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Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers, are injuries to the skin and underlying tissue caused by prolonged pressure on the body. They most commonly occur in immobile patients, such as those confined to beds or wheelchairs. While they are well-known and thoroughly preventable, they remain one of the clearest indicators of neglect in hospitals and nursing homes.
Proper care — including frequent repositioning, skin checks, good nutrition, and use of specialized mattresses or cushions — almost always prevents bedsores. When patients develop advanced ulcers, it typically means that medical professionals failed to monitor and care for them appropriately.
For patients and families, bedsores are not only painful but also deeply distressing. They often represent a breakdown of trust, showing that those entrusted with care failed to meet even the most basic medical standards.
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Bedsores are alarmingly common in healthcare settings, despite being preventable. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ):
These statistics highlight the devastating human and financial toll of negligence in patient care.
Bedsores form when constant pressure reduces blood flow to the skin and tissues. Without circulation, cells die, leading to tissue breakdown. High-risk areas include heels, hips, lower back, and shoulders, essentially any point of prolonged contact with a bed or chair.
Other contributing factors include:
Healthcare providers are well aware of these risk factors. Failure to prevent bedsores in high-risk patients is rarely excusable.
Bedsores are classified into four stages:
Early stages are reversible with prompt intervention. Advanced stages reflect prolonged neglect and are often accompanied by infections, sepsis, or death.
Lawsuits involving bedsores and pressure ulcers often reveal:
These scenarios underscore systemic neglect rather than isolated oversights.
The root causes of bedsore malpractice often include:
Each of these represents a breach of the duty of care owed to patients.
The accepted standard of care requires hospitals and nursing homes to:
Failure to meet these standards is negligence, plain and simple.
The suffering caused by bedsores is profound. Patients endure severe pain, infections, and open wounds that may never fully heal. Complications include cellulitis, osteomyelitis (bone infection), septicemia, and amputations.
Beyond the physical harm, bedsores often strip patients of dignity. Families who entrusted hospitals or nursing homes with their loved one’s care are left traumatized by the discovery of gaping wounds and preventable suffering.
In many cases, bedsores are the beginning of a downward spiral, leading to hospitalization, permanent disability, or wrongful death.
To prove malpractice, attorneys must demonstrate that the facility failed to take reasonable preventive measures and that this failure caused harm. Evidence may include:
For example, if a patient developed Stage IV bedsores while under continuous hospital or nursing home care, liability is almost certain.
Liability may extend to:
Victims and families may be entitled to compensation for:
Bedsores and pressure ulcers are among the clearest indicators of medical neglect. They are not “just part of aging” — they are preventable injuries caused by inattention, understaffing, and systemic failures.
At Snyder & Wenner, P.C., we fight for patients and families harmed by these injuries. Our mission is to secure justice, restore dignity, and demand accountability from hospitals and nursing homes. Every patient deserves compassionate, attentive care — and when that right is denied, we are here to help.
Not always. In rare cases, severely ill patients may develop ulcers despite proper care. But in most cases, bedsores are preventable and reflect neglect.
Stage III and IV ulcers almost always indicate prolonged neglect, but lawsuits may also involve earlier stages if staff ignored warning signs.
