Bed Sore Lawyer
Personal Injury Lawyers Serving Tucson, Phoenix, Flagstaff and all Arizona cities and communities
Bed sores, also known as pressure sores or pressure ulcers, develop in individuals who have experienced prolonged pressure on the affected areas of their bodies. Among the elderly, bed sores are commonly caused by spending long periods of time, immobile, in bed. If a patient cannot move him or herself when he or she feels the buildup of pressure on a certain area of the body, a painful pressure sore will develop. It is the responsibility of the patient’s caretaker to respond to complaints of pain and to adjust the patient as necessary to alleviate his or her of discomfort.
No senior citizen should have to experience neglect of any kind, especially if it results in needless physical harm. The Tucson, Phoenix, and Flagstaff bed sore lawyers of Miller Pitt, Feldman & McAnally, P.C., are dedicated to fighting this and all forms of abuse and injustice. If someone you love has been a victim of elder abuse, call our offices today at to schedule an appointment.
The Stages of Bed Sore Development
The development of bed sores is an extremely painful process. The stages are as follows:
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- Stage 1: Red or discolored skin that does not turn white when pressure is applied; skin is itchy or tender
- Stage 2: Skin is damaged, broken, or partially lost; area is swollen and may look like a blister or have a slight concave shape
- Stage 3: Damage to skin has extended through to the underlying fatty layer; skin has an obvious, deep ulcer
- Stage 4: Ulcer has expanded to reach the muscle or bone; may have heavy black scab on top
Clearly, bed sores are both painful and frightening. When they develop out of nursing home staff neglect, the family of the hurt patient has a right to take action against the responsible party.
Bed Sore Risk Factors and Neglect
Nursing home workers owe a certain duty of care to their patients. This includes delivering the attention and taking the action necessary to prevent them from developing excruciating bed sores. Failure to position patients properly, respond to their complaints of pain, move them in a safe manner, provide them with the proper nutrition and hydration, or properly treat incontinence problems may be considered neglectful actions that can lead to pressure sore growth.
Meet Our Medical Malpractice Attorneys
José de Jesús Rivera
ShareholderFormer U.S. Attorney for Ariz. -- Personal Injury -- Criminal Defense