Lawsuit Alleging Pressure Sores That Became Infected

As discussed in various places within this site, bed sores (also called bed sores, pressure sores, and pressure ulcers) can develop due to a number of factors.  Bedsores commonly develop in persons who are not moving about or are otherwise confined to beds or wheelchairs.  These people are often unable to move various body parts without getting assistance.

Bedsores are often caused by poor operating procedures, neglect, or carelessness in the care of patients, and bedsores often occur in nursing homes, retirement homes, and other health care facilities, such as hospitals.

The June 17, 2015 Glendale News-Press article titled “Elder-abuse lawsuit filed against USC Verdugo Hills Hospital” discusses a lawsuit filed over the care received by a hospital patient (Beverly Harmon)  who allegedly developed pressure sores.

Two excerpts from the article:

An elder-abuse lawsuit was filed against the USC Verdugo Hills Hospital after an 80-year-old patient suffered “avoidable” pressure sores, which later became infected, after hospital staff placed a boot on her foot too tightly, court records show.


The hospital staff subsequently put her foot in an “extraordinarily tight” boot and then neglected to check the boot, according to Garcia. The boot created a hard rubbing surface on her “already brittle skin,” which caused the pressure sores, he added.

As is often the case with pressure sores, especially those that go without proper treatment, the pressure sores became infected, and the article mentions the need for multiple surgeries to rectify the medical situation.

Additional details and possible updates can be seen in a variety of media sources, including the Glendale News-Press article mentioned above.





