Mr. Schwartz’s commentary, “Is One Medical Malpractice Case Too Many?” looks at the legal obstacles facing victims of medical negligence in Pennsylvania.  He takes us back to the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s to explain the important court cases and laws that were changed to make it possible for medical malpractice victims to receive justice in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Schwartz then discusses the current medical malpractice litigation trends in Pennsylvania.  While only a small percentage of medical malpractice claims result in verdicts for the plaintiff at trial, it is important that medical malpractice cases continue to be brought.

A Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyer will fight hard for the just recovery of someone who was hurt by medical negligence.  Doctors, like all others, should be held accountable for the harm that they cause if they fail to exercise reasonable care.  Doctors and medical professionals should be respected but that respect is not a free card to act negligently with impunity.

Medical malpractice litigation is still evolving in Pennsylvania.  If you’ve been hurt, or if you’ve lost a loved one due to medical negligence, then you may be an important part of that evolution.  Contact us today for more information about your rights.

The Specific Problem of Medical Tubing

Many hospitalized patients require various tubes to help them with breathing, eating or other critical functions.  However, the tubes can be easily confused and that confusion can be deadly.  If, for example, a nurse uses the wrong tubing to deliver food to the patient, the patient could die.

Last month, the New York Times reported that a 2006 study had found that 16 percent of hospitals admit to feeding tube mix-ups.  It is unclear how many other hospitals have experienced similar problems and not reported them.

How to Protect Yourself

If you, or a loved one, are in the hospital then you need to act as an advocate.  Question the nurse about the type of tubing that is being inserted and make sure that is appropriate for the intended use.  Don’t be shy about asking for a second opinion if you are not confident that the right tube is being used.

If you’ve already been hurt, or if you have lost a loved one, because of a tubing error then it is important to contact a Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyer for more information about your potential rights to a legal recovery.

The investigation into the VA prostate cancer programs started in Philadelphia where 97 of 114 patients received the incorrect doses of radiation between February 2002 and June 2008.

The VA has thirty days to accept or to challenge the fine.

Cancer patients are faced with a potentially fatal disease that requires proper diagnose and treatment to maximize their chances of survival.  If your cancer was incorrectly diagnosed or if you were provided the incorrect doses of radiation to treat your cancer and you suffered a physical injury as a result then you may be entitled to damages.  Contact a Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyer for more information.

• Using checklists.  The World Health Organization has already established a checklist that has surgical teams review procedures before the patient is put under anesthesia, before they make the first incision, and before the patient is brought to the recovery room.  The Commission issuing the recommendations on behalf of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends the use of a similar checklist;
• Eliminating distractions.  Distractions may include beepers, cell phones, music and unnecessary conversations.  It is recommended that distractions be limited and kept out of the operating room to the extent possible;
• Marking the surgical site on the patient with a marker; and
• Actively involving the patient before surgery.

The Commission claimed that there were 116 wrong site surgical errors in the United States during 2008. If you have been the victim of a wrong site surgical error in Pennsylvania then it is important to contact a Pennsylvania surgery malpractice lawyer for a consultation about your potential legal rights to recovery.

Ms. Thomas-Laury began seeking medical treatment for health problems in 2001.  However, it was not until a visit to the Mayo Clinic in 2004 that she was properly diagnosed with a nerve disorder known as POEMS Syndrome.  Ms. Thomas-Laury alleges that as a result of the failure to diagnose her condition, she suffered disabling and permanent injuries.

The defendants allege that they did consider POEMS Syndrome but that Ms. Thomas-Laury did not present with all of the symptoms to make a definitive diagnosis.  They further allege that they provided the plaintiff with medical treatment that improved her condition.

Jury selection is scheduled for today.