Attorney for Bed Sores
Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect

PA & NJ Licensed Personal Injury Lawyer 

Bedsores · Wrongful Death · Malpractice Lawsuits · Elder Abuse

Bed Sore Lawyer Serving Pennsylvania and New Jersey

If you have a loved one in a New Jersey or Pennsylvania care facility, you must stay alert. Unfortunately, residents in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or hospitals are often vulnerable to bed sores. Your best defense is to contact an experienced attorney like Brian P. Murphy, Esquire.

Bed sores, also known as pressure ulcers, are a serious concern in many local facilities. If staff members do not provide proper care, these ulcers can create severe health problems. In some cases, they may even result in death.

Brian P. Murphy is a dedicated nursing home abuse attorney and bed sore lawyer licensed in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He has successfully represented many elderly residents who suffered from these painful wounds. Because he handles cases throughout both states, he is ready to help your family. If your loved one has developed a bed sore, please take immediate action. Contact Brian P. Murphy for a free consultation.

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Bed Sores Are Usually Avoidable

Bed sores occur frequently at some nursing home facilities. However, with proper care, these injuries are almost always avoidable. When nursing homes provide correct assessments and constant monitoring, they can prevent bed sores in most cases.

What Are Bed Sores?

Bed sores (aka, pressure ulcers or spelled as one word, “bedsores”) are wounds that develop because of unrelieved pressure on skin. They have several stages of development, which are ranked from least to worst. These wounds develop on areas of the body where the muscle tissue is thinnest over a bone. Consequently, you should check these specific areas:

Examples include:

• Sacrum and Buttocks
• Hips and Heels
• Shoulder blades and Elbows

The Main Causes of Bed Sores

Bed sores do not develop unless the skin is exposed to continuous pressure. Often, nursing home neglect occurs when residents are left lying or sitting for long periods without being moved. When a resident is not repositioned, the skin begins to deteriorate. Therefore, prolonged pressure on bony areas is commonly a sign of a facility’s failure to provide care, which could result in nursing home neglect.

Understanding Bed Sore Stages

Stage I: This is a minor skin abrasion. While it is not yet a serious medical condition, it can quickly turn into a larger problem if ignored.

Stage II: This stage still has a good chance of healing with proper treatment.

Stage III & IV: When an injury reaches these stages, it becomes significantly harder to heal. Furthermore, a Stage IV bed sore can deepen to the bone and cause life-threatening infections.

Unstageable: This occurs when the depth of the wound is unclear due to tissue damage. These are at least as severe as a Stage III injury.

Deep Tissue Injuries: These begin beneath the surface. As the muscle rots, the skin eventually opens to reveal a deep, severe wound.

Bed sores have several stages of development. Each time a sore reaches a new stage, the wound has become more dangerous.

• Stage I: This is a minor skin abrasion. While it is not yet a serious medical condition, it can quickly turn into a larger problem if ignored.
• Stage II: This stage still has a good chance of healing with proper treatment.
• Stage III or Stage IV: When an injury reaches these stages, it becomes significantly harder to heal. Furthermore, a Stage IV bed sore can deepen to the bone and cause life-threatening infections.
• Unstageable: This occurs when the depth of the wound is unclear due to tissue damage. These are at least as severe as a Stage III injury.
• Deep Tissue Injuries: These are also a type of bed sore. They begin beneath the surface of the skin and, as muscle and tissue rot, the skin eventually opens to reveal a deep, severe wound.

Holding Nursing Homes Accountable

Under federal and state law, Pennsylvania and New Jersey nursing homes must assess every resident’s skin. If a resident has a high risk for skin breakdown, the nursing staff must pay very close attention to their care. If they fail to do this, they have committed nursing home neglect. Consequently, the facility can be held legally liable for the injury.

If your loved one is at risk or has already developed a wound, please contact Brian P. Murphy. He can provide immediate answers to your legal questions. You can also review his testimonials to see how he has helped other families in similar situations.

Contact an Attorney

Brian P. Murphy is an experienced and well-regarded New Jersey and Pennsylvania nursing home abuse attorney. He has successfully represented many elderly nursing home residents subjected to abuse and neglect. Mr. Murphy handles cases throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. If you see signs of nursing home abuse or neglect, take immediate action today. Contact nursing home abuse attorney, Brian P. Murphy, to discuss your potential legal matter.

This website is owned by Attorney Brian P. Murphy. Its purpose is to assist you in understanding your rights, especially when it comes to preventing or protecting yourself and/or your loved ones against nursing home abuse, neglect, bedsores, dehydration, and wrongful death. Legal matters are billed on a contingency fee basis. All Pennsylvania and New Jersey nursing home abuse cases are personally handled by Brian Murphy.

Nothing on this website is to be construed as attorney advice or otherwise creating an attorney-client relationship. If you may be interested in establishing a relationship with The Law Firm of Brian P. Murphy, PC, please contact us to discuss your options.