Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers have important legal implications, as lawsuits over
pressure ulcers are becoming increasingly common. According to the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality, there are more than 17,000 pressure ulcer related lawsuits filed
annually (second only to wrongful death lawsuits).1 The average settlement in a pressure
ulcer malpractice lawsuit is $250,000. One study found that settlements favoring patients
occurred in up to 87% of cases, with some awards as high as $312 million