Choking and Asphyxiation in Michigan Nursing Homes

Our nursing home attorneys at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. represent nursing home residents and their families in lawsuits against nursing homes and residential care facilities for many different types of cases.  Choking and asphyxiation in Michigan nursing homes is preventable with proper assessments, therapy, food preparation, and observation.  Many nursing home patients often have poor judgement, difficulty chewing, and trouble swallowing with food.  As such it is imperative that the nursing home staff not only provide soft food and cut up other food in small pieces, but monitor those patients during meals to prevent choking injuries. When a resident dies from a choking death, the family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit.

Choking Risk Factors

There are many risk factors which cause Michigan nursing home patients to sustain choking injuries.  These include:

• History of stroke affecting swallowing and facial muscles
• Muscle weakness affecting swallowing
• Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia which can lead to choking
• Other medical conditions that affect the resident’s ability to chew and swallow food and drink

Assessing and Preventing Choking Risk Factors

There are several ways in which a Michigan nursing home medical team can properly assess a patient’s risk for choking or asphyxiation.  In residents with medical conditions that pre-dispose them to choking problems or those with a history of choking on food, the nursing home should undertake the following:

• An x-ray or barium swallow
• A visual examination of the esophagus (endoscopy) by a physician
• A swallowing study by a speech therapist
• Observations of the resident eating and drinking by a speech therapist or physician

Call to Discuss Legal Options After Choking and Asphyxiation in a Michigan Nursing Home

When a nursing home resident dies from choking on food, the surviving family members can pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the facility.  Our attorneys will review all of the medical records and the complete nursing home chart to determine exactly where the nursing home failed the resident and the family and explain how proper care could have prevented the death.  We seek compensation for the loss of the loved one for the family.  Our efforts also help prevent other similar incidents from occurring at the facility at a later date.

If a loved one suffers injuries or you have lost a loved one from choking or asphyxiation in a Michigan nursing home, call our office now at to speak with one of our experienced attorneys about your case. We will start working on your case immediately gathering all the evidence and witness statements to prove and win your case. We will represent you under our No Fee Promise, meaning you do not pay any legal fees or costs until you win a settlement. Call now!