Bed Sore Claims

Pressure sores and ulcers (sometimes called bed sores) can occur in a number of different areas of the body, but in the case of most serious grade pressure sores (grade 3 and 4), these are almost always caused by negligence of the staff responsible for patient’s care. They are sadly becoming an increasingly common occurrence for hospital patients, particularly those that are elderly or infirm.

Legal Advice on Pressure Sores

A pressure sore or bed sore occurs when someone is left in one particular position for too long. Over time the skin and tissue breaks down and there can be infection and vascular compromise causing a pressure sore or ulcer.

Pressure sores can be very serious as well as painful for patients and all due steps should be undertaken to reduce the chance of patients contracting them. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and in the majority of instances, it is believed that bed sores could be avoided by higher standards of medical care.

Common Types of Pressure Sores

Pressure sores are categorised into 4 grades:

Stage 1. Sores are not open wounds. The area may be painful but there are no tears in the skin. The skin can often be read and does not blanche. Skin temperature is often warmer.

Stage 2. The sore is often broken and the skin open. It is usually associated with pain and/or tenderness. The sore often resembles an abrasion or blister. Skin damage can be irreparable.

Stage 3.  At this stage, the sore gets significantly worse. The degradation extends to the tissue beneath the skin. Fat may show through the sore.  The sore will be extremely painful.

Stage 4. This is the deepest and most significant type of pressure sore. The crater will often extend to the muscle and bone causing extensive and sometime irreparable damage. Serious medical complications can follow.