Failure to Prevent Dehydration and/or Malnutrition

The Maine failure to prevent dehydration and/or malnutrition attorneys at Peter Thompson & Associates are recognized advocates of nursing home reform. We are dedicated to assisting patients harmed by a nursing facility’s failure to provide adequate hydration or nutrition. Our firm provides quality legal representation to injured victims across Maine.

Nursing homes are supposed to help patients who cannot care for themselves. Unfortunately, many of these patients are abused or neglected by the very people they count on. In some cases, skilled nursing facilities fail to deliver on basic promises that affect the patient’s life. Regularly providing adequate sustenance is not only necessary for the resident’s recovery, but essential to the patient’s survival. Without the proper hydration and nutrients, the body cannot function and its vital organs shut down. Malnutrition and dehydration are therefore two of the most common indicators that a nursing home is delivering substandard care.

Consequences of malnutrition and dehydration include:

• Hair loss or thinning
• Urinary tract infections
• Weight loss, confusion
• Rapid and feeble pulse
• Weakness and dizziness
• Bedsores, pressure ulcers
• Lethargy, unconsciousness
• Slow healing, open wounds
• Low blood pressure, fainting
• Falls, fractures, broken bones
• Complete kidney failure, death

Most patients are admitted to nursing homes because they cannot feed themselves. At the very least, nursing homes have a duty to provide patients with food and water. This requires attending to residents who need help eating or tube feeding those who cannot eat at all. Nursing homes should also provide patients with sufficient exercise, oral health care and readily-available liquids to prevent dehydration. Malnutrition and dehydration can cause a rapid deterioration in the patient’s health. Weak patients tend to fall easily and lack the nutrients necessary to heal. Dehydrated patients develop urinary tract infections, the number one cause of death in nursing homes. In addition to exacerbating underlying conditions, the failure to prevent malnutrition and dehydration can ultimately kill the patient. This is a preventable mistake caused by negligence.

Federal and state laws require that nursing homes provide the necessary assistance and adaptive equipment to ensure that patients are nourished. The facility must promptly and adequately respond to any reasonable requests. This may involve replacing the patient’s feeding tube or placing a pitcher of water is near the patient’s bed. If necessary, the facility is required to consider the food preferences of the patient to prevent malnutrition. If the patient is still malnourished or dehydrated, the nursing home must implement all measures necessary to restore the patient to a healthy or stabilized level. Facilities that fail to prevent malnutrition and dehydration have clearly breached a duty of care to the patient. As such, they are liable for any harm that results. Injured patients are entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If nursing home neglect resulted in the patient’s wrongful death, surviving family members are entitled to damages for the loss of relationship with the deceased.

If you or your family was injured by a nursing home’s failure to provide adequate food or hydration, the experienced Maine failure to prevent dehydration, malnutrition lawyers at Peter Thompson & Associates can help. We are industry leaders in personal injury and medical malpractice law. Mr. Thompson has a proven track record of prevailing in cases involving dehydration, malnutrition, and other types of nursing home neglect. For years, our firm has provided premier legal representation to victims injured by negligence, recovering seven-figure awards for clients throughout Maine. We are dedicated to helping you obtain the compensation you deserve. Call 800.804.2004 for a free consultation or contact us online.