Medical Malpractice & Personal Injury Blog

How Can I Improve My Chances of Winning My Medical Malpractice Case?

2009-07-07T05:44:00.000-07:00

Many people who receive some type of bad result from a medical procedure immediately think they can sue their doctor for medical malpractice and obtain a large cash award. This is especially true when a family is upset with the doctor because a loved one has suffered greatly or has passed away after being treated at a hospital. Unfortunately, not ever case that results in a bad outcome is the result of medical negligence. Often times there are associated risks of any type of surgical or medical procedure that happen to a certain percentage of all people who undergo some type of medical intervention. However, there are many instances where a person or the family of an individual obtain a bad result which is the result of a medical error or doctor malpractice. These cases could include: · Surgical errors · Anesthesia errors · Improper diagnosis or misdiagnosis cases · Lack of informed consent · Medication errors · Delayed diagnosis Medical negligence cases are expensive to develop and take a long time. You can improve your chances of either settling your case or obtaining a favorable verdict by hiring one of the best medical malpractice attorneys in your area to represent you. These attorneys are known by insurance companies, judges and insurance company's lawyers and are known for taking solid, winnable cases which gives you case more credibility with all concerned.
If you feel you have been the victim of medical malpractice please contact http://www.selectcounsel.com/ to see if we can help you find one of the best lawyers in your area for your case. Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.selectcounsel.com/ to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.

Why You Can Afford To Hire One of the Best Lawyers

2009-06-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

An alarming number of people who are the victims of doctor malpractice, hospital malpractice or medical malpractice do nothing about seeking compensation for their injuries and damages, many of whom suffer quite significant injuries that are of a permanent nature.
Perhaps one of the main reasons that these people do nothing about pursuing the responsible party is because they realize that these cases are very costly to develop and they have little or no money, so they feel that they cannot go after a doctor or hospital that has far greater resources.
Medical malpractice cases are handled by lawyers on a contingency fee basis which means that the attorney or law firm retains a percentage of the monetary award through a settlement or after a trial. If there is no recovery then the client owes the lawyer nothing for a fee.
Still other people may think that medical malpractice cases are very expensive to develop and they do not have money to pay all of the experts that will be needed to properly present their case. Most, if not all, experienced medical malpractice attorneys will advance all of your costs. A large percentage of these lawyers, assuming the rules of that particular state allow for it, will agree not to seek reimbursement of those costs if there is no recover, especially when you have a very good case with a potential for a large recovery.
If you or someone you know has been injured through doctor malpractice, hospital malpractice or medical malpractice you should contact an experienced malpractice attorney immediately.
Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.

Do I Have A Medical Malpractice Case Involving A Birth Injury?

2009-06-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

Birth injuries can be caused by doctor malpractice or hospital malpractice in a number of different ways which could include:
* Excessive force used in the delivery of the baby including the use of forceps;
* A delay in the performance of a necessary C-section;
* Failing to recognize on a timely basis that the baby is in distress;
* Depriving the baby of oxygen during the delivery;
* Failure to order specific tests during pregnancy and/or not properly interpreting tests; or
* Lack of oxygen to the brain or trauma to the head during labor and delivery.

Because the types and degrees of birthing problems are so varied, the complications associated with these injuries can be quite different. The problems associated with birth mistakes could include:
* Mental and physical developmental problems having lifetime implications;
* Brain damage;
* Respiratory Problems;
* Cerebral Palsy which is a brain disorder that can cause problems affecting a person's ability to control muscles, walk, use one's arms and legs and may result in seizures and decreased mental abilities; or
* Erb's Palsy which is an injury resulting in the compression of a person's brachial plexus nerves that control various arm functions. Often times a person who has Erb's palsy can develop arm length retardation as they grow.

If you suspect that your child has suffered an injury as a result of hospital, doctor or medical malpractice, it is extremely important that you contact an experienced malpractice attorney who has expertise in the handling and presentation of birth cases.
An attorney should be contacted immediately if one suspects that the birth injuries were caused by medical negligence.

You will also need the opinions of medical experts to help develop your case. Your attorney will be able to suggest a team of experts that can range from private investigators to doctors to economists to help develop your case.

In most cases, the law firm or attorneys will advance all costs and expenses of the case as they are incurred. Once the case is concluded, they would be reimbursed for their costs out of the recovery. In some states, even if there is no recovery, the client is still responsible for the costs and expenses of the case even though the client owes no legal fees. In other states, if there is no recovery, the client will owe nothing for the costs and expenses, which will be absorbed by the law firm or attorney.

SelectCounsel, LLC can refer you to one of the best law firms in your area and arrange for a free consultation for you to speak with one of those lawyers.

Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in cases ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case."

Emergency Room Misdiagnosis and Medical Malpractice

2009-06-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

Pressure on your chest, chest pain, shortness of breath, numbness in your left arm and difficulty talking are all classic signs of a heart attack. Few people would need a medical degree to come up with this diagnosis but amazingly people who visit hospital emergency rooms with these complaints are sometimes sent home only to encounter a disastrous result. Even more distressing is the fact that some people who present themselves to a hospital with these complaints are given diagnostic tests which reveal problems and still they are sometimes sent home. A Heart attack is one of the top conditions that are the subject of medical malpractice awards. Doctors sometimes misdiagnose this condition as heartburn, reflux, GERD or some other type of gastrointestinal situation. Emergency room malpractice awards are generally the result of misdiagnosis or for mismanaged diagnostic testing. Because the adverse consequences of the misdiagnosis of a heart attack and its care are so great the awards for these types of doctor malpractice cases can be quite high. If you suffered a heart attack which was either misdiagnosed or mismanaged then you need to speak with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer immediately. Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case. Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.

How To Reduce The Chance of Becoming a Victim of Medical Malpractice

2009-05-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

If you want to reduce the chance of becoming a medical malpractice victim then you should investigate your doctor prior to having any type of risky or invasive surgical procedure performed. According to a 2006 report by the National Practioner Data Bank (NPDB) of the 164,877 physicians with some type of a report, 134,663 (81.7%) had only a medical error payment report while 9,898 (6.0%) had only State Licensure Action Reports, while 2,818 (1.7%) had only clinical privileges active reports and 1,391 (.8%) had only Medicare/Medicaid exclusion reports. The data furnished to NPDB indicates as a doctor's number of medical malpractice payment reports increases, there is a corresponding likelihood that the physician's adverse action reports also increases. The interesting statistic to note is the fact that doctors with at least two medical malpractice payment reports were responsible for the majority of malpractice payments. Approximately 33.29% of the 146,309 doctors that had malpractice payment reports had 2 or more such reports. These 48,566 doctors had a total of 138,199 malpractice error payment reports which account for 58.6% of all physician reports for payments for medical malpractice cases. It is therefore extremely important that you determine that your doctor does not have multiple malpractice settlements or verdicts or other adverse reports so you can cut down on your chances of becoming a victim of medical malpractice.
Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.

What You Need To Know Before Starting A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

2009-05-19T18:10:00.000-07:00

The statute of limitations is the time period specified by law within which your medical malpractice action must be filed. If you do not file within the applicable statute of limitations period, your claim could be subject to dismissal, preventing you from pursuing the claim regardless of the merits of the case.

Statute of limitations dates vary from state to state. Some states provide that the action be filed within the applicable time period from the date of the injury, while other states allow for a tolling, or extension, of the filing period from the date of discovery of the injury.

Under certain circumstances, if the claimant is incompetent or is a minor, some states allow for a tolling of the statute of limitations until the claimant becomes competent or reaches their majority.

There are also certain notice provisions that have very short limitation periods, especially those that relate to local, state, or federal governmental entities. In certain circumstances, if you do not comply with the statutory notice provisions, you may lose the right to file your lawsuit, even if you act within the applicable statute of limitations period.

The statute of limitations in any particular case may be somewhat difficult to calculate, because a claim may involve different causes of action against different defendants. Once you miscalculate when the statute has run or fail to properly provide statutory notice, your claim may be forever barred despite its validity or the extent of your damages.

The doctrine of joint and several liability holds that a number of defendants who engaged in separate and independent acts of negligence that combined to cause a single injury are held to be jointly and severally liable. In other words, if one party was 1 percent at fault and the other parties were 99 percent at fault, the party who was 1 percent at fault could be held responsible for 100 percent of the damages suffered by the injured party.

The law of joint and several liability varies from state to state, and a number of states have somewhat complicated variations or modifications of this rule.

Vicarious liability concerns the ability to hold institutions or companies liable for the acts of their nonemployee affiliated personnel. For example, in some states, a hospital may be liable for the negligence of a physician acknowledged to be an independent contractor, while in other states, hospitals may not be liable for the acts of non-employee members of the medical staff.

In certain states, a plaintiff in a medical malpractice suit must file a certificate of good faith, or a similar document, that states that a medical expert has reviewed the file and has determined that there is a good-faith basis for a malpractice claim.

Medical errors happen. Your best defense against a medical error is taking a pro-active stance in your healthcare. If you suspect that you are the victim of prescription medication malpractice you should contact a qualified medical malpractice lawyer immediately for advice.

Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case

Medication Errors and Medical Malpractice

2009-05-14T19:19:00.000-07:00

Over a million people a year in the US are harmed by medication errors. A medication error can be defined as any preventable event that may cause or lead to improper medication usage and patient harm while under the care and/or supervision of a health care professional.
Prescription errors can be the result of improper order communications, improper product labeling or instructions, compounding, dependency, prescribing, administration, monitoring or use.
In a study performed by the FDA involving fatal medication errors from 1993 to 1998, the most common error was related to the administration of an improper dosage of medicine which accounted for 41% of all fatal medication negligence. The administration of the wrong drugs and using the wrong means of administration each accounted for another 16% of the fatalities. Almost one half of the cases involving medically negligent situations occur in people over the age of 60. The reasoning behind the higher percentage of 60 and over deaths is due to the multiple medications that are often taken by this demographic.
When you are prescribed a medication, have all issues and information described to you: the name of the drug; any generic equivalents; the dosage; what it is used for; any side effects; literature you can review; and what are the potential adverse reactions with the dosage you are currently taking. Make sure you understand, how and when to take the medication, the dosage, storage requirements and any special instructions.
By becoming actively involved in your health care you can help to minimize the incidents of medical malpractice and you can help to avoid becoming a victim of medical negligence.

Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in cases ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case."

Do I Have A Wrongful Death Case?

2009-05-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

The causes for a case resulting in a death claim are potentially unlimited, but there are four major categories which have the highest probabilities.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
In 2007, 41,059 people died in motor vehicle accidents in the United States. While there are no statistics available as to how many of these were due to the negligence of a third party, the likelihood of wrongful death is highest in this category given the sheer number of fatalities.
Common causes of fatalities in motor vehicle accidents that result in lawsuits include speeding, reckless driving, driving while under the influence, vehicle equipment malfunction and driver inexperience.
Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice occurs when a physician does not provide medical care to an expected standard of competence or dispenses medical treatment that a competent doctor would not have given. This may also be applicable to health care providers, such as nurses.
Preventable medical errors take the lives of approximately 98,000 Americans per year. That equates to 285 deaths every day.
Medical malpractice runs the gauntlet from prescription mistakes to failure to diagnose or misdiagnosis to negligent maternity care, with an alarming number of causes in between.
Workplace Accidents
In 2007, a total of 5,888 people died as a result of accidents in the workplace.
The number one cause of these types of cases was motor vehicle accidents and represents approximately one-quarter of the workplace fatalities.
In 2007, 835 workers died in falls, whether from non-moving vehicles, on the same level, into holes or from roofs, to place this form of workplace accident in second position.
Other workplace accidents noted in the Department of Labor's statistics were caused by: falling objects; electrocution; homicides; railway incidents; aircraft incidents; struck by mobile equipment; fires and explosions.
Ninety percent of workplace fatalities occur in the private sector, primarily in the service providing and goods producing industries.
Product Liability
One out of every 125 men who dies over 50 years old is a victim of asbestos-caused diseases. It can take from 10 to 40 years for diseases caused by asbestos to develop.
Ten thousand deaths per year are attributable to asbestos, just under 3 per day.
Approximately 9,000 people die each year from food poisoning. Deliberate product tampering or unsafe manufacturing practices which cause accidental contamination may be at fault.
Product cases can also stem from pharmaceuticals, unsafe packaging, failure to place warnings regarding the product on packaging, mechanical failures, improper or unsafe building construction and unsafe vehicle design.
The above information is not meant to be comprehensive but, rather, a general overview of common causes of wrongful death.
To receive specific legal advice pertinent to your circumstances, an experienced personal injury attorney should be consulted.
Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case."
Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.

How To Get More Money For Your Personal Injury Case

2009-05-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

It is extremely helpful, at the appropriate time, to discuss the settlement strategy that your lawyer may wish to use so you can give your input into this process so as to get you more money for your serious personal injury case.
The best time to enter into settlement negotiations for your accident case is once you can completely and accurately document both the at fault party's responsibility for the injuries and the severity of those injuries.
It is therefore very important for your injury attorney to conduct a prompt investigation of your case including and detailing your injuries and to identify the responsible parties. This should be done at or very near the time that your attorney takes your case.
Your lawyer should not start settlement discussions until such time as you have reached maximum medical improvement which is the point in time when your doctor tell you that there is nothing more that can be done to improve your medical situation. Once your doctor advises you that you are as well as you are going to be you can then get your lawyer to obtain a final medical report from your doctor which will detail your course of care and treatment along with your disability rating(s) as it relates to your affected body parts.
It would not be possible to properly evaluate your case (determine its value) until you have obtained your doctor's final medical report of you. Otherwise, you would not know how much longer you would require treatment, whether your condition would change and whether you would require future surgery.
The exception to this rule is when your injuries and damages clearly exceed the value of the responsible party's insurance coverage and where the responsible party does not have any assets or mean of paying or satisfying any judgments in excess of the insurance policy limits. In that case, your lawyer might explain that your only real option is to accept the insufficient policy limits for any one of a number of reasons.
Once your lawyer properly documents both the severity of your injuries and the reasons why the defendant is responsible for your damages, it is time to draft a settlement demand package.
Although your attorney is the expert on drafting such a document and on the evaluation of your claim it is important that you be involved in this process. You should be consulted about your input and your feelings. Remember you are the expert on your treatment and how your injuries have had an impact upon you.
After your lawyer has completely documented your case and you have given your attorney all of the information about the affect this injury has had on your life your attorney can properly evaluate your claim. Have your attorney explain how the value of your case was determined. Ask questions, point out things you do not think your attorney considered and have your attorney justify the value of your case to you. Ask what jury verdict research has revealed. You should also discuss your attorney's settlement strategy with you. If your attorney feels that your case is worth X number of dollars does your attorney first submit a demand of 2X or 3X? Does the attorney demand a 1 1/4 X or 1 1/2 X? Why does the attorney feel that their particular demand is the best way to go about starting the settlement process?
If your initial demand is to high many time insurance companies might not engage in a settlement discussion because they feel you are being too unrealistic about the value of your claim. If your demand is too close to the value your attorney feels your case is worth, you might not get fair value for your case.
Although your attorney is the expert in this area it does not hurt for you to question your attorney's judgment and to have your attorney justify what he/she is doing.
Your attorney has an obligation to keep you informed as to all settlement offers and you ultimately decide when, if at all, to settle your case. It is very important to rely upon and listen to your attorney's counsel because he/she is the expert in that area.
Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in cases ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.

Commercial Truck Accidents

2009-05-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

A motor vehicle accident involving a commercial truck and a passenger vehicle usually culminates in serious injuries, if not fatalities, to occupants of the passenger vehicle.
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports there were 7,006,408 commercial freight vehicles, 5,264,554 single-unit trucks and 1,741,854 tractors, for a total of in excess of 14,000,000 trucks on U.S. highways in 2007.
Data compiled by the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and Motor Carrier Management Information System reveal there were a total of 195,767 large truck crashes in 2007. Of these, 4,368 were fatal crashes, 136,438 non-fatal crashes and 54,961 injury crashes. The number of injuries reported was 80,752.
The initial points of impact, in descending order, were the front (45.7%), rear (15%), left side (8.4%), right side (4.8%) and other or unknown (0.8%).
Large truck fatal accidents mostly happen in rural areas (68%) on weekdays (78%) during daytime hours (66%). Combination trucks were responsible for 76% of fatal crashes. Additionally, large trucks are more likely to be involved in fatal multi-vehicle crashes.
Of injuries sustained or deaths occurring as a result of collisions with large trucks, 65% were drivers of passenger vehicles, 31% were passengers; 3% were pedestrians and 2% were cyclists.
A list of common causes of truck accidents includes:
· Speeding
· Driving at unsafe speeds due to weather or road conditions
· Failure to yield the right of way
· Aggressive driving
· Driving off the road
· Backing up
· Inadequate training or unlicensed driver
· Drug or alcohol use
· Driver fatigue
· Disobeying safety procedures
· Overweight loads
· Improper loading or shifting of load
· Motor vehicle inspection failure
· Repair or maintenance failure
· Mechanical or brake failure
· Tire blow-outs
· Roll-overs
Trucking companies are regulated by the Federal Government which implements rules and regulations for both commercial trucks and owners. Federal regulations stipulate the amount of hours a driver is permitted to be on the road each day.
A minimum of $750,000 of insurance for bodily injury and property damage is required by Federal law for trucks traveling interstate. As well, most States also require a specific level of insurance for trucks not covered by Federal law.
Additional regulations must be followed by commercial trucks carrying hazardous or inflammable materials, such as placards attached the truck identifying the material and imposing a lesser speed limit.
The average truck driver earns approximately $32,000 a year or $30.3 cents per mile, with an owner/operator making marginally more money. For every dollar of revenue a truck earns, only 4.8 cents is profit. Unfortunately, this leads to many truck owners cutting costs by neglecting necessary maintenance. Drivers are often compelled to speed, drive for longer periods than permissible and drive aggressively in order to earn a better wage.
Truck collisions are often catastrophic because of the sheer size and weight of the commercial vehicles. Occupants of passenger vehicles, pedestrian and cyclists, if they survive, frequently suffer devastating injuries which may affect them for the rest of their lives. Enormous medical bills, pain and suffering, emotional trauma and loss of earning capacity are just a few of the possible consequences. For those that do not survive, their families are further burdened by funeral costs and the catastrophic loss of a loved one.
If the truck owner and/or driver is deemed to be fault for the accident, a lawsuit might be commenced against the driver, the trucking company, trailer owner, shipper and/or the manufacturer of equipment attached to the truck (for example, tires) and/or other parties who share responsibility.
If you have been involved in a truck accident, or lost a loved one due to a truck accident, it is recommended you contact an experienced accident attorney for legal advice on protecting your rights prior to speaking to the truck's insurer.
Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case."
Please visit http://www.selectcounsel.com/ to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.
Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.

Secrets Lawyers Want To Keep From You When Committing Legal Malpractice

2009-05-07T18:57:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately a small percentage of any type of profession whether legal, medical or otherwise commit professional malpractice. So what secrets does your attorney want to conceal from you while committing professional negligence.

Missing Deadlines - A negligent attorney will either not have a proper calendaring system or will procrastinate until the last minute and may frequently miss a statute of limitations or filing deadline. Calendaring errors are one of the leading causes of attorney malpractice claims. A negligent lawyer may try and keep this information from you or provide you with misinformation regarding these issues. It is important that when you interview a lawyer you get detailed information about how the attorney's office monitors all calendaring activities and whether or not they have had prior claims of attorney malpractice and the outcome of each case.

Lack of Competence or Experience - An overly zealous attorney may agree to take a case where there is a potential of a large fee without possessing the necessary knowledge or experience. Make sure that before you hire an attorney that you conduct a thorough interview and determine how many cases like yours the attorney has handled and what type of a result the lawyer obtained in each case.

Taking on Too Many Cases - An attorney who has a workload that they currently cannot manage is a recipe for a malpractice action. Does your attorney return your calls, are tasks done on a timely basis, is follow up done and reported to you, are you satisfied with the communications from your attorney. If you are constantly dissatisfied with the services your lawyer is providing to you it might be time to look for another lawyer.

If you feel your attorney has committed malpractice in the handling of your claim you need to speak with an experienced lawyer immediately.

Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.

Ways Medical Malpractice Happens

2009-05-07T05:25:00.000-07:00

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement estimates there are 15 million cases of medical errors in the United States every year. Additionally, there were hospital deaths of more than a quarter of a million among Medicare patients between 2004 and 2006 that were due to medical malpractice that might have been prevented. It is important to therefore examine four of the most common medical errors along with suggestions to help you reduce the risk of becoming a victim of medical negligence.
Medication errors - 80% of US adults use some form of over the counter medication, prescription medications, or dietary supplements in any given week. It is estimated that medication errors injure a million and a half people a year. The causes range from improper prescriptions, to sloppy handwriting, to confusion over similar drug names. It is therefore recommended that a patient keep a complete list of all medications, vitamins and over the counter medications that they take along with the dosages.
Poor communication between doctor and patient is another cause of medical errors. Ask questions, have all tests and diagnostics explained to you. Question your doctor as to any issues which you don't understand or disagree over. Ask what else can be done, what other tests can be ordered and inquire about alternative forms of treatment or therapy. A good practice is to keep a complete medical file on you and all of your family members. Hospital errors including bed sores, falls, infections and failure to respond to patients in distress are common forms of hospital negligence. It is important that each patient have a family member or a friend act as a health advocate to monitor and follow up on the patient's care.
Surgical mistakes account for thousands of injured patients every year. These include surgery being performed on the wrong patient or wrong sided surgery. Make sure to discuss the procedure in detail with your surgeon and have the surgical site marked with a permanent marker. If patients, their family members and health care advocates took on an active role in their medical care then many medical errors could be avoided.
Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.
Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.
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Legal Malpractice Resulting From Poor Communications

2009-05-05T17:26:00.000-07:00

Every attorney malpractice claim begins with a dissatisfied client. Poor client relations, communication problems and a tumultuous working relationship can quickly transpire into a case of professional malpractice. A lack of or poor attorney-client communications is usually the hallmark of malpractice case. Typical instances which can lead to a claim of attorney error could include: · Failing to fully explain all aspects of the case to the client. · Failing to obtain the client's consent. · Failing to follow a client's instructions. · Failing to inform a client of timely developments. · Failing to timely communicate with a client. · Withhold bad news or adverse rulings. · Arguing with the client when the attorney is at fault. Many of these problems could be avoided by the attorney if the lawyer: · Clearly detailed everything orally and in writing. · Listen to the client as clients may want to explore non-litigation options. · Maintain open lines of communication including prompting returning all calls, documenting developments to the client, keeping the client abreast on the goals and alternated strategies. · Completing tasks on a timely basis. · Encourage client feedback. · Report negative information promptly. Not every case of lawyer malpractice will be the basis of a lawsuit if a client feels they were fairly treated and have a good working relationship with their lawyer. However, clients may want to seek the services of an attorney malpractice specialist if the client feels they were treated improper and are dissatisfied. If you feel your attorney has committed malpractice in the handling of your claim you need to speak with an experienced lawyer immediately. Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case. Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.

What Doctors Don't Want You To Know

2009-05-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

Decreased Oxygen Flow To The Brain and Medical Malpractice

2009-04-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

Cerebral hypoxia is a situation which occurs as a result of a decreased oxygen supply to a person's brain despite the fact that there may be adequate blood flow to the brain. This situation can be caused by a number of reasons including: surgical errors; birthing complications; complications of anesthesia; or respiratory arrest which could form the basis of a medical malpractice action. Symptoms of a loss of oxygen to the brain could include in inattentiveness, poor memory or memory loss, poor judgment, a decrease in motor coordination or problems with speaking. The complications which can arise from hypoxia, especially when the condition lasts for a long period of time could include: death; brain death; coma; paralysis; seizures; or other permanent injuries of a devastating nature. These problems are especially severe when they occur to an infant or a young child. The situations where hypoxia occur could include: birthing complications; motor vehicle accidents; falls in nursing homes; delay in the diagnosis and treatment of a serous illness or injury; medical conditions such as meningitis, pulmonary embolisms, untreated jaundice in newborns; prescription errors; and a number of other accidents or traumatic events. If you or someone you know has suffered from a cerebral hypoxia you need to contract an experienced medical malpractice lawyer immediately. Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case. Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.

Blood Clots and Medical Malpractice

2009-04-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

Blood clots form when blood cells joint together or coagulate. Blood clots can form anywhere in your circulatory system. Depending upon the location of the clots, they can block blood flow to vital parts of your body including your heart and brain and can cause serous conditions which can result in heart attacks and strokes. Blood clots are caused by a lack of oxygen in the blood. This condition generally results from inactivity or prolonged bed rest. When blood clots restrict the flow of blood they can create a condition known as ischemia which can result in a permanent injury or death. A pulmonary embolism is a blockage of an artery to the lungs. Blood clots in the veins of the legs, hip or pelvis often times cause this condition. People who have suffered leg injuries or who have surgery are at increased risk. It is therefore vitally important that a blood clot be diagnosed and properly treated as soon as possible. Emergency room doctors, nurses and other medical professionals can often prevent either a blood clot or their devastating effects if they act promptly and provide the proper treatment. There are a great number of conditions that could result from a blood clot which could include: - Stroke - Paralysis - Heart attack - Permanent organ damage - Angina - Death If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury or if a death resulted from medical complications associated with a blood clot you should contact our experienced medical malpractice lawyer immediately. Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case. Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.

Birth Defects Resulting in Medical Malpractice

2009-04-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

Medical malpractice can involve the method and manner in which a doctor cares for the mother during pregnancy and delivers the baby. Failure to properly diagnose or properly treat various types of conditions or complications that arise during pregnancy can lead to devastating consequences that could include the death of the child, the death of the mother, permanent birth injuries or other related injuries. Birthing complications can be caused by: - Mismanagement of the pregnancy; - Failure to treat a dangerous situation; - Failure to respond to unusual bleeding; - Umbilical cord problems; and/or - Fetal distress of any kind. A long delivery can also have adverse consequences for both the mother and child. A protracted labor can cause brain injuries and even death due to any of the following situations: - A delay in extracting the baby; - Misuse of a labor inducing drug; - Improper use of a vacuum extractor or forceps; - Inadequate or late recessitation; and/or - Failure to properly monitor condition after birth. - Premature births often times result in complications for the child as well as situations involving emergency C-sections which in certain circumstances may be the basis of a claim for obstetrical malpractice. Other claims might also include other conditions such as shoulder dystocia, tracheal plexus palsy, cerebral hypoxia, erb's palsy, cerebral palsy, muscle injuries and scarring. If you or someone you know has suffered a birth injury you should contact an experienced medical malpractice lawyer immediately.

Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case."

Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.

Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case

Bad Medical Results and Medical Malpractice

2009-04-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

Many people who receive some type of bad result from a medical procedure immediately think they can sue their doctor for medical malpractice and obtain a large cash award. This is especially true when a family is upset with the doctor because a loved one has suffered greatly or has passed away after being treated at a hospital. Unfortunately, not ever case that results in a bad outcome is the result of medical negligence. Often times there are associated risks of any type of surgical or medical procedure that happen to a certain percentage of all people who undergo some type of medical intervention. However, there are many instances where a person or the family of an individual obtain a bad result which is the result of a medical error or doctor malpractice. These cases could include: · Surgical errors · Anesthesia errors · Improper diagnosis or misdiagnosis cases · Lack of informed consent · Medication errors · Delayed diagnosis Medical negligence cases are expensive to develop and take a long time. You can improve your chances of either settling your case or obtaining a favorable verdict by hiring one of the best medical malpractice attorneys in your area to represent you. These attorneys are known by insurance companies, judges and insurance company's lawyers and are known for taking solid, winnable cases which gives you case more credibility with all concerned.
If you feel you have been the victim of medical malpractice please contact http://www.sc.com to see if we can help you find one of the best lawyers in your area for your case. Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.

How The State You Were Injured In Could Affect Your Malpractice Recovery

2009-04-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

One of the functions of the National Practitioner Data Bank is to report the number of malpractice payments made as a result of medical malpractice actions throughout the country. It is interesting to note that the number of payment reports in any given state is affected by specific provisions of each state's malpractice statute. State statutes, as they relate to medical errors, can make it more or less difficult for an injured party to sue a health care professional or health care facility for medical malpractice. There are a number of issues that could affect an injured party's ability to collect compensation depending upon the state in which the medical error occurred. For example, there are differences from state to state that affect: Statute of limitations which provide how long a party has to commence suit against the responsible party including tolling provisions from the date of discovery. The burden of proof could vary from state to state setting forth what an injured party has to prove in order to recover money damages. Some states limit the amount of money that can be received for non-ecomonic damages (i.e. pain and suffering). The type of negligence standards could also affect the ability of an injured party's right to recover money damages. Other issues such as immunities, vicarious liability, insurance limitations, caps on legal fees and damages restrictions on wrongful death cases could affect the ultimate recovery. Many of these limitations may reduce the number of cases filed in a particular jurisdiction which may result in lower overall gross recoveries. Because laws vary so significantly from state to state it is important to consult with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer immediately if you feel you are the victim of medical errors. Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case. Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them.

Gastric Bypass Surgery Malpractice

2009-04-21T13:52:00.000-07:00

As of 2007 it has been estimated that one and half million Americans had undergone some type of weight loss surgery. Obesity is a major health problem in this country with far reaching medical ramifications. It is estimated that one in five people in the United States is classified as obese and from these people one in twenty is considered morbidly obese. Morbidly obese is defined as an individual whose weight problem creates a health and livelihood peril for that person. Some people seek to eliminate or ameliorate their weight problem through the use of bariatric surgery of which gastric bypass surgery accounts for 80%. Obesity surgery attempts to achieve weight loss in the individual by limiting the amount of food the stomach can hold thus reducing a person's food intake. The main types of gastric bypass surgeries are: - Open Roux en Y (Rny) - Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y - Fobi pouch - Distal Gastric Bypass - Biliopancreatic diversion - Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch If your surgeon commits malpractice then a number of complications can arise which range from death to permanent injury to temporary injury and which could have resulted from infections, leakage from staples, intestinal blockage and corrective surgery. If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of having gastric bypass surgery you need to contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney immediately. Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case. Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.
Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.

Misdiagnosis of Heart Attacks and Medical Malpractice

2009-04-20T15:14:00.000-07:00

Pressure on your chest, chest pain, shortness of breath, numbness in your left arm and difficulty talking are all classic signs of a heart attack. Few people would need a medical degree to come up with this diagnosis but amazingly people who visit hospital emergency rooms with these complaints are sometimes sent home only to encounter a disastrous result. Even more distressing is the fact that some people who present themselves to a hospital with these complaints are given diagnostic tests which reveal problems and still they are sometimes sent home. A heart attack is one of the top conditions that are the subject of medical malpractice awards. Doctors sometimes misdiagnose this condition as heartburn, reflux, GERD or some other type of gastrointestinal situation. Emergency room malpractice awards are generally the result of misdiagnosis or for mismanaged diagnostic testing. Because the adverse consequences of the misdiagnosis of a heart attack and its care are so great the awards for these types of doctor malpractice cases can be quite high. If you suffered a heart attack which was either misdiagnosed or mismanaged then you need to speak with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer immediately. Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case. Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.

Record Setting Verdict in an Oral Surgery Malpractice Case

2009-04-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

An east coast jury recently returned a verdict of over $10 million in a medical malpractice case against an oral surgeon whose negligence resulted in the wrongful death of his patient. After court awarded interest the total award will exceed $12 million. This is believed to be one of the largest verdicts in the nation's history involving oral surgery. The jury found that the negligent doctor removed his patient's wisdom teeth despite knowing that this individual had an immunity disorder which precluded any surgery or dental work.
The effected 21 year old patient awoke the morning after his teeth were extracted and began to have trouble breathing when his throat swelled as a reaction to the surgery. This young man ended up suffocating in front of his mother and sister. The purpose of awarding damages to the family of a wrongful death victim is to compensate the family and/or estate of the victim for losses experienced as a result of the death of the family member. These damages could include medical expenses associated with the victim's case, all funeral expenses, pain and suffering experienced by the victim, the loss of the victim's anticipated earnings in the future until the victim's retirement or death, pain, suffering and mental anguish to the survivors, bystander emotional distress and/or loss of companionship or consortium to certain family members.
If you have experienced the loss of a loved one from medical malpractice or from an accident you need to contact an experienced lawyer immediately.
Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.SelectCounsel.com to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.
Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.

Cosmetic Surgery and Surgical Malpractice

2009-04-18T04:23:00.000-07:00

Cosmetic surgery is on the rise. In 2007, there were 11.7 million cosmetic surgeries performed according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. In every form of media there are plastic surgeons offering their services to make your dreams come true. The problem is, sometimes those aspirations turn into nightmares. Along with the huge growth in elective cosmetic surgery procedures comes an increase in medical malpractice. Cosmetic surgery is not usually covered by health plans and, therefore, is relatively free from restrictions and regulatory governance. Many health care professionals, doctors and nurses, who do not have specialized training in cosmetic surgery are performing procedures in their offices without emergency care facilities available. A doctor who accepts a patient implies he or she has the appropriate specialized training and is competent to perform the requested procedure. A plastic surgeon has an obligation to discuss all possible risks associated with the procedure the patient is to undergo prior to the actual surgery. Unfortunately, all forms of cosmetic surgery carry risk whether the procedure is invasive or non-invasive and all of those risks have to be explained to the patient. The chart below provides an overview of various procedures and complications associated with them.

Cosmetic Procedure or Surgery

Possible Complications

Breast Augmentation

· Wrong size
· Nerve damage
· Infection
· Encapsulation
· Asymmetry
· Excessive scarring

Breast Reduction

· Nipple loss
· Breast skin cover loss
· Asymmetry
· Disfigurement

Liposuction

· Disfigurement
· Numbness
· Abdominal perforations
· Internal bleeding
· Deep Vein Thrombosis
· Pulmonary Embolism
· Organ penetration

Face lift

· Excessive scarring
· Nerve damage
· Excessive dry eyes
· Inability to close eyes
· Excessive skin removal

Nose

· Asymmetry
· Breath difficulties

Abdominoplasty

· Skin Loss
· Excessive scarring
· Nerve damage
· Skin resurfacing complications
· Blistering
· Burns
· Post-surgical infection
· Permanent skin discoloration

General risks associated with all types of cosmetic surgery are anesthesia errors, medication reactions, post-operative mismanagement, use of before and after photographs without consent and sexual misconduct. As is the case with every surgical procedure, death is also an associated risk from complications that could result from adverse consequences. The physical evidence of cosmetic surgery errors may be visible especially for eyelid, facelift and nose procedures. The patient may lose the ability to have any facial expression. Some cosmetic surgery errors may not be possible to correct, such as the nose. Victims of cosmetic surgery malpractice may have to undergo several corrective surgeries over a long period of time. Not only do they suffer physical disfigurement and pain, they also suffer emotional agony and financial losses. Lack of self-esteem due to disfigurement can affect every aspect of their lives. Plastic surgeons have the same responsibility to their patients as any other physician practicing: to provide medical care or treatment to a prescribed level of competence. If you are a victim of a cosmetic surgical error, consult a medical malpractice attorney to learn about your rights to compensation. Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.
Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.

Cerebral Hypoxia Resulting in Brain Damage and Medical Malpractice

2009-04-17T04:38:00.000-07:00

Why You Should Investigate Your Doctor Before Undergoing Any Type of Risky or Complicated Surgery

2009-04-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

If you want to reduce the chance of becoming a medical malpractice victim then you should investigate your doctor prior to having any type of risky or invasive surgical procedure performed. According to a 2006 report by the National Practioner Data Bank (NPDB) of the 164,877 physicians with some type of a report, 134,663 (81.7%) had only a medical error payment report while 9,898 (6.0%) had only State Licensure Action Reports, while 2,818 (1.7%) had only clinical privileges active reports and 1,391 (.8%) had only Medicare/Medicaid exclusion reports. The data furnished to NPDB indicates as a doctor's number of medical malpractice payment reports increases, there is a corresponding likelihood that the physician's adverse action reports also increases. The interesting statistic to note is the fact that doctors with at least two medical malpractice payment reports were responsible for the majority of malpractice payments. Approximately 33.29% of the 146,309 doctors that had malpractice payment reports had 2 or more such reports. These 48,566 doctors had a total of 138,199 malpractice error payment reports which account for 58.6% of all physician reports for payments for medical malpractice cases. It is therefore extremely important that you determine that your doctor does not have multiple malpractice settlements or verdicts or other adverse reports so you can cut down on your chances of becoming a victim of medical malpractice.
Attorney Richard Hastings, for the past two and one half decades, has been helping injured clients and families collect millions of dollars in losses ranging from motor vehicle accidents to wrongful death, to medical malpractice. He is the founder of Selectcounsel, LLC, a free service that helps you find one of the best lawyers in your area and is the author of the books "How To Find A Great Lawyer" and "Understanding And Improving The Value Of Your Personal Injury Case." Please visit http://www.selectcounsel.com/ to see how they can find you one of the best lawyers in your area for your serious injury or medical malpractice case.
Selectcounsel, LLC is a FREE national service that helps people with serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases find one of the best lawyers in their area to represent them. The lawyers we recommend are independently rated by attorneys and judges as being among the very best in their field of practice. Visit us at http://selectcounsel.com/ to see how we can help you find one of the best lawyers for your case.