Parents File $2.0 Million Lawsuit After Medical Staff Misses Signs Of Fetal Distress And Baby Dies

Residents and nurses are often put in charge of monitoring an expectant mother for part, or sometimes most, of labor prior to the delivery of a baby. The expectation is that the nurses and residents who are tasked with performing this very important role have the knowledge and experience to recognize the signs of a complication during the labor process and to either take immediate action to rectify the situation or notifying a doctor with the ability to deal with the situation. Unfortunately this is not always what happens. Consider, for example, the following documented case.

This case involves a 28 year old woman expecting the birth of her first child. She was nearly at 41 weeks in the pregnancy when she experienced spontaneous labor and was transported to the hospital. Once at the hospital a fetal heart rate monitor was attached. For the next 10 1/2 hours the patterns shown on the fetal heart rate monitor appeared normal but then the patterns changed. The change was a sign that the unborn child was in fetal distress.

In approximately one hour and 40 minutes after the change in pattern the mother's membranes ruptured. As the amniotic fluid came out meconium was clearly visible. This was the second sign that the unborn child was in fetal distress.

As another fifteen minutes passed the woman's cervix became only slightly more dilated. Thirty more minutes passed and at this point the baby's heart rate changed dramatically. Yet there was no attempt made to use additional equipment for a more precise check on the baby's heart rate. The staff also failed to test the baby's scalp pH as a way to gauge the baby's condition. And the staff, which included two nurse midwives, a staff nurse, and a resident, did not call the obstetrician in charge. It took more than two additional hours for the women's cervix to be finally fully dilated. At that point she was instructed to begin pushing.

The baby was delivered almost one and a half hours after that point and throughout that length of time the fetal heart rate monitor signal would periodically be lost leading to the virtual impossibility of properly determining the baby's condition. Again, however, no steps were taken by the staff to confirm the baby's status. And the staff failed to call the obstetrician in charge until mere moments prior to the birth of the baby. At birth the baby's Apgar scores, a measure of the baby's well-being, were very low. Testing of the pH of the baby's umbilical cord showed a high level of acidity. At this point a consultation was requested from the attending emergency room pediatrician who was able to examine the baby roughly seven minutes after his birth. The baby demonstrated no reflexes and experienced seizures shortly thereafter.

Testing later revealed that he had experienced a hypoxic brain injury due to the lack of sufficient oxygen prior to birth. He was unable to hear, could not see, and could not react on his own. He died less than two years later from complications of his condition. The law firm that represented the parents filed claims on their behalf against the two nurse midwives, the staff nurse, and the resident for the failure to react to the signs of fetal distress leading to a prolonged period with a lack of necessary oxygen resulting in the baby's injuries and eventual death. The law firm reported that a settlement was reached in the case on behalf of the parents for the sum of $2.0 million.

As this case demonstrates sometimes nurses and residents do not have sufficient experience to recognize and react to serious complications that may develop during labor. When this happens the resulting injury to the baby may be catastrophic. In such cases the parents may be able to succeed with a medical malpractice claim against the responsible medical staff. An experienced birth injury attorney can assist the family in determining whether they may have a claim.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Safety of Gastric Banding Weight-Loss Surgery in Question   The Dangers of Delayed Diagnosis   Learn What Medical Malpractice Really Is   

Have You Fallen Victim To Medical Malpractice?

Have you been a victim of medical malpractice? If you have been a victim of medical malpractice and would like more information on how to proceed, this article is for you. If you feel as though you have been subjected to medical malpractice, your first step is hiring a medical attorney. A medical attorney will help you to establish your case and receive the compensation you deserve for your losses. If you would like to know more about medical malpractice, continue reading this article. Throughout the article we will discuss the two types of compensation you may be eligible to receive, as well as give you an idea of what you can expect if your case goes to trial.

As a victim of medical malpractice, I'm sure your biggest interest is how much of a settlement you are eligible to receive. Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to this question. The amount of compensation that you receive will depend on two things; compensatory damages and punitive damages. Let's take a closer look at each of these and discuss the difference between the two.

Let us begin with compensatory damages as these are the damages that will be the main focus of your attorney. Why will they be the main focus? Compensatory damages are usually the main focus of attorneys because they are easier to prove to the judge than punitive damages. Compensatory damages include anything that you have lost financially as a result of the medical malpractice. These damages include things such as wages lost (due to inability to work) and hospital bills (to pay for medical care). Because these types of damages leave a paper trail, they are easy to prove to the judge. It is, for example, very easy to prove that you have lost wages by showing the judge pay stubs and employment records. Similarly, it is easy to prove that you have medical bills from the hospital because it can all be recorded on paper.

Once finished with compensatory damages, your lawyer will focus on punitive damages. Punitive damages are labeled as anything that reduces an individual's quality of life. Emotional, psychological, and physical traumas are all included in punitive damages. Because these things are subjective, they are more difficult to prove than compensatory damages. They are therefore more difficult to have factored into your compensation.

Although punitive damages are unlikely to be as high as compensatory damages, both will be factored into your settlement amount. The finalized amount that you receive will be determined by the judge based on your case surrounding both compensatory and punitive damages.

If you have been a victim of medical malpractice and feel as though you deserve compensation for your losses, be sure to contact an attorney immediately. A good attorney will help you through every step of your settlement battle and will work hard to prove to the judge that you deserve both compensatory and punitive rewards. Contact a medical attorney today and get the settlement you deserve!

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Lawsuit Loans May Be The Key To Victory In Medical Malpractice Lawsuits   Misdiagnosis of Bowel Cancer, What Can You Do?   How The Compensation Claim Process Works   

What The Law Says About Medical Negligence

Medical negligence or medical malpractice occurs when a medical treatment provided by health providers, including hospital, doctors and other paramedical staff, falls below the acceptable standard. Medicine is regarded as a complicated practice, and all the health service providers cannot always be perfect. When medical treatment is failed and has resulted in some injury, it does not inevitably means that there was any negligence during course of treatment. The false diagnosis of a medical practitioner or the failure to take proper medical treatment falls under medical malpractice.

Some cases of medical malpractice include misdiagnosis of a medical condition, or failure to provide right treatment for a medical situation and unreasonable delay in providing treatment to a medical situation. The laws and rules concerning medical malpractice vary in every state, significantly.

The medical negligence laws are quite technical and complex, and in order to succeed in the compensation claim, it is essential that you receive legal advice from a negligence solicitor. Cases of negligence arise when a medical service provider owns the duty of taking care of a patient while he does not do so, hence causing harm to the patient.

Medical negligence is a failure of treatment and care provided to the patient by paramedical staff that claims to have the reasonable degree of skill. If the doctor lacks proper skill or overlooks any established rules, while the patient is under medical care, the hospital can be held liable to pay compensation for the medical negligence caused by their paramedical staff.

A legal negligence claim for compensation must be settled within the time duration of three years of the incident. Legal action will not be considered if the time limit is exceeded; however, there are few exceptions to this rule.

For the medical claims of people under 18 years, the three-year time period for claiming negligence does not begin until the claimants is eighteen years old. The time period begins from the date of the discovery of injury, which may be years after the negligent act was committed.

For people having mental incapacity, there is no specific time limit to claim for the medical malpractice. Judges have the authority to override the time limit under specific circumstances. This judgment is exercised rarely if a claim is outside normal conditions; special considerations should be reported in form of an application to the judge, in order to extend the time limitations for claim. If you like to have free advice, you can contact the specialist solicitor from the law society panel of medical expertise, who will evaluate your case and discuss compensation claim under no obligation or cost.

However, the patients are required to provide details of all the physicians, who have provided you with medical services and past medical records to assist the solicitor for negligence claim. It is important that the patients discuss all of their doctors and medical conditions they had been through, even if it does not have to do anything with the case. Medical malpractice litigation is a difficult process and may take years to resolve.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   What Is Medical Negligence and What Does It Mean for You?   The Complicated World of Expert Affidavits in Minnesota Medical Malpractice Cases   

Financial Compensation for Birth Injuries

A medical professional's negligence can cause years of pain and suffering for their victims. If this irresponsibility occurs in the OB/GYN field, coping with the pain may be particularly difficult. Although receiving compensation for the injuries can never make up for these hardships, it is one way to punish the medical professional for their negligence. Reporting the doctor may also help others that may be at risk of harm from the same negligent professional.

Compensation for Injuries

Injuries that occur during birth can be life threatening and life-long. If a doctor applies too much pressure to the head during birth, they are risking brain defects that may lead to paralysis. If they fail to observe the signs of gestational diabetes, they are putting the mother at risk of a miscarriage and the child at risk of heart defects. These are just some of the mistakes OB/GYNs are making every year. They are causing only severe emotional distress on the family and loved ones, but the injuries may be taking a heavy financial toll. Therefore, compensation may be available for these victims.

In order to receive compensation for birth injuries, a personal injury lawsuit must be filed. An investigation is typically made by an attorney. They will look into whether or not the client may be eligible for compensation. If an attorney believes their client is entitled to compensation, they will file a lawsuit and come up with what they believe is a reasonable amount. The doctor's attorneys or the party responsible may choose to settle or negotiate the determined amount. If a settlement cannot be reached, the case may go to court.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Why the Fear of a Malpractice Lawsuit May Be Causing Malpractice   Dental Malpractice   

Gaining A Knowledge About HIPPA

If you own a business that involves working with the public and their private information then you may want to consider some type of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) training for your employees. HIPPA training has proven over the years to keep businesses from violating the personal security of others. This type of training will ensure that your staff feels much more confident when dealing with customer service issues. HIPPA regulations actually pertain to many different businesses. Most times the common occupations that you see completing HIPPA training are lawyers, healthcare professionals, and HR managers.

The key to HIPPA training is becoming familiar on how to handle security related issues with clients. Anytime the personal information of an individual is exposed to others you can put several people at risk. If this occurs you will put your business at risk along with your employees for a lawsuit. You do not want this situation to happen at your own workplace or business. HIPPA training will actually help your business and your employees. Not only will protect them from a potential lawsuit but you will further their education in the workplace that can be used elsewhere. Becoming familiar with HIPPA will help you protect your investments.

Facts About HIPPA Training

1. When managing any type of HIPPA training you will want to make this material available to your employees in the most convenient way possible. After all you are asking your employees to complete training that is required within their job description. Since this is the case, you will want to make this training available for them while they are at work. In order for them to complete HIPPA training while they are at work, you will need something they can access on the computer. Online HIPPA training is available online, and would be a good choice for you as an employer.

2. Providing training online for your employees is very valuable to you as a business owner. If you make sure your employees can complete this training online it will save you time and money. They will receive the same amount of training quality that they would receive in a classroom from a third party instructor. Just think about how much money this training would cost if you had to bring in a third party. If you have you employees complete the training online you employees can complete this when they have spare time at work.

3. HIPPA training online is a very simple and easy process. This process is set up to be easy and convenient for your employees. You as the manager may not have time to walk each of your employees through the entire process. With online training your employees will be viewing a power point presentation and will then be required to complete and online exam.

The good thing about online training is that a certificate can be printed immediately upon passing the exam, after the training material is viewed. This will provide you with a simple and affordable way of making sure that your employees are trained and familiar with the HIPPA guidelines.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Safety of Gastric Banding Weight-Loss Surgery in Question   Anesthetics at the Dentist   

Surgical Error Leads To Death Of Forty Year Old Married Woman

All surgeries have risk. Doctors who perform a surgical procedure however need to be careful not to cause harm beyond the generally acceptable risks. One type of harm that can occur arises when a surgeon inadvertently perforates an organ such as the bladder. This error can be compounded if the surgeon fails to detect the perforations during the surgery and fails to recognize symptoms indicative of a complication following the surgery. When this happens and the complication is left untreated the consequences can be deadly. In such circumstances the family of the patient may be able to succeed in a medical malpractice lawsuit against doctor. For example, consider the following case.

In this case a woman underwent laparoscopic and Domino surgery which was expected to be quick and routine. As a result the doctor who performed the surgery did not have to catheterize the woman or have her void prior to the surgery. As a result of the woman's bladder was enlarged. The surgery which was performed not at a hospital but rather at a surgical center in the same building as the doctors office, quickly became more complicated. The doctor discovered a large fibroid in her uterus which she attempted to remove during the surgery. He ended up dropping the fibroid into the woman's peritoneal cavity and in his attempts to locate it again and remove it he ended up twice perforating her enlarged bladder.

The doctor did not realize that he had perforated her bladder during the surgery. Urine began to leak out of her bladder. Without having checked the doctor also did not know that the woman was suffering from a urinary tract infection. This meant that the urine leaking out was affected. The woman began to show signs of the complication even while she was in the recovery room. She experienced significant pain and was not able to avoid. The site of the surgery began to have significant amounts of drainage that included your. Again the doctor did not realize that this was happening when he checked on her and sent her home later that day.

By the following morning with worsening symptoms the woman called the doctor's office for a device of what to do. She was told that she needed to go to the ER. The doctors at the hospital performed emergency surgery and repaired the perforations to her bladder. During the surgery however it became clear that a massive infection had sent in by that point. She not only had a wound infection but it had advanced to peritonitis and sepsis.

After two months of undergoing multiple surgeries in an attempt to save her life without being able to completely remove the infection she died. She was only 40 years old. She had been married for only three years and had undergone the original surgery in an effort to evaluate the source of her inability to have children during that time. Her husband pursued a lawsuit against the doctor who performed the original surgery. The law firm that represented her husband reported that the case was mediated and ultimately settled in the amount of $1.9 million.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Safety of Gastric Banding Weight-Loss Surgery in Question   

Doctor Malpractice Records

Who wants to employ a private doctor? I will advice you read through this before you go ahead. There are so many quack and fake doctors out there, not because they do not have sweet mouths or fine faces, not because they do not wear white robes like every other doctor, it is because their licenses have been seized because of malpractices. Now, if you do not know, a doctor that does not have a license is not safe to be with as you could be putting your life as well as your family's in danger. This is why doctor malpractice records is a must look up for everyone who intends to employ a private doctor.

Doctor malpractice records will give you first hand information about that doctor. As a matter of fact, you will know everything about the person such as where the person schooled, where the person first worked as a doctor, the malpractice the person was involved in and how many times such cases has been recorded against that name. There are some times however that some doctors have been illegally dismissed but it is not in all cases. As a matter of fact, every doctor that has records in the doctor malpractice records probably have done something wrong and you may want to find out for yourself.

This is not an illegal venture into other people's personal life, it is your own life that is in danger and that of your family and that is why you need to take this serious. There are quack doctors who have nothing to lose. If you employ them, they will do a good job of making you weep and before you know it, they are on the move. As a matter of fact, they are criminals because most of them are wanted by the government. If you are not sure of the doctor you are dealing with, you had better get online right now to make that search.

Apart from the bodies that regulate doctoral behaviours, you can use public record lookup directories online to make this search. All you need is the name of the doctor. If the person has ever been involved in any malpractice, you will get details in the record. Also, if the doctor is safe and still have an operational license, you will find out with this lookup too. It is better to be safe than sorry, keep your family and your life safe by conducting a doctor malpractice records search today.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Safety of Gastric Banding Weight-Loss Surgery in Question   

Safe Surgical Practices

Surgery is a frightening prospect for most patients. Despite the training and experience of most surgeons, few patients are truly comfortable with the prospect of going under the knife. Unfortunately, this is for good reason in some instances. Though most surgeries are executed flawlessly, the ones that are not properly handled can have serious consequences for the patient turned victim.

One of the potential dangers of every surgical procedure is the possibility of improper handling of surgical implements. The tools and technologies that are used during surgery can be very helpful and make a difference in a patient's health, but if these instruments are not properly handled, the results can be devastating. Proper preparation and use of these implements is very important to the overall success of every surgical procedure.

Hygiene is one of the greatest concerns with the repeated use of medical instruments. If a tool is used on multiple occasions, the proper upkeep and cleaning of this tool is essential to the health of any patient on whom this tool is used. These tools are exposed to potentially hazardous materials and infections. Any trace of that illness can be easily spread to other patients if an implement is used repeatedly without proper sanitation.

Also, if an instrument is not handled properly, it could actually cause more harm than good. Scarring and unnecessary tissue damage can result if proper care is not taken while using surgical tools. These implements are designed to serve a specific purpose and if they are not handled well, they can cause long-term injuries and illness to those they were supposed to help.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Safety of Gastric Banding Weight-Loss Surgery in Question   Why Should You Consult With an Erb's Palsy Attorney?   

Failing to Diagnose a Heart Attack

When a doctor takes on a patient, there are several responsibilities that are immediately accepted by the physician. The Hippocratic Oath is meant to establish a necessary level of trust between doctor and patient, as well as enforce specific ethical requirements on the medical community. However, there are many instances in which a doctor may not properly catch a serious medical condition, which may in turn cause further health problems. In particular, heart attacks must be properly diagnosed when they occur to help prevent serious complications or loss of life.

Failure to diagnose is among the most serious concerns in medical malpractice cases. Without discovering the cause for a patient's pain or failing bodily functions, there are no real steps that the physicians on staff can take to help that individual. Although these doctors may attempt to reduce the patient's pain, these futile efforts, depending on the actual condition, can actually worsen the patient's health. In the case of cardiac arrest, the initial damage done to the cardiac muscle can be substantially worsened without further treatment.

Assuming the patient survives the first heart attack, a failure to address the problem with a proper diagnosis can easily set that patient up for another heart attack at a later date. Additionally, the strain on the circulatory system may be caused by another factor, such as a clot or damaged blood vessel. Without properly finding and treating these problems, the patient's health can rapidly deteriorate.

Failing to diagnose the initial heart attack may harm the patient in several ways. The weakening effect that a first cardiac event can have on the heart can be improved substantially with proper treatment and preventative measures. Without even knowing or understanding what has precisely happened, however, a doctor cannot properly assist a patient.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Safety of Gastric Banding Weight-Loss Surgery in Question   Nursing Care Malpractice (Part I)   

Wrong Site Surgery

Undergoing surgery is a serious matter, no matter what the procedure is. But having a surgery performed on the wrong site is an extremely dangerous mistake. A patient does not go under the knife for no reason. If surgery is necessary, it is likely that a patient has a serious health concern. A wrong site surgery not only does unnecessary harm to a patient, but it also fails to address the underlying problem.

The human body is very symmetrical. Many of your internal organs are duplicated on both sides of your body. Performing surgery on the wrong side of a person's body can do damage to a perfectly healthy body part. This is why informing your surgeon which part of your body needs attention is an important step to avoid wrong site surgery.

Also, more and more patients are taking a patient advocate with them to any medical or surgical procedure. This person should know all of the pertinent health information that applies to your operation. An effective advocate can make sure that your nurses, doctors, and surgeons know exactly why you are there, even if you are not able to address them directly.

Indicating the proper body part, side or your body, or location of your surgery to your nursing staff is crucial to avoiding improper surgeries. In emergency situations or procedures involving multiple doctors, this type of information can be overlooked or mistakenly communicated. A patient advocate can be an important way to avoid damaging mistakes.

Unfortunately, negligent practices do occur, and a wrong site surgery can have harmful and expensive results.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Safety of Gastric Banding Weight-Loss Surgery in Question   Litigating the Brain Damaged Baby Case From the Initial Interview to Trial   Failure to Diagnose Cancer Case - How Does It Work?   

Protecting Yourself From Sepsis

In the United States, 215,000 people die annually from sepsis and another 750,000 cases of sepsis require treatment each year. In the era of modern medicine, sepsis remains a well known medical risk. Yet despite an increased understanding and awareness of this life threatening medical condition, physicians often fail to quickly and effectively diagnose and treat sepsis. The results of these medical failures are often tragic for patients and their families.

It is crucial for sepsis to be caught early and treated appropriately. Because it is so common, physicians should always monitor their patients carefully for any signs of developing the condition. Physicians should immediately recognize symptoms and implement comprehensive treatment protocols that can prevent the condition and ultimately save lives.

What is Sepsis?

Sepsis occurs in reaction to the body's response to an infection. Normally, when you are sick, your body will send out an immune response to locate the infection and try to kill it. When the body sends out too big of a response, it sets off a chain of events that result in inflammation of the lining of the blood vessels, which then causes the body to begin clotting blood. The blood clots prevent these areas from receiving enough blood, causing tissue damage.

The infections that may result in sepsis normally are bacterial infections, but they can also be infections caused by viruses, fungus or parasites. The most common places for the initial infection to develop are the abdomen, lungs, pelvis or urinary tract. Some of the types of infections that may lead to sepsis include:

• Appendicitis

• Cellulitis (skin infection)

• Kidney infections

• Urine infections

• Meningitis

• Peritonitis (abdominal infection)

• Pneumonia

Symptoms may include:

• Fever or chills

• Fast heart rate

• Difficulty breathing or other respiratory distress

• Skin rash

• Hypothermia (decreased temperature)

• Nausea with or without vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Low blood pressure

• High or low white blood cell count

• Abnormal kidney and/or liver function

If not caught and treated quickly, sepsis can result in gangrene, organ dysfunction and/or organ failure and ultimately, death. If the physician delays in diagnosing sepsis, or fails to correctly diagnose or treat the condition altogether, the patient can suffer severe damage. Victims of sepsis may require breathing and/or feeding tubes, kidney dialysis or other invasive treatments to save their lives.

How Can an Attorney Help?

Sepsis is a very serious medical condition that requires quick action and treatment by a trained medical professional. If you or your loved one came to the hospital with sepsis or developed sepsis after a surgery or while you were in the hospital for treatment of another illness and your physician failed to timely diagnose and/or correctly treat your condition, you may be able to seek legal action against the negligent physician.

Physicians owe their patients a duty of care to provide them with the appropriate standard of medical care. When physicians breach this duty and provide care that falls below the accepted level provided by other physicians in similar circumstances, the patient has the legal right to bring a medical malpractice claim against the physician.

An attorney experienced in bringing medical malpractice cases can speak with you about what happened in your case and help you determine the best course of action to take. Not every case of sepsis may give rise to a medical malpractice claim, but if your physician was negligent in providing for your care or the care of a loved one, and you or your loved one were injured as a result, you may have the right to compensation for your injuries.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Safety of Gastric Banding Weight-Loss Surgery in Question   The Dangers of Delayed Diagnosis   

Common Anesthesia Errors

When an individual undergoes surgery, he or she will first be placed under anesthesia. Anesthesia is a drug that makes individual unconscious so that they will not feel pain when surgeons cut them open and operate on them.

Unfortunately, anesthesia can be highly dangerous when handled by an inexperienced individual. The individual who is in charge of handling the anesthetic is called the anesthesiologist. These individuals are trained doctors who specialize in sedation.

When they fail to properly do their jobs, they may seriously injure or even kill their patients. Errors may occur in a number of ways, each of which presents its own potential dangers to the affected individuals.

Common errors include failure to intubate, failure to monitor, and overdosing the patient. Failure to properly intubate a patient may result in patients losing teeth, suffering punctured lungs, or suffering windpipe trauma.

Individuals who are not monitored during their surgeries may suffer significant changes in their vitals. This may lead to permanent brain damage, cardiac arrest, or a number of other injuries. Some of these injuries may result in death depending on their severity.

Overdosing can also be dangerous, as it can poison an individual and also lead to brain damage and further injuries.

Individuals who suffer through an anesthesia error may be entitled to financial compensation if they choose to file medical malpractice lawsuits against the responsible medical institutions. Before doing this, individuals are advised to consult with experienced medical malpractice lawyers.

While hiring a medical malpractice lawyer does not guarantee that an individual will win his or her case, it usually does help individual gain a more favorable settlement.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Safety of Gastric Banding Weight-Loss Surgery in Question   Misdiagnosis of Bowel Cancer, What Can You Do?   How The Compensation Claim Process Works   

The Medical License Investigation Process

All licensed medical professionals must meet a certain standard of care and comply with board regulations in order to continue practicing medicine. If a physician is suspected of a violation, the state medical board may initiate an investigation to consider disciplinary action against him or her. A letter of self-report, a complaint, or an accusation of medical malpractice can all give the board reason to initiate a case to evaluate a physician's eligibility as a licensed professional.

The Board Investigation Process

After the board determines that there is reason to begin an investigation, a lawyer from the medical board will send the physician in question a certified letter notifying him or her of the pending investigation. The letter will include a subpoena for medical records and other documents that are considered to be relevant to the case. The board will likely ask for a response from the physician with his or her stance regarding the accusation, complaint, or charge that he or she is facing.

The next steps in a medical board investigation may include:

Collection of medical records or other pertinent documents Interviewing witnesses Contacting the physician for questioning (unless he or she has retained an attorney) Review of evidence by medical board lawyers

Once the board legal team reviews the evidence in the case, they will decide whether there is reasonable cause to pursue disciplinary action. If so, the physician in question will be scheduled for a hearing to determine what steps the board will take.

How an Attorney Can Help

If you are facing a medical board investigation into your licensure, it may be in your best interest to hire a license defense attorney. You will be facing an experienced team of medical board lawyers who may be more inclined to pursue disciplinary action than to fully review your case and your defense. Retaining an attorney can help to ensure that your legal rights are upheld, that you have a sound legal defense, and that you are given the fair hearing to which you are entitled.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Safety of Gastric Banding Weight-Loss Surgery in Question   

The Dangers of Contaminated Needles

Contaminated needles are any medical needles that have previously been used to administer medicine or vaccines to a patient or to draw blood from a patient. Once a needle has been used, standard procedure is to discard of it in biohazard waste. This prevents it from being reused.

Needles cannot be reused for several reasons. The most common reason is that needles come in direct contact with an individual's blood, regardless of whether the needle is attached to a syringe or to an intravenous device.

Once a needle touches the blood, it picks up traces of that blood. In other words, the needle becomes contaminated. Even though the blood is usually sterile, this is problematic for several reasons. When a needle is withdrawn from the body, the blood with which it is contaminated may attract pathogens.

Even more troublesome is that some individuals do not have sterile blood; some individuals suffer from blood-borne diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis. A needle infected with tainted blood may transmit the illness to another individual if not properly discarded.

For these reasons, medical professionals are supposed to keep track of the needles that they use and discard of them immediately to reduce the risk of reuse. Unfortunately, this does not always happen because of negligence.

Some medical providers may fail to discard of their used needles while others may misplace them, putting them among clean needles. In other cases, needles may be mishandled, and a medical professional may inadvertently poke a patient with a contaminated needle.

Regardless of how it happens, contaminated needle use may make an individual entitled to financial compensation. This usually only holds true when the individual contracts an infection and can prove that a medical provider was responsible.

For more information about holding healthcare professionals accountable for contaminated needle use, discuss your case with the Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Safety of Gastric Banding Weight-Loss Surgery in Question   

Wisdom Teeth Extraction Injuries

Wisdom teeth removal is a fairly invasive procedure. It requires removing large molars from the sensitive gums. Everyone's wisdom teeth will grow in slightly differently. People even have various numbers of wisdom teeth. Some people are lucky enough to not have any wisdom teeth to worry about. Others have 4 molars that can cause infections, pain, jaw conditions, and crooked teeth.

There are two main forms of wisdom tooth extraction. The first is known as "simple" and can be performed quickly and it usually heals quickly, as well. Although not necessary, many people choose to go "go under" for the procedure. The loud noises and amounts of blood involved in the extraction can leave some feeling rather wheezy. Local anesthetic is also available to block the pain.

"Simple extraction" is like a forced way of losing teeth. Sometimes wisdom teeth need a little help to coming out. Dentists will use forceps to grip the tooth and pull it gently out of the mouth. If the teeth are a little bit more stubborn, the other option for removing teeth, surgical extraction, will be required. This will involve cutting the gum to remove the tooth and using stitches to close the open wound.

The majority of Americans choose to get their wisdom teeth out in order to prevent the painful effects these teeth can have. However, the procedures have complications of their own. Prolonged bleeding is a common after surgery. However, surgical mistakes can contribute to a greater loss of blood than what is necessary. A surgeon may be responsible for the severe loss of blood, especially if he or she was negligent in closing incisions after teeth were extracted. Infections, swelling, sinus, nerve injuries, numbness, crooked teeth, dry sockets, and chronic pain are also harmful effects that can result from a mistake made during tooth removal.

Visit the website of the Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., for more information regarding dental malpractice.

Understanding the Risk of Surgical Errors   What Does Medical Malpractice Law Say About Your Case?   Wrong Patient Surgery   Safety of Gastric Banding Weight-Loss Surgery in Question   The Complicated World of Expert Affidavits in Minnesota Medical Malpractice Cases   Lawsuit Loans May Be The Key To Victory In Medical Malpractice Lawsuits