known for how well they care for residents, others are known for just the opposite. Unfortunately, many nursing homes neglect and abuse their residents, leading to a variety of issues for those on the receiving end. For many nursing home residents, bedsores and pressure sores are common occurrences. While these can be treated if caught early on, many nursing home patients suffer bedsores that develop into life-threatening situations. If you have a loved one who has developed bedsores and pressure sores due to neglect and abuse by staff members, hold those responsible accountable for their actions by working with a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer from Grey Law.
How Common is this Nursing Home Neglect And Abuse?
Based on data from the CDC, at least 10 percent of nursing home residents suffer from bedsores at any given time. While this statistic is alarming, most experts agree the actual number is probably much higher. Since these injuries usually occur on areas where they are not easily viewed by family members, it is easy for them to go unnoticed for quite some time. Thus, if staff members at the nursing home are failing to provide proper care to the resident, bedsores and pressure sores can ultimately lead to life-threatening conditions and even death. Your loved one should not have to suffer needlessly due to the negligence of nursing home caregivers.
Immediate Treatment is Needed
When bedsores or pressure sores are first noticed, they require immediate medical attention to ensure they do not worsen. However, many nursing home staff members may in fact notice these wounds and choose to do nothing about them. As a result, the wounds are allowed to fester and inflict more damage on the person’s body, ultimately leading to them being unable to recover. Sadly, many elderly individuals who enter nursing homes are not given the care and attention they need to prevent needless injuries such as these. If the staff at your loved one’s nursing home acted in a negligent and careless manner, work with legal counsel you can trust.
What Body Areas are Susceptible to Bedsores?
When bedsores and pressure sores develop, they tend to do so on certain parts of one’s body. For most people, this includes the back, elbows, heels, hips, and ankles. Since nursing home residents are often sedentary in a bed or wheelchair most of if not all the time, it is crucial staff members regularly check patients for bedsores or pressure sores that may be developing. When you have a loved one in a nursing home who develops bedsores or pressure sores that are left untreated, it is time to pursue suing a nursing home for negligence in Los Angeles. To do so, consult at once with attorneys from Grey Law.
How Can Pressure Sores be Prevented?
To prevent pressure sores and bedsores from ever happening, there are many things nursing home staff members should do on a daily basis. One of the most important is to help the patient change positions in their bed or wheelchair, since this will help to relieve pressure on certain areas of the skin. Along with this, staff members should also inspect a resident’s skin daily for signs of bedsores or pressure sores, make sure they eat nutritious meals each day, and assist them with getting as much exercise as possible. However, when your loved one is at the mercy of staff members who inflict neglect and abuse on them each day, these preventive methods are rarely implemented. If it is determined your loved one suffered bedsores or pressure sores due to such acts of blatant neglect and abuse, hold staff members accountable for their actions by hiring an experienced lawyer.
Pressure Sore Stages
While some people think pressure sores or bed sores develop rapidly and with little or no warning, that is not usually the case. Instead, they develop over time, and can often be treated very effectively if done so in their early stages. Since there are four stages of pressure sores, it is imperative they be recognized and treated as fast as possible. While Stage 1 and Stage 2 sores can be treated quite well, those sores that advance to Stage 3 or 4 are more difficult to treat and may be life-threatening. If you have a loved one whose bedsores or pressure sores have advanced to Stages 3 or 4, it is likely abuse or neglect has taken place. Therefore, act immediately to ensure they receive medical treatment. In addition, speak to a elderly abuse lawyer in Los Angeles from Grey Law to determine if suing a nursing home for negligence is an option you should pursue.
Medical Complications from Bedsores
When nursing home abuse and neglect takes place that leads to bedsores that go untreated, various types of medical complications can result. Some of the most serious include joint and bone infections, cellulitis, sepsis, and even cancer. For example, cellulitis can occur when connective tissues become inflamed. Should this occur, meningitis may result. In addition, sepsis can occur when bacteria enters the person’s bloodstream through the open sores, leading the body’s immune system to turn on itself. When this happens, life-threatening infections, organ failure, and other conditions may occur.
Seek Legal Advice
When you suspect your loved one in a nursing home may be the victim of abuse and neglect, never hesitate to make your concerns known to staff and facility administrators. Even though they will downplay the seriousness of the situation and deny any neglect or abuse has occurred, do not let this stop you from seeking legal advice from an experienced attorney families have relied on at Grey Law. By doing so, you and your loved one can see that justice is served.
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