Elder Dehydration / Malnutrition Attorneys in Tallahassee, FL Committed to Elder Care in Leon County, Wakulla County, Jefferson County, Gadsden County, and Throughout Florida
Instances of undernourished patients wasting away and the elderly dying in nursing homes due to dehydration are heartbreaking and entirely too common. Dehydration and malnutrition in nursing homes are major problems that can trigger a chain of complications and make existing health conditions even worse. With the help of experienced Tallahassee nursing home dehydration / malnutrition lawyers, you can hold neglectful facilities and their staff legally and financially accountable for the harm a loved one in a nursing home has suffered.
Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. doesn’t shy away from confronting nursing homes over abuse and neglect. We diligently investigate matters of dehydration, malnutrition, and the array of serious complications they can cause and build strong cases to secure compensation for our clients. We’re ready to assist your family, starting with a free consultation, so contact us today.
Dehydration and Malnutrition Neglect Claims in Tallahassee, FL, Nursing Homes
The development of dehydration and malnutrition among residents is a critical indicator of the quality of a long-term nursing home facility. These conditions are at the heart of many nursing home and assisted living facility injury claims, contributing to issues like immobility and the development of bed sores, an increased risk of fall injuries, and poor wound healing due to inadequate nutritional stores.
Dehydration in Nursing Home Facilities
Dehydration occurs when inadequate fluid intake, sweating, medication side effects, or illness results in losing a dangerous amount of body fluid. The body requires adequate hydration to function properly.
Consequences of Dehydration in the Elderly
What happens when nursing home residents become dehydrated? The consequences of dehydration can range from weakness and confusion to effects on the kidneys, blood pressure, and heart rate. Severe dehydration itself can result in irreparable brain damage and death.
In elderly patients with complex medical needs, who often make up nursing home resident populations, the complications of dehydration can be particularly serious.
Malnutrition in Nursing Home Residents
Malnutrition means a lack of sufficient nutrients in the body. Inadequate total calorie intake, protein intake, or intake of necessary vitamins and minerals can all contribute to malnutrition.
Without the nutrients needed, the body can’t function properly.
Consequences of Malnutrition in the Elderly
When a nursing home resident suffers from malnutrition, their body can begin breaking down its own tissues and shutting down critical systems, like the immune system and cardiac activity, to conserve energy.
Some malnourished nursing home residents become visibly emaciated, but that isn’t always the case. A resident who is receiving enough calories but not adequate nutrients could develop symptoms like vision problems, softening of bones, weakness, fainting, and fatigue, for example.
However malnutrition presents in an elderly nursing home patient, this condition makes it more difficult for the body to function the way it should. Malnourishment can worsen existing health issues and give rise to new conditions and losses of function that ultimately leave the nursing home resident in poorer health.
Causes of Dehydration and Malnutrition in Nursing Homes
Certain medical conditions can put patients at a greater risk of becoming dehydrated or malnourished. These conditions are particularly common among residents in a nursing home setting, who are generally elderly and often have extensive medical needs.
Dehydration and malnutrition in nursing homes are often preventable outcomes of negligent conduct. The nursing home itself may fail to hire qualified staff, train and supervise employees properly, maintain appropriate staffing levels, and implement policies that align with regulations and best practices. Nursing home staff may neglect to provide the care patients require.
Examples of the ways negligent nursing homes and their staff can cause dehydration and malnutrition among residents include:
- Failing to ensure the resident receives a suitable, well-balanced diet that provides adequate levels of nutrients
- Failing to provide adequate amounts of water or other fluids to a resident, especially one who is immobile or otherwise not able to get themselves a drink when needed
- Failing to take reasonable measures for avoiding dehydration and malnutrition in the elderly, such as neglecting to monitor an at-risk patient’s food intake or failing to supplement the diet of a resident whose medical conditions limit their ability to eat regularly
Ensuring the residents in their care receive proper nutrition and hydration is one of the most basic obligations nursing homes have, but it’s also one of the most common ways these facilities let down residents and their families.
How Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. Can Help
It is unacceptable for a nursing home to leave patients with inadequate food and fluids, allowing dehydration and malnutrition to weaken their health and put their safety at risk. Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A.’s elder dehydration / malnutrition attorneys in Tallahassee, FL, are passionate about protecting nursing home residents and fighting for the compensation their families deserve.
Our Approach to Holding Nursing Homes Accountable for Dehydration and Malnutrition
We’re committed to standing up to nursing homes and ensuring these facilities face the consequences for the harm their negligence causes to the residents and families who trusted them. We accomplish this through a proven multi-step process that includes:
- Evaluating the facts of a case during a free initial consultation
- Conducting an investigation and collecting evidence
- Building a strong claim and legal strategy
- Overseeing all paperwork, legal documents, documentation requirements, deadlines, and procedural requirements involved in your case
- Representing your family in legal proceedings, settlement negotiations, and a trial, if necessary
- Fighting for a settlement or award that compensates your family
We’re here for you at every stage of your case.
Types of Claims Our Dehydration and Malnutrition Lawyers Can Handle for You
Our Tallahassee nursing home dehydration / malnutrition lawyers assist clients with all types of claims rooted in these conditions, including:
- Fall injuries resulting from weakness
- Bed sores and pressure ulcers
- Increased risk of infection
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) or urosepsis
- Poor wound healing
- Decreased immune function
- Worsening of existing medical conditions
- Increased functional dependence
- Brain damage
- Death
We know how extensive the harm caused by dehydration and malnutrition in nursing homes can be, and we’re determined to assist families like yours in getting answers, justice, and compensation.
Why Choose Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A.?
When you need a law firm that fully recognizes how serious dehydration and malnutrition in a nursing home can be, you can count on Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A.
Representation for the Full Range of Nursing Home Neglect Cases
Nursing home malnutrition and dehydration don’t occur in a vacuum. Often, these outcomes are just one of multiple consequences of neglect or abuse. The experienced nursing home negligence lawyers at Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. are prepared to assist your family with all injuries and complications resulting from neglect in these facilities.
Through a meticulous investigation of the facts, we will uncover all forms of negligent conduct and the harm they have caused your loved one. Then, we will pursue the compensation your family is entitled to for the full scope of these damages.
Over a Century of Collective Experience
Your family’s claim demands experienced representation. Our elder dehydration / malnutrition attorneys in Tallahassee, FL, have a history of standing up to negligent nursing homes. Our firm has spent more than 35 years in practice, and our team possesses more than 100 years of combined experience. Find out for yourself how we’ve helped thousands of satisfied clients get the results they deserve by contacting us today.
Professional Legal Assistance at No Upfront Cost
You don’t need to choose between affording your injured family member’s medical bills and hiring skilled legal representation to fight for the compensation you deserve. Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. ensures that all families affected by neglect in a nursing home can afford help. Not only do we provide free case evaluations, but we represent the injured on a contingency basis. This means there are no upfront fees for legal representation. We only get paid if we are successful in getting you a settlement or award.
