Nursing Home Malnutrition Injury Attorneys in West Palm Beach, FL Fighting Elderly Abuse in Palm Beach County and Throughout Florida
Negligence and abuse in nursing homes include failure to provide all the nutrition elderly patients need. If a loved one has suffered malnutrition and dehydration in an elderly care facility, West Palm Beach nursing home dehydration injury lawyers can help you sue for negligence.
Malnutrition and undernourishment can seriously impact your loved one’s health and quality of life. Sadly, the lack of these basic needs of life is one of the most common indicators of neglect in Florida nursing homes. In 2000, a Commonwealth Fund report found that up to 85% of nursing home residents were malnourished. A more recent study put that figure at 20%.
Nursing home residents who can’t feed themselves due to illness or cognitive issues need the most care, yet they often suffer the most. It’s important to do something about nursing home neglect, and our nursing home dehydration injury lawyers are here to help.
Should You Sue Nursing Homes for Malnutrition and Dehydration?
According to reports from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, malnutrition is the leading cause of mortality and disease among seniors. When nursing homes fail in their duty to provide sufficient nutrition, they’re violating the basic human rights of residents.
It’s true that malnutrition can also occur due to health conditions and the effects of medication. However, our experience working with nursing home abuse victims tells us that it’s much more likely to be caused by neglect, which is very common in elderly care facilities.
Dehydration is particularly bad because of how severe its effects can be. Despite easy access to water, it’s been reported that 17% to 28% of senior residents in the US suffer from dehydration. You can take legal action to help correct this with the help of malnutrition lawyers.
Causes Malnutrition and Negligence in Nursing Homes
It’s possible to sue nursing homes for carelessness and neglect that leads to the malnutrition or dehydration of a loved one. That’s because the failure of nursing home staff to provide a reasonable standard of care amounts to negligence or abuse.
Some examples of malnutrition negligence in elderly care facilities include:
- Failure to provide adequate food and drink regularly
- Lack of supervision and help during meals
- Failure of staff to feed residents who need help
- Failure to check and follow dietary restrictions for each patient
- Lack of training to monitor medication or conditions that may cause malnutrition
Residents who are most vulnerable to malnutrition and dehydration include those with mental health conditions such as dementia, those without regular support and care from family members, and those who are functionally impaired.
It’s important to regularly check up on your loved one and look out for signs of malnutrition and dehydration so that you can take action before it’s too late.
Recognizing Signs of Malnutrition and Dehydration
Advanced age and the onset of health problems can make it difficult to detect malnutrition and dehydration when they first occur. The most common signs include:
- Significant weight loss
- Red or swollen eyes
- Weakness, often accompanied by flaccid muscles
- Fatigue
- Decline in cognitive ability
- Pale, dry, and excessively wrinkled skin
- Teeth decay or redness and sores in the mouth
- White fingernails and brittle hair
- Difficulty moving
If not caught early, dehydration and malnutrition can cause serious health problems such as kidney failure, shock, and even death.
Nursing Home Malnutrition Injury Attorneys in West Palm Beach, FL Helping Improve Elderly Living Standards in Palm Beach County and Throughout Florida
The law is clear on the standard of care that elderly citizens in nursing homes should receive. Food and water are basic human needs, and we believe malnutrition and dehydration should never be an issue in nursing homes.
Even when a resident refuses to eat, nurses at the facility should investigate the cause and take action to ensure good nutrition and health. Nursing homes are fully responsible for the nutrition and health of their residents.
What to Do About Malnutrition and Negligence in Nursing Homes
Unfortunately, suing for abuse and neglect of a loved one in a nursing home can be difficult. Proving such a case and fighting the defense requires a highly skilled and experienced attorney with expertise in that area of law.
Once you realize that a loved one is malnourished or dehydrated due to neglect, your first step is to get them medical treatment. You should also report the case to the Florida Adult Protective Services and the Agency for Health Care Administration.
Finally, the most important step is to consult a personal injury attorney specializing in elderly abuse and neglect. Your lawyer will investigate the case, gather all the required evidence, and file a case for you against the nursing home.
Nursing Home Malnutrition Injury Attorneys in West Palm Beach, FL You Can Trust in Palm Beach County and Throughout Florida
Once you file a case for the malnutrition and dehydration of a loved one, the battle has just begun. The defense lawyers will work hard to deny your claims with a variety of arguments, such as saying the plaintiff is responsible because they refused to eat. They may also try to blame medical issues for malnutrition.
It takes the help of highly skilled nursing home malnutrition injury attorneys in West Palm Beach, FL, to prove the case. Often, the expert opinion of respected medical experts can help to tip the scales in your favor.
As one of the most distinguished law firms in West Palm Beach, Domnick, Cunningham, & Yaffa prides itself on relentless dedication when fighting for the rights of its clients. Every lawyer is qualified, experienced, and ready to help you win your case against negligent nursing homes.
Talk to us today about your case free of charge, and we’ll help you figure out how to get justice for your loved one.