San Francisco Nursing Home Choking Lawyer

Just like any other time spent in a nursing home, mealtime should be a happy and safe one in a nursing home. Unfortunately, mealtimes can sometimes be fatal for nursing home residents, and it may even result in wrongful death. Many senior citizens find it challenging to chew and swallow on their own, and so they require restricted diets to ensure they do not choke on their food. When nursing homes and their staff members do not ensure that elders have the proper diet restrictions, and do not monitor and supervise mealtime to ensure choking is never an issue, it is considered neglect. An experienced San Francisco nursing home choking lawyer can help you and your family claim the damages you deserve if your loved one has suffered from choking.

It takes 50 different pairs of nerves and muscles to effectively swallow. Unfortunately, many nursing home residents suffer from medical conditions that place them at a greater risk of choking. The medical conditions most likely to interfere with a senior’s ability to chew and swallow are as follows:

• Neurological damage: Spinal injuries, brain injuries, and strokes are all injuries that affect the muscle tone of seniors and affect their ability to swallow.
• Neurological disorders: Muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease are just a few of the neurological disorders that can affect a nursing home resident’s ability to chew and swallow.
• Cancer: It is not only the presence of cancer that can cause a choking incident in nursing homes, but also the treatment for cancer, such as radiation.
• Alzheimer’s disease: Alzheimer’s disease will affect every part of a nursing home resident’s life, including how they eat.
• Medications: Certain medications, such as muscle relaxants, have a great effect on the muscles needed to chew and swallow properly, placing elders on many medications at risk for choking.

It is essential that nursing home staff members are aware of the medical conditions and issues that can cause choking, so they know when and how to prevent it. When they do not meet this responsibility, it is considered negligence when a resident becomes harmed as a result. At-fault parties can be held accountable for their negligence with the help of a nursing home choking lawyer in San Francisco.

There are many ways nursing home staff members can prevent a resident from choking. The main ways to do this include:

• Regularly examining patients that have problems swallowing
• Recommendations by a physician about the types of food certain elders should eat
• Creating a plan of care that includes prescription medication and meal preparation for residents
• Monitoring residents carefully during meal time

Any time a facility or staff members do not take the proper measures to prevent choking, it is important to speak to a San Francisco nursing home choking attorney.

If your loved one has suffered from a choking incident in a nursing home, a nursing home choking attorney in San Francisco is here to help. At Brod Law Firm, we know how to determine liability for a choking event, and will ensure they pay the maximum compensation your family deserves. Call us today at (800) 427-7020 or fill out our online form to schedule a free case review.