Pressure Sore Grades
Pressure sores are classified into a number of stages, based on how severe they are. The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, based in the USA defines each of the four stages as follows:
- Stage I – this is when a pressure sore begins as a persistent area of red skin, which might be itchy and painful. It may also feel warm, firm or spongy when touched. The mark may appear to have blue or purple cast amongst those of African ancestry and people with darker skin, or even appear quite flaky. Once the pressure is relieved, the sore will generally disappear quite quickly.
- Stage II – At this stage the skin loss will have already taken place. This might be in the epidermis (outer layer of skin) or dermis (deeper in the skin). It may sometimes be both. At this point the pressure sore will be an open sore, like an abrasion or blister and tissue surrounding it may look red or purple.
- Stage III – The sore will now be a deep wound and the damage down below in the skin. There is skin loss throughout the total thickness of the skin and the underlying bone and muscles are not damaged.
- Stage IV – This is the most severe type of pressure sore. The skin will be severely damaged by this point and there will be tissue necrosis (where the surrounding tissue begins to die). The underlying muscles and/or bone might also be damaged, as well as the tendons and joints. There is a serious risk of the sufferer developing a life-threatening infection by this point.
More information
If you would like to find out more about pressure sores, then please read our guidance on:
Claiming Compensation
Free Legal Advice
If you are unsure whether you can claim compensation for a personal injury sustained in the armed forces, then call our personal injury claims team for free for no obligation advice on making a claim. They will ask you some simple questions about your condition, talk to you about what’s happened and can tell you if you have a viable claim for compensation or not.
Call us 24/7 on 0800 028 2060.
Latest Compensation News
Alton Towers crash victim still awaiting compensation
Two years ago a tragic accident on a roller coaster left several young people severely injured; in Leah Washington’s case she lost her leg while others suffered smashed knees and other horrific injuries. The accident happened on the ‘Smiler’ ride at Alton Towers when...
Asbestos threat closes Shefford Schools
The demolition of a Victorian school in Shefford has sparked outrage in the local community due to fears of asbestos contamination. When developers recently demolished the old Shefford Lower School buildings neighbours reported that the dust cloud was higher than the...
Surgical blunders to blame for death of midwife
A former midwife who spent 30 years of her working life at the Heartlands Hospital died as a result of mistakes made during surgery at the same hospital. Lynda Simmonds, a 61-year old grandmother of two, visited her doctor in March 2013 suffering from stomach pains...