Evidence in a Nursing Home Malnutrition Investigation
We gather evidence early to determine what staff knew, what care they planned, and what assistance they documented. A detailed timeline can compare the resident’s known risks and changing condition with the facility’s response and the timing of medical evaluation or treatment.
Records that may help clarify the circumstances include:
- Clinical records: Medical charts, nutritional assessments, progress notes, medication records, and hospital or discharge paperwork.
- Monitoring records: Weight charts, meal records, fluid intake records, and documentation of feeding assistance.
- Care documents: Care plans, updates following a change in condition, incident reports, and staff notes.
- Family evidence: Photographs, dated observations, emails, text messages, and written communications with facility staff.
Families should preserve notes showing changes in weight, eating, drinking, alertness, mobility, or wound healing. Keep copies of communications and paperwork rather than relying on memory. We can explain how the available records may affect the family’s legal options.
South Carolina Resident Rights, Reports & Filing Deadlines
The South Carolina Bill of Rights for Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities protects residents from abuse and supports rights related to dignity, privacy, and appropriate care. Families may report quality-of-care concerns through the South Carolina Department of Public Health complaint process or contact the South Carolina Long Term Care Ombudsman Program for assistance with suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or violations of resident rights.
An agency complaint and a civil claim serve different purposes. Reporting a concern doesn’t replace a legal review, and pursuing a claim doesn’t replace urgent medical care. If a resident appears acutely ill or is declining rapidly, seek prompt attention from qualified medical professionals.
South Carolina Code Section 15-3-530 provides a three-year filing period for listed personal injury and wrongful death actions. Claim-specific rules can affect which deadline applies and when it begins. Prompt legal review allows time to identify the applicable deadline and preserve evidence before records are lost.
Three Questions in a Malnutrition Neglect Review
To distinguish a medical decline from potentially preventable neglect, we examine three connected issues:
- Risk: Did staff identify weight loss, swallowing problems, cognitive changes, or the need for feeding assistance?
- Response: Did the facility update the care plan, monitor intake, provide assistance, and seek medical attention?
- Harm: Do medical records connect an inadequate response to the resident’s injury or decline?
Around-the-Clock Access to a Firm Established in 1982
Our firm was established in 1982. We’re available around the clock to answer questions, investigate reported care failures, and pursue compensation for harm caused by abuse or negligence. We prepare each case based on its evidence and are ready to take it to trial when necessary.
Get Clarity About Your Loved One’s Care
Contact us if you need help deciding which records to preserve, what questions to ask the facility, or whether unexplained weight loss or dehydration warrants legal review. We can assess the circumstances, explain potential options, and provide clear direction based on the available facts.
You don’t need to organize every medical record before reaching out. Tell us what you observed and how the facility responded, and we can identify useful next steps.
Call (803) 590-9900 to speak with our firm about suspected nursing home malnutrition or dehydration in Lexington or elsewhere in South Carolina.
Our Settlements & Verdicts
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$2,000,000 Wrongful Death
Wrongful death and survival action in which our client’s husband was killed after being struck by a tractor that had just collided with a wide load.
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$1,000,000 Defective Product
The plaintiff and her two children, causing severe burns which resulted in extensive burn treatment, including skin grafts.
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$550,000 Negligently Performed Hip Operation
The client suffered as a result of a negligently performed hip operation.
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$550,000 Neck Injury
The client suffered severe neck injury due to a rear-end collision.
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$550,000 Severe Burn
The plaintiff was struck in the neck by a shell fired from a defective Sixteen Shot Super Stallion causing severe burn injuries to neck that required multiple surgeries.
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$525,000 Tractor-Trailer Collision
The plaintiff suffered neck pain and injury. Plaintiff was hit by a tractor-trailer whose driver was talking on the cell phone and not paying attention.
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