Nursing home residents face all sorts of risks during their stay at long-term care facilities, but none may present a more sizeable or imminent danger than Kennedy Terminal Ulcers (KTUs).
- Kennedy Terminal Ulcers in Illinois Nursing Home Residents
- Kennedy Terminal Ulcer Symptoms
- Kennedy Terminal Ulcer Treatment
- Sample Illinois Kennedy Terminal Ulcer Case Settlements & Verdicts
- Kennedy Terminal Ulcer Frequently Asked Questions
- Speak to Our Nursing Home Kennedy Terminal Ulcer Lawyers Today
These fast-growing pressure ulcers may spell death for a patient in just a few hours—usually the same amount of time they take to form.
Kennedy Terminal Ulcers are often pear-shaped and found in the lower back area of the spine (sacral/coccygeal section). Clinical wound specialists identify these pressure ulcers by their purple color, which is a sign of terminal illness when the skin fails to remain intact.
The personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers represent patients and families of victims who have suffered because of Kennedy ulcers in Illinois nursing homes.
While KTUs is a particular pressure sore case, the medical condition implicates similar medical issues.
Do you have more questions or concerns? Call our nursing home abuse lawyers anytime and with no obligation at (888) 424-5757.
Kennedy Terminal Ulcers in Illinois Nursing Home Residents
The skin is the body’s largest organ, representing about 15% of total body weight. Like other organ systems affected by aging, intact skin integrity requires constant blood flow and nutrients for survival.
Any sudden onset and rapid progression of a pressure ulcer or wound infection could affect the entire body and lead to tissue death at the Kennedy ulcer site.
When Kennedy Terminal Ulcers Form
While they can look similar, Kennedy ulcers are different from a pressure sore or a bed sore, which happen to people who’ve spent days or weeks laying down with little movement and prolonged pressure, usually seen as care neglect.
Additionally, pressure injuries do not arise due to any medical condition. Still, they are caused by the extended pressure placed on areas where a resident lies down without moving, such as posterior calf muscles, lower back, and heels.
The exact cause of Kennedy Terminal Ulcers is unknown, as they can occur suddenly. However, it is understood that it is a sign of near death. Blood and oxygen are mostly passed to the heart and brain during death. Multiple organs in the body can begin to fail when there is a decrease in blood pressure throughout the body.
Kennedy ulcers develop towards the end of a person’s life. Bed sores (also called pressure sores or decubitus ulcers) form over long periods due to friction, pressure, or shearing.
Sometimes, the doctor or nurse practitioner cannot specifically point to an exact cause of Kennedy terminal ulcers. Yet, they almost always occur simultaneously with skin failure and a person’s overall health decline and death.
Providing Skin Wound Care During the Pressure Ulcer Process
Wound care specialists often identify these pressure ulcers as a sign of general organ, vascular system, and skin failure as a part of the dying process.
Of course, many nursing facility patients are battling terminal illnesses and poor health. They are ripe candidates for the emergence of Kennedy ulcers, as they usually precede death or terminal status.
Therefore, doctors should check for underlying issues that typically predict KTUs will emerge to better prevent wound development.
Kennedy Terminal Ulcer Symptoms
Differentiating between Kennedy ulcers and other types of bruises, bed sores, or lesions can sometimes be challenging. Plus, their quick emergence in terminal patients makes identification difficult in the first place. Yet, Kennedy ulcers do have some distinctive signs and symptoms to alert you to their presence, such as the following:
- Kennedy ulcers typically develop on a person’s sacrum, the lower triangular spot on the back/pelvis.
- Kennedy ulcers usually are pear-shaped initially though that might morph into a different shape later.
- Kennedy ulcers typically have similar colors to other bruised body parts: blue or purple. They become a black necrotic wound as it worsens and reaches their final stages.
- Kennedy ulcers normally develop very quickly (sometimes in just a few hours), unlike bed sores.
Kennedy Terminal Ulcer Treatment
Most KTUs do not improve or heal because the body does not have enough resources for wound healing. Kennedy ulcers grow as the skin breaks down as part of the dying process – although there are some rare cases in the pediatric population.
As their name suggests, Kennedy ulcers usually signal that a patient has entered a final phase of their life. Comorbidities and a Kennedy ulcer are probably critically threatening a patient’s life. At this point, medical teams normally switch to preserving a person’s quality of life with palliative nursing care.
The focus of wound care should include pressure relief, protection of intact skin, management of wound exudate, odor and pain management, appropriate support surfaces, and prevention of wound infection. It is vital to inform family members or caregivers that wound care focuses on comfort instead of healing.
Sample Illinois Kennedy Terminal Ulcer Case Settlements & Verdicts
$300,000 Settlement; Illinois Terminal Ulcer Settlement
The nursing home resident involved in this Illinois case was in her late eighties. She developed a stage IV terminal bed sore just before passing away.
At the time, she also was suffering from several severe health conditions. Her estate brought this action against the nursing home. They alleged the home did not provide appropriate care and sought compensation for pain and expense. In a private settlement, the pair agreed to end the matter for $300,000.
$925,000 Settlement; Illinois Terminal Ulcer Settlement
This dispute emerged and ended relatively quickly. A man in his middle seventies entered an Illinois nursing facility. He was elderly and needed constant monitoring but was otherwise healthy and had no signs of pressure sores.
A few months later, the man died from terminal stage IV bed sore ulcers on the sacral region of his spine. Also, they were infected. The man’s counsel offered that this could have only happened due to the facility’s malpractice and sought compensation for his damages.
Seeking to end the Illinois claim through private agreement, the parties concluded the matter for $925,000.
Kennedy Terminal Ulcer Frequently Asked Questions
Our personal injury attorneys understand that many families have unanswered questions when dealing directly with insurance companies after their loved ones suffered a Kennedy Terminal Ulcer and died from the preventable wound.
A hospice care injury lawyer from our law firm has answered some of those questions below.
Speak to Our Nursing Home Kennedy Terminal Ulcer Lawyers Today
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC has spent years working with victims of nursing home abuse to ensure they receive the relief they need. Nursing home misconduct puts a heavy toll on residents and their families, especially if they involve Kennedy ulcers.
Our “No Win/No-fee” guarantee means you don’t pay a cent unless we win a jury award or obtain a settlement for you and your family.
Start the process today. Set up a free consultation to discuss your legal options with one of our pressure injury lawyers by calling (888) 424-5757.
