Chicago Nursing Home Neglect Law FIrm: Illinois Lawsuit Filed Over Patient's Bed Sores
An Illinois nursing home neglect lawsuit has been filed against the Atrium Health Care and Rehabilitation Center. According to the complaint, 69-year-old Pauline Richards sustained multiple decubitus ulcers on her thighs, hips, buttocks, back, lower extremities, and feet while staying at the long-term care facility.
The Illinois civil lawsuit contends that workers failed to provide properly supervised and adequate care to Richards and also neglected to put in place a program to prevent and treat bedsores. Nursing home staffers are also accused of failing to follow standard nursing procedures when they did not turn Richards, treat her bedsores, use pressure relieving equipment as part of her care, properly supervise her, obtain treatment plans for her dehydration and weight loss, document major changes to her physical condition, and properly train workers to make sure that she didn’t develop decubitus ulcers.
As a result of the alleged negligent nursing care she received at the Illinois nursing home, the complaint claims Richard experienced dehydration, sustained infected bed sores, and experienced infections, a high fever, mental trauma, physical pain, and incurred medical expenses.
The two count Illinois nursing home neglect lawsuit is seeking a judgment of over $100,000 plus legal fees, costs, and other relief.
Although having any kind of pressure sore is never good for a sick or elderly patient, infected decubitus ulcers can be especially dangerous to the nursing home resident’s health. Not only do infected bed sores often heal more slowly, but they can spread serious infection to other parts of the body.
Signs of an infected bed sore:
• A vile smell coming from the sore
• The area around the bed sore is exhibiting redness or warmth
• The area feels tender
• There is thick yellow or green pus visible
• The tissue around the bed sore is swollen
Signs that the infection may have spread include fever, chills, mental confusion, problems with concentration, a more rapid heart rate, and weakness. While some bed sore infections can be easily treated with an ointment, infections that have reached deeper areas inside the body might require more invasive care.
Patient suffered bed sores, says suit against Atrium Health Care, The Record, April 20, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Illinois Nursing Homes
Bed Sores, Buzzle.com
