When a person is confined to a nursing home, their diet, including food and water intake, is often controlled by the nursing home staff. Unfortunately, many times nursing home staff fails to provide adequate nutrition and hydration to the patients. The law requires that a nursing home provide your loved ones with proper food, nutrition, hydration, and fluids. If you suspect that your loved one is experiencing dehydration or malnutrition and believe that a nursing home is to blame, you must contact the Law Offices of Samuel Fishman immediately!
HOW DOES DEHYDRATION OCCUR?
Dehydration occurs when a body has an excessive loss of bodily fluids. This often occurs as a result of the negligence of a nursing home. Reasons for this negligence can include, but are not limited to, the failure of a nursing home to provide enough fluids or make enough fluids available to the residents.
Certain signs that you should look for can include, but are not limited to, the following:
WHO IS AT HIGH RISK?
It is especially important for a nursing home to take extra precaution with people who are unable to feed themselves. These people are at enhanced risk for dehydration because, they cannot be counted on to get drinks or feed themselves. Even if, however, a person can feed themselves, the nursing home still must provide measures to ensure that patients do not suffer from dehydration or malnutrition.
There are many other types of persons who are deemed at “high-risk” to suffer malnutrition or dehydration. These people include, but are not limited to:
- People who suffer from mental deficiencies
- People who cannot talk to communicate their hunger or thirst
- People who are older
- People who cannot walk
YOUR LOVED ONES PROTECTED YOU. NOW ITS YOUR TURN TO PROTECT THEM!
If you or your loved one has suffered from malnutrition or dehydration at a nursing home, then you should contact the Law Offices of Samuel Fishman immediately. Our office will set up a FREE consultation to discuss all aspects of your situation. We will go over all of the facts of your case and set up a plan for how we can help. We will also take steps to help protect the evidence necessary to pursue your claim, which may include:
- Obtaining pictures of the injuries. (We always suggest that you start taking pictures showing the malnutrition and/or dehydration immediately upon any suspicion that a nursing home neglect situation has occurred)
- Obtaining the medical records of the injured person
- Examining his or her medical history
- Examining his or her food intake history
- Examining his or her liquid intake history
- Inquiring into whether they received enough food and fluids
- Inquiring into whether they were properly cared for, including whether appropriate support was given to the patient
- Determining any additional complications that may have occurred as the result of the nursing home’s improper care
At the Law Offices of Samuel Fishman, we take pride in providing individualized and personal service to each and every one of our clients. We will do the same for you and your loved one. And, as always, our services are provided with our No Fee Guarantee. This means that you will never pay a single fee unless and until we recover money for you and your loved one. There is no reason for delay. The doctors, nurses, and medical facilities have insurance companies and attorneys working for them. You should too. Contact a Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney today for your consultation.