Pressure Sore Compensation Claims

Ways to Know if You Have a Claim for Pressure Sores

A patient who is in a nursing home or hospital for an extended amount of time and is bed ridden is supposed to be looked after carefully. Laying or sitting in one position for too long can cause pressure on sensitive skin and a pressure sore can occur. Those that are unable to get out of bed on their own require movement throughout the day to ensure that pressure sores do not start, but too often, the patients are neglected and left for days or even weeks. This type of neglect should never be tolerated. If you or someone you know suspects neglect that caused a pressure sore, you may have a claim for compensation.

Symptoms of a Pressure Sore

• Secretion – Pressure sores cause the blood to sit in one area and that causes the skin around that area to become thin.

• The thinning can ultimately break and a thick yellow or green puss can secrete from the wound.

• Bad Odour – Most pressure sores are linked to neglect in nursing homes and hospitals. The patient is not moved or cleaned properly and if an oozing wound is left untreated, the smell can be the first signal that something is not right. The smell is much like a rotting smell.

• Redness – A pressure sore does not always begin as a very evident sore. It most often will begin as a very red and sometimes very hot round spot on the body. This is the first sign that a sore is forming and should be carefully treated to avoid any further irritation.

• Swelling – Swelling of the area or even large portions of the body can be a symptom of a pressure sore. The swelling can come from not being active and therefore infection is setting up throughout the body, but with the evidence of the sore.

• Tenderness – A pressure sore is almost always tender. The tenderness can even appear before any redness or swelling is evident, so any patient with tender areas should always be monitored for potential pressure sores and signs of infection.

Pressure Sore Causes

When we think of pressure sores, we often think of only the elderly or hospital patients that are neglected and not moved around as they are supposed to be, but pressure sores are caused by a lot more than just not moving. The causes range from pure neglect to simply moving around the wrong way. Here are some of the most common causes of pressure sores.

• Too Much Pressure – One of the most common causes of pressure sores is in fact immobility. The person remains on the same area for a long period of time without moving to another position. The pressure creates the redness, sores, or just a bruised looking area that develops into a pressure sore when untreated.

• Sliding – Pressure sores can also be caused from the act of sliding down a chair or being slid across a bed. It is the force of the action that causes the pressure and therefore the pressure sore.

• Friction – Patients that are pulled across beds or across exam tables can be given a pressure sore from friction burns.

• Uncleanliness – Patients who experience pressure sores, but are moved appropriately are still subject to having them appear.

• The culprit may not be the neglect from lack of movement, but simply not cleaning the patient as they should be cleaned.

• Patients that are overweight are more susceptible to these types of pressure sores simply because the nurse may not clean and properly dry the patient in all the creases. An area with a lot of moisture from sweat, urine, or faeces can develop pressure sores of the worst kind.

Do I Have a Claim?

Pressure sores are becoming more and more common in both nursing homes and hospitals the world over. The reasons for these can simply be blamed on overcrowding or the fact that the patient does not get visited enough and therefore the nurse is unaware of the pressure sore. No one, no matter if they have frequent visitors or not, deserves to suffer from pressure sores. Medical staff should be more available to the patients and more in tune with the issues going on with them, but unfortunately, it is the ones that need help the most that often suffer.

No one needs to be subjected to a pressure sore especially since they can be avoided with the proper care and consideration. If you suspect that a loved one or yourself have had to suffer from neglect and be subjected to pressure sores, there is no time to waste. The proper documentation of the sore along with records of care need to be acquired and sent to those that can help you get the claim that you deserve. Neglect is something that should never be tolerated.

More About Pressure Sores

There are four grades of pressure sore, starting at grade 1, then grade 2, grade 3 and finally grade 4. They can occur anywhere on the body, such as the bottom (bum), your feet, back, legs, ears, elbow, and the ankles. You tend to find them more likely with the elderly.

If you have suffered Pressure Sore as a result of an accident that wasn’t your fault then you may be able to make a claim. Call Tylers today on (freephone): 0800 699 0079 to see if you can make a claim today.

For any Hospital Negligence Claims, call Tylers Solicitors today, a leading UK provider of no-win, no-fee legal services. Our experienced team will work with you to get the maximum amount of compensation you’re entitled to, following any kind of injury that isn’t your fault!