Feeding Tube Complications

It is not uncommon for nursing home residents to suffer from difficulty eating and drinking. Thus, many of them have feeding tubes to ensure that they receive adequate nutrition. While feeding tubes are critical in helping many nursing home residents obtain the sustenance they need, feeding tube complications can lead to significant health concerns. In many instances, feeding tube issues arise out of improper monitoring and maintenance, and the nursing home responsible for a patient’s care can be held accountable for any harm suffered. If you or a loved one sustained injuries in a nursing home due to neglect, it is prudent to speak to a lawyer as soon as possible. At The Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, our dedicated Cape Cod nursing home negligence attorneys can advise you of your potential claims. Collectively, we have over one hundred and fifty years of experience assisting people in the pursuit of damages for their harm, and we can help you to seek any compensation you may be owed. Our zealous advocacy has enabled us to recover several damages awards for our clients in the multi-million dollar range.

Feeding tubes are used to provide nursing home residents with adequate hydration and nutrition. Nursing home staff must ensure that feeding tubes are properly placed prior to feeding the patient or using the tube to administer medication. They must also make sure the feeding tube is adequately secured, regularly clean and examine the site where the tube is inserted to prevent infection or irritation, and flush the tube when required. The tube must also be replaced when necessary. The failure to take the steps needed to avoid harm associated with the use of feeding tubes can cause significant complications, including aspiration, perforation of the stomach or intestines, abscesses, skin erosion around the insertion site, and clogging of the feeding tube. Residents being fed with feeding tubes may also suffer from malnutrition, dehydration, and hypoglycemia.

All nursing homes in Massachusetts must comply with state and federal laws and regulations designed to protect the safety of residents, which includes guidelines regarding the use, care, and maintenance of feeding tubes. If a nursing home’s staff does not adhere to the applicable policies or otherwise fails to provide adequate care to a resident and feeding tube complications arise as a result, the nursing home may be deemed liable for the resident’s harm.

In most instances, a plaintiff seeking compensation for harm caused by feeding tube complications will assert a negligence claim against the nursing home. Under Massachusetts law, this requires the plaintiff to establish that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty and that the defendant acted in a manner that constitutes a breach of the duty owed. In cases arising out of nursing home negligence, the duty is likely one imposed by a regulation or law. The plaintiff may need to retain an expert to explain the relevant standard of care and how the nursing home breached the standard to those tasked with determining liability.

The plaintiff must not only prove that the defendant breached a duty but also that the breach proximately caused the plaintiff’s harm. In other words, that the harm would not have occurred absent the breach. This generally requires expert testimony as well, as, in many instances, the defendant nursing home will argue that the plaintiff’s injuries were inevitable and were not caused by the defendant’s actions.

Nursing homes are entrusted with providing thorough care to their residents, which includes working to prevent complications from arising due to the use of feeding tubes. If you or someone you love sustained losses due to feeding tube complications, you may be owed damages, and you should talk to a lawyer about your options. The attorneys of The Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, are well-versed in what it takes to achieve winning results. If you hire us, we will work tirelessly to help you seek the best legal outcome available in your case. We have a record of recovering successful results, including many outcomes over one million dollars. We regularly represent parties in nursing home negligence cases on Cape Cod, and we are also able to meet for consultations in Hyannis and Plymouth. You can contact us via our form online or call us at (888) 262-6664 to set up a meeting. Nós Falamos Português.