Who Is Liable for Bed Sores in Nursing Home Residents?

Who Is Liable for Bed Sores in Nursing Home Residents?

When you learn that your loved one has developed bedsores in a nursing home, it’s natural to feel shocked, angry, and betrayed. Who let this happen? Who can you hold accountable for this?

Roy Injury Law has been working with families affected by nursing home abuse for over 30 years. In most cases, the nursing home itself is at the center of a bedsore claim, but liability can extend beyond the facility’s walls. That’s because the neglect that leads to bedsores is often rooted in systemic issues that trickle down through many different levels of the nursing home’s operation.

Some of the parties within a nursing home environment that may share liability include:

• Individual staff members or caregivers
• The medical professionals responsible for monitoring and treating residents
• Corporate owners or management overseeing the facility

Understanding how these roles connect is the first step toward uncovering the truth and making sure it doesn’t happen again.

What Causes Bedsores in Nursing Homes?

Bedsores (also called pressure ulcers) are breakdowns of the skin that can quickly lead to severe infections, tissue damage, and even death if not properly managed. In nursing homes, bedsores are almost always preventable. 

These wounds typically develop due to:

• Lack of repositioning: Staff failing to turn residents every two hours as required
• Failure to monitor skin: Missing early warning signs of skin breakdown
• Dehydration and malnutrition: Poor nutrition weakens skin integrity
• Poor hygiene practices: Allowing residents to remain in soiled clothing or bedding

Bedsores don’t appear overnight, which means multiple parties often have the chance to catch them. When no one does, it signals a breakdown in accountability and a culture of neglect within the facility.

Can a Nursing Home Be Held Responsible for Bedsores?

Yes, and in most cases, the nursing home itself is the primary party held liable. That’s because the facility is legally responsible for its staff’s actions, the quality of care it provides, and the systems it puts in place to protect residents from preventable injuries, such as bedsores.

Nursing homes must comply with federal and state regulations requiring:

• Adequate staffing levels to provide proper care
• Training programs for all caregivers
• Supervision protocols to monitor resident health
• Prevention plans for high-risk residents

In many cases, the real problem starts at the top. Corporate owners or management may cut staffing or training to reduce costs, creating conditions where neglect becomes inevitable. When that happens, both the facility and its leadership can be held accountable.

What About Individual Nurses or Aides—Can They Be Liable Too?

Sometimes, individual caregivers may share responsibility if they directly failed to turn or clean a resident, ignored warning signs, or falsified care logs.

However, these employees are often victims of the same broken system, expected to care for too many residents at once with insufficient resources. Bedsores are rarely caused by a single bad employee; they typically indicate poor oversight and chronic understaffing across the facility.

Why Didn’t Their Doctor Notice the Bedsores?

Doctors may not always detect bedsores early. They rely on nurses and caregivers to report skin changes, since they provide the daily, hands-on care. If staff fail to communicate or document concerns, the doctor might not know until the sores worsen. Limited exam time and systemic understaffing can make matters worse. Nursing homes must facilitate strong communication between caregivers and physicians to prevent these oversights.

How Do You Prove Liability for Bedsores?

If you suspect your loved one’s bedsores were caused by neglect, you’ll need proof, and that starts with a thorough investigation. An experienced nursing home abuse attorney can provide invaluable support by:

• Securing and analyzing medical records: Attorneys carefully examine documentation detailing the development and progression of bedsores to identify lapses in care.
• Investigating staffing logs: They assess whether adequate staff were present and properly allocated, identifying potential understaffing issues.
• Documenting conditions with photographs: Legal teams can help gather photographic evidence of injuries and living conditions within the facility.
• Evaluating care plans: Attorneys determine if appropriate care plans were in place and, critically, whether they were diligently followed.
• Collecting witness statements: They professionally gather statements from other staff members or residents, which can provide crucial insights.

Nursing homes often attempt to deflect blame, citing a resident’s “underlying health” or covering up neglect. This is precisely why it is vital to work with experienced attorneys who know how to connect the dots and build a strong case.

Accountability Starts with Awareness

Bedsores are a sign that someone wasn’t watching, helping, or caring for your loved one the way they should. When that happens, the nursing home, its leadership, and staff must answer for it.

At Roy Injury Law, we understand how devastating this discovery can be. With over 30 years of experience helping families like yours, we’re here to uncover what went wrong, demand justice, and push for lasting change. Contact us today to discuss your case and learn how we can help protect your loved one from further harm.