Pressure sores: an overlooked and undervalued claim
When people think about spinal injuries, they often think about the obvious consequences: loss of sensation, paralysis, reduced mobility, pain and the need for ongoing care and rehabilitation.
One issue that can sometimes be overlooked, however, is pressure sores.
A pressure sore is an area of damage to the skin and underlying tissue caused by prolonged pressure, usually over a bony part of the body. Also called a bed sore or pressure ulcer, they can develop when a person is unable to move or reposition themselves regularly or when appropriate measures are not taken to relieve pressure. This means they can be common for people with spinal injury.
Why are people with spinal injuries at greater risk of pressure sores?
People with spinal injuries can be particularly vulnerable to pressure sores. Loss of sensation may mean that they do not feel the discomfort that would prompt them to change position, while paralysis or reduced mobility may mean that they cannot reposition themselves without assistance. As a result, pressure sores can develop in spinal injury patients even where appropriate care has been provided.
Pressure sore compensation claims
Because spinal injury patients are already recognised as being at greater risk of pressure sores, there can be an assumption that their development is unavoidable. As a result, the circumstances in which the pressure sore developed may not be properly examined and therefore the potential value of a claim may be overlooked.
When considering a compensation claim for a pressure sore, the key questions are whether appropriate preventative measures were taken and, if a pressure sore developed, whether it was identified and treated appropriately and promptly.
While many are treatable, inadequate or delayed treatment can result in infection, cellulitis, bone and joint infection and, in severe cases, sepsis. They can also cause significant pain and prolong a hospital stay.
Where negligent care has caused or contributed to the development of a pressure sore, the pressure sore itself can be the basis of a claim. The focus of a pressure sore claim is not necessarily the underlying condition – it is whether the appropriate standard of care was provided and whether a failure in that care caused or contributed to the pressure sore and its consequences.
Here at BBK, we understand the serious impact that pressure sores can have and deal with claims arising from inadequate prevention or treatment.
If you would like to discuss the circumstances in which your pressure sore developed and whether you might be entitled to compensation, you can contact us.
