Milwaukee Attorneys Fight for Victims of Bedsores in Nursing Homes

Compensation for pressure ulcers caused by negligent care

You go to the nursing home to visit your elderly father and are distressed to see red patches developing on his elbows and heels. Talking to your dad, you learn that isn’t the worst of it, so you call the nurse to roll him over. There, on his tailbone, is an open, red sore where the skin has broken down. How could that have happened? And why isn’t he receiving immediate treatment? At Sperling Law Offices LLC, we’ve encountered this scenario numerous times. For more than 35 years, we’ve fought for seniors who’ve suffered the pain and indignity of pressure ulcers. Our concerned attorneys fight to ensure proper treatment and obtain full compensation for nursing home residents in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin.

Pressure ulcers in nursing homes may indicate caregiver neglect

One of the most common indications that a facility has failed to deliver an acceptable standard of care is the occurrence of bed sores. Bed sores, or pressure ulcers, are injuries to the skin and underlying tissue that result from constant pressure. Residents sitting for long periods in wheelchairs can develop sores on the buttocks. Those confined to bed tend to get them on the back of the head, elbows, heels, ankles and coccyx. Once a sore appears, the damage accelerates rapidly to a deep wound that may go all the way to the bone, inflicting great pain and threatening infection.

Elderly patients are naturally susceptible because of their fragile skin, but nursing home staff should be working to alleviate other risk factors for bed sores, such as:

  • Lack of sensory perception — Not all patients can feel their skin getting red and dry; they must rely on alert staffers to spot the initial signs of bedsores. This applies to patients who may be unaware due to sedatives or pain medication.
  • Poor nutrition and hydration — Nursing home staff should monitor the calorie and fluid intake of residents to ensure their health does not deteriorate.
  • Urinary and fecal incontinence — Nursing home staff should keep residents clean and dry. This will prevent sores from occurring or becoming infected.
  • Excess moisture or dryness — Staff should regularly moisturize a resident’s dry skin, and change gowns and bedding if a resident sweats profusely.

Our personal injury law firm works hard to investigate the circumstances of your elder loved one’s injuries, including the minute details of the care regimen. We’re capable trial attorneys with extensive experience in nursing home lawsuits where we’ve obtained justice for injured elders.

Contact a concerned attorney in Milwaukee for your nursing home case

At Sperling Law Offices LLC, our attorneys fight passionately for elders who’ve been neglected in nursing homes throughout Wisconsin. If your elder loved one developed bed sores while residing at a nursing home or hospital, call us at 414-273-7777 or contact our Milwaukee office online to schedule a free consultation.