When nursing homes, hospitals, or care facilities fail to provide proper care, vulnerable patients develop painful, potentially life-threatening bedsores. If you or your loved one suffered bedsores due to negligent care in Chicago, you deserve justice and may seek compensation for your suffering.
Willens & Baez Personal Injury Lawyers have successfully represented clients in bedsore negligence cases, securing settlements for victims who developed bedsores due to improper treatment at nursing homes and hospitals. We’ve won over $100 million for our clients, and we’re eager to help you and your family, too.
For a free consultation, contact Willens & Baez at (312) 957-4166. We don’t charge any lawyer fees until we win for you. Call us today and let’s discuss your potential claim.
Understanding Bedsores and Pressure Ulcers
Bedsores, also called pressure ulcers or pressure sores, develop when continuous pressure cuts off blood flow to skin and underlying tissue. These uncomfortable sores commonly develop over bone prominences such as the coccyx (tailbone), hip bones, ankles, and shoulder regions in individuals who cannot move easily.
Medical research found that up to 3 million people in the US suffer pressure sores each year. One study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology noted that as much as 15% of hospitalized patients develop pressure ulcers. In addition, bedsores are found to be prevalent in intensive care units and long-term care settings like nursing homes. Elderly patients, specifically those aged 71 upwards, were more at risk of this condition.
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The Four Stages of Bedsores
Medical professionals classify bedsores into four progressive stages:
- Stage 1: This can be seen as persistent redness on light skin, or blue or purple discoloration on dark skin. The area may feel warm, itch, or cause pain.
- Stage 2: At this stage, there is “partial thickness skin loss” appearing as blisters, open wounds, or shallow craters with surrounding discoloration.
- Stage 3: The “full thickness skin loss” at this stage creates deep, crater-like wounds that may extend into underlying fat tissue.
- Stage 4: This is the most severe level where complete tissue destruction reveals underlying muscle, bone, tendons, or joint structures. These wounds can be life-threatening.
The Devastating Cost of Bedsore Negligence
Bedsores create enormous physical, emotional, and financial burdens. Research published in the International Wound Journal estimates that hospital-acquired pressure injuries cost approximately $26.8 billion annually in the United States, with individual cases averaging $10,708 per patient. A single instance of pressure injury can cost a patient as much as $151,700, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
The AHRQ also reports that approximately 60,000 people die due to complications from pressure ulcers each year, making bedsores more deadly than many forms of cancer.
When Bedsores Constitute Medical Negligence
Most bedsores are preventable with proper care. When healthcare providers fail to meet accepted standards of care, bedsore development may constitute negligence. Common forms of bedsore negligence include:
Failure to Reposition Patients
Caregivers must regularly reposition bedridden or wheelchair-bound patients to relieve pressure on vulnerable areas. Failure to follow repositioning schedules is a primary cause of preventable bedsores.
Inadequate Skin Assessment and Monitoring
Proper care requires regular skin inspections to identify early signs of pressure damage. Negligent facilities fail to conduct routine assessments or ignore warning signs.
Poor Nutrition and Hydration Management
Malnourishment and dehydration significantly increase bedsore risk. A study from the University of California – Los Angeles found that 40% of the elderly in care facilities were chronically underhydrated, exposing them to health issues like bedsores.
Understaffing and Inadequate Training
Facilities that operate with insufficient staff or poorly trained personnel cannot provide the vigilant care necessary to prevent bedsores.
Failure to Use Proper Equipment
Neglecting to provide appropriate mattresses, cushions, and positioning devices designed to reduce pressure points constitutes negligent care.
High-Risk Patients Who Deserve Extra Protection
Certain patients face elevated bedsore risk and require additional preventive measures:
- Elderly patients with limited mobility
- Individuals with diabetes or circulation problems
- Patients with spinal cord injuries or paralysis
- Those experiencing incontinence
- Malnourished or dehydrated patients
- Individuals taking multiple medications
- Patients with cognitive impairments.
Healthcare providers have heightened duties to protect these vulnerable populations.
Serious Complications From Untreated Bedsores
When left untreated or improperly managed, bedsores can lead to:
- Cellulitis: Skin and soft tissue infections that can spread rapidly through the body
- Bone and joint infections (osteomyelitis): Deep infections that can damage bones, cartilage, and joints permanently
- Sepsis: Life-threatening bloodstream infections with high death rates
- Marjolin’s ulcers: Non-healing wounds that can progress to squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer)
- Death: The US Department of Health and Human Services recognizes pressure ulcer-related hospitalizations as a critical public health concern, particularly among older adults.
Proving Bedsore Negligence: The Four Elements
For a successful bedsore negligence claim, you must establish four key elements:
1. Duty of Care
Healthcare providers owe patients a legal duty to provide care meeting accepted medical standards. This obligation arises the moment a healthcare professional begins treating a patient.
2. Breach of Standard of Care
We must prove the healthcare provider failed to meet the standard of care that other competent providers would deliver under similar circumstances.
3. Causation
The provider’s negligence must be the direct cause of the bedsore development or worsening. This often requires expert medical testimony.
4. Damages
The patient must have suffered quantifiable harm, including medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, or other losses directly related to the negligent care.
Compensation for Bedsore Negligence Victims
Victims of bedsore negligence may recover several types of compensation:
Economic Damages
- Current and future medical expenses
- Surgical costs and ongoing wound care
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Home modifications and assistive equipment
- Long-term care needs.
Non-Economic Damages
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Loss of quality of life
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
- Loss of consortium for spouses.
Wrongful Death Damages
When bedsores contribute to a patient’s death, families may recover funeral expenses, lost financial support, and compensation for the loss of companionship.
Why Experience Matters in Bedsore Cases
Bedsore negligence cases require deep understanding of medical standards, wound care protocols, and facility operations. At Willens & Baez, head attorney Matthew Willens brings extensive experience in medical malpractice and nursing home negligence cases, with a proven track record of holding negligent providers accountable.
Willens & Baez Personal Injury Lawyers have successfully resolved bedsore cases and negligence claims, including:
- Maximum compensation for a man who developed an infection after a nursing home’s improper treatment
- Favorable settlement for a man who developed bed sores due to improper treatment while recuperating at a hospital after orthopedic surgery
- Maximum settlement for a woman who suffered serious injuries due to inadequate supervision at a nursing home.
Our legal team works with leading medical experts, wound care specialists, and facility safety consultants to build compelling cases that demonstrate negligence and secure maximum compensation for victims.
Acting Quickly Protects Your Rights
Illinois law imposes strict time limits for filing bedsore negligence claims. Medical malpractice lawsuits typically must be filed within two years from when you knew or reasonably should have known about the negligent care. Nursing home cases may have different deadlines.
Prompt action also helps preserve crucial evidence:
- Medical records and facility documentation
- Staff schedules and training records
- Witness testimony from staff and visitors
- Photographic evidence of wound progression
- Expert medical evaluations.
The Investigation Process
When you work with us at the Willens & Baez law firm, our thorough investigation examines every aspect of your loved one’s care:
Medical Record Analysis
We review all medical documentation to identify gaps in care, missed assessments, and protocol violations that contributed to bedsore development.
Facility Inspection
Our team investigates staffing levels, training programs, equipment availability, and overall facility conditions that may have contributed to negligent care.
Expert Medical Review
Board-certified wound care specialists and nursing experts evaluate the care provided and identify specific breaches of accepted standards.
Damages Assessment
We work with medical economists and life care planners to calculate the full extent of current and future costs related to your bedsore injuries.
Fighting Back Against Corporate Healthcare
Many nursing homes and hospitals prioritize profits over patient safety. Corporate owners often cut staffing to dangerous levels while executives collect substantial bonuses. We hold these facilities accountable for putting vulnerable patients at risk.
Recent policy changes have made bedsore prevention even more critical. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services classify certain hospital-acquired pressure ulcers as “never events” and reduce reimbursements for facilities with high rates of preventable bedsores.
Choosing the Right Legal Advocate
Not all personal injury lawyers have the specialized knowledge needed for bedsore negligence cases. These complex matters require:
- Deep understanding of medical standards of care
- Experience with nursing home regulations and protocols
- Relationships with qualified medical experts
- Knowledge of facility operations and staffing requirements
- Resources to fund extensive investigations and expert testimony.
Willens & Baez Personal Injury Lawyers are recognized as top-rated attorneys, with a proven track record of securing significant settlements and verdicts for clients. Our results include a $22.5 million verdict (one of the Top 100 Verdicts in the country), million-dollar settlements, and successful representation of victims in medical malpractice and nursing home negligence cases.
Get a Free Consultation for Bedsore Cases
If your loved one developed bedsores due to negligent care, contact Willens & Baez Personal Injury Lawyers for a free, confidential consultation. We’ll review your case, explain your legal options, and help you understand the compensation you may be entitled to receive.
We handle bedsore negligence cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we secure compensation for you. This enables you to seek legal remedies without concern about paying attorney fees before your case resolves.
Acting quickly is essential in pressure ulcer malpractice matters. Reaching out to us promptly gives us the best opportunity to safeguard important evidence and defend your legal interests. We also want to ensure that careless healthcare facilities face consequences for avoidable harm they caused.
Contact Willens & Baez Personal Injury Lawyers today at (312) 957-4166 to discuss your Chicago bedsore negligence case and take the first step toward justice and compensation.
