Medford Pressure Sore Lawyer

Pressure Sore Lawyer Medford, OR

If your loved one is in a nursing home and suffering from pressure sores, you need a pressure sore lawyer in Medford, OR. Pressure sores, also known as bedsores, are not an uncommon occurrence in nursing home facilities across the country. While nursing homes are often a resource for family members who have senior relatives that require constant care, they may be unknowingly placing them into an unsafe environment. Pressure sores are generally a sign of neglect, and if medical treatment isn’t started promptly, complications and infections may develop. When you leave your elderly loved one in the care of the staff at a nursing home, you do so because you think your loved one will get the care they need. However, you may begin to notice that your family member is developing pressure sores when you visit them at the nursing home. If you see these pressure sores, you should contact Andersen & Linthorst as quickly as possible because this is a sign of abuse. Many people think that nursing home abuse is far more obvious. It may present as large bruises or your loved one may have cuts or scrapes on their body. However, pressure sores are a sign of neglect, and it means that the staff is not giving your loved one the attention and care they desperately need.

What are pressure sores?

Pressure sores are obvious signs that your loved one has not been tended to. For elderly people at nursing homes, it may be hard for them to get out of bed or even turn over in bed. When this is the case, the staff members are supposed to be attentive to their needs, including routinely moving your loved one from side to side so these pressure sores do not occur.

If your senior relative has pressure sores, we highly encourage you to contact a Medford, Oregon pressure sore lawyer for advice. We can imagine that it is difficult for family members to accept that neglect may be happening to their senior loved one. However, it is important to understand why pressure sores may be a sign of neglect and what you can do to take action for the mistreatment. Speak with a pressure sore lawyer in Medford, OR now from Andersen & Linthorst.

Where Pressure Sores May Be Seen

Pressure sores may not be visible upon first glance, and may require a closer look in order to find. Pressure sores commonly appear on the resident’s buttocks, hips, lower back, tailbone, or feet due to laying down or sitting for an extensive period of time. Pressure ulcers seen on the foot, ankle, or heel can stem from caregivers not removing shoes or keeping the resident in a wheelchair for too long. If you have seen pressure sores on your senior relative, neglect may be the culprit and a pressure sore lawyer Medford, OR residents trust can help.

Why Pressure Sores Happen

Pressure sores arise when patients have limited or no independent mobility, leading the the tissue underneath the top skin layers to become damaged. Pressure sores may also be referred to as pressure ulcers and develop due to extended pressure on an area of the body. Caregivers of the nursing home facility who are not moving the patient enough may be committing negligence that is actionable by law with help from a Medford, OR pressure sore lawyer.

How Pressure Sores Worsen

Pressure Sores that are not observed and treated with a sense of urgency may worsen and become infected. Pressure sores are preventable, and any areas that have progressed to a stage where emergency medical intervention is needed is likely due to a caregiver being careless. Caregivers must take time to reposition residents, relieve areas of pressure, provide clean bedding and clothes, in addition to checking residents for pressure sores regularly.

Why Pressure Sores are Concerning

Pressure sores developing on a senior resident can be a huge red flag that caregivers are not upholding a reasonable standard of care on a consistent basis. Family members who see their senior relative suffering from painful pressure ulcers, may be understandably angry and want to take legal action. For a nursing home negligence lawsuit to be successful, the family must gather as much evidence as possible. An attorney can give you insight into what type of proof to obtain in preparation for a lawsuit.

Can’t these pressure sores just heal on their own?

Pressure sores are extremely serious and should not be taken lightly. In many cases, people who have developed pressure sores get severe infections and need to have their limbs amputated. If they are left without care, nursing home residents can even die.

Why is negligence important to my case?

When you discover that your loved one has pressure sores, you know that the nursing home has been negligent in some way. The nurses at a nursing home are responsible for assessing the mobility of each of the patients at a nursing home and determining if they are at risk for something like pressure sores. Thus, when these pressure sores begin to develop and no one treats them immediately, negligence has occurred. Whether the staff incorrectly determined that your loved one would not be at high risk for these pressure sores or if they determined that they were at high risk and did nothing about it, negligence has occurred. This is important because we will show that the nursing home staff owed your loved one a duty of care and did not fulfill this duty. Pressure sores do not develop quickly and overnight. Instead, they develop over time, meaning your loved one was neglected on more than one occasion.

If your loved one has developed pressure sores, please reach out to our team to see how we can help you with your case. No one should ever have to worry that a nursing home is not fulfilling their duty by taking care of your loved one. We offer new clients a free consultation. This can be a helpful way to find out whether your loved one may be suffering from neglect and how to handle the situation. Please reach out to a pressure sore lawyer in Medford, OR from Andersen & Linthorst today!