PRESSURE SORES MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAWYER

When you trust a medical professional with your health, you don’t expect that they will ignore basis rules for pressure sores by failing to turn an immobile patient in bed after two knee surgeries, and make things worse.  What do you do when the medical professionals at fail at their jobs?  If that occurs, you can file a pressure sores medical malpractice lawsuit which is what we did for our Connecticut client.

WHAT IS ARE PRESSURE SORES?

If you stay in one position for far too long, you will damage areas of your skin.  They are also called bed sores, pressure ulcers, or decubitus ulcers.  They commonly form where your bones are close to your skin, such as your back, ankles, elbows, hips and heels.  It is a known risk if you are bedridden. Pressure sores can cause serious infections, some of which are life-threatening. They can be a problem for people in nursing homes who are often bedridden.

Pressure sores can be prevented by (1) changing positions regularly such as every two hours, (2) keeping the skin clean, and dry, (3) using pillow, and products that relieve skin pressure.

Pressure sores can be prevented.  Those at risk should be closely monitored.  Preventive measures are important because pressure sores, once established, are slow to heal.

FACTS OF THE CASE

Our client was a middle aged male who had two bad knees.  He underwent knee replacement surgery for both knees at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut.  The knee surgery went fine.  As you can imagine, after knee replacement surgery on both knees our client was unable to move.  He was bedridden.  The plan after the knee replacement surgery was for our client to do physical therapy to build up his legs and knees.  As a result, he was to stay in St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, and then transfer to the Groton Regency in Groton, Connecticut.

Medical professionals did not turned our client enough.  As a result, he developed pressure sores.

Our client developed very serious pressure sores on his backside at St. Francis Hospital.  While at the Groton Regency rehabilitation center in Groton, Connecticut, the pressure sores worsened because staff at Groton Regency did not turn him enough.  Medical staff did not carefully inspect our client.  Our client was not out of bed enough.  This was medical malpractice.

It is medical malpractice when hospital staff fails to notice, or prevent a pressure sore.  Remember, the patient might be taking pain medication.  As a result, the patient might not feel the pain associated with the development of a pressure sure.

How can pressure sores be avoided?

The hospital or rehabilitation facility that cares for immobilized patients must regularly look at their patient, inspect their body, and move them regularly to avoid pressure sores.  As soon as pressure sores begin to form, they must treat the sore to prevent infection.  With proper medical care, pressure sores should not occur.

Our client developed serious infections, and requires multiple surgeries from pressure sores.

The plaintiff developed numerous infections, and required multiple surgeries to the open wound.  He required multiple hospitalizations, and the use of a wound vac for wound drainage for approximately a year.  As a result, he was unable to work for approximately one year.

WHAT IS THE STANDARD OF CARE?

The standard of care is that level of care that a reasonable prudent medical professional is required to meet or exceed.   You have a right to expect that your medical professional follows reasonable prudent protocols in their field.  In fact, your health and safety depends on it.  When they act carelessly, and fail to follow the standard of care, and if that failure causes you harm, then you might have a pressure sores medical malpractice case.