Chicago Nursing Home Bedsore Lawyers Standing Up For Elderly People

Last updated on March 19, 2026

Bedsores, also called pressure ulcers, form when a person stays in one position for too long. Constant pressure cuts off blood flow and damages skin and tissue. In nursing homes, bedsores often start when staff skip turning schedules, ignore hygiene or fail to check skin each day.

At Dudley & Lake, we represent families in Chicago, Libertyville, Peoria and across Illinois after preventable harm in long-term care. We focus on serious injury claims and we take a direct, respectful approach with each family. Call us at 847-504-8423 or reach out online to discuss what happened with our team and learn how we can help.

What Residents Are Most At Risk For Bedsores?

Some residents face a higher risk than others. These factors often increase the danger.

• Limited mobility: A resident cannot stand, walk or reposition without staff help.
• Wheelchair use: Long periods of sitting can create constant pressure on the tailbone, hips and buttocks.
• Bedbound status: Extended time in bed can place pressure on the heels, ankles, back and shoulder blades.
• Diabetes: Poor blood flow and slower healing can turn minor skin damage into a serious ulcer.
• Poor circulation: Reduced blood supply can damage skin faster and delay recovery.
• Incontinence: Moisture and skin breakdown can speed up sores and increase infection risk.
• Malnutrition or dehydration: Low protein and fluid levels can weaken skin and slow healing.
• Cognitive impairment: Dementia or confusion can prevent a resident from reporting pain or asking for help.

When staff know these risks, they should use turning schedules, skin checks, pressure-relief cushions and prompt wound care to protect the resident.

The Medical Impact Of Bedsores

Bedsores can cause serious medical complications and long recoveries. Open wounds can lead to cellulitis or sepsis and require hospital care. Severe ulcers can reach muscle or bone and require surgery or grafts, and bacteria can spread into bone and create long-term pain and disability. Long-standing wounds can even raise the risk of rare skin cancers. Complications from these injuries can become fatal in some cases.

How Can You Protect Your Loved One After Bedsores?

Evidence often decides the outcome of a bedsore case. If you suspect nursing home neglect, you can take steps right away to protect your loved one and preserve key proof. Quick action can also help prevent a minor wound from turning into a life-threatening infection.

Start with the resident’s safety and medical care. You can also create a clear record of what happened and when it happened. Consider these steps.

• Request prompt medical evaluation: Ask for a wound assessment, treatment plan and referral to a hospital or specialist when the sore looks advanced or infected.
• Document the wound and living conditions: Take dated photos of the bedsore, bandages, bedding and any soiled clothing or sheets you see.
• Ask for the care plan and turning schedule: Request written proof of repositioning, skin checks, nutrition support and wound care orders.
• Get copies of records: Ask for chart notes, wound care logs, incident reports, medication lists and transfer records.
• Write down names and timelines: Record who you spoke with, what they said and when you noticed the sore or any change in condition.
• Report concerns to leadership: Speak with the director of nursing or administrator and ask for a written response and corrective plan.
• Consider a transfer: Move your loved one to a safer facility when you see ongoing neglect or delayed treatment.

These steps can support your loved one’s care while also helping you understand whether the facility met basic standards.

It can also be important to seek legal advice during this time. An experienced attorney from our team can help you request records, review wound staging, secure photos and interview witnesses. We also work with medical experts who explain how proper care could have stopped the injury. If the facility changed records or failed to chart key details, we can press for answers through formal legal demands.

Protect Your Loved One Today

Our bedsores attorneys prepare cases with urgency and focus. We build claims that match the full medical impact, the cost of future care and the harm your loved one endured. Our bedsores lawyers also handle communication with the nursing home and its insurers, so you can focus on your family. Call us at 847-504-8423 or reach out to our office online to talk with our attorneys about next steps.