Take Pictures of Nursing Home Bed Sores?

Should you take pictures of your loved one's bed sores in preperation for a nursing home lawsuit? The answer is yes, but it is a qualifed yes. There are reasons to take pictures of nursing home injuries and there are reasons not to take pictures.

At first glance, taking pictures seems like an obviously good move. Pictures are worth a 1,000 words, the cliche tells us, so adding a visual record gives both the insurance company and a jury the opportunity to see the wound first hand. It also gives the jury a chance to see what the nursing home staff saw (or should have seen).

The downside to taking pictures of bed sores is that, in some cases, it poorly documents what the patient was really facing. For example, you can't see deep tissue injuries in a photograph. If the wrong lighting or angles are utilized when the photographs are being taken, you may have pictures that do not fairly depect the injuries. Finally, there is a concern that taking pictures early on in bed sore cases will make a jury think the family is more interested in a lawsuit than helping their loved one heal. (We don't think think is a big concern and we don't think a jury would see it that way, but it is something insurance adjusters and nursing home defense lawyers have complained about in bed sore cases.)

The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP), for whatever it is worth, does not take a position on whether photographs are helpful in documenting pressure sores. They do, however, note that if digital photography is to be used, they discourage the usage of cameras with 1.5 (or less) mega pixels. Instead, they recommend a density of 3 mega pixels or greater because of the density and clarity of the photos.

Taking pictures of bed sore injuries have some drawbacks, particuarly if the photographer is not getting the best pictures. But, in more cases than not, it is a good idea to get pictures. Don't make the call yourself because there are just too many factors to weigh. Call an experienced nursing home attorney who can give you their thoughts on how to proceed during your free consultation.

If someone you love has injuries of unknown origin, bed sores, a broken hip or frequent falls and you have suspicions of elder abuse or nursing home negligence, a personal injury lawsuit may be filed on their behalf. If you believe that you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury as a result of nursing home abuse or nursing home negligence, call our Maryland nursing home attorneys at (800) 553-8082 for a free Internet consultation to discuss a potential lawsuit. There are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained.

• Bed Sore Injuries in Nursing Homes (discussion of this common nursing home neglect lawsuit issue)
• More Information on Bed Sores and How to Prevent Them

• Sample Nursing Home Complaint (sample wrongful death lawsuit against Manor Care)
• Expert Report (sample certificate of merit and expert report defending Manor Care in a nursing home case)
• Example Mediation Statement in a Nursing Home Death Case
• Plaintiff's Expert Report (Plaintiff's expert report )
• Interrogatories to Nursing Home (what we ask the nursing home)
• Release of Claims in Nursing Home Case (settlement documents)
• Scheduling Order in Nursing Home Case (how long does a nursing home lawsuit take before a settlement or verdict?)