Malnutrition and dehydration in Homerville nursing homes are an indication of neglect, often resulting from inadequate monitoring and failure to meet basic resident needs. While typically not intentional, this often happens due to understaffing and can have severe health complications, and in the worst cases, lead to death.
If your loved one suffered harm because of negligence, you must hold the care facility accountable. Call today to schedule a consultation with a compassionate nursing home abuse and neglect attorney from the Helms Law Firm and learn more about your rights as a family member.
Signs of both malnutrition and dehydration are typically subtle initially but escalate quickly. The impacts on a resident’s health can be severe, and without quick action, they can be life-threatening. Examples of the most common causes of this type of neglect include:
The warning signs of neglect may include rapid weight loss without reason, dry and cracked lips, and reduced urine output. Homerville nursing home residents may also appear confused, delirious, or fatigued due to the lack of water and proper nutrition. Severe cases can quickly lead to organ failure and are often associated with higher mortality rates.
Southeast Georgia families can pursue a settlement through a civil lawsuit against the liable care facility if their family member suffered from malnutrition and dehydration because of negligence. Nursing home negligence claims fall within an area of law called medical malpractice, where fault must be proven for the neglect. The case must demonstrate that the care facility failed to meet the accepted standard of care and that breach led to the resident’s condition or injuries—often backed by evidence such as medical bills and hospital records. The court may award compensation to families for medical costs, other financial losses, and pain and suffering.
Personal injury statutes limit the time families have to take legal action in civil court. The rules of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated § 9-3-33 require families of residents harmed by nursing facility negligence to file the claim within two years of the date the injuries occurred. If their injuries were fatal, the time starts on the day of their death.
Missing the cutoff date means losing the ability to obtain monetary damages and hold the negligent party legally and financially responsible for the harm they inflicted. A skilled Homerville lawyer experienced in handling claims regarding dehydration and malnutrition in nursing homes could handle the communication, investigation, and legal work to ensure clients do not miss any deadlines.
When you place a loved one in the care of a medical staff at a facility, you expect them to receive the loving care they deserve, but that does not always happen. Legal action allows you to hold the home responsible while also collecting compensation to cover medical and other expenses for what your family member endured. Contact us and meet with a diligent lawyer who could review your case and explain more about dehydration and malnutrition in Homerville nursing home cases.
