If your loved one developed painful or life-threatening bedsores while in a Kansas City nursing home, you may have grounds for legal action. When an injury results from negligent care, understaffing, or poor supervision, you can sue a nursing home for bedsores in Kansas City, whether in Missouri or Kansas.
At Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen P.C., we bring decades of litigation experience to every case we handle. Our team is known for uncovering the truth, building airtight cases, and holding nursing homes fully accountable, especially in complex or high-stakes injury and wrongful death matters.
What Are Bedsores and Why Do They Matter?
Bedsores, also called pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers, form when prolonged pressure cuts off blood flow to the skin and underlying tissue. Without adequate intervention, these injuries can progress rapidly from mild redness (Stage 1) to deep, infected wounds that expose muscle and bone (Stage 4).
In a nursing home setting, bedsores are almost always preventable. They’re a red flag that something has gone seriously wrong with the level of care being provided.
Common Causes of Pressure Ulcers in Nursing Homes
Pressure ulcers in nursing homes are rarely random. These injuries often indicate that something is broken within the care system, whether it’s staffing, supervision, or basic hygiene routines. Based on our investigations and medical reviews, here are some of the most common contributing factors:
- Failure to reposition residents every one to two hours, especially those who are bedridden or use wheelchairs;
- Poor hygiene and moisture management, leading to skin softening and breakdown;
- Malnutrition or dehydration, which reduces skin integrity and slows healing;
- Inadequate staff training or supervision, leaving early signs of ulcers unnoticed; and
- Chronic understaffing that leads to a failure to meet residents’ basic care needs.
When these issues are left unaddressed, bedsores can advance rapidly. Stage 3 or Stage 4 pressure ulcers may expose muscle and bone, become infected, and lead to deadly complications. Our firm has represented families in both Kansas and Missouri whose loved ones developed sepsis, osteomyelitis, or organ failure because a nursing home failed to act.
You Can Sue for Bedsores in Missouri and Kansas
When a nursing home’s negligence results in injury, the law allows families to file a civil lawsuit for damages. That includes injuries caused by bedsores, whether due to poor prevention or delayed treatment.
To succeed, a lawsuit must prove the following elements:
- Duty of care. The facility had a legal obligation to provide appropriate medical and daily care.
- Breach of duty. The nursing home failed to meet that standard. For example, staff may not reposition the resident or ignore signs of skin breakdown.
- Causation. The neglect directly led to the development or worsening of the bedsore.
- Damages. The resident experienced harm, such as pain, medical costs, infection, disability, or death.
Taking legal action for bedsores in nursing homes is important. It’s a serious legal matter requiring detailed medical documentation and strong advocacy.
What Types of Compensation Are Available?
Compensation depends on the extent of the injury and its impact on the resident’s health and quality of life. When you sue a nursing home for bedsores in Kansas City involving pressure ulcers, victims and their families may recover:
- Medical expenses for treatment, surgery, hospitalization, or wound care;
- Pain and suffering, including prolonged discomfort or loss of mobility;
- Emotional distress and mental anguish;
- Wrongful death damages, including funeral costs and loss of companionship; and
- Punitive damages, in cases involving willful neglect or reckless disregard.
As a firm that primarily handles high-value injury cases, we understand how to position your claim for maximum recovery and prevent insurance companies or corporate counsel from undervaluing it.
What to Do if You Suspect Neglect
Families often come to us after a nursing home dismisses their concerns or blames bedsores on the resident’s “fragile health.” However, pressure ulcers should never be normalized, especially when they progress to severe stages.
Document everything, including:
- Photographs of the injury;
- Medical records and wound care notes;
- Names of staff on duty;
- Any facility incident reports; and
- Your observations of hygiene, cleanliness, or lack of care.
Then, contact a qualified Kansas City nursing home abuse attorney. Our firm brings a comprehensive investigative team to every case, including our in-house nurse and physician experts. We have answers if you have questions about an elder neglect lawsuit for pressure ulcers.
Why Families Choose Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen
We are not a high-volume firm that settles quickly. We are trial lawyers with a reputation for excellence, one that insurance companies, defense firms, and other attorneys in the Kansas City region recognize.
Here’s what sets us apart:
- Four decades of experience litigating complex injury and wrongful death claims;
- A team of in-house medical professionals who scrutinize every record;
- A client-first approach: We view our clients as partners, not case files;
- A reputation as a premier law firm for medical malpractice and catastrophic injury in Kansas City; and
- Compassionate guidance throughout every stage, from investigation to settlement or litigation.
We handle every case with the respect it deserves and fight for justice when others won’t.
Talk to a Kansas City Attorney Who Will Not Back Down
Nursing homes have a duty to prevent painful, life-threatening injuries, such as bed sores. When they fail, the consequences can devastate families. You should not have to face that battle alone.
At Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen, we bring over 40 years of litigation experience and a proven record of success in high-stakes cases across Missouri and Kansas. Other attorneys trust us with their most complex referrals, and insurance companies know we never leave a stone unturned. With full-time medical professionals on our team, we investigate thoroughly, uncover the truth, and hold negligent facilities accountable.
If your loved one developed bedsores in a Kansas City nursing home, whether in Missouri or Kansas, our attorneys are here to guide you through the legal process with compassion and determination. We do not take shortcuts; we fight for the justice and compensation your family deserves.
Contact us today at (816) 421-6868 to discuss your case. Let us be the trusted advocates who stand with you every step of the way.
The legal team at Dempsey Kingsland Osteen works to ensure that the injured are fully compensated for their lasting injuries from medical malpractice or other negligence. We push for comprehensive damages that anticipate the long-term needs of our clients, rather than taking a quick settlement out of convenience.
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