Bed Sores Are Entirely Preventable

Most fully functional people change their body position every three or four minutes without even thinking about it. We shift our legs, move our arms and hands and engage in other voluntary and involuntary movements as we go about our day. When we do that, we are offloading pressure from one part of our body to another. 

However, people who are bound to their beds and do not have the strength or cognitive awareness to do that must have someone else move them to engage in these basic pressure distribution movements throughout their day and night. When individuals are under the care of nursing home staff, they must rely on the staff for everything, including these crucial movements. Generally, people with a limited range of motion should not be left in the same position for more than two hours. When a person is left in the same spot for too long, the skin begins to break down, and they can develop bed sores or decubitus ulcers—two injuries that are 100% preventable.

If your loved one is suffering from severe bed sores, or if they died because of an infection that started as a bed sore, an experienced San Antonio bed sores attorney can help hold the negligent parties accountable for the injuries they should have prevented in the first place. At the Law Offices of Glenn W. Cunningham, our nursing home abuse attorney in San Antonio has over 30 years of experience handling these cases, and we aggressively pursue medical professionals who injure innocent victims. Call our office, or email us to arrange a meeting with our Texas attorney for your initial free consultation.

Symptoms and Severity of Bed Sores

When there is constant pressure to any part of the body, blood flow to that area is restricted. When it is restricted long enough, the tissues die because of lack of necessary blood flow. Because tissue goes all the way to the bone, there are varying stages of bedsores, depending on how much of the tissue has been killed and for how long:

  • Stage 1: The first stage of bedsores looks like a common sunburn. At this stage, the ulcer appears as a defined area of redness. This should be a warning sign to caregivers that the decubitus ulcer can quickly worsen if not healed promptly.
  • Stage 2: The second stage of bedsores looks like a sunburn that has blistered. At this stage, the ulcer has already penetrated through the first layer of skin and is making its way to the muscles. Still treatable, a stage 2 bedsore is a short stage in the development of a range of much larger health issues.
  • Stage 3: The third stage of bed sores looks like a deep crater with black edges. This indicates the ulcer has killed tissue down to the muscle and, because of its appearance, it should be very hard for any caretaker or facility to miss.
  • Stage 4: The fourth stage of bed sores looks like a deep, open wound in which bone and connecting tissues are now fully visible to the naked eye. When an ulcer hits this stage, it means significant damage to the muscle, bone, and supporting structures has been sustained and is near impossible to reverse.

Even when they are treated properly, deep bedsores never truly heal. A person must have good circulation for the wound to recover, and that is often not possible for a bedridden person with this level of deep physical damage already taken place.

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Contact an Experienced Texas Bed Sore Attorney

If your loved one suffered from bedsores while in the care of a nursing home, we can help hold the nursing home accountable for its negligence. Bedsores are completely avoidable injuries and something that should never happen. Although a financial settlement might not heal your loved one, holding the nursing home accountable can help prevent others from suffering from the same thing. If you are interested in learning more about the aggressive representation we offer, contact us online or call our office to schedule your free initial consultation with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer in San Antonio.

Client Testimonials

I can’t say enough good things about Glenn Cunningham and his firm.

He took my case and fought for me from day one. Glenn and his staff were professional and caring. They kept me updated on all aspects of my case. We were able to go to mediation and reach a settlement that was more than fair. I would recommend Glenn to any of my friends and family. I am beyond pleased with how my case was handled and ultimately settled.

D.M.

Glenn Cunningham is tough, smart, experienced.

A very deep heartfelt thank you to the whole team at the Law Offices of Glenn W. Cunningham. Glenn is tough, smart, experienced, and he will do everything in his power to make sure that you or your loved one get the best outcome possible from whatever personal tragedy you may be facing. He fought for me when no one else would. He will do the same for you.

A.K.

I am grateful to Glenn Cunningham for the hard work he did

I am very pleased with the legal services provided by Glenn Cunningham. He is very competent, knowledgeable, caring, personable, and professional. If you are seeking justice for medical malpractice or wrongful death, Glenn will fight for you. He is tenacious and assertive on behalf of his clients. He also keeps you informed of the status of your case on a regular basis.

J.O.

Glenn Cunningham knows his job well.

Glenn was amazing! Very knowledgeable, and Nicole, his secretary, is very helpful and knowledgeable as well. We never had a problem reaching someone at the office, and our questions were always answered promptly.

C.R.

This is by far the best attorney for your malpractice case.

I wanted to thank Mr. Cunningham and his staff for there amazing work and dedication to my case and fighting for me when I couldn't. They truly were amazing and always kept my family and I updated on everything that was happening.

K.V.
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