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Showing posts from 2012

ANESTHESIA

Anesthesia, if properly administered, can allow us to undergo a wide spectrum of procedures which would otherwise be impossible to perform. Most of the time there are no major complications from the use of anesthesia. However, mistakes sometimes happen and the results can be deadly. The National Institute of Health provided an analysis of a report issued by the American Journal of Anesthesiology published in April of 2009, which studied anesthesia related deaths from 1995 to 2005. The report cited 2,211 deaths during that time period either directly related to anesthesia, or where it was a major contributing factor. There are several factors that contribute to anesthesia mistakes: Insufficient or inaccurate medical history completed by the anesthesiologist; Equipment malfunction; Inaccurate dosing or dispensing of medication; Lack of communication during the procedure between medical team members; Poor monitoring of the equipment and/or the patients’ status during the

Whiplash

Whiplash can be a serious injury and can even result in long term medical problems if it is not diagnosed and treated properly. If you are suffering from whiplash, the key is to promptly seek medical treatment. You should be aware of the symptoms of whiplash, which may include: Headaches; Dizziness or blurred vision; Neck, shoulder, and back pain; Difficulties concentrating; Tingling in your extremities such as your arms or hands; and Unexplained fatigue Although most people associate the term whiplash with auto accidents, it can also be caused by many other activities including those with much less impact. Any activity which causes your neck to extend and flex in an unnatural whipping motion can cause damage to your muscles and other soft tissues in the cervical area of your neck causing whiplash. Other activities where whiplash can occur include: Winter related accidents such as slipping on ice or failing on the ski slope; Injuries in contact sports suc

Insurance Company Tricks

Insurance companies are not always there to help you and unfortunately sometimes employ tricks and tactics to try and deny your injury claims or the amount of money they have to pay. The best way to protect your rights after an accident is to make sure you are aware of some the insurance industry's most common tricks of the trade, such as: 1) Suggesting that you go through the other driver's insurance company to get your car appraised or fixed. If the accident was the other driver's fault, don't be surprised if you own insurance company tries this approach. Don't be fooled by this, the bottom line is that it is often much quicker to have your car fixed through your own coverage. 2) Secretly videotaping you. At times, insurance companies will hire private investigators to videotape accident victims during their day to day lives. Their goal is to catch you doing something that can be used against you during trial or at settlement negotiations. 3) Insurance com

The Risks of Teenage Drivers

Despite knowing the dangers of their actions, nearly nine out of ten teenage drivers continue to engage in distracted driving behaviors such as texting or talking on a cell phone according to recent surveys. The study, conducted by Seventeen magazine and AAA, asked nearly 2,000 teens, ages 16-19, about their driving habits. While 84 percent of the respondents indicated that they were aware that distracted driving could increase their risk of having an accident and being injured, 86% still engaged in behaviors such as: Texting; Eating; Applying Makeup; Adjusting the radio, or CD player; Driving with four or more passengers in the vehicle. This survey reveals just how many distractions there are today for teenage drivers and how hard it can be to combat against them. Distracted driving leads to nearly 6,000 deaths each year, according the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. To find out more about distracted driving, visit  Distraction.gov. Visit us at  Myrtl

Don’t Let Previous Injuries Hurt You Twice

If you have recently been hurt in a car accident, chances are good that you are mainly focused on how to heal from your current injuries and how to handle your medical bills. The last thing a person wants to think about after getting into an auto accident prior injuries that you have had. However, your previous injuries and accident history is critical information that may end up severely limiting your ability to collect compensation if you are not up front and truthful with your attorney. Why is that?

I Was Not Even Driving. Why Am I Getting Sued?

Negligent Entrustment You were at a party when your best friend asked you if he could borrow your car to run a quick errand. The only problem was that he had been drinking (you knew that but figured he was okay to drive). He ended up having an accident where someone got hurt, and now you've learned that you are being sued by the injured victim. How can that happen?

Truck Tire Blowouts

Even if you only drive a little you have probably come across the remnants of a tire blowout from a tractor trailer or other large truck at some point. Unfortunately, a truck tire blowout can lead to a serious accident if the truck driver loses control when the blowout occurs or if another driver swerves to avoid the large strips of rubber and other debris scattered all over the road after the blowout.

Five Common Questions From Accident Vicitm's

Will I Get A Rental Car? In most cases, the insurance company for the at fault driver whom hit you will not provide you with a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired. However, if you have this benefit on your own policy, your insurance company will provide a rental car for a limited time while your car is being repaired. Will The Insurance Company For The Person Who Caused  My Accident Pay My Medical Bills Before I Settle The Case? The insurance company for the other person will almost never agree to pay any claims related to your personal injury claim “piecemeal.” Basically the insurance company looks at your medical bills as part of your total claim and they want to settle the claim all at once. Hopefully, you have medical insurance coverage or medical payments coverage on your own insurance policy to pay your medical bills. If not, you will need to make arrangements with the medical providers to halt collection efforts until you can get your claim settled. Som

Misdiagnosis of Early Stage Breast Cancer

A breast cancer diagnosis brings with it an array of burdens. Among them are frequent trips to the doctor, possible hospitalization, and any number of treatments which can have permanent repercussions. However, perhaps the worst of all is the emotional stress one feels upon hearing a cancer diagnosis. New technologies can detect breast cancer at stage 0, also known as carcinoma in situ. On the surface, this is a medical advancement which has the potential to save many lives moving forward. However, cancers detected at this early stage can easily be misdiagnosed. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) are two breast cancers detected at stage 0. While most woman think of biopsies as being infallible in terms of diagnosing breast cancer, some reports indicate that upwards of 17 percent of DCIS incidences diagnosed via fine-needle biopsy are misdiagnosed. That percentage has prompted the federal government to begin funding a national study to further evaluat

Automobile Accidents and Compensation

Any individual who has been injured in an automobile accident may be able to seek monetary compensation for injuries and damages. Each case is fact specific and typically involves complex issues of proof and fault in a dispute. Compensation:            The injured party in a motor vehicle accident may be able to recover damages from the party or parties who caused the accident. Damages are monetary compensation for the victim’s injuries or losses. Compensable injuries include physical injuries such as broken bones, spinal cord injuries, head injuries and the pain and suffering caused by the physical injuries.

Employees vs Independent Contractors

How companies classify persons that perform services for them carries tax, unemployment, workers compensation, liability and other implications. The two primary classifications are employees or independent contractors. Which of the two classifications a person falls under depends on several factors.   Determining the Legal Distinction: The key element in determining whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor is the amount of control the worker has over his or her job duties and what that person accomplishes or produces. A worker who performs services for a business is usually an employee if the business or organization can control what will be done and how it will be done. In determining whether a person providing service is an employee or is an independent contractor, any information that provides evidence of the degree of control or the independence of the worker must be considered.

Don't Get Caught Driving Without Insurance

It is unfortunate that we often hear of people who have been injured in a car wreck in which the other driver was driving without any insurance. But this bad situation can quickly turn into a disaster if the person who was injured was not carrying Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage (UM/UIM). Medical bills from serious injuries can easily run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, leaving you in financial ruin and unable to recover from your injuries through no fault of your own.

Nursing Homes and Malnutrition of Residents

If you believe malnutrition is not a problem in today’s modern facilities you could not be further from the truth. Estimates are that at least one third, and possibly a much higher percentage, of nursing home residents suffer from malnutrition despite the fact that it can typically be prevented. This number is particularly troubling when you consider that approximately 1.5 million Americans reside in nursing homes. So why is malnutrition such a major problem in our nursing homes today?

$$$ THE COSTS OF CRASHES $$$

As an attorney dedicated to helping car and truck accident victims, I am reminded every day of the terrible toll of motor vehicle wrecks on our nation. First and foremost is the human element, as many people struggle with serious injuries or even the loss of a loved one due to a crash. But there is also a very real economic impact as well.

On the Road Again - Automobile Accident

The only thing worse than being involved in an automobile accident is being involved in an accident with some type of large commercial truck. Commercial trucks can often weigh up to 40 tons and can be 80 feet in length.  According to the  Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), deaths in 2010 due to accidents involving large trucks topped 3,000. Of those 3,000+ accidents, approximately 72% of those, or around 2,450  of the deaths, were passenger vehicle occupants.