The current gust of activity brings before the Court the counterclaim defendant Rayonier's motion for summary judgment against counterclaim plaintiff John Swingle. Rather *24 than a butterfly's wings, this case concerns a routine corporate transfer from Georgia to Connecticut that ultimately spawned a tempest of litigation. SWINGLE Ĭhaos theory hypothesizes that the beating of a butterfly's wings in China can cause a hurricane in the Caribbean. RULING ON COUNTERCLAIM DEFENDANT RAYONIER'S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AGAINST COUNTERCLAIM PLAINTIFF JOHN C. Alvin Leaphart, Leaphart & Johnson, Jesup, GA, for Rayonier, Inc., John C. Sickinger, Murphy & Karpie, Bridgeport, J. Hamlin, Sarah Elizabeth Graves, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, Stamford, CT, Karen L. Sparaco, Emmett & Glander, Stamford, CT, for Lisa MacKay, plaintiffs.Ĭarla R. Persons who swallow abnormally take significantly longer to start eating and to achieve total oral feeding, and they require nonoral supplementation three to four times longer than those who swallow normally.RAYONIER, INC. Swallowing disorders and behavioral/cognitive skills are frequently present in patients with severe brain injury and significantly affect oral intake of food. Risk factors for aspiration were lower admission GCS and RLA scores. Risk factors for abnormal swallowing included: lower admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and RLA scores, presence of a tracheostomy, and ventilation time longer than 2 weeks. Rancho Los Amigos (RLA) Level IV was needed for initiation of oral feeding Level VI was needed for total oral feeding. Normal swallowers achieved oral feeding in 19 days versus 57 days for abnormal swallowers. Loss of bolus control and reduced lingual control occurred most commonly. Sixty-one percent of subjects exhibited abnormal swallowing. Type of swallowing abnormalities and presence of aspiration evident on videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS), days to initiation and achievement of oral feeding, ventilation days, presence of a tracheostomy, and cognitive levels at initiation and achievement of oral feeding. To determine the incidence and type of swallowing disorders that accompany severe brain injury and to identify factors that affect oral intake.Ĭonsecutively admitted patients with severe brain injury who achieved cognitive levels during admission to assess swallowing and who did not sustain injuries preventing swallowing assessment (n = 54).

Mackay 1999 sla