Stage 4 Bedsore - Nursing Home Neglect & Pressure Ulcers (2024)

FAQs

How much is a Stage 4 bedsore lawsuit worth? ›

A stage 4 bedsore will cause long-term damage, harm and pain, and even with care, once a bedsore reaches a stage 4, even aggressive treatment may not be able to reverse the damage caused. It is because of this that most stage 4 bedsore settlements end up settling for amounts averaging well over a million dollars.

In cases where bedsores are caused by neglect but the patient recovers relatively quickly, a bedsore lawsuit settlement may be in the region of $150,000 – $300,000. In cases where bedsores lead to infection and hospitalization, a bedsore lawsuit settlement may be in the region of $500,000 or more.

Patients can live for months or even years after developing a stage 4 bedsore. Factors such as proper medical care and preventing complications can help patients live longer. That said, roughly 60,000 people die each year due to bedsore-related complications.

In short, bedsores, which are also known as pressure ulcers, exhibit tissue damage beneath upper-epidermal layers in patients. This injury to the underlying tissue is a result of prolonged pressure on a particular area of the body, hence is often indicative of nursing home neglect.

Bed Sore Litigation

Even relatively straightforward cases may take upwards of a year to resolve via settlement or trial. Complex bed sore cases, involving multiple parties or extensive medical treatment may take years before the case proceeds to trial.

Medical malpractice refers to a healthcare facility failing to adhere to a standard of care that results in a patient's injury. Usually this failure occurs through negligence or error. Bed sores qualify as medical malpractice when a medical facility or its staff members: Fail to properly diagnose the bed sore.

While there is no average bedsore settlement amount, it's not uncommon for nursing home bedsore lawsuits to be worth $1 million or more when gross negligence, wrongful death, and significant disfigurement and pain are involved. Let's touch on some other factors that affect a settlement.

Just count patients, not the number of ulcers. Even if a patient has four Stage II ulcers, he or she is only counted once. The denominator is the number of patients on your unit or in your facility during that month. Divide the numerator by the denominator and multiply by 100 to get the percentage.

A pressure ulcer lawsuit that is focused on a stage 4 ulcer means the individual has suffered serious mistreatment in the hospital and will have a high chance of infections and also recovery that can take close to a year.

A grade 4 pressure ulcer is the most severe type of pressure ulcer. The skin is severely damaged and the surrounding tissue begins to die (tissue necrosis). The underlying muscles or bone may also be damaged. People with grade 4 pressure ulcers have a high risk of developing a life-threatening infection.

What is an end of life bedsore? ›

A Kennedy ulcer, also known as a Kennedy terminal ulcer (KTU), is a dark sore that develops rapidly during the final stages of a person's life. Kennedy ulcers grow as skin breaks down as part of the dying process. Not everyone experiences these ulcers in their final days and hours, but they're not uncommon.

If untreated, a pressure sore can progress from a small irritated but unbroken skin patch to a potentially life-threatening wound involving extensive tissue death and infection. Treatment of the serious decubitus ulcer may include debriding (excising) the dead tissue and administering systemic antibiotics.

Bedsores often occur when nursing home staff fail to maintain an appropriate standard of resident care. This reality makes bedsores a common indication of nursing facility negligence.

Pressure ulcers can have a significant impact on a patient's quality of life, not only presenting challenges around their physical symptoms but the psychological consequences too.

According to the AHRQ, more than 60,000 people die every year because of bedsore complications. That averages about one person every nine minutes. In cases where bedsore complications cause death, more than 55 percent of nursing home residents perish within six weeks from the onset of the pressure sore.

Stage 4 means there is damage to the underlying muscles, joints, nerves, tendons and even the bones.

An infection from a pressure sore can burrow into joints and bones. Joint infections (septic arthritis) can damage cartilage and tissue. Bone infections (osteomyelitis) can reduce the function of joints and limbs.

Changing a patient's position in bed every 2 hours helps keep blood flowing. This helps the skin stay healthy and prevents bedsores.

Eschar refers to the dead tissue component of a bed sore or other wound, such as a burn injury. It appears as a patch of dead skin covering the bed sore. Eschar may be black, brown, or tan in appearance. It may also be crusty, or fluid-filled.

Once a bedsore develops, it can take days, months, or even years to heal. It can also become infected, causing fever and chills. An infected bedsore can take a long time to clear up. As the infection spreads through your body, it can also cause mental confusion, a fast heartbeat, and generalized weakness.

How long does it take for a Stage 4 bedsore to develop? ›

According to the NHS, a grade 3 or 4 pressure ulcer can develop within just 1 or 2 hours⁵. So it's not just that pressure sores develop quickly, it's that they can develop quickly AND be extremely advanced.

Last year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that it will cease reimbursem*nt for hospital care of eight reasonably preventable conditions – including pressure ulcers, bed sore aka decubitus ulcers – in October 2008.

In normal, healthy individuals bedsores are rare because they can shift their weight and relieve the pressure on a given area. However, when a person is immobilized and unable to achieve this pressure relief, they are at risk of developing a bedsore.

Official answer. If a bed sore is infected, topical mupirocin or other oral antibiotics may be prescribed.

You should report pressure ulcers to the NRLS whether they developed during care provided by the your organisation or were present on admission. They should always be reported with the accurate degree of harm, whichever group they belong to.

Treatments for pressure ulcers (sores) include regularly changing your position, using special mattresses to reduce or relieve pressure, and dressings to help heal the ulcer. Surgery may sometimes be needed.

According to the Merck Manual, 30% of stage 4 bedsores heal within six months, though some cases of stage 4 bedsores may take anywhere from several months to two years to fully heal. Without treatment, however, the long-term prognosis for a stage 4 bedsore becomes poor.

Stage 4. Stage 4 pressure ulcers are the most serious. These sores extend below the subcutaneous fat into your deep tissues, including muscle, tendons, and ligaments. In more severe cases, they can extend as far down as the cartilage or bone.

Under the medical malpractice laws in most jurisdictions, a lawsuit based upon the development of a bed sore during a hospitalization may entitle the patient to recover damages for their medical bills, disability and pain.

Stage 4 pressure injuries extend to muscle, tendon, or bone. Unstageable pressure injuries are when the stage is not clear. In these cases, the base of the wound is covered by a layer of dead tissue that may be yellow, grey, green, brown, or black. The doctor cannot see the base of the wound to determine the stage.

How does a Stage 4 pressure injury heal? ›

A stage 4 pressure sore is very painful and can take months to improve. Treatment for a stage 4 bedsore includes keeping the area dry and clean, applying pressure-relieving dressings, and taking measures to prevent further injury. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to remove dead tissue to help improve the wound.

Stage 4: Full thickness tissue loss with exposed bone, tendon, or muscle. Slough or eschar may be present on some parts of the wound bed. Often includes undermining and tunneling.

Bedsores are not an acceptable part of an aging loved one's health situation. Conversely, a sore that at first glance appears to be a bedsore could turn out to be a Kennedy terminal ulcer. Kennedy ulcers are treated differently and do not arise from the same causes that create bed sores.

The development of cancer after a bed sore is rare, occurring about 0.5% of the time, according to the study. If bed sores go untreated, recur in the same patient, or transform into complications such as bone infections, however, they could potentially cause cancer.

Removing damaged tissue

To heal properly, wounds need to be free of damaged, dead or infected tissue. The doctor or nurse may remove damaged tissue (debride) by gently flushing the wound with water or cutting out damaged tissue.

Prognosis for Bedsores Stage 4

It can take anywhere from three months to two years for a stage 4 bedsore to properly heal. In some cases, if the damage is too great, a stage 4 bedsore might never heal completely. Stage 4 bedsores need to be properly cared for or a patient's life expectancy can be limited.

Neosporin is generally safe but is not always necessary. It's also not appropriate to use on large areas of injury or deep cuts or burns. These wounds need to be treated by a healthcare provider.

Common types of negligence in nursing include the improper use of medical equipment, medication errors, not following the physician's orders, and not checking on or caring for the patient regularly.

Medical Negligence Examples

Failure to diagnose, such as missing the symptoms of serious heart disease. Failure to perform or order appropriate medical testing. Failure to adequately monitor a patient. Anesthesia mistakes.

Stage IV Pressure Ulcer: Full thickness tissue loss with exposed bone, tendon or muscle. Slough or eschar may be present on some parts of the wound bed. Often include undermining and tunneling.

What is the most common complication of a pressure ulcer? ›

Complications often develop with decubitus ulcers. The most common problem is infection.

Bedsores that have gotten to stage 4 are severe and life threatening. Data shows the mortality rate for people with stage 4 bedsores is up to 70%. Many of these patients die within 180 days of diagnosis. Overall the lifespan of patients with these sores is less than 50 days.

The more advanced the bedsore, the greater the possibility that the nursing home resident will pass away from the injury. By some accounts, patients with Stage 4 bedsores have an average life expectancy of just 50 days once the condition has progressed to that level of severity.

People who are older, immobile or bedridden are most at risk for bedsores. These pressure ulcers occur when there's prolonged pressure on your skin. Friction, moisture and traction (pulling on skin) also lead to bedsores.

Grade 3 or 4 pressure ulcers can develop quickly. For example, in susceptible people, a full-thickness pressure ulcer can sometimes develop in just 1 or 2 hours. However, in some cases, the damage will only become apparent a few days after the injury has occurred.

An average personal injury settlement amount is anywhere between $3,000 and $75,000. Be careful when using an average personal injury settlement calculator to give you an idea of what you may stand to collect. These numbers really depend on your individual case and are hard to predict without a professional.

Once a bedsore develops, it is often very slow to heal. Depending on the severity of the bedsore, the person's physical condition, and the presence of other diseases (such as diabetes), bedsores can take days, months, or even years to heal. They may need surgery to help the healing process.

These wounds need immediate attention, and you may need surgery. Recovery time: A Stage 4 pressure sore could take anywhere from 3 months or much longer, even years, to heal.

Eschar is characterized by dark, crusty tissue at either the bottom or the top of a wound. The tissue closely resembles a piece of steel wool that has been placed over the wound. The wound may have a crusted or leathery appearance and will be tan, brown, or black.

It can take anywhere from three months to two years for a stage 4 bedsore to properly heal. In some cases, if the damage is too great, a stage 4 bedsore might never heal completely. Stage 4 bedsores need to be properly cared for or a patient's life expectancy can be limited.

Why do patients turn every 2 hours? ›

Changing a patient's position in bed every 2 hours helps keep blood flowing. This helps the skin stay healthy and prevents bedsores. Turning a patient is a good time to check the skin for redness and sores.