Choke Expert Witnesses

Boston, Massachusetts

Speech-Language Pathology, Geriatrics - swallowing, swallowing disorders, dysphagia, oral, pharyngeal, esophageal, oropharyngeal dysphagia, vocal cords, vocal folds, larynx, aspiration, aspiration pneumonia, aspiration precautions, safety, stroke, choke, choking, asphyxiation, hypoxia, anoxia

I am a medical Speech-Language Pathologist and a Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders/Dysphagia (BCS-S). I achieved this BCS-S specialty certification in 2012. I have been a certified, licensed and practicing SLP since 1996, with licensure in Massachusetts from 1998 to current. I have enjoyed working as a dysphagia expert witness in litigation since 2016. I have reviewed over 60 cases, equally covering defendants and plaintiffs. I started SwallowStudy & Associates, LLC in January 2024 and now have an associate who is also a board certified specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders: George Barnes, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S. Please see his listing as well. We both take cases nationally. I have worked with the adult and geriatric populations, specializing in dysphagia evaluation and management in long-term care, rehabilitation centers, and acute care with inpatients and outpatients. I have also been invited to nursing conferences to speak for nursing and ...

Maplewood, New Jersey

Speech-Language Pathology, Nursing Homes - swallowing, swallowing disorder, dysphagia, aspiration, pneumonia, choking, asphyxiation, medically complex, frail, elderly, geriatric, physical medicine, rehabilitation, skilled nursing, slp, medical complexity, oral, pharyngeal, esophageal, choke

For attorneys, navigating clinical files and medical jargon is a bottleneck. George Barnes, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, serves as the expert guide, translating this medical complexity into clear, objective testimony. As a Board-Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (BCS-S)—a credential held by only 0.2% of speech pathologists—George provides the decisive clinical authority legal teams need to evaluate the standard of care and establish the facts. Unlike academic witnesses whose expertise is disconnected from modern practice, George maintains an active, hands-on clinical presence, dedicating over 50% of his time to direct patient care. He regularly navigates medical complexity and performs high-level instrumental swallowing evaluations. This continuous clinical immersion ensures that his evaluations of aspiration pneumonia and choking incidents are always grounded in the contemporary standard of care, rather than outdated theories. To ensure his testimony is always al...