If you have a loved one in a nursing home and they experienced rapid weight loss or hair loss, it is likely that they were a victim of abuse or neglect Because nursing home residents are often incapable of fighting or even advocating for themselves, it is incumbent on you to speak up and take action if you believe they are being mistreated. An Oklahoma City rapid weight loss or hair loss lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help. We fight on behalf of nursing home residents who suffered abuse or neglect.
We offer a free consultation and will advise you on how to move forward if you suspect abuse or neglect. We will go over your options and what to expect as we investigate your claim and take action against the responsible parties. There is never a fee until we recover compensation for you and your loved one.
To speak with a member of our team today, call us.
Causes of Rapid Weight Loss or Hair Loss in Nursing Homes
Nursing home residents often have underlying health issues that can lead to changes in their physical appearance over time. It is common late in life to lose muscle mass and have your hair thin out. However, when these changes occur rapidly and without a valid medical explanation, a person’s loved ones should be suspicious.
Rapid weight loss and rapid hair loss in nursing home residents are often signs of abuse or neglect. If you notice either in your loved one, you should at the very least investigate and make sure they are not being mistreated. As we tell all our clients and potential clients, it is better to say something and be wrong than not to say something while your loved one continues to suffer.
Here are some possible causes of rapid weight loss or hair loss in a nursing home resident:
Malnutrition
According to Healthline, malnutrition can lead to both weight loss and hair loss. Just as your body needs a certain quantity of various nutrients to function, your hair requires vitamins and minerals to grow. If your loved one lost weight or hair without any underlying condition to cause the loss, it may be due to a lack of nutrition.
Medication Changes
A significant part of a nursing home caregiver’s responsibility is to administer medication to patients in the right quantities and at the right times. Changes to an elderly patient’s medications can lead to a long list of unwanted side-effects, including weight loss and hair loss.
Insufficient Calories
Sudden and rapid weight loss may have a very simple explanation: your loved one is not taking in enough calories to sustain their weight. Even if the facility and its staff are not intentionally starving your loved one, they are committing negligence if they allow your loved one to undereat.
Trauma
Weight loss and hair loss can both be responses to trauma, such as physical, mental, or psychological abuse.
Stress or Anxiety
If your loved one is under a high degree of stress or is experiencing chronic anxiety – perhaps because they are not comfortable and well cared for – it could manifest in rapid weight loss or hair loss.
The Responsible Parties for Your Loved One’s Rapid Weight Loss or Hair Loss
The Oklahoma City rapid weight loss or hair loss lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will investigate your suspicions and determine who is responsible for your loved one’s condition. We go into the investigation with an open mind, and we sometimes find that the responsible party is not who anyone initially suspected. In many cases of nursing home abuse or neglect, the liable party is one or more of the following:
The Caregiver
We will take a look at the individuals tasked with providing your loved one care. Nursing home abuse and neglect often happens at the hand of an individual caregiver. If that is the case with your loved one, we will hold that person liable.
The Supervisor
If a supervisor is aware of or even suspects abuse and does not take active steps to put a stop to it, they may be just as liable as the one perpetrating it.
The Facility
The facility likely has vicarious liability for the actions of its employees, particularly where nursing home abuse and neglect are concerned.
For a free legal consultation with a Oklahoma City Rapid Weight Loss or Hair Loss Lawyer serving Oklahoma City, call (800) 794-0444
You and Your Loved One May Be Eligible for Compensation
If it turns out your loved one is indeed a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, you and they may be eligible for compensation, which can include money for:
- Medical expenses
- Transfer to a different facility
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering (compensation for your physical and emotional distress according to Legal Information Institute)
- Emotional distress
- More if you qualify
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City Rapid Weight Loss or Hair Loss Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
The Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations for nursing home abuse lawsuits in Oklahoma is two years, but certain extenuating circumstances may cause that timeline to vary in one direction or the other. It takes time to build a strong case, so it is imperative that you take legal action sooner than later to potentially recover compensation.
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Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm for a Free Nursing Home Abuse Consultation Today
The Oklahoma City rapid weight loss or hair loss lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm are ready to get to work for you today. For a free case evaluation, call us.
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