Can I Sue for Bedsores in My Elder Neglect Claim?

When a loved one develops pressure ulcers in a nursing home or assisted living facility, it’s natural to feel frustrated. You may be asking, “Can I sue for bedsores in my elder neglect claim?”

The answer is yes, you can sue for bedsores if they’re linked to neglect. If you need immediate support or want to explore your legal options for a lawsuit, speak with a Los Angeles elder abuse lawyer.

Why Bedsores Signal Elder Abuse In Los Angeles Facilities

Bedsores—also called pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers—often point to nursing home neglect. They form when pressure cuts off blood flow to the skin, typically on the sacrum, hips, heels, and shoulders.

With regular repositioning, skin checks, and nutrition support, most bedsores are avoidable.

In Los Angeles, long-term care facilities must meet California care standards. When staff skip turning schedules, miss signs of infection, or fail to hydrate and feed residents, preventable injuries follow.

Advanced stages of bedsores can lead to sepsis or amputations, but even minor ones are a cause of concern.

A bedsore is a red flag that basic protocols may have been ignored, and could be grounds for suing for bedsores through an elder neglect claim.

Legal Grounds to Sue for Bedsores Under California Law

The California Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (EADACPA) allows civil actions for neglect, physical abuse, abandonment, and related misconduct.

“Neglect” includes failing to assist with hygiene, nutrition, medical care, and protection from health hazards—exactly the type of failings that lead to bedsores.

Depending on the facts, a bedsore case can involve:

• Elder abuse/neglect claims under EADACPA
• General negligence or medical negligence claims
• Wrongful death and survival actions
• Claims under the Patient’s Bill of Rights
• Corporate negligence for understaffing and poor training

When a facility’s conduct rises to recklessness or malice, EADACPA can open the door to attorneys’ fees, heightened remedies, and, in some cases, punitive damages.

We assess records, staffing patterns, and wound progression to identify which legal theories fit your case.

Proving Neglect in a Los Angeles Elder Abuse Lawsuit

To prove a bedsore claim, you must show what the facility should have done and what it failed to do.

California and federal regulations set out baseline duties: turning schedules, preventive skin care, caretaker supervision, and timely wound treatment. Documentation is central to showing where those duties broke down.

Your lawyer and a doctor can look at how fast the ulcer progressed, whether repositioning was charted and performed, and if orders from wound care specialists were followed.

A pattern of missed interventions helps connect the facility’s conduct to the harm your loved one suffered.

Common Evidence That Strengthens a Bedsore Case

Families often worry that they lack proof. In many cases, the strongest evidence is already in the facility’s files, paired with what you have at home. Items that often matter include:

• Wound records, photographs, and staging notes
• Staffing schedules and acuity-based assignment sheets
• Care plans, repositioning logs, and nutrition/hydration charts
• Hospital transfer records and infectious disease reports
• Communications with administrators and ombudsman complaints
• State survey citations and prior deficiency reports for the facility

Who Can File and Who Do You Sue for Bedsores in an Elder Neglect Claim?

Typically, the resident brings the claim against the facility. However, if the resident lacks capacity, a court-appointed representative or a holder of a valid power of attorney may act.

After a death, heirs may bring a wrongful death claim, and the estate may pursue a survival claim.

Defendants can include the nursing home, assisted living facility, management company, staffing agency, and sometimes treating providers.

Corporate parents and related entities may also be liable if policies and budgeting choices contributed to poor care or understaffing.

What Compensation Can You Seek for Nursing Home Bedsores?

Compensation depends on the severity of the wounds, the impact on health and dignity, and the level of misconduct involved.

California law allows recovery for both economic and non-economic losses. In some elder abuse cases, additional remedies may apply.

Common categories include:

• Medical costs like hospitalization, surgery, wound care, and rehabilitation
• Pain and suffering
• Disfigurement and disability
• Care costs
• Wrongful death damages for heirs, and survival damages for the estate
• Punitive damages where conduct reflects oppression, fraud, or malice
• Attorneys’ fees under EADACPA when statutory standards are met

We also examine whether Medicare or Medi-Cal will request reimbursement and how liens may affect your net recovery. Our goal is to position your case for a fair outcome that reflects the full harm.

How Our Los Angeles Elder Abuse Attorneys Build Your Case

First, we conduct a free case review and gather your documents. Then we demand the full facility chart, obtain hospital records, and consult with wound care and geriatric nursing experts.

We analyze staffing levels against acuity and compare what should have happened with what actually occurred.

Next, we prepare a settlement package that highlights liability, causation, and damages. If the facility disputes responsibility, we file suit in Los Angeles County and move through discovery, depositions, and expert reports.

Throughout, we keep you informed and handle the legal work so you can focus on your family.

Your Next Step: Talk With a Los Angeles Elder Abuse Team

If your parent or spouse developed bedsores in a Los Angeles facility, you can sue for bedsores in an elder neglect claim. J&Y Law can review medical records, identify all responsible parties, and pursue compensation that reflects the full harm.

Reach out to our team today to discuss your case and learn how we can help you move forward.