Tampa Bedsore Lawyer
One of the most common signs that a Florida nursing home resident has been the victim of abuse or neglect is bedsores. In medical terms, a bedsore is known as a “pressure ulcer” and is a serious injury that results from prolonged pressure on the skin. Bedsores are especially common on the bonier parts of the body, including a person’s heels, ankles, and hips.
Bedsores are not the kind of injury that develops overnight. It often takes days or weeks. And inattentive or negligent nursing home staff are often responsible for allowing bedsores to develop and worsen.
If you have reason to believe that a loved one has developed bedsores due to nursing home abuse or neglect, it is important not to remain silent. A qualified Tampa bedsore lawyer can assist you with investigating the circumstances of a resident’s medical and living situation. And if necessary, we can represent you and the resident in taking legal action against the nursing home or medical facility.
Do You Know the Signs of Bedsores?
Bedsores are often a sign of a more serious problem within a facility. This is because bedsores are a well-known and common condition that can develop when residents and patients do not receive proper care. The underlying cause of most bedsores is the victim’s inability to move or regularly change their positions without assistance.
If you observe any of the following symptoms on someone who is confined to a long-term care facility, you should take notice and speak with a Tampa bedsores attorney as soon as possible:
- unusual changes to the person’s skin color or texture;
- some areas of the skin start to feel cooler or warmer to the touch;
- swelling and tenderness on areas of the skin; and
- pus-like draining.
Bedsores are rated on a four-point scale. Mild bedsores can be treated simply by moving the patient into a different position. More severe cases can lead to infection of the skin and bones, blood poisoning, and even death. In fact, by some professional estimates there are roughly 40,000 fatalities each year that were the result of untreated bedsores.
But even in non-fatal cases, bedsores are still a sign of serious neglect on the part of a facility. Victims have the right under Florida law to sue a negligent nursing home, assisted living facility, or hospital and seek compensation for their bedsores and related injuries. This includes monetary damages to cover their medical expenses, ongoing costs of wound care, and their ongoing pain and suffering.
Don’t Delay, Contact Florin Gray
You should never allow medical or nursing staff to claim bedsores are “no big deal.” They are a serious healthcare problem that requires immediate treatment to prevent potentially fatal complications. So if you have any reason to suspect that someone that you care about has developed bedsores–or any other potential complication arising from negligence or abuse–you should not hesitate to take appropriate legal action.
Your first step should be to contact a skilled Tampa bedsore lawyer. Call Florin Gray today to schedule a free consultation.
