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Battery – A beating, or wrongful physical violence. The actual threat to use force is an “assault;” the use of it is a battery, which usually includes an assault.

Bed alarm –  A notification system that alerts others when a person gets out of bed.

Bed sore – (Bedsore) Wounds on the body primarily caused by: unrelieved pressure; friction; shearing forces; age; continence and body mass.  Although bed sores may develop in any part of the body, bony areas of the body such as: sacrum, elbows, knees, ankles and buttocks are particularly susceptible.  Most experts widely agree that the best method of bed sore prevention is regularly alleviate the pressure on the prominences by turning patients every two hours.  Untreated bed sores may quickly advance resulting in an open would susceptible to infection and other medical complications such as gangrene, osteomyelitis and sepsis.  In some circumstances, bed sores may be fatal.  Bed sores are similarly referred to as: pressure sores, pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers.

Bedsore lawsuit –  A lawsuit brought on behalf of an individual or an estate against a facility (nursing home/hospital/assisted living facility) where a bedsore may have originated.  For additional information on these cases, look here.

Bed rail entrapment –  When a resident/patient is caught, trapped, or entangled in the space in or about the bedrail, mattress or hospital frame. This can result in serious injury or death.

Beneficiary – A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds from a will, trust, insurance policy, annuity, retirement plan or contract.  Individuals who receive benefits from Medicaid and Medicare are also referred to as beneficiaries.

Bench trial – (Also known as court trial.) Trial without a jury in which a judge decides the facts.

Blood transfusions –  The process of transferring blood or blood-based products from one person into the circulatory system of another.

Board and care home – A group residence that provides residents with meals and assistance with daily care needs.  Most board and care facilities are small and house just a handful of people.  Board and care facilities do not provide skilled nursing care.

Braden scale – The measurement system used to measure a bed sore stage.  See more here.

Broken bone – A broken bone may occur when more pressure is put on a bone than it can stand and the bone literally splits or breaks. A break of any size is called a fracture. If the broken bone punctures the skin, it is called an open fracture (compound fracture). A stress fracture is a hairline crack in the bone that develops because of repeated or prolonged forces against the bone. For more information on fractures in nursing home patients, look here.

Bruise – A bruise is an area of skin discoloration resulting when small blood vessels break and leak their contents into the soft tissue beneath the skin.

Burden of proof – In the law of evidence, the necessity or duty of affirmatively proving a fact or facts in dispute on an issue raised between the parties in a lawsuit. The responsibility of proving a point (the burden of proof). It deals with which side must establish a point or points.

Burns – Burns can be caused by dry heat (like fire), wet heat (such as steam or hot liquids), radiation, friction, heated objects, the sun, electricity, or chemicals. Thermal burns are the most common type. Thermal burns occur when hot metals, scalding liquids, steam, or flames come in contact with your skin.  Burns amongst the elderly, have the highest rates of complication.  Common causes of burns in the nursing home setting include: smoking, fires, over-heated food or improper water temperature.

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