Gangrene in Nursing Homes

Many people living in nursing homes have health issues that create a high risk of serious complications, like gangrene. Gangrene often results in limb loss and, in some cases, is fatal, and nursing homes that neglect to provide their patients with the care necessary to prevent gangrene from developing should be held accountable. If you have questions regarding what recourse is available for gangrene injuries in nursing homes, it is in your best interest to speak to an attorney as soon as possible. Valerie Crown of The Law Firm of Valerie J. Crown, Attorney at Law, P.C., is a trusted Rockland County nursing home negligence lawyer who can assess the circumstances surrounding your losses and advise you of what damages you may be able to recover. Ms. Crown frequently represents people in nursing home negligence lawsuits in Rockland, Westchester, Orange, Dutchess, and Ulster Counties and in the greater metropolitan area.

Gangrene is a type of tissue death caused by an insufficient blood supply. Symptoms of gangrene include numbness, pain, skin breakdown, and coolness. Additionally, the color of the skin in the impacted area will typically change to red or black. Gangrene generally occurs in the feet, hands, and legs.

Gangrene may be wet or dry. People suffering from peripheral artery disease, diabetes, and atherosclerosis have a greater risk of developing dry gangrene, while wet gangrene usually arises due to a bacterial infection. Gangrene is usually diagnosed with blood tests, skin cultures, and imaging. Treatment for gangrene includes debridement, surgery, and amputations. If it is not treated promptly, it can cause sepsis, which can be fatal.

Nursing homes are bound by state and federal regulations that dictate the standard of care and environment they must provide for their residents. Nursing homes that fail to abide by the regulations, thereby causing their residents to suffer harm, may be deemed negligent and owe the resident or their family compensation.

In New York, a plaintiff that seeks to prove a nursing home was negligent must first show that the defendant owed them a duty. In most instances, the duty owed is to comply with the applicable standard of care as indicated by state and federal regulations. Next, the plaintiff must show that the defendant breached the duty owed. For example, if the standards require a nursing home check the integrity of a resident’s skin at regular intervals and the defendant’s staff failed to do so, it may constitute a breach of the duty owed. Last, the plaintiff has to demonstrate that the defendant’s breach proximately caused the plaintiff to suffer actual losses. In other words, that the plaintiff would not have sustained injuries but for the defendant’s breach.

In many instances, the defendant will argue that the losses sustained were either inevitable or were caused by something other than their negligence. As such, a plaintiff in a nursing home negligence case will usually have to hire an expert to explain the applicable standard of care to the judge or jury and the manner in which the defendant deviated from the standard, thereby causing the plaintiff’s harm.

Nursing home residents often suffer from conditions that cause circulatory issues and make them prone to infection, and if the status of their health is not carefully and regularly monitored, they may develop gangrene. If you or someone you loved sustained losses due to the carelessness of a nursing home, you have the right to seek compensation, and you should speak to an attorney. Valerie Crown of The Law Firm of Valerie J. Crown, Attorney at Law, P.C., is a seasoned Rockland County lawyer who is mindful of the devastation nursing home negligence can cause, and if you engage her services, we will work tirelessly to help you seek a just outcome. Ms. Crown’s office is in New York, and she regularly represents people in lawsuits arising out of nursing home negligence in Rockland, Westchester, Orange, Dutchess, and Ulster Counties and in the greater metropolitan area. You can contact Ms. Crown through the form online or by calling 845.708.5900 (office number) or 845.598.8253 (Valerie’s direct cellphone 24/7).