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Pressure Sores

The Medical Negligence team at Gregory Abrams Davidson have noticed an increasing rise in pressure sore claims.

In most cases, pressure sores are preventable and increasingly, they are caused as a direct result of medical negligence stemming from a failure to provide sufficient nursing or medical care.

Pressure sores, also known as pressure ulcers or bed sores, are caused by the death of soft tissue in the skin and muscle. They usually develop around bony prominences such as the hip or heel and they are generally believed to begin at the level of the bone and work towards the skin. They occur due to lengthy immobility, placing pressure on an area of skin.

Pressure sores are a painful, debilitating and potentially life threatening condition.

There are several factors that increase the risk of developing pressure sores. These include:

Mobility problems
Poor nutrition
An underlying health condition (that disrupts blood supply or makes the skin more vulnerable to damage)
Urinary incontinence and/or bowel incontinence
Age – the elderly at a higher risk

Examples of our pressure sore work include:

A failure to carry out a proper risk assessment
A failure to reposition (two hours is the accepted maximum interval that tissue can tolerate pressure without damage)
A failure to adequately treat the pressure sore
A failure to provide an appropriate bed

If you or a family member/friend have suffered a pressure sore whilst under the care of a health professional whether that be in hospital or a care home you or they may be entitled to compensation. Here at Gregory Abrams Davidson we have a specialist team dealing with pressure sore cases.

Please contact us for a free initial consultation on 0151 236 5000 or 02082 09 0166 and ask to speak to Richard Malloy. Alternatively, you can e-mail us at info@gadlegal.co.uk or fill out our online contact form and we will contact you directly.