Clinicians grade a bedsore by how deep the damage goes. The common scale has four stages. Two other labels are used when the depth is not clear: unstageable, and deep tissue pressure injury. The stage is a description of the wound. It is not a verdict.
If someone you love has a new red area, a blister, or an open sore after a hospital or nursing-home stay, you do not need to stage it yourself. Get them medical care. Then call NYC Bedsore Lawyer at 212-465-1000. We can review what the chart actually shows. See also our Bedsore Lawsuit FAQ and What Are Bedsores? pages.
What families usually notice first
Families notice a change: a red, dark, or purple patch over a bony spot that does not fade after the person is moved; skin that feels warmer, cooler, firmer, or more tender than the skin around it; a blister, a shallow open area, or drainage; or a wound staff call a pressure injury, decubitus, or bedsore — often on the heels, tailbone, hips, ankles, or back of the head. You do not have to wait until the wound is large or deep to ask questions.
Educational diagram of pressure-injury stages (NPIAP). Not medical advice. No clinical wound photographs.
Stage 1: redness that stays
The skin is still closed. A red area stays red when you press it. It may feel warm, firm, or a little swollen. On darker skin it may look purple, ashy, or like a dark patch, not bright red. Stage 1 is an early warning. Repositioning, a better surface, and close watching can still turn it around. If a hospital or nursing home misses Stage 1 — or writes it down and does nothing — that is a care question worth checking against the chart.
Stage 2: a break in the skin, or a blister
The top layer of skin is broken. The wound may look like a shallow open sore with a pink or red base, or like a blister. Fat, muscle, and bone are not showing. A Stage 2 wound needs wound care, a turning plan that is actually followed, and nutrition that supports healing. It also means it is time to request the records.
Stage 3: the wound is deeper
The wound goes through the full thickness of the skin. Fat may be visible. Bone, tendon, and muscle are not. The wound may tunnel under the skin. Stage 3 injuries are serious, can take a long time to heal, and carry a higher infection risk. Families often first hear the word bedsore at this stage, even though the problem started earlier.
Stage 4: the deepest stage on the scale
The wound goes through skin and fat. Muscle, tendon, or bone can be visible. Risks include bone infection and bloodstream infection. Stage 4 is the most severe stage on the NPIAP scale. It does not, by itself, prove a lawsuit. It does mean the injury is severe, and it is a reason to have a New York bedsore lawyer look at the care plan, turning logs, and wound notes.
Unstageable: the base of the wound is hidden
If the base of the wound is covered by dead tissue (slough or eschar), the clinician cannot see how deep it is. That is called unstageable. Once the covering is removed, the wound is staged as Stage 3 or Stage 4. Families sometimes hear we can’t stage it yet. That is a medical description, not a reason to wait on records or a legal review.
Deep tissue pressure injury
A deep tissue pressure injury can look like a persistent deep red, maroon, or purple area. The skin may still be closed, or there may be a blood-filled blister. The damage is under the surface. Color changes on darker skin can be easy to miss. This is a standard NPIAP category, not a fifth stage in the 1–4 count. Treat it as serious.
Stage is not the same as neglect
Not every bedsore is neglect. Some are clinically hard to prevent. New York nursing homes still have a duty to try under 10 NYCRR 415.12(c). The same neglect pattern shows up in hospitals and nursing homes: missed turning, missed skin checks, wet skin left too long, not enough food or water. Setting and duty still differ.
When to get the records
Do not wait for a Stage 3 or Stage 4 label. Ask for the chart, the care plan, wound logs, and turning logs as soon as you see a persistent red area or an open wound. If your family already has photos of the wound, keep them. Do not photograph the wound yourself for this process. Filing windows in New York are short — call rather than self-classify the clock.
Talk to a New York City bedsore lawyer
Sinel & Olesen, PLLC represents families in New York whose loved ones developed bedsores in a hospital or nursing home. A consultation is free. If the firm takes the case, you do not pay unless it wins. Call 212-465-1000, email info@nycbedsorelawyer.com, or use the online case evaluation. Office: 330 7th Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10001.
Bedsore stages FAQ
Common questions: how to tell if there is a bedsore; whether later stages mean neglect; complications; what to do at Stage 1; whether Stage 2 can support a claim; and when to call. Short answers: get medical care, request records early, and call 212-465-1000 without waiting for a complete chart or a stage label. Full FAQ answers are also in this page’s FAQPage schema for search and AI assistants.
This page is for general information only and is not legal advice. See our disclaimer.
How can I tell if my loved one has a bedsore?
Look for a color or texture change over a bony area, swelling, drainage, skin that feels warmer or cooler than nearby skin, or tenderness. You do not need to name the stage. Get medical care, then call 212-465-1000.
Are later-stage bedsores a sign of neglect?
They can be. When a person depends on staff to turn them, a bedsore — especially one that has progressed — often raises questions about turning, skin checks, and nutrition. Each case is different. A lawyer looks at the records, not only the stage number.
What should I do if I only see a Stage 1 red area?
Ask staff what they are doing about it. Make sure the person is being repositioned and watched. Request the records. Call 212-465-1000. Stage 1 is where prevention can still work.
When should I call a bedsore lawyer?
As soon as you know there is a pressure injury and you have questions about how it formed. You do not need a complete chart or a stage label first. Call 212-465-1000.
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