Huie Secures Defense Verdict in Wrongful Death Action

Huie attorneys Gordon Sproule, Jennifer Egbe, and Alex Underwood secured a defense verdict for a long-term care facility in a medical malpractice case on September 10, 2021. The case was tried before an arbitrator in July of 2021.

The wrongful death action was brought by the family of a nursing home resident who died following a choking event in the nursing home. Plaintiff claimed the choking event occurred because the Defendant failed to adequately evaluate the resident’s swallowing ability, failed to provide supervision while the resident was eating, and failed to provide proper emergency intervention. However, during the three-day arbitration, defense counsel proved that the decedent’s choking and subsequent death were not caused by a breach in the standard of care. Therefore, the Arbitrator determined that Plaintiff’s claims were unsubstantiated and returned a verdict for the Defendant.