Personal Injury

Published on: July 19, 2013

Misdiagnosis is the most common type of medical malpractice in primary care medicine followed by medication errors. The most common outcome is death

Failure to diagnose cancer most commonly breast cancer, colon cancer, melanoma, lung cancer and malignant tumors in the female genital tract are the most common misdiagnoses in the primary care setting. The second most common type of misdiagnosis is failure to diagnose myocardial infarction. Failure to diagnose meningitis in children is also among the most misdiagnosed conditions by primary care doctors.

Medications errors such as prescription errors, contraindicated medication, administration errors leading to adverse reactions are the second most common types of medical malpractice committed by general practitioners.

These findings are the result of a computerized literature search that compiled 34 relevant studies mostly in the US but also in Canada and Europe. The complete results of the research, led by Dr. Emma Wallace from the HRB Center for Primary Care Research of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Medical School, in Dublin can be found at BMJ open.

Published on: July 18, 2013

Mothers who are prescribed antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy are at increased risk of giving birth to a child with difficulties with motor development, language skills, social skills, and autistic traits

By GGCRBHS&M

Children exposed to anti-seizure medication in the womb have a higher risk of suffering from early developmental issues according to a study led by Dr. Gyri Veiby from Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway.

The study covered a 9 year time frame and looked at the risk of adverse outcomes in children according to epilepsy in the mother or father, and with or without antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) exposure in the womb. At 18 months, the children exposed to AEDs in utero had increased risk of abnormal gross motor skills and autistic traits and at 36 months an increased risk of abnormal gross motor skills, sentence skills, and autistic traits compared to unexposed children.Further analysis determined that AED-exposed children had increased risk of birth defects compared to children not exposed to the drugs in utero.

Published on: July 11, 2013

New York Personal Injury: Gas explosion appears to be the cause of the collapse of a Chinatown building that injured at least 9 people with 3 in critical condition

By GGCRBHS&M

3 people were severely injured and a total of 12 were hospitalized including 4 firefighters after what appeared to be a gas explosion occurred in a beauty parlor at the first floor of a five story building and caused the ceiling to collapse.The building has several violations and further investigation will determine if these violations may be related to this accident.

One of the victims suffered second degree burns and another one was found unconscious by the firefighters. Burns, loss of limb, electrical shock, concussion, traumatic brain injury and lacerations are among the most common injuries that victims suffer from a gas explosions.
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Published on: July 10, 2013

Car Accident Prevention: tips to avoid being injured in a car crash abroad

By GGCRBHS&M

85% of car accidents worldwide happen in developing countries and 25,000 of the deaths involve tourists. The Center for Disease Control is asking Americans who are vacationing abroad to exercise extra precautions if they decide to drive a car during their stay. Very often roads in low incomes countries are poorly maintained and traffic laws are not sufficiently enforced. In case of an accident, emergency services may not be as fast as in developed countries, increasing the risk of a fatality. Adding to that the level of care may not be up to the level of US standards.

Making sure you know the local traffic rules or avoiding driving at night are among a CDC list of measures that may help minimize your risk of being injured in a car crash while you are on vacation.

Published on: July 8, 2013

Medical Malpractice – Increase in personal injury and wrongful death related to Alarm Fatigue have hospitals scrutinizing their alarm safety system

By GGCRBHS&M

Alarm fatigue happens when medical workers overwhelmed by constant and loud alarm rings turn down the volume on the devices, shut them off or simply ignore them. These actions can lead to serious personal injury or wrongful death.

As hospitals invest in more and more sophisticated equipment to save lives, nurses and other hospital workers especially in Intensive Care Units have to deal with the constant and sometimes very loud ringing of alarms during their shift. A recent study estimated that the average number of alarms that sounded per bed per day in one ICU was 771. This is obviously more than staff and patients can take and hospitals have to make a priority of reviewing their alarm system or they may risk loss of their accreditation.

In a very interesting article, Lena H. Sun from the Washington Post, gives an overview of recent Medical Malpractice cases related to Alarm Fatigue and what measures are being taken by hospitals to address this growing medical concern.

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Published on: July 6, 2013

Medical Malpractice, failure to diagnose caridovascular injury: conventional approach to heart failure prevention is not effective enough

By GGCRBHS&M

Failure to diagnose a heart condition may be medical malpractice that can lead to death. Conventionally used indicators to diagnose heart failure show potential for cardiovascular injury but do not provide adequate risk control for those at higher risk of heart failure or those newly diagnosed with HF. A study published in the July 3 issue of JAMA shows that collaborative care based on peptide level screening reduce the combined rates of left ventricular systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction, and heart failure as well as emergency cardiovascular hospitalizations.

Heart failure happens when the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to support other organs.This serious condition is affecting 5.7 million Americans every year. It costs the nation 34.4 billion every year in health care services, medications, and lost productivity. Diseases that damage the heart including coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes-are common causes of heart failure. Smoking; being overweight; eating foods high in fat, cholesterol, and sodium; and physical inactivity also increase the risk of developing heart failure.

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Published on: July 5, 2013

New York Drowning Accident: In a horrible fatal jet ski accident a man dies trying to save the life of his friend who wasn’t wearing a life jacket and didn’t know how to swim

By GGCRBHS&M

Horrible drowning accident in Coney Island Creek in Brooklyn New York demonstrates how important it is for swimmers and non swimmers to follow basic safety rules and wear a life jacket while involved in water activities.

The pair was riding a single person jetski without life jackets when the woman who didn’t know how to swim was ejected from the machine. The man who was a good swimmer jumped after her to try to save her but they both disappeared in the water. NYPD is still searching for the bodies. What a tragedy…

Read the whole story from the Daily News.

Published on: July 3, 2013

Medical Malpractice Prevention – New Diagnostic test may prevent failure to diagnose sepsis

By GGCRBHS&M

Failure%20to%20diagnose%20sepsis.jpg Delay to treat or Failure to diagnose Sepsis may lead to the loss of multiple organs and ultimately to death. Every year 500,000 Americans will be hospitalized because they suffer from severe Sepsis and 250,000 will die from it. Sepsis is a condition that is usually triggered by a bacterial infection of the bloodstream. Early diagnosis is key to preventing mortality. Thanks to a new automated diagnostic test developed by a team of researchers led by Nathan Ledeboer from the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), USA, sepsis could be diagnosed much faster and many lives could be saved.

The study is published this week in PLOS Medicine.

Published on: July 3, 2013

Long road trips with heavily loaded cars on over-heated highways can stress car tires to the limit. To prevent car accidents, before hitting the road, check that the pressure is adequate in all tires and that the treads are in good condition

By GGCRBHS&M

Car accidents related to tire aging kill 90 people and injure 3200 every year. 9% of all car crashes are due to tire related issues according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

As summer season is starting, the NHTSA is urging motorists to check their tires as hot weather and under-inflated or worn down tires are a dangerous mix on the road.

In a previous survey about Tire-Related Factors in the Pre-Crash Phase, NTHSA highlighted the following findings:

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Published on: July 2, 2013

Medical Malpractice – Failure to observe very small aneurysms may lead to devastating brain damage or death

By GGCRBHS&M

In order to prevent Medical Malpractice, observation should be the treatment of choice for all stable brain aneurysms including the smallest ones as all brain aneurysms, even those smaller than the current 7-mm treatment threshold, have 12 times more of a chance to break and lead to a catastrophic brain injury or death if they are growing in size according a recent study published in the Journal of Radiology and lead by J. Pablo Villablanca, M.D., chief of diagnostic neuroradiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. The study also demonstrates that Aneurysm growth, size, and smoking were associated with increased rupture risk.

30,000 Americans each year suffer ruptured brain aneurysms and 40% of them die. Among the survivors, two-thirds suffer permanent neurological damage. A cerebral aneurysm is a growth in a blood vessel in the brain. If it breaks, blood is leaked into or around the brain, which can cause brain damage or death.