Surgical errors are a frequent source of medical malpractice claims in Ohio. Urologic Care reports this month that the incidence of wrongful death associated with common urologic procedures increased significantly over a 12-year study period. The increase in preventable deaths coincided with a shift of more procedures to outpatient surgery centers. It appears that, once again, profits are getting [...]
Birth injuries and fetal demise are increased with breech deliveries, according to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). A "breech delivery" is one where the baby is delivered vaginally while in the breech, or feet first, position. The solution to risks associated with breech presentation is to deliver the [...]
Dangerous drugs come with a package insert that sets forth the indications, contraindications, drug interactions and side effects. When the medication poses an imminent risk of harm, drug manufacturers are required to prominently display a boxed warning, sometimes called a black box warning, on the package insert to alert physicians and pharmacists about the risk. When a healthcare [...]
Medical errors can occur when critical lab values are not properly communicated. A critical lab value is one that is so at odds with normal lab values that it potentially portrays a life threatening condition, unless immediate corrective action is taken. Laboratories can measure a variety of body fluids, including urine, sputum and blood, or process tissue samples [...]
Medical errors not only cause injury and wrongful death, but they also lead to increased costs of healthcare for all Americans. A recent study shows that U.S. healthcare is not only the worst when compared with other leading industrialized countries, but it is also the most expensive by far. Why is this acceptable? Americans are proud of [...]
Truck and car accidents caused by fatigued drivers are no accident. When a truck driver gets onto the highway in an exhausted state, he or she is significantly more likely to crash. Last week, we read that a TV star, Tracy Morgan, was gravely injured when his van was rearended by a fatigued truck driver. One [...]
Cancer of the head and neck can affect the mouth, tongue, tonsil, throat (oropharynx), salivary glands, paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx (voicebox), and lymph nodes in the neck. Cancers of the brain, eye, thyroid gland, scalp, skin, muscles, and head bones occur in the head and neck are not usually included in this group. Over 100 [...]
Stroke (also called "cerebral vascular accident" or CVA) is often viewed as a disease of older adults. However, I just watched a panel discussion by three prominent stroke experts that points to a trend towards CVAs occurring in younger patients, particularly aged 35-65. More importantly, for purposes of assessing medical malpractice claims, many of these CVAs are [...]
Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Cleveland OH When does a misdiagnosis give rise to a medical negligence claim? This depends on the circumstances of each case, but there are some general principles that apply to all cases. First, under Ohio law, medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider fails to act reasonably, deviates from accepted standards if medical [...]
Brain injury can occur due to Wernicke's encephalopathy, a condition caused by brain inflammation resulting from a thiamine deficiency. Recently, I became aware of a spate of such cases affecting patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery (weight loss surgery such as roux en y surgery, etc.). Gastric bypass surgery creates a malabsorption syndrome that results in controlled malnutrition. [...]