Were You or a Loved One Diagnosed with a Bedsore in an Illinois Nursing Home? Call the Stage 3 Bedsore Lawyer in Springfield for Help
There are many different types of injuries that can occur as a result of nursing home abuse, neglect, or negligence. Although some of these may occur in an accident at a nursing home or long-term care facility, such as a broken bone, some injuries are considered “never events” by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This includes pressure ulcers, also more commonly known as bedsores. Unfortunately, the experienced stage 3 bedsore lawyer in Springfield at the Noll Law Office knows that, despite being “never events,” bedsores are still far too common in Illinois facilities.
If you or a loved one were seriously injured, or if a loved one was wrongfully killed, as the result of stage 3 or any other type of bedsore, call the nursing home abuse lawyers at the Noll Law office for help at (217) 414-8889. Stage 3 bedsores are some of the most serious types of bedsores or pressure ulcers that can occur, often leading to permanent damage and other long-term effects. The stage 3 bedsore lawyer in Springfield at the Noll Law Office offers free case evaluations and consultations to learn more about your rights to compensation after you or a loved one suffers damages from a bedsore. There is no cost to have your case evaluated, and if you decide to hire their bodily injury law firm and if they accept your case, there is no upfront cost or expense to begin working with them.
What is a Bedsore or Pressure Ulcer?
A bedsore or pressure ulcer occurs due to continuous pressure and a lack of blood flow, which in turn results in a decrease in oxygen, to the tissue under that pressure. Even stage one pressure ulcers can cause pain and discomfort that can progress to a higher stage if not treated appropriately. All bedsores need to be evaluated and treated, as they can lead to more serious complications. Further, bedsores in general are a sign of nursing home abuse or neglect, and sometimes even outright negligence.
People who are most at risk for bedsores are those who are unable to ambulate or move well, leading to prolonged periods of time in a bed or wheelchair. The most common areas in which pressure ulcers occur include the buttocks, heels, ankles, tailbone, hips, back, elbows, or any other bony area of the body. Although most nursing home residents who have trouble walking or who are immobile may have a higher risk, that does not mean that they get treated any differently by the law. Nursing homes and long-term care facilities need to be aware of and treat residents who are at a higher risk, and cannot use co-morbidities as a license to abuse or neglect loved ones.
How are Bedsores Staged?
Bedsores are staged according to their level of severity. Staging for bedsores and pressure ulcers include the following:
Stage 1 – pressure ulcers have not yet broken through the skin. They often are red in appearance in lighter skin people and purple or blue in appearance in dark skinned people. They do not turn pale if pressure is applied and are often sore.
Stage 2 – pressure ulcers occur when there is skin breakdown affecting the top two layers of the skin. There is typically a crater-like appearance or may have a blister-like appearance filled with yellow or clear fluid. People with stage 2 pressure ulcers also have pain at the site and may have drainage or pus at the site of the ulcer.
Stage 3 – pressure ulcers involved the top two layers of the skin and the fatty tissue beneath it. Typically, there is a hole or crater present at the site of the pressure ulcer. Fatty tissue may be visible. Additional symptoms for stage 3 pressure ulcers include drainage, foul odor, pus, and redness along with pain.
Stage 4 – This is the most severe type or pressure ulcer occurring from nursing home neglect or abuse. Stage 4 pressure ulcers involve the muscles, tendons, or ligaments. They can also involve bone or cartilage. This type of wound often causes victims severe pain and typically causes infection which may be life-threatening or fatal.
Other stages of bedsores or pressure ulcers include unstageable ulcers or suspected deep tissue injury.
Stage 3 Bedsores in Illinois: Symptoms and Causes Explained by a Stage 3 Bedsore Lawyer in Springfield
Although a stage one or two pressure ulcer should never occur, it certainly should never progress to a stage 3 or beyond. A stage 3 bedsore is a pressure ulcer that extends through all of the layers of the skin and progresses into the fatty tissue layer. Not only is this incredibly painful, but it also increases a nursing home resident’s risk of contracting an infection. Some of the signs and symptoms of a stage 3 bedsore include the following:
- Fever
- Sweating
- Uncontrolled shivering or feeling cold
- Pus, ooze, blood, or other fluids coming out of the wound
- Necrosis, which is when the skin starts to die and essentially rot or deteriorate on a person’s body
- Dark yellow, greenish, or maroon liquid coming from a wound
- Black “rings” or lining around a pressure ulcer
- Redness, swelling, or a burn-like appearance around the bedsore
- A visible hole into and through the skin, sometimes allowing an observer to even see fatty tissue
- Foul smell, and
- Other symptoms and signs of a skin or tissue injury, often accompanied by the classic signs of an infection.
Treatment for a Stage 3 Bedsore
Stage 3 bedsores are quite serious and usually require invasive treatment to prevent further damage. Sometimes this intervention includes same-day surgery, which is categorized as emergency surgery. This type of wound often takes months to heal, and may never heal in certain instances.
In general, treatment for stage 3 bedsores may include surgery, wound irrigation, antibiotics, diet changes, the use of a special mattress, or other measures to prevent the progression of a stage 3 pressure ulcer to a stage 4. There is never an excuse for the development of a stage 3 pressure ulcer which is why victims and their loved ones should always reach out to a nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer like the stage 3 bedsore lawyer in Springfield at the Noll Law Office.
Causes of Stage 3 Bedsores in Illinois Nursing Homes
Bedsores are considered “never events” by CMS, and are preventable if appropriate care is provided to all residents. Unlike stage 1 and even stage 2 bedsores, where the progression of the pressure ulcer could occur rapidly, a stage 3 bedsore includes not just preventing a bedsore but also failing to detect and treat a bedsore. Said differently, a stage 3 bedsore includes multiple types of abuse, neglect, or negligence.
Some of the most common causes of stage 3 bedsores include the following:
- Failure to turn and position residents who are primarily bed bound for a longer-than normal period of time
- Failure to ensure that residents who need assistance with mobility are assisted out of bed for a greater period of time than is reasonable
- Failure to perform prescribed exercises with residents, leading to muscle wasting and further immobility
- Malnutrition leading to an increased risk of pressure ulcers over a longer period of time than normal
- Leaving residents in bed or a wheelchair for a prolonged period of time that allows multiple stages of a bedsore to progress
- The improper use of restraints leading to pressure ulcers or bedsores
- Failing to check for and monitor for bedsores, including on the most common areas for them to develop
- Delays in treating bedsores
- Failing to refer or transfer a resident to a hospital for treatment for a bedsore or pressure ulcer in a timely manner
- Hiding a bedsore from a resident, family member, friend, or another person, and
- Other causes of bedsores in Illinois nursing homes that may be due to nursing home abuse, neglect, or negligence that an experienced stage 3 bedsore lawyer in Springfield can handle for you.
Were You or a Loved One Diagnosed with a Bedsore? Contact the Experienced Stage 3 Bedsore Lawyer in Springfield for a FREE Consultation
Although all bedsores are serious, stage 3 bedsores can be life-threatening. Any nursing home resident or long-term care resident who suffers a stage 3 bedsore or stage 4 pressure ulcer should contact the experienced nursing home abuse lawyers at the Noll Law Office to schedule a FREE case evaluation. Unlike other law firms that send cases off across Illinois, the experienced stage 3 bedsore lawyers in Springfield will handle your case in-house. To learn more about your rights, contact them today by dialing (217) 414-8889 or by sending them a message through their “Contact Us” box available here.