Sepsis Resulting from Untreated Bedsores

Care related to sepsis is the most common reason for transfers of nursing home residents to hospitals, resulting in more fatalities than hospitalizations for other conditions.  Sepsis, a bloodstream infection, can develop in bedridden patients with illnesses such as pneumonia, but can also be a result of untreated bedsores which are preventable if the necessary precautions are taken.

Because bedsore infections are a well-known danger it follows that patients who are immobile should be turned and re-positioned at regular intervals and checked for signs of a developing bedsores in order to treat them before they progress.   Yet year after year, nursing homes across the country fail to prevent bedsores and other infections that lead to sepsis, putting patent lives in jeopardy.

If bedsores and associated infections are preventable and highly treatable in their early stages, why are so many nursing home patients afflicted? Unfortunately, it boils down to low staffing levels according to regulators and patient advocates. Not having enough hands on deck diminishes the quality of nursing home care overall so patients do not receive the care they need to prevent bedsores, and by the time problems are detected, little infections have turned into big infections that are difficult to treat.

Not surprisingly, many families of nursing home residents across the country have file lawsuits alleging that bedsores and other common infections have caused serious harm or death. The outcome of the numerous cases that are brought every year is not known because most result in a settlement with confidential terms, however, nursing homes likely pay substantial sums when their negligence results in injury or death.

​Contact an Experienced Bedsore Infection Lawyer

If your family member is suffering sepsis from untreated bedsores or is injured due to the negligence or abuse in an Iowa nursing home, contact the Des Moines Law Offices of John T. Hemminger for immediate help at 515-283-2116.