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Clogged Breathing Tubes in Nursing Homes

The thought of our loved ones dying in the nursing home or other assisted living facility that we have entrusted for their care is beyond unimaginable. And the thought of that injury or death occurring because they could not breathe is, arguably, even worse.

Clogged breathing tubes, like choking, deprive oxygen to the brain and can cause severe brain damage and/or even death. While such an injury may appear to be accidental, nursing homes can still be held accountable, particularly if the choking occurred because the patient was not properly monitored and this lack of monitoring led to a clogged breathing tube. It is the nursing home or related facility’s obligation to care for your loved one and ensure that any medical equipment—such as breathing tubes—are being used properly. Breathing tubes in particular need to be monitored very closely, as they can get clogged and disrupt breathing.

If this hasn’t been done, your loved one may have a nursing home abuse case. If this is the case, you should speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible to discuss your options. Your loved ones deserve to be kept safe in these homes.

Errors in Nursing Homes

Our Chicago attorneys see cases like this all the time; loved ones who are injured or killed due to a serious mistake made by their nursing home staff, whether that leads to malnutrition, medical errors, choking, clogged breathing tubes, or another act of negligence committed in feeding or administering medical care to residents. For example, some of our nursing home cases and settlements have included:

  • S.A. v. HCR Manor Care Homewood: A $2.9 million record nursing home jury verdict against a nursing home for the family of a deceased 57-year-old resident who was suffocated due to the home’s negligent care of her tracheostomy tube.
  • C.A. as administrator of the estate of W.R. v. Mercy Health Care Rehabilitation Institute: A $1 million settlement against a nursing home when a 75-year-old resident suffered malnutrition, dehydration and Stage IV pressure sores, resulting in death.
  • E.L. v. Sunrise Assisted Living: A $1 million verdict against an assisted living facility that admitted liability for failing to give a proper mechanical soft diet due to understaffing and poorly trained staff, which ultimately resulted in choking and death of a 67 year old man.
  • E. V. v. Emerald Park Health Care Center: A $950,000 settlement against a nursing home due to a 91-year-old resident who, over a three year period, suffered from malnutrition and dehydration, leading to hospitalization and death. This facility has subsequently been shut down by the State of Illinois.

Contact Us Today

If you believe that a loved one may be the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse in the State of Illinois, you should act quickly and contact our Chicago nursing home lawyers online or by phone at 877-374-1417 or 312-332-2872 to set up a free consultation. We are here to help.

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