Oakland Nursing Home Bed Sore Neglect: Holding Nursing Homes Accountable for Preventable Wounds

A severe bedsore — especially a Stage III or Stage IV pressure ulcer — is one of the clearest signs that something has gone terribly wrong inside a nursing home. When a family in Oakland discovers that their loved one has developed a deep, painful wound, the feelings of betrayal, anger, and grief can be overwhelming. Families trust these facilities to provide basic human care: turning, cleaning, feeding, and monitoring residents. A serious pressure ulcer means those fundamental duties were not met.

Nursing Home Law Group has represented families throughout California for more than twenty years, including many in the East Bay who have faced heartbreaking cases of pressure ulcer neglect. We know what these facilities are required to do, and we know how to hold them accountable when they fail.

Despite being one of the most heavily regulated areas of elder care, pressure ulcer prevention is one of the most commonly violated responsibilities in long-term care facilities. Bed sores occur when prolonged pressure cuts off circulation. They do not develop in residents who are monitored, repositioned, and cared for appropriately.

In Oakland, common causes of preventable bed sores include:

• Chronic understaffing, especially on night shifts
• Missed turning schedules
• Failure to identify early redness or skin irritation
• Leaving residents in wet or soiled bedding
• Poor nutrition or dehydration
• Nurses failing to call a physician when a wound appears
• Improper wound care or delayed treatment

Whether your loved one lived in East Oakland, Temescal, Rockridge, Lake Merritt, Adams Point, or West Oakland, a Oakland bedsore attorney can help determine exactly where the breakdown occurred.

When a wound progresses to Stage III or Stage IV, it means the resident’s skin and underlying tissue have been breaking down for days — sometimes weeks — without proper intervention.

Stage III wounds extend into fat and deeper tissues

Stage IV wounds expose bone, tendon, or muscle and often become severely infected

These advanced wounds are considered “never events” in well-operated nursing homes. In legal terms, that means they almost always indicate neglect.

An experienced Oakland bedsore lawyer can determine whether the facility violated state or federal care standards, including required turning schedules, skin assessments, and physician notification rules.

Yes. Under California law, you can file a lawsuit when a nursing home’s negligence leads to a preventable injury such as a severe pressure ulcer. Bed sore cases often qualify under the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (EADACPA), which allows families to seek:

• Compensation for pain and suffering
• Attorney’s fees
• Wrongful death damages
• Enhanced damages for reckless conduct
• Punitive damages when the conduct is egregious

Many Oakland facilities — particularly those owned by larger corporate chains — cut staffing and training to save money. A knowledgeable Oakland bedsore attorney can expose these practices and hold the owners accountable.

If your loved one has developed a serious bedsore, taking fast action can protect their safety and preserve the evidence needed for a strong case.

• Document the wound with clear photos.
• Request hospital evaluation if there are signs of infection.
• Ask for the resident’s full medical chart from the facility.

Contact an Oakland bedsore lawyer immediately so the facility cannot alter or withhold evidence.

Families throughout Oakland trust our firm because:

1. We have decades of experience with pressure ulcer cases
2. We understand wound care standards and medical documentation
3. We know how to expose falsified charting and understaffing
4. We work with leading wound-care experts
5. We fight aggressively for accountability
6. We handle cases on contingency — no fee unless we win

We know how painful it is to discover a preventable wound on someone you love. We also know how to prove what happened and get justice for your family.

If your family member developed a serious bedsore in an Oakland nursing home or assisted living facility, do not wait. These wounds are dangerous, preventable, and often signs of deep neglect.