Elderly Malnutrition & Dehydration Lawyers

Elderly people have a lower thirst response and less moisture in their bodies than young people do. This puts them at risk for dehydration. It is important for them to be in nursing homes where they can receive adequate nutrition and water. When they are not receiving adequate nutrition and hydration, they are more likely to suffer immobility, pressure sores, and infections. They may take longer to heal. Nursing homes should carefully monitor what a resident eats and drinks to avoid malnutrition or dehydration. Failing to do so may be tantamount to abuse. At Moll Law Group, our Chicago nursing home malnutrition lawyers are available to help residents or authorized family member seek compensation in these situations. Billions of dollars have been recovered in cases in which we have been involved.

Seeking Compensation for Malnutrition or Dehydration

A nursing home should make sure that a resident drinks at least six glasses of liquid a day and eats nutritionally sound meals. In some cases, an individual is suffering from depression and has no appetite, has adverse medication side effects, or has trouble swallowing, and this is the reason for the malnutrition. In this situation, it is important for the nursing home to recognize this problem and try to obtain mental health help for the elderly resident. Unfortunately, some nursing homes neglect to monitor nutrition and hydration or use the withholding of food or water as an abusive punishment.

Federal and state laws prohibit a nursing home's negligence toward or abuse of an elderly resident. Under the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act, residents have many rights, including the right to be free from abuse or neglect. In addition to providing for enforcement by a public agency, the law allows residents and authorized family members to bring a private lawsuit for damages, injunctive relief, attorneys' fees, and costs. Damages may include a claim for compensation for abuse, as well as treatment of physical or mental health problems and pain and suffering. A nursing home malnutrition attorney at our Chicago firm can help you pursue all of the damages that may be appropriate in your case.

Malnutrition can be the result of not getting the right foods, or it can be the result of not eating enough food. Families should be on the lookout for signs of malnutrition. Signs can include unexplained weight loss, dizziness, fainting, memory loss, hair loss, excessively dry skin, low blood pressure, or confusion. Moreover, if malnutrition goes unacknowledged and unaddressed, it can aggravate existing health or medical problems, such as loss of pancreatic function or impaired healing of wounds, necessitating greater medical care.

Sometimes a nursing home does not have adequate staffing to provide appropriate care or monitor for signs of malnutrition or dehydration. This is generally the result of neglect rather than abuse. Abuse, in contrast, might involve using food and water to control a resident. In the case of abusive practices related to malnutrition or dehydration that are found to be willful and wanton, a resident or his or her family may be able to recover punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages.

Contact a Nursing Home Malnutrition Lawyer in the Chicago Area

A nursing home is supposed to be a place where the elderly can receive a level of attention not available with their own families. It can be upsetting for family members to discover that an elderly resident is not being given enough food or water. If you or a family member suffers from malnutrition or dehydration due to abuse or neglect of nursing home staff and personnel, the Chicago nursing home malnutrition attorneys at Moll Law Group are available to help you pursue compensation for your injuries and other relief. Our firm represents injured individuals in Naperville, Wheaton, Schaumburg, and communities throughout Cook County. Call us at 312-462-1700 or complete our online form to schedule a free consultation with an injury attorney.