by

We’ve all seen the billboards and know the figures: Smoking kills! Drinking and driving kills! While these statements are true, a different threat has been creeping up through the ranks of causes of death: medical errors. Stories are all over the internet of nurses giving wrong drugs to patients or surgeons lopping off the wrong leg. For the longest time, these were thought to be rare exceptions, caused by tired or inexperienced medical professionals.

But that school of thought is now moot.

In a recent study from the British Medical Journal, it was revealed that medical errors are now the third-leading cause of death in the United States. According to the report, medical errors take almost as many lives annually as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), suicide, firearms and car accidents combined.

by

https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/download-picture.php?adresar=30000&soubor=wheelchair-1338584838sHA.jpg&id=22618When you trust the care of an elderly loved one to a nursing home or assisted living facility, you do so with the assumption that they will be kept safe and as healthy as possible. Unfortunately, that isn’t what always happens as a family in Florida recently discovered.

On April 30, police were called to Gracewood Nursing Home on reports of an elderly man being transported to the hospital. The police were told that the man had possibly fallen victim to abuse.

According to reports, the 65-year-old man had been left outside of the home. The sun was shining brightly during the day, and the man received second-degree burns. Once he arrived at the hospital, the man went into cardiac failure and eventually passed away.

by
Posted in:
Updated:

by

407953159_d8e8e41ef5_o_dAs the health of our parents’ declines, we may find ourselves becoming more involved with their care. While doctors certainly make errors on their own, many people confuse medical malpractice with a doctor not having been given enough information with which to do their job. To ensure our parents are getting proper care, it often becomes necessary to step in and play a role in their relationship with their medical providers. Here are some tips for talking to your parent’s doctor and care-giving team.

1. Health Care Proxy

No matter how old our parents, they are still privy to a doctor-patient relationship. This means that a doctor cannot provide you with information without your parents’ permission. A health care proxy or durable medical power of attorney is important. This will ensure that the doctor knows that you are responsible for making health care decisions if your parent becomes unable to do so. An attorney can help you draft this paperwork and file it.

by

7208890116_7dbbbfe6f3_o_dMaking the decision to place a loved one in a nursing home can be stressful for you and your family. It is never an easy thing to do, but it is often the best decision for elderly loved ones who can no longer effectively care for themselves. When you are looking for a nursing home, you want to be sure that you are doing so with care and caution. Here are tips for looking for the right things when  you are visiting any nursing home.

1. Stop and Listen

Stop and listen to the noises around you. What do you hear? Listen to hear if staff call residents by their names. Staff should be respectful of residents’ choices, and this is a generation that is used to being referred to formally.

by

Choosing a doctor in today’s wake of medical malpractice claims can be daunting. You want to be sure you are choosing a medical provider who you can develop a lasting relationship with and not have to worry about mistakes or negligence. Knowing whether or not patients have filed claim against a medical professional can help in your decision-making process. Here’s how to find out.

1. State Medical Board

Every state in the country has a medical board that licenses medical professionals in their state. These are also the people that keep track of medical malpractice claims. Almost every state has a website for its medical board that is free for the public to use. A simple search of such a site will let you know if a doctor you are considering has had any disciplinary action taken against them or has been to court for medical malpractice.

by
Updated:

by

pexels-photoWhen you are hurt due to a medical professional’s negligence, you may think that you have an unlimited amount of time to decide to file a personal injury lawsuit. Unfortunately, you are under a false impression. There is a statute of limitations in medical malpractice cases that everyone needs to be aware of.

Standard Deadline

In the state of New York, a lawsuit claiming medical malpractice must be filed within 30 months of the alleged malpractice. If you received continuous treatment for the same injury or illness that gave rise to the malpractice, you have 30 months from the last date of your treatment to file suit. Should you fail to file suit within this time frame, you lose your right to sue unless you meet one of the following exceptions.

by
Updated:

by

NIMH_Clinical_CenterA jury recently awarded a $4 million verdict to a woman from Troy, Texas. The woman had filed suit against Noland Hospital after her father suffered a fall and died while in the care of the medical facility.

According to reports, Thomas Doster, 77, was in the care of Noland Hospital’s long-term care facility. He was found on the floor of his room in September 2007. Doster was deceased when he was located. Reviews of Doster’s medical records showed that the patient was supposed to be in restraints because he was deemed a high risk for falls.

Because Doster was not in restraints and fell as a result of not being secured properly, his daughter, Karren Hughes, filed a medical malpractice suit, alleging that the facility had breached their standard of care.

by
Posted in:
Updated:

by

A Connecticut family was awarded $1.8 million by a jury in a medical malpractice case that finally wrapped up last week.

According to records, Rebecca Simonds and her husband, Charles Simonds, brought a claim against Dr. Taylor Hotchkiss. The couple alleged that the doctor cut the wrong fallopian tube during a surgical procedure being performed on Simonds. As a result of the botched surgery, Simonds was left sterile.

In 2011, Simonds went to the hospital with pelvic pain. Doctors were unable to determine if Simonds was suffering with an infection or appendicitis. As a precaution, Simonds was given an appendectomy by another surgeon. Hotchkiss walked in to assist with the surgery and began to deal with an abscess on Simonds’ right fallopian tube.

by
Posted in:
Updated:

by

hqdefaultThe human brain is a virtual machine. It helps us make decisions, process information and create works of imagination. It also keeps us alive. As it is developing, the brain is incredibly fragile and any disruption in that development can cause lifelong health impairments.

One of these impairments is microcephaly. The brain does not develop at a normal rate or reach a typical size. Children with this condition have heads that are small than those of peers the same gender and age. Not only is the head smaller, but children may be dealt a host of complications including developmental delays and cognitive deficits.

Microcephaly can have genetic components or be caused by medical negligence or error. For example, a lack of oxygen to the developing fetal brain can lead to this condition. The condition is a rare one, affecting only about 25,000 infants each year.

by
Posted in:
Updated:

by

16068674648_383d653ccb_bBefore a doctor delivers treatment or performs a procedure, you must be permitted to provide informed consent. This means that you have been fully informed of the risks and potential complications surrounding the treatment or procedure, and you elect to move ahead despite those risks. When a medical professional fails to secure informed consent from a patient, they may be found guilty of medical malpractice.

What Is Informed Consent?

There are very few medical procedures that are without risk. It is a medical provider’s responsibility to provide their patient with information about a procedure so that the patient can determine whether or not to undergo the treatment, procedure or test. Many medical professionals put these risks in writing and require that their patients sign an official type of informed consent in order to protect themselves.

by
Updated:
Contact Information