Bedsore Lawyer in Pulaski County

Voted Best of the Best 11 Times. Ready to Take Your Case to Trial.

Bedsores, also called pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers, form when a nursing home resident is left in the same position too long without repositioning, monitoring, or proper hygiene. Stage 3 and Stage 4 wounds, where tissue damage reaches muscle or bone, don’t develop overnight. They develop when a facility fails its residents. If your loved one has serious pressure wounds, Missouri law may give your family a path to compensation.

We’ve represented families in Pulaski County and throughout central Missouri in nursing home neglect cases since 1990. Our office is based in Waynesville, and we’re available 24/7 for a free initial consultation. We work on contingency, so there are no upfront legal fees.

If you suspect a nursing home caused your loved one’s bedsores, call us now at (573) 888-8888. A free consultation is available by phone, in our office, or virtually.

The Legal Standard for a Missouri Bedsore Claim

Most bedsore claims in Missouri proceed as negligence actions. To pursue a claim, a family must establish four elements: the nursing home owed the resident a duty of reasonable care; the facility breached that duty; the breach caused the pressure wounds or allowed them to worsen; and the resident suffered compensable harm as a result. Federal regulations at 42 CFR 483.25(b) require facilities to prevent pressure sores in residents who arrive without them, unless the wound is clinically unavoidable, and to treat existing sores to promote healing and prevent infection.

Violations of those federal standards, along with Missouri nursing home licensing statutes, can support a negligence claim alongside common-law negligence theories. In some circumstances, a claim may also be framed as medical malpractice, though that standard is higher than ordinary negligence. Determining the right approach depends on the facts of the case.

Why Pulaski County Families Choose Lowe Dreesen Miller

We’ve been voted “The Best of the Best” by Pulaski County citizens through the Daily Guide 11 times. That recognition reflects a track record, not a marketing campaign. Attorneys David Lowe and Matt Dreesen secured a $2.87 million jury verdict in Pulaski County, the largest personal injury verdict in Pulaski County and the surrounding counties in more than 30 years. That result demonstrates what we do when a defendant refuses to offer fair compensation: we try the case.

David Lowe brings more than 35 years of legal experience. Matt Dreesen has spent over 30 years litigating personal injury cases. We charge lower fees than most competitors in this region, and our team is larger than most firms in the circuit. When a nursing home and its insurer dig in, families need a bedsore attorney in Pulaski County who won’t back down.

Local presence: Based in Waynesville, inside Pulaski County, with direct knowledge of the local courts and community
Trial record: Largest personal injury verdict in Pulaski County and surrounding counties in over 30 years
Lower fees: We charge less than most competing firms in the region
No upfront costs: Contingency fee representation means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you
Available 24/7: Free consultations by phone, in person, or virtually

What Causes Bedsores in Nursing Homes

Pressure wounds don’t happen randomly. They result from specific, preventable failures in resident care, and those failures are the foundation of a negligence claim.

Failure to reposition: Bed-bound and chair-bound residents should be repositioned at minimum every two hours; skipping that protocol is the most direct cause of pressure injuries
Chronic understaffing: When too few aides are on shift, residents go unturned for hours at a time
Poor nutrition and dehydration: Skin integrity and wound healing depend on adequate nutrition; neglecting a resident’s diet increases susceptibility to pressure injuries
Unsanitary conditions: Leaving residents in contact with urine or feces without prompt cleaning accelerates skin breakdown
Missing equipment: Pressure-relief mattresses, heel protectors, and positioning pads are standard preventive tools; failing to use them is a specific, avoidable omission
Inadequate wound monitoring: A Stage 1 or Stage 2 wound that isn’t documented and escalated can progress to a life-threatening Stage 3 or Stage 4 injury
Untrained staff: Aides who can’t recognize early signs of skin breakdown allow treatable wounds to become severe
Ignored care plans: Failing to follow a resident’s individualized care plan is itself a basis for liability under federal nursing home regulations

Signs That Bedsores May Reflect Neglect

Not every pressure wound is evidence of neglect. Some residents arrive medically fragile and face elevated risk, but facilities are still required to take available precautions and document wounds that are clinically unavoidable. Several signs suggest a wound crossed from unfortunate to actionable.

Stage 3 or Stage 4 wounds: Tissue damage reaching muscle, tendon, or bone is a strong indicator the resident wasn’t repositioned or treated in time
Multiple simultaneous wounds: Several pressure injuries appearing at once, or a wound that worsened rapidly after admission, suggest systemic failure rather than a single oversight
Infection or sepsis: An unplanned hospitalization tied to a pressure wound is a serious escalation flag
Broader neglect indicators: A resident regularly found wet, dirty, or unattended, or one who has experienced significant unexplained weight loss, raises connected concerns
Evasive staff explanations: Inconsistent or vague accounts of how a wound developed warrant closer scrutiny

What a Missouri Bedsore Lawsuit Can Recover

Compensation in a bedsore case may cover medical expenses, including hospitalization and wound care, the cost of transferring a resident to a safer facility, and pain and suffering. Where a loved one passed away from complications, wrongful death damages may also be available. Sepsis from a pressure wound is a recognized cause of death in nursing home neglect cases, and Missouri wrongful death law allows surviving family members to seek compensation for that loss.

Where a nursing home’s conduct is particularly egregious, Missouri courts may also award punitive damages to punish the facility and deter future misconduct. The value of any claim depends on the severity of the wound, medical costs incurred, and the degree of the facility’s negligence. We can evaluate those factors during a free consultation.

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Steps to Take When You Suspect Nursing Home Neglect in Pulaski County

If your loved one is in immediate danger, call 911. For concerns that don’t rise to that level, the steps you take in the days and weeks after discovery can significantly affect a claim’s strength.

Report to the state: Contact Missouri’s Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 800-392-0210 or file a report with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Document everything: Photograph wounds, record dates and descriptions of injuries, save all communications with the facility, and request copies of care records
Get independent medical evaluation: Have the resident examined by a physician outside the nursing home as early as possible; medical records are central evidence in a bedsore claim
Consult an attorney promptly: Evidence can disappear, and Missouri’s statute of limitations sets a deadline on the right to file

Cases filed in Pulaski County proceed through the Pulaski County Circuit Court. We handle claims at every stage, including before a family has decided whether to pursue a formal case. You don’t need to have all the answers before you call.

Talk to a Bedsore Attorney in Pulaski County at No Upfront Cost

We represent families on contingency, which means we don’t get paid unless we recover compensation for you. There are no fees to speak with us and no obligation after a consultation. We serve Pulaski County and surrounding central Missouri counties, and we’re available 24/7.

Call Lowe Dreesen Miller at (573) 888-8888 to schedule your free consultation and find out whether your family may have a bedsore neglect claim worth pursuing.

Missouri Filing Deadlines & the Legal Process for Bedsore Claims

Missouri’s filing deadlines depend on how a nursing home neglect case is structured. Where the claim rests on general negligence, such as a facility’s failure to staff adequately or follow care protocols, RSMo 516.120 provides five years from the date of injury to file. Where the claim is framed as medical malpractice against a licensed health care provider, RSMo 516.105 sets a two-year deadline. If the neglect resulted in the resident’s death, the wrongful death statute under RSMo 537.100 allows three years. Missing the applicable deadline can result in dismissal and loss of the right to recover damages. Because nursing home cases can implicate more than one statute, confirming which deadline applies is one of the first things we address in a consultation.

How the Legal Process Unfolds

We begin by gathering evidence: medical records, facility staffing logs, repositioning records, wound assessments, and individualized care plans. We then file a complaint, negotiate with the nursing home’s insurer, and, if a fair settlement can’t be reached, take the case to trial in the Pulaski County Circuit Court. Nursing homes and their corporate owners routinely retain legal teams and insurers whose goal is to minimize payouts, and in some cases multiple parties may share liability, including the nursing home operator, a management company, or a staffing agency. We work on contingency throughout, so clients pay nothing unless we recover compensation on their behalf.

What Sets Us Apart

Decades of Real-World Experience
With over 30 years of legal service and more than 85 years of combined military experience, we bring steady, proven judgment to every case.
Built on Hard Work

We believe in earning trust through relentless preparation, clear communication, and a strong work ethic on every case.
Fair Pricing and Free Consultations

We offer clear, reasonable fees and free initial consultations so you can compare with confidence.
Ready for Trial

Unlike many firms, we’re always prepared to take your case to court if that’s what justice requires.