When choosing a nursing home for your spouse, parent, or other loved one, you trust that the staff will provide them with quality care and meet all their needs. Unfortunately, some individuals and facilities fail to provide the legal standard of care, leaving elderly residents showing signs of abuse, neglect, and distress. These signs often include rapid weight loss or hair loss, which may stem from several concerning factors.
If your loved one experienced rapid weight loss or hair loss at a Los Angeles nursing home, the nursing home can be held accountable in court. A Los Angeles rapid weight loss or hair loss lawyer can help you uncover more information about your case and seek justice on behalf of the victim. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for your free case evaluation.
Nursing Home Abuse in Los Angeles
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), all nursing home staff members have an obligation to respect every resident’s rights and treat each individual with dignity and respect. They must provide services as outlined by the resident in their care plan and report any suspected abuse to the proper authorities. If you suspect that your loved one suffered mistreatment while living in a nursing home, a nursing home lawyer can help you determine if you have a case.
Rights of Nursing Home Residents
Residents of nursing homes often rely on staff for even their most basic needs, and this level of vulnerability makes the enforcement of their rights critical to their well-being. CMS lists the protections of nursing home residents that are enforceable by law, which include:
- Privacy.
- Access to information regarding their medical care and additional services.
- The freedom to make their own decisions about finances and medical providers.
- Participation in making choices about the care they receive.
- The right to refuse medication or other treatments.
When it comes to the state of California, 22 CCR § 72329 sets forth requirements for nursing homes regarding staffing minimums. These requirements provide for adequate care and the protection of residents’ rights. Understaffing may lead to poor facility management. If you believe that your loved one experienced rapid weight loss or hair loss in a nursing home due to insufficient staffing or other forms of neglect, our law firm can help. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today to speak with our legal team about your case.
Causes of Rapid Weight Loss or Hair Loss
Mistreatment by nursing home staff may significantly decrease a resident’s confidence, health, and overall welfare. Knowing the examples of mistreatment may help you determine the root of your loved one’s hair or weight loss. If you find that their circumstances appear to result from maltreatment, a Los Angeles rapid weight loss or hair loss lawyer can help you build a case and hold the facility and staff members accountable.
Abuse
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) outlines definitions of different types of elder abuse and neglect. Abuse
can be defined as the intentional causation of any kind of pain, including:
- Physical: Hitting, shoving, or slapping.
- Emotional: Threatening, ridiculing, or intimidation.
- Sexual: Inappropriate or non-consensual touching.
These are just some examples of abuse and some instances of each, but it by no means a full list of the types of abuse that can occur.
Neglect
The ACL defines neglect
as “the failure by those responsible to provide food, shelter, health care, or protection for a vulnerable elder.” While nursing home staff sometimes behave in a negligent manner intentionally, they may also do so unknowingly, particularly if they did not receive proper training or the facility does not maintain required levels of staffing. Examples of neglect include the lack of assistance with:
- Bathroom hygiene
- Repositioning in bed
- Eating and drinking
- Mobility
- Participating in activities
- Accessing medical care
- Urgent concerns
Mental Health Concerns
According to a study published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society, depression accounts for the most instances (36%) of weight loss occurrences in nursing homes. Cleveland Clinic adds that stress and anxiety can cause hair loss, as well as improper diet. These and other mental health conditions may occur spontaneously and require treatment from a doctor to resolve. In other cases, hair and weight loss may result from nursing home abuse or neglect.
Serious Medical Conditions
Sometimes, hair and weight loss signify underlying health conditions that require immediate treatment. In such instances, the resident’s condition should alert the medical team at the nursing home to look further into the symptoms. Healthcare providers should examine the resident to provide an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment options. However, if the resident does not receive regular or enough medical care, these issues may go undetected and lead to serious illness or even death.
A nursing home attorney can help you seek justice and compensation if your loved one experienced sudden hair or weight loss caused by potential mistreatment by nursing home staff.
For a free legal consultation with a Rapid Weight Loss or Hair Loss Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 842-6336
The Signs of Abuse
Because nursing home abuse and neglect typically do not present in the open, families should watch for signs in the behaviors and conditions of their loved ones. In addition to hair and weight loss, the National Institute on Aging notes that mistreatment indicators may include:
- Insomnia
- Confusion
- Agitation or violence
- Self-imposed isolation
- Disheveled appearance
- Bed sores, bruises, or other physical concerns
If you recognize these or other signs of nursing home abuse while visiting your loved ones, an attorney can assist you in pursuing a case.
Los Angeles Rapid Weight Loss or Hair Loss Lawyer Near Me (800) 842-6336
How an Attorney Can Help You
You know your loved one best, and if they experienced hair loss, weight loss, or other signs of potential abuse while living in a nursing home, you likely noticed first. However, proving nursing home abuse in court presents a complex challenge that can be difficult to take on without legal assistance. A Los Angeles rapid weight loss or hair loss lawyer can help you by gathering the evidence the court requires to hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions.
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Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we take pride in advocating for victims of abuse and negligence. For us, protecting our elderly from harm and providing them justice and compensation were founding principles. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you pay us nothing out of your pocket unless you receive compensation for your case. Call our law firm today to speak with our legal team about a free case evaluation.
Call or text (800) 842-6336 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
