Nothing upfront. Stebner, Gertler, & Guadagni works on contingency, meaning our fee comes out of any recovery — if there's no recovery, there's no fee. Case reviews themselves are free.
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Martinez Bedsores
What’s the first thing I should do if I find a bedsore on a loved one in a Martinez facility?
Get them medical treatment immediately, and take photos with the date noted before anything is treated or covered. After that, file a report with Contra Costa APS or the Ombudsman, and get an attorney involved early — facility records have a way of becoming harder to...
Do we need solid proof before we talk to a lawyer?
No. A serious pressure sore is reason enough on its own to have someone look into it. Once retained, an attorney can request the care plans, staffing records, and wound logs needed to build the actual picture.
My mother has dementia and can’t tell us what happened — does that hurt our case?
It doesn't hurt it; if anything, it points to a bigger supervision failure. A resident who can't self-report pain depends entirely on staff to notice a developing wound, so a bedsore in that situation usually says more about the facility than about her.
What kind of compensation could my family actually recover?
That depends on the severity of the wound and what the facility's records show, but it can include medical and wound-care costs, pain and suffering, and — in the worst cases — damages connected to sepsis or wrongful death. An attorney can give you a clearer sense of...
What’s the deadline for filing a bedsore claim in California?
There's typically a two-year window from the date of injury, though the exact start date can shift depending on when the harm was discovered. Given how strict these deadlines are, it's better to have an attorney confirm your timeline sooner rather than assuming you...
Does it matter whether my relative is in a nursing home versus assisted living?
Yes, somewhat. Nursing homes are medical facilities held to strict skin-assessment requirements, so a bedsore there usually points to a specific missed protocol. Assisted living facilities carry a different legal duty, but a pressure sore developing there often means...
Where do I report a bedsore I found on a family member in Martinez?
Contra Costa County Adult Protective Services takes reports 24/7 at (877) 839-4347 from a landline, or (925) 602-4179 from a cell phone. For nursing homes and assisted living facilities specifically, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program at (925) 685-2070 investigates...
Is it worth pursuing legal action over a bedsore, or is that just how it goes in nursing homes?
It's worth pursuing. Bedsores that reach Stage 2 or beyond are rarely something that "just happens" — they're usually the result of missed repositioning, thin staffing, or care that fell below what's required. A case review can tell you whether the facility's own...
How can I tell if a bedsore is developing before it becomes serious?
Watch for skin that stays red or discolored in one spot — usually over the tailbone, hips, or heels — even minutes after pressure is taken off. If that redness doesn't fade, it's an early warning that should trigger a change in care, not a wait-and-see approach.