Bedsores often happen when a patient stays in the same position, such as a nursing home resident who is lying on their back for an extended period of time. Mild bedsores may just cause discomfort and pain, but serious bedsores could become infected and even fatal.
For family members, it’s important to know how these bedsores tend to progress. Let’s take a quick look at what it may look like from a medical perspective.
A growing wound
A bedsore is a physical wound that slowly grows over time. At the beginning, it may just be a slightly red or pink area on the skin, and it’s a bit tender or warm—similar to when someone has been working with their hands and they’re going to develop a blister. They can tell that the skin is irritated, but there’s not yet a wound.
If left untreated, however, the bedsore can turn into a shallow wound, a blister or an abrasion. It could become darker red, and some skin could be lost.
When things really become problematic is when the wound begins to extend down below the skin and into the fatty layers below. Eventually, the most serious bedsores can even expose muscles or tendons. If no efforts are made to treat the wound and allow it to heal, it just keeps getting deeper and could even reach the bone. This can be incredibly painful, and there’s a very high chance that infection will set in—which is what can turn it into a fatal condition.
Your legal options
Has a loved one suffered from serious bedsores that are just getting worse with time? It’s important for you to know exactly what legal options you have and what steps to take moving forward.
