Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Blog

Now that it is summer, you may be fantasizing about all the culinary creations you can take to the grill. Outdoor barbeques are a great way for family and friends to get together. However, before you start grilling, you need to make note of the ways to stay safe. Minor burns that occur while barbecuing are common in the summer. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there are approximately 5,700 grill fires on residential properties every year, causing millions in damage and injuries. You can maintain safety, though, just by staying mindful of a few basic safety rules. First, keep in mind that both propane and charcoal grills should only be used outside. They should be placed on a level surface » Read More

According to the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners, a doctor is facing fines for falsifying patient records after he woke up from a nap. The patient who the Rutherford, New Jersey doctor treated for at least five years was taken to a local hospital after being found unresponsive at his home. The doctor requested that the patient be transferred to the Hackensack UMC, which occurred around 10 pm, so that he could monitor him. The doctor slept for several hours due to improperly setting his alarm while his patient suffered a fatality during that time. Once the doctor woke up, he recorded false findings regarding his patient’s medical history, physical assessment, and fatality. Within two months, his privileges at the » Read More

A recent Ferris wheel accident in Washington State has put the spotlight on carnival rides and safety. At the Rhododendron Festival in Port Townsend, two hours north of Seattle, passengers of the Phoenix Wheel Ferris wheel had a scary ride when one of the baskets flipped, ejecting the people inside. A seven-year old boy and a 47-year old woman were taken to Jefferson Healthcare Hospital in Port Townsend where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. A third victim, a 59-year old woman, had to be airlifted to the Seattle Harborview Medical Center where she was listed in critical, but stable condition. All three victims fell 15 to 18 feet and landed on the metal base at the bottom of the » Read More

Forty years ago, approximately 50 percent of patients who passed away in a hospital were autopsied. Today that number has shrunk to about five percent. Although an autopsy used to be a standard procedure whenever there were questions about a person’s death, that is not always the case anymore. There may be fewer autopsies today because there is the fear that any questionable findings could result in a lawsuit, and survivors do not often pursue them because it is a sad and uncomfortable subject to discuss. However, if medical malpractice has occurred, you must be able to prove what led to the patient’s passing. Although an autopsy may not be enough by itself, when coupled with testimony from medical experts, » Read More

An 11-year-old girl was fatally electrocuted in a lagoon behind a home in Toms River, New Jersey, on Saturday. Apparently, the girl from Newark, New Jersey was visiting and swimming with two other girls in the lagoon around 8:12 pm. The girls were using an inflatable raft, and two girls touched the rail to the metal boat lift. Investigators suspect that an electrical current may have energized the equipment, causing the electrocution. First responders administered CPR, and then used a defibrillator on the 11-year-old who was taken to the Community Medical Center. She succumbed to her fatal injuries at the facility while the other two girls sustained no injuries in the accident. Many people may be unaware of the danger » Read More

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently announced the approval of new federal safety standards for infant tubs. The new standards include latching and locking mechanism requirements, load testing, operating instructions, and safety warnings. Between January 2004 and December 2015, 31 infants were fatally injured in infant tub accidents. Another 216 infants suffered brain injuries from near-drowning, broken bones and head injuries resulting from falls, as well as cuts and other injuries related to product malfunctions. The new safety standards apply to all infant tubs, including inflatable tubs, bucket style and foldable tubs, spa-style tubs, and those with separate hand-held shower attachments. The CPSC established the new safety mandates after numerous reports of infant injuries and deaths related to infant » Read More