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  • Pressure Sore Claims

Pressure Sore Claims

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Pressure sores (also known as bedsores and pressure ulcers) happen when a person is immobile for a period of time, placing pressure on a particular area of their skin. Depending on the pressure, these sores can form fairly quickly.

Hospitals and other care providers have a duty to do everything they can to prevent pressure ulcers forming, whether this means regularly changing a patient’s position or simply providing an appropriate bed.

When this responsibility is neglected and a patient develops a pressure sore, the effects can be extremely dangerous as well as painful, especially in the vulnerable. Pressure sore negligence can lead to a range of complications, including:

  • Blood poisoning (septicaemia)
  • Cellulitis
  • Bone and joint infection
  • Gas gangrene

Our medical negligence solicitors have helped many people with pressure sore claims, including cases in which patients have died. Most pressure sore compensation claims are funded using a No Win No Fee agreement, which means there’s no financial risk to you.*

For a free initial consultation about making a pressure sore claim, call us today on 0800 121 6567 or contact us online and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

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Zoe Brodrick
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Pressure Sore Compensation Claims - More Information

After you’ve contacted us, we’ll set up a free initial consultation to discuss your case and whether you have a legal claim. We’ll discuss what funding options are available to you to pay for your claim, including No Win No Fee agreements*.

We’ll then get in touch with those responsible for your negligent treatment at an early stage to see if they accept the blame for your injuries. If they accept responsibility, we’ll try to secure interim compensation payments which can fund private medical care and ongoing expenses, before your claim fully settles. Any interim payments will be taken out of your final compensation award.

Our experts will look into your case in detail, gathering evidence from independent medical professionals. These experts evaluate what care you should have received and can determine any future implications to your health. They’ll also advise us on the care you’ll need in the future.

We’ll always try and negotiate claims out of court, keeping the claim process as short as we can. However, if your opponent doesn’t accept responsibility or doesn’t agree with the amount of compensation we feel you need, we’ll start court proceedings.

Even when trial dates have been set, claims are still often settled before reaching court. If your claim does need to go to court, we’ll be there to help you every step of the way, talking you through what will happen so you feel as comfortable as possible.

In most medical negligence cases, you have three years to make a compensation claim, starting from the date your pressure sore formed (or the date you first became aware that it was a result of negligence). For children, this three year period begins on their 18th birthday, so you have until they’re 21 to make a claim.

However, there aren’t any time limits to make a claim if the person in question doesn’t have the capacity to make legal decisions for themselves. This might include dementia sufferers or people with other mental disabilities – they may be more at risk of developing pressure sores because they have trouble communicating with care staff.

If you have questions or concerns about the time limits, please call us for free initial advice on 0800 121 6567.

Many of our cases are funded with a No Win No Fee agreement. This means that there’s no financial risk* to you when making a compensation claim.

At the start of your case we’ll discuss funding options with you, advising you which we think is most suitable. If you have legal expenses insurance (LEI) or are covered by a trade union policy, these may be best for you. Legal expenses insurance is included in many household insurance policies, so it’s always worth checking whether you’re already covered.

If we think you’re best supported by a No Win No Fee agreement, we’ll explain the process clearly. This involves setting up an insurance policy that will protect you, at no cost to you. You’ll only have to pay anything when your claim is successful – your opponent will pay most of our fees.

Please visit our No Win No Fee page for more information on how it works.

Because we’re a full-service law firm, we also have a number of other in-house teams with specialist knowledge in areas such as rehabilitation, Wills and asset management.

Rehabilitation

We see rehabilitation as key and will make sure that you can access the care and support services you need to lead the best life possible. Our support and rehabilitation coordinators can provide support and information to you and your family, helping you with many of the other problems you may face, such as employment and benefit issues.

Wills

We have specialist Wills solicitors who can help with any issues surrounding Wills and who can also assist if you’re claiming on behalf of a loved one who has unfortunately passed away.

Asset Management

Our Asset Management team can provide advice on how your compensation could be best invested. We also have Court of Protection lawyers who can set up personal injury trusts and make sure you have access to the benefits you’re entitled to.

As the largest medical negligence department in the country, our solicitors are highly rated by independent legal guides.

We have years of experience in securing compensation for those who’ve suffered as a consequence of medical errors. Our solicitors are aware that every claim is different and we make sure that we understand the care and support you need.

Getting an apology and explanation for what’s happened can be just as important as the compensation award. We’ll take the necessary steps to help you make a complaint and will campaign to ensure systems are put in place to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen to somebody else.

mental health worker chatting with client

They were always there to answer my questions and queries when I was at my most vulnerable and they persevered to obtain the best possible result."

Lisa, client

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the causes of pressure sores?

Pressure sores can develop because of a number of factors, all of which need to be taken into account when caring for a patient. The main causes are:

  • Pressure from hard surfaces on the patient’s skin – for example, wheelchairs, beds or plaster casts
  • Muscle spasms, which increase the amount of friction
  • Excess moisture from sweat or incontinence

Some people are more susceptible to pressure sores than others – nurses should give them extra attention to make sure that they don’t develop sores. Vulnerable patient groups include people who are:

  • Diabetic
  • Incontinent
  • Over 70
  • Smokers

Certain groups of people are also at increased risk because they’re unable to tell when a pressure sore is forming. Care staff should monitor closely those with:

  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Neurological conditions
  • Limited sensory perception

People with spinal cord injuries, neurological conditions or limited sensory perception are also at risk, because they’re not able to tell when a pressure sore is forming.

Hospitals and other care providers should recognise these factors and take precautions to protect vulnerable patients from pressure sores. Negligence can have devastating consequences, especially when the patient is already suffering from a serious injury or condition.

Our medical negligence solicitors have the experience to help if you or a loved one has developed avoidable pressure sores. We’ll handle your claim with sensitivity, making sure that you receive the compensation you deserve.

What constitutes pressure sore negligence?

Pressure sores are almost always preventable, so when they happen it’s normally a sign of neglect. Medical staff should be well aware of the most at-risk patients and have processes in place to ensure that they don’t develop pressure sores.

We’ve handled many pressure sore claims, many of which involved a failure to:

  • Carry out a proper assessment of the patient’s needs
  • Make sure the patient’s position is moved regularly
  • Provide the appropriate kind of bed (or ensure that the bed is inflated to the right level)
  • Take the necessary precautions against infection of the pressure sore
  • Check the patient’s condition regularly
  • Ensure that the patient’s bedding (or plaster cast) isn’t too tight
  • Provide food that supplies the right nutrients to keep skin healthy, strong and less susceptible to sores

If any of these areas are neglected, pressure sores can form quickly and cause long-term health problems. It’s vital that they’re treated seriously.

We have years of expertise investigating pressure sore cases. We understand how they develop and know how to prove that they were caused by negligence. Call us on 0800 121 6567 for a free initial consultation about your case, or contact us online.

What are the consequences of pressure sore negligence?

If left unchecked and untreated, pressure sores can become life-threatening. Some of the complications associated with serious pressure sores include:

  • Blood poisoning (septicaemia)
  • Cellulitis
  • Bone and joint infection
  • Gas gangrene

These can have long-term health effects, sometimes requiring:

  • Major surgery
  • Procedures to remove dead tissue (known as debridement)
  • Physiotherapy
  • Amputation

If you’ve suffered from pressure sores, compensation can help cover the costs of a specialist rehabilitation and care package, maximising your recovery and quality of life. We believe strongly in the importance of post-claim support, and we’ll make sure your needs are taken into account when calculating your compensation. We’ll also look to secure an apology and an explanation from the responsible organisation.

In cases where a loved one has died because of pressure sores, we may be able to represent you through the inquest process as well as securing compensation for your loss.

What types of negligence can cause or worsen pressure sores?

Negligence can cause or worsen pressure sores if:

  • There’s a failure to assist an immobile patient with regularly changing their position
  • The patient is provided with an unsuitable bed
  • Staff do not clean or dress wounds correctly
  • Staff do not recognise that a sore is starting and take action to avoid

Assessments should be made by medical staff for patients who have been identified as at risk of developing pressure sores.

To prevent pressure sores from getting worse, additional monitoring should take place.

What are the Grading's of pressure sores?

Grade One

This is the mildest form and is where patients suffer from discoloration of the skin.

Grade Two

Patients may suffer skin loss as the result of some of the outer surface or the deeper layer of skin being damaged. The ulcer that develops will look similar to an open wound or blister.

Grade Three

Skin loss will occur throughout the thickness of the skin and while no bone or muscle will be affected, it can lead to underlying tissue becoming damaged with an ulcer appearing as a cavity-like wound.

Grade Four

This is the most severe, where patients suffer from deep and painful open wounds, and the surrounding skin tissue may be dead (also known as ‘necrotic’).

Grade four pressure sores rarely heal if they get worse and often remain as painful, open wounds. Patients often need on-going care to clean and dress the wounds. Sometimes, patients need to undergo surgical debridement, which is the removal of dead tissue surrounding the wound.

Read More FAQs

Related Information - Pressure Sore Claims

Public Law & Human Rights - our Public Law & Human Rights team can help you defend your rights
Support and Rehabilitation Coordinators - we have a dedicated team of support and rehabilitation coordinators who will guide you through the claims process
Hospital Negligence - we could help if you’ve suffered because of hospital negligence
Compensation Secured For Woman After Debilitating Pressure Sores - we represented a woman who developed serious pressure sores after being hospitalised for a spinal injury

Scottish Flag All Scottish cases will be handled by the Scottish law firm with which we are associated, Irwin Mitchell Scotland LLP. The law relating to funding is different in Scotland and you will receive separate advice about what that means as well as a separate funding agreement.

 

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