Oakville Nursing Home Bedsore Lawyer

The senior population is growing, and that means there are more elderly individuals entering Oakville nursing homes than ever before. The increase in residents also leads to concerns about abuse and neglect, which are becoming more prevalent. Nursing home residents are vulnerable and cannot protect themselves when there is physical or emotional abuse. 

Some residents cannot communicate effectively and cannot report neglect or abuse to loved ones or the authorities. Finding and reporting a bedsore is often up to the investigative skills of the family and an Oakville personal injury lawyer from Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, PLC. 

Bedsore Risk Factors

While any nursing home or long-term care resident can suffer bedsores, risk factors can impact the severity of these injuries. Residents who have medical conditions that limit mobility have the highest risks. 

Conditions that confine patients to a wheelchair or bed are additional risk factors. Since they cannot move independently, they depend on caregivers to reposition them and guide them in mobility exercises. Diabetes, poor nutrition, and dehydration are other risk factors contributing to the possibility of suffering bedsores. 

All Oakville nursing home residents are at risk of abuse, and loved ones must be involved in the planning and treatment process. If a nursing home resident is in imminent danger, you must contact the authorities to remove them from the facility and file reports. There are four bedsores stages; if left untreated, these sores can get worse and become infected. 

The staff may report bedsores as bruises or deep pressure wounds to avoid liability. They will also say the person who came into the facility with a bedsore had a preexisting condition. These tactics will not work when you have a nursing home bedsore attorney in Oakville on your side. 

Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home neglect and abuse can lead to serious health risks, including bedsores, broken bones, chronic ulcers, and falls. Aside from physical abuse, there is also emotional, psychological, and financial abuse a resident can suffer at the hands of caregivers. Suppose a married couple is in the facility; they can and should share a room. 

However, when a caregiver separates the couple from each other that is a form of emotional abuse. Other signs of nursing home abuse include:

• Broken bones
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration 
• Frequent infections
• Changes in behavior or mental state 
• Uncleanliness
• Not eating or taking medications
• Bruises
• Unexplained mood swings
• Reclusiveness
• Unexplained and severe weight loss 
• Hovering caregivers who do not want the patient to be with loved ones

Caregivers must provide care and companionship to residents in these facilities. When they do not, your loved one can suffer medical complications resulting in death. The cleanliness of the room and facility are also signs of something amiss. 

Preventing Bedsores

While bedsores constitute a significant sign of abuse, they are only one factor in what is happening. Bedsores are entirely preventable, and if you notice a bedsore forming, you know there is neglect. Federal and state laws address the expectations of nursing homes and other caregivers, and negligence is unacceptable. 

Caregivers must move residents who are bedridden or in wheelchairs, so there is no added pressure on one body part over another. Nutrition and hydration are also vital to the prevention of bedsores. When a loved one begins getting in-home or nursing home care, they will undergo an assessment by a medical professional such as a nurse to determine a treatment plan. 

While it is an initial plan, caregivers must reassess the patient periodically. The assessment will help determine risk factors and preventative measures to avoid bedsores. It is a team effort, and the patient and family must have heavy involvement in planning for success. 

Filing a Legal Claim

Before you can file a nursing home abuse claim and receive compensation, you will need to collect evidence. When visiting your loved ones, examine them and if you cannot move them about, wait until a caregiver comes in to do so and examine them for bedsores. Take note of who provides care and how often you see staff come into the room while you visit. 

If you notice bruises or other markings, take pictures and write down the date. You should also address your concerns with the nursing home administrators and ensure there is a paper trail. Once you notice signs of potential abuse, you will need to increase your monitoring efforts by visiting more often and reviewing medical treatment. 

Many relatives will also begin to look into changing facilities. However, even by taking all of these steps, you will still need to meet with a nursing home bedsore lawyer in Oakville to file a claim. Nursing homes and other facilities work with insurance companies, and these companies view bedsores as preventable. They will, therefore, not pay for treatment when a person gets a bedsore while in a facility. 

A nursing home bed sore claim allows you to recover compensation for medical care and the costs of moving them to another facility. You can try to work with the nursing home, but they do not often take responsibility and will not pay for medical costs either because admitting they did something wrong opens the door to state inspections and legal consequences. Nursing home bedsore attorneys can circumvent these actions by filing a claim and taking other legal steps. 

Consult with an Oakville Nursing Home Bedsore Lawyer

While you can try to advocate for your loved one, you must also take legal action. Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, PLC can connect you with an Oakville nursing home bedsore attorney who strives to hold all negligent caregivers liable for their actions. We can explain your legal options, investigate the facility and recover compensation for the losses your loved one sustained from the abuse and neglect. 

We will request documentation on the staff’s performance reports and treatment plan. The caregiver is not the only party in trouble; the nursing home must also show former negligence allegations, citations, violations, and warnings. They will try to deny the request, but GKBM will work diligently to gather these documents and prove a history of abuse and neglect.