Wrongful Death Bedsore Lawsuits

How Bedsores Can Lead to Death

Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers or pressure injuries, are often dismissed as minor wounds. However, when left untreated or allowed to progress, they can become gateways to fatal infections and systemic illness. Understanding how a seemingly simple wound can prove deadly helps families recognize when negligence has occurred.

Pressure injuries develop when sustained pressure cuts off blood flow to the skin and underlying tissue. Without adequate blood supply, tissue begins to die. As the wound deepens through stages, it can penetrate through skin, fat, and muscle down to the bone. At these advanced stages, the risk of deadly complications increases dramatically.

Complications That Cause Fatalities

Several life-threatening conditions can develop from neglected bedsores:

Sepsis

Sepsis occurs when an infection from the bedsore spreads into the bloodstream, triggering a dangerous inflammatory response throughout the body. The immune system, attempting to fight the infection, can cause organ damage and failure. Sepsis progresses rapidly—within hours, a patient can go from stable to critical. In elderly patients, sepsis from bedsore infections carries a high mortality rate.

Osteomyelitis

When a deep pressure ulcer reaches the bone, bacteria can cause a bone infection called osteomyelitis. This condition is difficult to treat, often requiring prolonged intravenous antibiotics and sometimes surgical removal of infected bone. In severe cases, the infection can spread to other parts of the body or prove resistant to treatment.

Necrotizing Fasciitis

Sometimes called "flesh-eating bacteria," necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly spreading infection that destroys the tissue beneath the skin. It can progress from a localized wound to a life-threatening emergency within hours. Emergency surgery to remove dead tissue is required, and even with aggressive treatment, mortality rates are high.

Septic Shock

When sepsis causes blood pressure to drop dangerously low, the condition progresses to septic shock. The body cannot maintain adequate blood flow to vital organs, leading to organ failure and death. Even with intensive care treatment, septic shock from bedsore infections claims many lives.

Cellulitis and Systemic Infection

Bacterial infections that begin at the wound site can spread through surrounding tissue (cellulitis) and eventually enter the bloodstream. In patients with weakened immune systems—common among nursing home residents and hospitalized patients—these infections can quickly become overwhelming.

Wrongful Death Claims Explained

A wrongful death claim allows surviving family members to seek compensation when someone dies due to another party's negligence or wrongful conduct. In bedsore cases, this typically means holding nursing homes, hospitals, or other care facilities accountable for failures that led to a loved one's preventable death.

Wrongful death laws exist because families should not bear the emotional and financial burden when care providers fail in their duties. These claims serve two purposes: providing compensation to families who have suffered a loss, and holding negligent facilities accountable in ways that may prevent similar tragedies for other patients.

Proving Negligence

Successful wrongful death claims require demonstrating that the care facility or healthcare provider acted negligently. In bedsore cases, this often involves showing failures such as:

• Failure to conduct regular skin assessments and identify pressure injuries early
• Failure to reposition immobile patients regularly
• Failure to provide appropriate pressure-relieving equipment
• Inadequate staffing that prevented proper care
• Failure to recognize and treat wound infections promptly
• Delayed transfer to hospital when complications developed
• Poor documentation that masked deteriorating condition

Who Can File a Claim

Each state has its own laws governing who may bring a wrongful death lawsuit. Generally, the following individuals may have standing to file:

• Surviving Spouse: In nearly all states, a surviving husband or wife can bring a wrongful death claim.
• Adult Children: Sons and daughters of the deceased often have the right to file, especially if there is no surviving spouse.
• Parents: Parents may file for the death of an adult child, particularly if the child had no spouse or children of their own.
• Personal Representative: The executor or administrator of the deceased person's estate may file on behalf of surviving family members.

Some states expand this list to include domestic partners, siblings, or anyone who was financially dependent on the deceased. An attorney can explain who has standing to file in your state.

What Families May Recover

Wrongful death compensation aims to address both the tangible and intangible losses families experience when they lose a loved one to negligence. Depending on state law and the circumstances of the case, recoverable damages may include:

• Medical Expenses: Costs of medical care your loved one received before death, including treatment for the bedsore and resulting complications.
• Funeral and Burial Costs: Reasonable expenses for funeral services, burial or cremation, and related arrangements.
• Loss of Financial Support: The income and financial contributions your loved one would have provided to the family.
• Loss of Services: The value of household services, childcare, or other support the deceased would have provided.
• Loss of Companionship: The emotional loss of having your loved one in your life, including guidance, comfort, and society.
• Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the physical pain and emotional anguish your loved one experienced before death.
• Punitive Damages: In cases involving particularly egregious negligence or willful misconduct, courts may award additional damages to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct.

Taking Action for Your Family

If your loved one died from bedsore complications, you may feel overwhelmed by grief and uncertain about next steps. While no legal action can bring your loved one back, pursuing accountability can provide answers about what happened, hold negligent parties responsible, and help prevent similar tragedies for other families.

Important steps to consider:

1. Preserve Medical Records: Request complete copies of your loved one's medical records from the care facility and any hospitals involved. These records are essential evidence.
2. Document What You Know: Write down what you observed during visits, any concerns you raised with staff, and any photographs you took of your loved one's condition.
3. Obtain the Death Certificate: While the certificate may not list bedsores directly, it documents the immediate cause of death and can help establish the chain of events.
4. Consult an Attorney: An attorney with experience in nursing home negligence and wrongful death cases can evaluate your situation and advise on your legal options.

How We Help Grieving Families

At Traction Law Group, we understand that families pursuing wrongful death claims are dealing with profound loss. Our approach is designed to provide support while vigorously pursuing justice:

• Compassionate Consultation: We listen to your story with empathy and respect. We understand this is about more than a legal case—it is about your loved one's life and your family's loss.
• Thorough Investigation: We obtain facility records, staffing data, state inspection reports, and other evidence to understand exactly what happened.
• Medical Analysis: We work with healthcare professionals to trace how negligent care led to your loved one's death.
• No Upfront Costs: We work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for your family.
• Nationwide Representation: We help families across the country hold negligent care facilities accountable.

Your loved one deserved better care. If negligence cut their life short, you have the right to seek answers and accountability. Contact us to discuss your family's situation in a free, confidential consultation.