What Is a Stage 3 Bedsore?
A stage 3 bedsore is an advanced and very serious medical problem. Stage 3 bedsores are deep, open wounds that resemble a crater. White or yellow fat tissue may be visible, and the wound can extend beneath the edges of the surrounding skin.
Other signs of a stage 3 pressure ulcer may include:
- Drainage from the open wound
- Slough or dead tissue that’s yellow, soft, and moist
- Some areas of eschar (dead tissue) that’s black, thick, and dry
- Tunneling beneath skin
- People develop stage 3 bedsores over bony areas exposed to prolonged pressure, including the heels, hips, tailbone, and shoulder blades.
Bedsores are common among older adults who can’t reposition themselves due to mobility problems. Proper nursing home care can stop many bedsores before they start — or treat them so they don’t reach advanced stages.
If you or your loved one has developed a stage 3 bedsore due to nursing home neglect, we may be able to help. Contact us today to see if you can file a stage 3 bedsore lawsuit claim.
What Causes Stage 3 Bedsores in Nursing Homes?
A stage 3 bedsore forms when prolonged pressure cuts off blood flow long enough for the damage to reach the fatty tissue beneath the skin. The wound may worsen to a stage 4 bedsore if it is not properly treated.
Common causes of stage 3 pressure ulcers include:
- Friction: Skin can wear down if someone consistently rubs against clothing, sheets, or a wheelchair
- Moisture: A person’s skin may break down if incontinence or sweat softens it
- Pressure: Remaining in the same position can cut off blood circulation, contributing to skin breakdown
- Shear: Tissue can shift beneath a person’s skin and cause shearing, like if they slowly slide down in a raised bed without repositioning
- Understaffing: Fewer nursing home employees can mean that residents don’t get repositioned or receive skin checks that prevent bedsores
Residents with limited mobility, like those who are bedridden, wheelchair-bound, or dependent on staff to reposition them, face the highest risk of stage 3 bedsores.
Is a Stage 3 Bedsore Evidence of Nursing Home Neglect?
A stage 3 bedsore does not automatically prove nursing home neglect. Some older adults have serious medical conditions and risk factors that make pressure injuries particularly difficult to prevent or heal. Those can include preexisting diabetes, incontinence, and poor nutrition.
With that said, there are several signs that could mean a stage 3 bedsore actually stems from neglect on the part of nursing home staff.
A stage 3 pressure sore may be evidence of nursing home abuse or neglect if:
- A resident has not been receiving needed repositioning
- An existing wound has been becoming progressively deeper
- Concerns about nutrition or hydration are being ignored
- Facility employees are giving you conflicting explanations about the wound
- Inadequate wound care or monitoring is ongoing
- Poor management of incontinence or moisture is a daily issue
- Signs of infection have gone untreated
- Staff have failed to respond to earlier signs of a pressure sore
Nursing home administrators should identify residents at risk of pressure ulcers and protect their skin. When someone depends on staff to move them, help them eat and drink, or keep them clean, lapses in care can result in lasting harm.
Complications of Stage 3 Pressure Ulcers
Once a bedsore reaches stage 3, the wound breaks through the skin into the fatty tissue below, which raises the risk of serious complications if it isn’t treated promptly.
These are some complications of a stage 3 pressure injury:
- Fistulas (tunnels) to nearby skin, bones, and organs
- Heterotopic ossification (abnormal bone growth where bones normally don’t exist)
- Infection or sepsis
- Marjolin’s ulcer (an aggressive skin cancer)
- Premature death
- Recurrence of the pressure injury
- Rhabdomyolysis (muscle tissue breakdown and death)
- Systemic amyloidosis (chronic cellular inflammation)
A stage 3 wound that isn’t managed properly can quickly progress to stage 4, where the risk of complications and death becomes even more severe.
Prompt medical attention and consistent wound care are essential to keeping a stage 3 pressure ulcer from becoming a life-threatening nursing home injury.
How Are Stage 3 Bedsores Treated?
Stage 3 pressure ulcers require medical attention. Treatment depends on the wound and the resident’s overall health, but relieving pressure is one of the most important parts of care.
A doctor may recommend these stage 3 pressure ulcer treatments:
- Adequate nutrition and hydration to support wound healing
- Antibiotics to treat bacterial infections
- Cleaning and dressing the wound
- Debridement to remove dead tissue
- Monitoring and treating infections
- Regular repositioning to relieve pressure
- Specialized mattresses, cushions, or other support surfaces
- Surgery, if the wound requires grafting, a skin flap, or deep tissue removal
- Ways to manage moisture-related incontinence
Stage 3 bedsores treatment may prevent serious complications if the injury receives medical attention in time. Otherwise, a nursing home resident may be hospitalized or pass away from their wound.
What to Do if Your Loved One Has a Stage 3 Bedsore
If you find a stage 3 bedsore on your loved one, get medical help right away. Call 911 or drive them to the nearest hospital. Their doctor can create a treatment plan and explain what may happen next.
You should also report what you’ve seen to facility administrators or state regulators. They can investigate what happened and provide clarity.
Keep track of what you see and what you’re told. Pictures and written notes can help you document changes in the wound and important conversations with nursing home staff.
You may also qualify for a stage 3 pressure ulcer lawsuit, which can help you access compensation to cover your loved one’s medical bills, funeral costs, and other expenses.
What Is a Stage 3 Bedsore Lawsuit?
A stage 3 bedsore lawsuit is a civil claim filed against a nursing home, hospital, or other care facility when neglect or substandard care allows a resident to develop a serious pressure wound.
These lawsuits seek to hold facilities accountable and recover compensation for the harm caused.
Filing a lawsuit for bedsores may depend on:
- If there’s proof of the injury, which may include medical records and staffing logs
- Whether the facility failed to meet accepted standards of practice
- Whether their failure directly caused or worsened the pressure injury
You don’t need to present evidence to speak with our team. We connect eligible families with our partner bedsore lawsuit attorneys after a free consultation.
How Long Do You Have to File a Bedsore Lawsuit?
Every state has its own filing deadline, known as a statute of limitations, for a nursing home neglect claim. If you miss that deadline, you may not be able to pursue a stage 3 bedsore lawsuit.
The average deadline to file a pressure ulcer lawsuit is 2 to 3 years, but some states have statutes of limitations that are as short as 1 year.
Missing the window in your case could prevent you from pursuing compensation, so it’s best to explore your legal options as soon as possible.
Stage 3 Bedsore Lawsuit Settlement Amounts
Most nursing home lawsuits reach out-of-court settlements, which allow families to recover compensation for issues like bedsores without a trial.
The average bedsore lawsuit settlement is $400,000, but that number depends on case-specific factors. People who experience severe neglect or pressure ulcer complications may secure higher settlements or in-court trial verdicts.
For example, a California jury awarded $15.75 million to a family whose loved one died of a severe stage 3 pressure ulcer. She was supposed to only have a short-term stay at a nursing home, but evidence showed that the staff failed to reposition her and falsified her care records.
We’re here to help you understand how much your claim may be worth. Contact us now to find out if pressure ulcer lawyers in our network can pursue a stage 3 bedsore settlement on your behalf.
How to File a Stage 3 Bedsore Lawsuit
Filing a stage 3 bedsore lawsuit can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re still coordinating your loved one’s care. Breaking the process into clear steps can make it easier to know what to expect.
Here’s how a pressure ulcer lawsuit typically moves forward:
- Get a free case review: Talk with our team to determine whether you can move forward with a stage 3 pressure ulcer lawsuit.
- Collect evidence: Your bedsore lawyer will gather medical records, nursing notes, staffing schedules, stage 3 bedsore pictures, and other documentation to strengthen your case.
- File your stage 3 bedsore lawsuit: Your attorney will prepare and file your lawsuit in the appropriate court, making sure it meets your state’s filing deadline.
- Let your lawyer fight for you: Your attorney will handle the legal process, including negotiating with the involved facility or its insurer. Many cases settle instead of going to trial, but your lawyer can represent you in court if a fair settlement isn’t offered.
Seeking compensation can also provide a measure of justice for what happened to you or your loved one. You deserve clarity, so don’t hesitate to talk with our team.
Get started now with a free case review.
Get Legal Support After Stage 3 Bedsores
If you or a loved one are experiencing a stage 3 bedsore, get medical assistance right away. A doctor or surgeon may be able to prevent serious complications.
When you’re ready to take the next step, you may have legal options. Compensation from a pressure injury lawsuit could help you cover medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other related losses.
Get a free case review or call (877) 640-6101 to discuss what may have happened in your case and whether you can take legal action. If you qualify, our nursing home neglect attorneys can negotiate a settlement or fight for a fair verdict on your behalf.
Stage 3 Bedsore FAQs
How serious is a stage 3 bedsore?
A stage 3 bedsore is a serious pressure injury involving skin loss that extends into fatty tissue. They develop when people don’t get proper care, like consistent repositioning, nutrition, or skin checks.
These open, crater-like wounds need prompt medical attention to prevent them from getting worse. Without proper care, a stage 3 bedsore can lead to deeper tissue damage or a life-threatening infection.
If your loved one has developed a stage 3 bedsore in a nursing home, contact us today to discuss what happened and learn about your legal options.
What is the life expectancy for someone with a stage 3 bedsore?
There is no average stage 3 bedsore life expectancy because every case is different. Someone with a robust immune system may recover quickly if they get immediate medical attention. Older, frailer nursing home residents may need more time to recover.
Untreated stage 3 bedsores can progress to stage 4, which significantly increases the risk of death. The most important factor is getting prompt medical care, since early treatment improves the odds of a full recovery.
How do you heal a stage 3 bedsore?
Healing a stage 3 bedsore takes consistent care over time. Treatment typically involves multiple strategies, which may include:
- Arranging proper nutrition and hydration
- Cleaning and dressing the wound
- Debriding or removing any dead tissue
- Relieving pressure through repositioning and specialized cushions
- Treating infection with antibiotics
Because a stage 3 pressure ulcer reaches into the fatty layer beneath the skin, healing can take weeks or months, and some cases require surgery to fully close.
If your loved one’s bedsore isn’t getting the care it needs, get them medical assistance and call us at (877) 640-6101 to discuss your concerns.
What is the most painful stage of bedsores?
Pain tends to increase as bedsores advance, with stage 3 and stage 4 wounds generally causing the most discomfort because they reach deeper into the body.
At stage 3, the wound extends into the fatty tissue beneath the skin, and the exposed nerve endings and tissue damage can make daily life painful.
Some residents may feel less pain than expected due to nerve damage or reduced sensation. However, that shouldn’t discount how serious a stage 3 pressure ulcer is.
Can you sue for a stage 3 bedsore in a nursing home?
Yes, you may be able to pursue a pressure ulcer lawsuit settlement if a stage 3 bedsore developed due to neglect or substandard care. While not every pressure ulcer is evidence of neglect, a stage 3 wound should be taken seriously and investigated.
If you believe your loved one’s bedsore resulted from poor care, you may be able to pursue a bedsore lawsuit to recover compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Get a free case review now to discuss your next steps.
Written by: Her Case Matters
At HerCaseMatters, we believe women deserve to be heard — especially when it comes to their health and safety. Too often, harmful drugs, devices, and corporate wrongdoing impact women’s lives without proper warning, support, or accountability. We’re here to change that. We work with trusted legal partners who are deeply experienced in holding powerful companies accountable. But more than that, we’re here to remind women everywhere that their pain is real, their experiences matter, and they deserve justice.
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