Gaithersburg Nursing Home Choking Injury Attorney

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.