Lawsuit After Patient’s Death Blamed on Infected Bed Sores

Having to admit a loved one to a nursing home because the family is unable to provide the constant care he or she may need can prove to be a difficult decision. This may be as a result of the many reports about the negligence of nursing home staff in Tennessee and other states. The owners of nursing homes are responsible for the training and monitoring staff members to ensure they provide individual care to each patient. One of the most visible signs of neglect is likely the presence of bed sores that are caused by constant pressure of the patient’s body on the mattress. When patients are unable to change their position, they need assistance from nursing staff to turn them into a different position at regular intervals.

A nursing home and 25 of its employees in another state were sued recently by the executrix of the estate of a deceased male patient. She accuses the facility of the insufficient and negligent care of the man, who was admitted to the nursing home in May 2012. She alleges that the nursing staff failed to provide adequate care that would have prevented the development of pressure ulcers — also known as bed sores. In addition, she claims the staff was incompetent in failing to identify and treat the infections that developed in the ulcers.

Another accusation was that there was no proper plan drafted to coordinate the care necessary to ensure the well-being of the patient. The management of the facility allegedly failed to ensure that there were enough adequately trained staff members, who were properly supervised to provide competent care for the patient. She alleges that this neglect led to the death of the man barely three months later. The executrix seeks damages in excess of $75,000 on behalf of the deceased’s estate.

The suit alleges that the family of the deceased experienced mental anguish, along with loss of advice, companionship and prospective inheritance. Tennessee families who have lost a loved one in similar circumstances where bed sores or other claims of nursing home neglect may have caused death are entitled to explore the legal procedures involved in filing a wrongful death claim in a civil court. Proper preparation and presentation of such a claim may lead to a court awarding monetary judgment to cover end-of-life and other damages as allowed by state law.