When you make the difficult decision to place your loved one in a long-term care facility, you expect their needs to be met. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. Nursing home abuse and neglect are shockingly common, causing life-threatening injuries and psychological damage.
If your loved one suffered from dehydration due to neglect in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, you may be able to hold the nursing home financially accountable.
An experienced Fort Lauderdale nursing home abuse attorney at Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers is here to help you navigate the legal process and get justice for your family member. With over 28 years of experience in personal injury law, we know how to fight for vulnerable and injured people and get the compensation they deserve.
Call our law office at 954-287-0566 or contact us online to learn more about your legal rights if your loved one has suffered from nursing home abuse. Our Fort Lauderdale dehydration lawyers offer a free consultation to help you explore your options.
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How a Fort Lauderdale Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Can Help If Your Loved One Suffered from Dehydration in a Long-Term Care Facility
Nursing homes are responsible for taking care of residents and ensuring that they receive proper care, nutrition, fluids, and medications. When they fail to uphold their duty of care, they can be held liable for damages.
However, it isn’t always easy to prove nursing home neglect or abuse. That’s why it’s essential to enlist the help of an experienced legal advocate to gather the proof needed to build a strong case.
If you hire our Fort Lauderdale dehydration attorneys for assistance with your nursing home abuse case, we’ll:
- Examine the facts leading up to your loved one’s dehydration and gather evidence proving negligence or intentional wrongdoing
- Identify the at-fault parties and determine whether they have a pattern of abuse or a history of complaints
- Work with local and state agencies if they launch an investigation into the abuse or neglect allegations
- Consult medical experts to prove the severity of the dehydration and how it affects your loved one’s quality of life
- Handle your claim from start to finish, including filings, negotiations, hearings, and more
We want to help you get the compensation you deserve for economic and non-economic damages suffered by you and your loved one. Call us today to schedule a free case assessment to learn more.
What Is Dehydration?
Dehydration occurs when there isn’t enough water and other fluids in your body. The human body depends on water to live; every cell, organ, and tissue needs it to function properly.
Water plays a role in several crucial bodily functions, including:
- Delivering oxygen throughout the body
- Aiding in digestion
- Removing wastes through sweating, urinating, and bowel movements
- Regulating body temperature
- Lubricating joints and cushioning bones
- Balancing the body’s chemicals
- Protecting vital organs and tissues, such as the brain and spinal cord
Anyone can become dehydrated if they lose more fluids than they take in, but older adults are particularly vulnerable. Older people already have less water in their bodies than younger adults. And their body’s ability to indicate that they’re thirsty doesn’t function as effectively, meaning they often can’t tell if they’re thirsty.
What Are the Symptoms of Dehydration?
Even mild dehydration can cause symptoms.
Some potential signs of dehydration include:
- Thirst
- Dry mouth
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Inability to urinate, less frequent urination, and/or dark-colored urine
- Constipation
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Weakness
- Muscle cramps
- Confusion
- Chills
A person’s age, environment, diet, health, medications, and other factors will affect the severity of symptoms and how easily they’re able to be treated.
What Can Cause Dehydration in a Nursing Home?
A person can become dehydrated if they don’t intake enough fluids or if they quickly lose fluids.
Some causes of dehydration include but are not limited to:
- Failure to drink enough water
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Excessive sweating
- Fever
- Increased urination
Many older adults are prescribed medications, such as diuretics, that can cause increased urination – leading to dehydration. Additionally, many seniors have illnesses, like diabetes, kidney disease, and dementia, that put them at higher risk.
People in nursing homes may have mobility issues, limiting their ability to obtain water without assistance. They may also have problems communicating, making them unable to indicate when they’re thirsty.
When Is a Nursing Home Liable for Dehydration in Fort Lauderdale, FL?
Older people are more vulnerable to dehydration if they don’t intake enough fluids than others. That’s why nursing home staff must regularly check in with residents and offer them drinks. They must also continuously monitor and look for signs of dehydration.
If a nursing home fails to uphold its standard of care and a resident suffers from dehydration as a result, the facility can be held liable for damages due to its negligence.
Depending on the circumstances, a staff member and/or nursing facility may be financially accountable. Nursing homes, as employers, can be vicariously liable for acts undertaken by their employees in the scope of their employment.
However, the nursing home itself could be responsible for things like:
- Incompetent hiring practices, such as failure to conduct background checks
- Improper or lack of training
- Understaffing or overworking employees
- Failure to supervise or monitor employees
We’ll examine the facts that led to your loved one’s dehydration to identify everyone who could be accountable.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Fort Lauderdale Dehydration Lawyers
Did your loved one suffer from dehydration in a nursing facility in Fort Lauderdale, FL? Contact Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers as soon as you notice signs of neglect or abuse.
Our Fort Lauderdale nursing home abuse lawyers will work to prove that the facility’s negligence led to your loved one’s dehydration. We’ll get you the compensation you deserve for medical bills, the cost of relocation, emotional trauma, and more.
Contact us today for a free initial consultation to learn how we can help with your nursing home neglect case. Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers for legal advice.
