After all, the prevention of pressure sores is not rocket science!  

Basic preventative measures implemented by nursing homes, hospital and other types of long-term care facilities can significantly reduce the incidence of pressure sores.  Well-known preventative measures include:

• Turning patients at regular intervals
• Keeping patients clean and dry
• Ensuring patients are kept well nourished and hydrated
• Utilizing the latest advancements in pressure reduction technologies-- cushions, mattresses ect.

Particularly in patients who may already be disabled or elderly, the development of pressure sores is an especially cruel complication that can cause pain, disability and significantly increase the chances of patients acquiring complex complications such as: sepsis, gangrene or osteomyelitis.

With years of experience representing patients and families in cases involving the development of pressure sores at medical facilities and other types of institutions, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers understands the troubling issues as they weigh on the individual and family.  

Should the need arise to seek legal recourse in relation to the development of pressure sores, we invite you to review our expanded Pressure Sore Injury section to our firm website with pages devoted to: Pressure Sores in Nursing Homes, Pressure Sores in Hospitals, Pressure Sores in Assisted Living Facilities, Stages Of Pressure Sores and information on frequent complications such as: Sepsis, Osteomyelitis, Gangrene, Necrotizing Fasciitis and Death.

From both a medical treatment and legal standpoint, families coping with a situation where a loved one has acquired a bed sore in a nursing home or hospital are quickly faced with difficult questions.

Let's face it, no one expects a loved one to acquire a bed sore.  When notice is received, most families are shocked to learn that they may be faced with making difficult decisions from both a medical and legal standpoint. 

Given the fact that the overwhelming majority of bed sores (similarly referred to as: pressure sores, pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers) are the result of systematic neglect and improper care, medical facilities are frequently hesitant to supply answers to questions like:

What causes the bed sores to develop?

What types of medical treatments are available to treat this condition?

Is the facility responsible for this condition?

What is the legal recourse for a patient with bed sores?

Will my loved one survive?

You are not alone.  With more than 500,000 nursing home and hospital patients coping bed sores, there remains a shortage of complete, concise and updated sources of information.  In an effort to fill this void, we have developed a website devoted to proving the most comprehensive source of information related to bed sores on the internet-- Bed Sore FAQ. 

Bed Sore FAQ is more than a medical-legal website, it is an authoritative resource for families to gather information to assist in the decision making process.  In addition to answers to common questions, Bed Sore FAQ has an expended Bed Sore Resource Center highlighting the following topics:

• Bed Sore Glossary
• Bed Sore Treatment Specialists
• Bed Sore Articles
• Bed Sore Research Studies
• Websites Devoted To Bed Sores

For more than 30 years, attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have fought for injured patients and families who have been harmed due to carelessness or neglect of others.  Put our experience in the fields of nursing home negligence and medical malpractice to work for you!  We invite you to speak to our lawyers for a free case analysis today.

-Edith Phoenix, AZ

Nursing homes and hospitals use a four stage scale to describe, monitor and treat pressure sores (also called bed sores, pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers).  By categorizing pressure sores, according to standardized characteristics, a sense of uniformity can be established amongst all medical facilities that treat people with pressure sores.

Bed sores are categorized based on their severity (stage 1, stage 2, stage 3 or stage 4). The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, a professional organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of bed sores, has set forth specific characteristics to help medical professionals objectively categorize a wound.

Stage I- Initially, a pressure sore appears as a persistent area of red skin that may itch or hurt and feel warm and spongy or firm to the touch. In blacks, Hispanics and other people with darker skin, the mark may appear to have a blue or purple cast, or look flaky or ashen. Stage I wounds are superficial and go away shortly after the pressure is relieved.

Stage II- At this point, some skin loss has already occurred — either in the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, in the dermis, the skin’s deeper layer, or in both. The wound is now an open sore that looks like a blister or an abrasion, and the surrounding tissues may show red or purple discoloration. If treated promptly, stage II sores usually heal fairly quickly.

Stage III- By the time a pressure ulcer reaches this stage, it has extended through all the skin layers down to the muscle, damaging or destroying the affected tissue and creating a deep, crater-like wound.

Stage IV- In the most serious and advanced stage, a large-scale loss of skin occurs, along with damage to muscle, bone, and even supporting structures such as tendons and joints. Stage IV wounds are extremely difficult to heal and can lead to lethal infections.

Occasionally, a bed sore may be categorized as ‘unstageable‘. Unstageable bed sores are usually referred to as an extremely advanced wound where there is involvement of skin, muscle and bone.

Bed-bound patients commonly develop pressure sores in the following areas: back or sides of your head, rims of ears, shoulders, hip bones, lower back or tailbone, knees, heels, ankles and toes.

 Resource:

Bed Sore FAQ

National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel

Stages Of Bed Sores

Bed Sore Resources