Bedsores in Nursing Homes: Causes, Risks, Stages
- Reviewed By
Anthony C. Lanzone, Founding Partner
- Facilities have a legal duty to reposition residents, provide proper custodial care, and ensure good hygiene. When they fail, residents can suffer life-threatening bedsores.
- No one should have to suffer from painful, preventable pressure ulcers in a nursing home. If you or a loved one has developed bedsores, it may indicate inadequate care, neglect, or even abuse.
- Families can pursue justice through a nursing home bedsore lawsuit.
- Settlements often reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, holding negligent facilities accountable and preventing further harm.
Bedsores are much more than an uncomfortable nuisance. They are a serious medical condition that can lead to life-threatening infections and complications. Nursing homes have a responsibility to prevent them, and when they fail, residents are the ones who suffer.
Lanzone Morgan, LLP, advocates for the rights of vulnerable residents and holds negligent facilities accountable. If your loved one has developed bedsores due to improper care, a nursing home neglect attorney in California can help you understand their rights and pursue justice for them.
Table of Contents:
- What Are Bedsores?
- Causes of Bedsores in Nursing Homes
- Nursing Home Bedsore Risk Factors
- The Hidden Crisis of Underreporting Bedsore Injuries in Nursing Homes
- The Four Stages of Bedsores
- Can You Sue a Nursing Home for Bedsores?
- How a Bedsore Lawyer Can Help You Seek Justice
- Take the First Step Toward Justice
What Are Bedsores?
Bedsores, also known as pressure sores, pressure ulcers, decubitus ulcers, or pressure injuries, are the most common type of nursing home abuse injury and develop when prolonged pressure cuts off blood flow to the skin. Without proper circulation, skin cells begin to die, leading to painful sores that can worsen if not treated. These injuries are a serious concern for nursing home residents, especially those with limited mobility.
Common symptoms of bedsores include the following:
- Discolored skin, such as red, purple, or dark patches
- Swelling or tenderness in the affected area
- Skin that feels warmer or cooler than surrounding tissues
- Open sores or wounds that do not heal
- Pus, drainage, or odor from the sore
- Pain or discomfort in areas with prolonged pressure
Causes of Bedsores in Nursing Homes
Bedsores occur when residents cannot reposition themselves regularly, leading to prolonged pressure on certain areas of the body. Nursing home staff should take every precaution to prevent bedsores in at-risk residents, but often, neglect leads to devastating injuries.
If you or a loved one has suffered from bedsores in a nursing home, you may have a right to take legal action. Contact our bedsore lawyers today to learn how we can help you hold the facility accountable and pursue the compensation you deserve.
- Did you know?
Bedsores in nursing homes are unfortunately common, affecting between 7 and 23 percent of residents.
Nursing Home Bedsore Risk Factors
Bedsores in nursing homes are often a sign of neglect. When staff members fail to reposition residents, provide adequate hydration and nutrition, or address medical conditions that increase bedsore risk, they put vulnerable individuals in serious danger.
Factors that increase the risk of bedsores include the following:
- Advanced Age
- Alzheimer’s or Dementia
- Medical Conditions That Impact Circulation
- Incontinence
- Muscle Spasms or Contractures
- Poor Nutrition and Hydration
- Smoking
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Limited Mobility
Increased Bedsore Risk for Wheelchair and Bedridden Residents
Residents confined to wheelchairs or beds face a higher risk of developing bedsores due to prolonged pressure on the tailbone, heels, and hips. Without regular repositioning, circulation becomes restricted, leading to painful and potentially life-threatening wounds.
Nursing homes are responsible for recognizing and addressing these risk factors to prevent bedsores. If a facility fails to take proper precautions, it can and should be held accountable. If neglect played a role in your loved one’s injuries, you may be eligible to take legal action and seek justice for the harm they have suffered.
“We see pressure sores all the time in nursing home cases because the residents, especially the ones who are bed-bound, are not turned and repositioned or gotten out of bed enough. So they develop pressure sores commonly on their heels or on their coccyx or backside.”
The Hidden Crisis of Underreporting Bedsore Injuries in Nursing Homes
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that at least 11 percent of nursing home patients develop bedsores. However, bedsore injuries in nursing homes are far more common than reported, leaving families like yours in the dark about the true conditions their loved ones are living in. A study by University of Chicago researchers found that over 70 percent of stage 2 to 4 pressure ulcer hospitalizations for short-stay residents and nearly 60 percent for long-stay residents were not properly reported.
This widespread underreporting is not just misleading—it is dangerous. When nursing homes fail to document and disclose bedsore injuries, they may also be neglecting necessary treatment, leading to worsening conditions, infections, and even fatalities. Facilities that fail to report bedsore injuries may be held legally responsible for both the harm suffered by residents and for providing false or incomplete records.
If you or your loved one developed bedsores in a nursing home, it is crucial to investigate whether the facility failed to report or properly address their condition. Holding negligent nursing homes accountable can help prevent further harm and ensure transparency in long-term care facilities.
The Four Stages of Bedsores
Bedsores range in severity from mild skin irritation to deep, life-threatening wounds. Leading medical organizations classify bedsores into four stages based on their depth and damage to the skin and underlying tissue.
Stage 1 Bedsore
Stage 1 bedsores are the mildest and easiest to treat. The skin is still intact, and the sores typically appear as red or discolored patches that do not fade when pressure is applied. The affected area may feel warm, tender, firm, or swollen, and residents may experience pain or itching. Prompt intervention at this stage can prevent the wound from worsening.
Stage 2 Bedsore
A stage 2 bedsore has broken through the epidermis—or outer layer of the skin—and the dermis—the second layer—creating a shallow, open wound. The sore may appear as a red or pink blister-like lesion and can ooze or feel moist. At this stage, the risk of infection increases, making proper care and treatment essential.
Stage 3 Bedsore
Stage 3 bedsores are deep, open wounds that extend beyond the skin layers into fatty tissue. The sore often takes on a crater-like appearance with a yellow-tinted base, and the damage may spread to nearby healthy skin. Without treatment, these ulcers can continue to deepen, leading to serious complications.
Stage 4 Bedsore
Stage 4 bedsores are the most severe and life-threatening. These deep wounds can expose muscles, tendons, or even bone, making them highly susceptible to infection. The base of the wound often contains dark, dead tissue, and the damage can extend beyond the visible sore. Immediate medical intervention is critical at this stage to prevent severe infections or life-threatening complications.
Can You Sue a Nursing Home for Bedsores?
Yes, you can sue a nursing home for bedsores if negligence or improper care contributed to the development or worsening of these painful wounds. Nursing homes have a legal obligation to prevent bedsores by repositioning residents, ensuring proper hygiene, providing sufficient nutrition and hydration, and providing adequate medical attention. When they fail to provide the care and services you or your loved one needs, they can be held accountable for the harm caused.
Victims and their families may be eligible to recover damages, including the following:
- Medical expenses for treatment, surgeries, and rehabilitation
- Pain and suffering resulting from the physical and emotional toll of the bedsores
- Punitive damages in cases where a jury finds the nursing home conduct to be malicious, oppressive, or fraudulent
- Wrongful death compensation if a loved one dies as a result of untreated bedsores
- Did you know?
Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers, are a frequent sign of neglect in nursing homes, often leading to legal action due to the duty of care facilities owe to residents.
Notable Bedsore Lawsuit Results
Our Los Angeles nursing home neglect attorneys specialize in nursing home neglect cases and have secured significant verdicts and settlements for victims of nursing home abuse. Our noteworthy results in bedsore-related cases include the following:
- $3 million settlement for a dependent adult who suffered an infected coccyx bed sore while residing at a skilled nursing facility
- $1.125 million settlement for an elderly resident of a nursing home who was not turned and repositioned, causing the development of a pressure sore that led to her death
- $1 million settlement for an elderly woman who sustained a horrific bed sore at a skilled nursing facility
- $800,000.00 settlement for the family of an elderly nursing home resident who suffered a fracture in a fall, developed a subsequent pressure sore, and later died from his injuries
- $750,000.00 settlement for an elderly victim who developed a coccyx bed sore while residing in a skilled nursing facility
Each year, approximately 17,000 negligence lawsuits are filed over bedsores, making it one of the most commonly litigated injuries in nursing home abuse cases. Compared to other nursing home neglect claims, bedsore lawsuits have an exceptionally high success rate, with over 85 percent of cases resulting in a favorable outcome.
How a Bedsore Lawyer Can Help You Seek Justice
If you or your loved one has suffered from bedsores in a nursing home, you’re not alone. We know how devastating it is to see someone you care about in pain due to neglect. That’s why our team treats every client like family, fighting tirelessly to hold negligent nursing homes accountable and secure justice and compensation.
Here’s how our attorneys at Lanzone Morgan, LLP, will fight for you:
- Uncover the truth: We will investigate what went wrong, identify who is at fault, gather crucial evidence, and build a case to prove neglect.
- Demand full compensation: From medical bills to pain and suffering, we will fight for the compensation you or your loved one is owed.
- Handle negotiations: Most nursing home bedsore lawsuits settle before trial, often because facilities know they have failed their residents. We will push for the maximum settlement.
- Take your case to court if needed: If the nursing home refuses to do the right thing, we won’t back down. We will fight for your case in court and secure compensation under the law.
Nursing home bedsore lawsuit settlements can range from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. More importantly, taking action for your family also helps protect other families from suffering the same neglect.
Your family deserves dignity, care, and respect. If a nursing home has failed to provide for the needs of you or your loved one, we can hold them accountable together.
Take the First Step Toward Justice
No one should suffer from bedsores in a nursing home due to neglect. If your loved one has been harmed by nursing home neglect, you don’t have to fight alone. Our dedicated nursing home neglect attorneys will treat your family like our own, providing compassionate guidance while aggressively pursuing the compensation you deserve.
Let us help you hold negligent nursing homes accountable. Schedule a free consultation online today or call our team at (888) 887-9777 to start your journey to justice today.
- Fact-Checked
This content has been legally reviewed and approved by nursing home abuse attorney, Anthony Lanzone. Anthony holds notable memberships with professional organizations including the American Association for Justice and Consumer Attorneys of California.
VIEW SOURCES
Chen, Z., Gleason, L. J., & Sanghavi, P. (2022, October). Accuracy of pressure ulcer events in US nursing home ratings : Medical care. Medical Care: Official Journal of the Medical Care Section, American Public Health Association.
https://journals.lww.com/lww-medicalcare/Fulltext/2022/10000/Accuracy_of_Pressure_Ulcer_Events_in_US_Nursing.7.aspx
Park-Lee, E., & Caffrey, C. (2009, February). Pressure Ulcers Among Nursing Home Residents: United States, 2004. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db14.htm
Smith, D. M. (1995, September 15). Pressure ulcers in the nursing home. PubMed.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7639444/
Voss, A. C., Bender, S. A., Ferguson, M. L., Sauer, A. C., Bennett, R. G., & Hahn, P. W. (2005, September). Long-term care liability for pressure ulcers. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16137292/
- Fact-Checked
This content has been legally reviewed and approved by nursing home abuse attorney, Anthony Lanzone. Anthony holds notable memberships with professional organizations including the American Association for Justice and Consumer Attorneys of California.
VIEW SOURCES
Chen, Z., Gleason, L. J., & Sanghavi, P. (2022, October). Accuracy of pressure ulcer events in US nursing home ratings : Medical care. Medical Care: Official Journal of the Medical Care Section, American Public Health Association.
https://journals.lww.com/lww-medicalcare/Fulltext/2022/10000/Accuracy_of_Pressure_Ulcer_Events_in_US_Nursing.7.aspx
Park-Lee, E., & Caffrey, C. (2009, February). Pressure Ulcers Among Nursing Home Residents: United States, 2004. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db14.htm
Smith, D. M. (1995, September 15). Pressure ulcers in the nursing home. PubMed.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7639444/
Voss, A. C., Bender, S. A., Ferguson, M. L., Sauer, A. C., Bennett, R. G., & Hahn, P. W. (2005, September). Long-term care liability for pressure ulcers. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16137292/