The law does not require that bedsores reach a certain stage before an injured nursing home resident can pursue a lawsuit. However, the bedsore stage can be significant in determining damages.
Why Bedsore Stages Matter
Bedsore staging provides a general guideline about the severity of bedsores. A doctor may classify bedsores as follows:
- Stage I. Stage I bedsores typically present as red skin. The skin may itch, hurt, or be warm to the touch. Stage I bedsores may heal on their own if nursing home staff take care to change the resident’s position. Without nursing home staff intervention, the bedsore may become worse.
- Stage II. Stage II bedsores are typically open sores. They may appear moist and pink or red. These wounds require prompt treatment to heal quickly rather than progress to Stage III bedsores.
- Stage III. Stage III bedsores are wounds where all of the skin has been lost, and fat is visible. All of the layers of skin down to the muscle may be affected, and the injury may be permanent.
- Stage IV. Stage IV bedsores impact the skin and sometimes also impact muscles, bones, joints, and tendons. Stage IV bedsores can result in death.
The more significant your loved one’s injury, the more compensation your loved one may be able to recover.
Talk to a Kentucky Nursing Home Abuse Attorney About Your Case Today
Staging is important, but it’s not the whole story. Perhaps a bedsore was just one injury that your loved one suffered as a result of nursing home neglect or, maybe, the bedsore hurt her in ways that aren’t fully captured by the staging system.
Since every person and every situation is unique, we encourage you to contact Gray and White Law today to learn more about your loved one’s rights. Our staff nurse and experienced nursing home injury lawyers will review your loved one’s situation and advise her of all of her legal rights so that she can make an informed decision about whether to move forward with a nursing home abuse case. We welcome your call, live chat, or completed contact form at any time.
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