Shareholder
Partner
Attorney
Learn About Our Mass Tort Practice
Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa is here to help
Meet Our Legal Team
Free Case Consultation
Many state and federal laws protect nursing home residents from abuse, neglect, and mistreatment. Unfortunately, many elderly nursing home residents needlessly suffer despite having a right to safety and care. Two important areas in which nursing home residents can suffer are in their nutrient intake and hydration. When residents are unable to eat or drink enough on their own, the nursing home where they reside is legally required to help them eat and drink adequate amounts of food and water. Failure to do so can lead to severe cases of malnourishment, dehydration, illness, and even death. Our experienced Palm Beach Gardens nursing home dehydration injury lawyers can help your family seek the justice and compensation you deserve in a nursing home dehydration and/or malnutrition claim. Call us today to learn more about how we can help.
An important part of any nursing home injury claim is the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act. As reported by the AARP, a study conducted in 1986 at the request of Congress found that nursing home residents were being routinely abused and neglected. They were also not receiving the care they needed and expected from their caretakers. Sweeping reforms were proposed, many of which became law in 1987 with the passing of the Nursing Home Reform Act.
At its core, the act aimed to guarantee nursing home residents the quality care they needed to achieve and/or maintain the highest possible physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It does this by requiring the delivery of certain services to residents and outlines a Bill of Rights for residents. Nursing homes can also only receive Medicaid and Medicare payments on behalf of residents if they are certified and found to be in compliance with the act. Adequate nutrition and hydration are guaranteed to residents by this act. A failure of a nursing home to meet these standards can be grounds for a lawsuit.
Malnourishment and dehydration are recognized as serious problems within the nursing home industry. However, they are preventable, and nursing homes can be liable for damages caused by a failure to adequately provide for residents as far as their safety, well-being, and dietary needs are concerned.
Some of the signs, symptoms, and adverse outcomes of poor nutrition and hydration in nursing home residents include:
If nursing home dehydration and malnutrition have disastrous effects, why do they occur?
There are many reasons a nursing home may be unable to adequately provide and care for its residents. These include:
Any of these factors can cause or contribute to nursing home resident dehydration or malnutrition. Our Palm Beach Gardens nursing home dehydration injury lawyers will investigate the case to determine the cause of your loved ones injuries, and we will help you file a claim for all relevant losses and damages.
According to the National Institutes of Health, chronic dehydration in nursing home residents can be linked to dementia and a higher BMI. The risks of poor hydration can also spread to the liver, kidneys, and other organs. Nursing home residents already face a wide range of risks and hazards, so if you or a loved one faces issues stemming from poor nursing home treatment or dehydration and malnutrition, contact our Palm Beach Gardens nursing home dehydration injury lawyers today.
Malnutrition can take time to develop, but dehydration can occur much more quickly. In either case, your elderly loved one can sustain serious injuries and/or illnesses in a matter of days or even hours if they are not properly cared for, so speak with our Palm Beach Gardens nursing home dehydration injury lawyers today to learn more about how we can help you gather evidence, identify the causes of your loved one’s injuries, and file a claim for the maximum amount allowed by law.
Get A Free Case Consultation
"*" indicates required fields
Fred Cunningham and Matthew Christ of Rafferty Domnick Cunningham amp Yaffa are representing the labs in a federal case in
A Florida family has filed a lawsuit against Orlando Health Winnie Palm Hospital for Women amp Babies alleging that their
The parents of Jahxy Peets a baby girl who was born prematurely and died months later are suing an Orlando