Gaithersburg Nursing Home Choking Injury Attorney

Older adults are more vulnerable to suffering choking incidents. For that reason, workers of these institutions should be conscientious about avoiding situations in which the residents could be in danger of choking. Preventing, dealing with, and taking responsibility for these incidents is part of the duty of the staff.

If your loved one was affected by neglect or other negligence on the part of a nursing home, you could have a right to take legal action. A Gaithersburg nursing home choking attorney from Brown & Barron can help you seek the justice you and your family deserve.

Your case review is free and comes with no obligation. Let us use our experience and skills to your advantage.

Get in touch with a choking injury lawyer serving Gaithersburg, (410) 698-1717 for a free case evaluation.

How Can a Nursing Home Choking Injury Attorney Help You?

Bringing a legal case after your loved one suffered a choking incident could be overwhelming for families. If you lost a loved one due to a nursing home’s negligence, your family could be grieving at the same time you’re trying to deal with a legal case. You don’t have to be alone in your situation.

Brown & Barron’s attorneys have handled many cases of nursing home abuse and neglect and can help you take this burden off of your shoulders.

Our lawyers can:

• Investigate your case and gather evidence
• Demonstrate that a nursing home was liable for your loved one’s harm
• Handle all communications with the liable party’s attorneys and others in the case
• Negotiate on your behalf
• Take your case to trial if necessary
• Advise you through every step

Results You Could Seek From an Injury Case or Wrongful Death Lawsuit

You could seek compensation for the following losses and damages after your loved one suffered from choking in a nursing home: 

• Medical costs: If your loved one required emergency room care, ambulance services, hospitalization, or other health care as a result of choking
• Lost income: If you had to take time off of work take care of your loved one after their injury
• Non-financial losses: Including the pain and suffering of your loved one and your family 

Wrongful Death Damages

If you lost a loved one to choking injuries, we are truly sorry for your loss. Our compassionate team can handle every aspect of your legal case so you don’t have to. We can help your family seek justice for this wrong and go after the compensation you need and deserve to address your damages.

This may include compensation for medical costs, funeral and burial costs, and non-financial losses such as for your pain and suffering.  

What Are the Causes of Nursing Home Choking Injury?

Anyone can be at risk of choking, but residents in nursing homes are especially vulnerable. Many health conditions could heighten the risk of choking. Also known as dysphagia, trouble with swallowing is common among stroke victims as well as people with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease (Mayo Clinic). Dysphagia implies difficulty swallowing solid food and even liquids. It could be very painful and, most importantly, dangerous.

Nursing home staff must be aware of the symptoms of dysphagia and be acutely careful with feeding the residents. Overlooking the symptoms can result in a choking injury.

The following are the most commons symptoms of dysphagia (Mayo Clinic): 

• Coughing or gagging when eating
• Lost of weight 
• Frequent heartburn
• Regurgitation through the mouth or nose
• Persistent drooling
• Pain while swallowing
• Having a sensation of food stuck in your throat or chest
• A hoarse voice

If your loved one has had these symptoms for a while and, consequently, suffered a choking injury, the nursing home may be liable—and we can help you make your case. A nursing home choking injury attorney can help you decide if you can take legal action. 

Other Causes of Choking Injuries

The following other situations commonly affecting elders could make them more susceptible to choking:

• Degenerative diseases: Such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and other illnesses 
• Chewing troubles due to dentures: Using dentures could bring many issues to the elderly. They often suffer from soreness and discomfort, difficulty speaking, slipping dentures, and excess saliva. When difficulty eating is added to these problems, they could be at risk of a choking injury. 
• Dry mouth: Certain medications, inadequate nutrition, and long-term diseases produce dryness in the oral cavity. This condition can encumber feeding and make it difficult to swallow.   
• The aftermath of a stroke: The consequences of a stroke can include many physical and emotional conditions. Weakness, fatigue, incontinence, depression, and anxiety are only a few of the most common. Difficulty swallowing also can appear after a stroke incident.

If your loved one has been through one of these scenarios, their medical caregivers must pay special attention when they eat to avoid dangerous situations such as choking injuries.

Contact Brown & Barron online today to schedule a free case review with a with a choking injury lawyer serving Gaithersburg.

Forms of Negligence That Could Lead to a Choking Injury

If the nursing home staff demonstrates some of the following negligent behaviors, you may be able to hold the nursing home liable:

• Failing to follow the specific patient’s dietary guidelines 
• Lack of supervision due to understaffing or unqualified personal
• Ignoring medical orders 

Many other forms of negligence could contribute to these injuries. We can work to gather evidence to demonstrate liability on the part of a nursing home.

How to Recognize a Choking Injury?

A choking injury happens very fast. In minutes, the patient goes from choking to possible lethal consequences.

Nursing home staff should be deeply conscious of the signs of choking in order to help the residents, including:

• The patient is unable to speak
• There is a loss of consciousness 
• Blue discoloration of the face, lips, and fingernails 
• A panicked expression
• Presence of coughing or retching 
• Gestures pointing to the throat 
• Wheezing

The aftermath of a choking injury could go from a blackout to severe brain damage or death due to a loss of oxygen. That is why a quick and proficient response is needed. If you suspect that the home nursing staff did not take the proper measures to help your loved one, you can file a lawsuit and have the chance to obtain justice and compensation.

A Gaithersburg Nursing Home Choking Injury Attorney from Brown & Barron Can Help

Choking could have long-term effects. If your loved one is living with this aftermath due to negligence at a nursing home, you may be eligible for compensation. We can also stand by your side if you lost a loved one to a negligent choking incident. Brown & Barron’s legal team is here to help you navigate the entire legal process. 

Call us now to get immediate assistance from one of our team members.