The Case
A patient experienced a cardiac complication that required an extended stay in intensive care. During that time, the patient developed a Stage 4 pressure injury—one of the most severe forms of bedsores, extending through skin and tissue down to muscle or bone.
The family alleged that hospital staff failed to follow basic standards for pressure injury prevention. These standards include regularly repositioning immobile patients and turning them to relieve pressure on vulnerable areas. Stage 4 pressure injuries typically develop over days or weeks when these protocols are not followed consistently.
The patient’s condition deteriorated, and the injury contributed to complications that led to death. The family pursued a wrongful death claim against the hospital.
The Defense
The defendants denied liability. They argued that the care provided met the applicable standard and that the pressure injury was unavoidable given the patient’s underlying medical condition and critical status. They also disputed whether the pressure injury caused or contributed to the patient’s death.
This is a common defense strategy in hospital negligence cases. Facilities often point to a patient’s preexisting health issues to suggest that injuries were inevitable rather than preventable.
The Resolution
The case settled for $1,100,000 before trial. The settlement reflected the strength of the evidence showing that basic care protocols were not followed and that the resulting injury contributed to the patient’s death.
Why These Cases Matter
Pressure injuries are preventable in most cases. When a patient is immobile—whether due to surgery, sedation, or serious illness—medical staff have a duty to reposition that person regularly. Failure to do so can result in severe, painful injuries that lead to infection, sepsis, and death.
Stage 4 pressure injuries do not develop overnight. They progress through earlier stages over time, giving staff multiple opportunities to identify the problem and intervene. When a patient develops a Stage 4 injury in a hospital setting, it suggests systematic failure to provide basic care.
Families dealing with the loss of a loved one in a hospital or nursing facility often face questions about whether more could have been done. If you believe a preventable injury contributed to a family member’s death, contact us to discuss your situation. We handle wrongful death and medical malpractice cases on a contingency basis—there is no fee unless we recover compensation for you.