Medical Malpractice Attorneys Read Leapfrog Group Report Regarding Hospital Safety

philadelphia medical malpractice attorneysThe Leapfrog Group, a non-profit, independant organization run by purchasers and employers of health benefits, recently issued safety ratings of over 2,000 United States hospitals. Per their website, The Leapfrog Group aims to do three things:

  • Inform Americans about their hospital safety and quality,
  • Promote full public disclosure of hospital performance information, and
  • Help employers provide the best healthcare benefits to their employees.

By publishing their hospital safety review, the group has succeeded in informing it’s public of the current safety conditions of hospitals throughout the United States. Medical malpractice lawyers applaud the group’s aims, as well as their efforts to make knowledge regarding national hospital safety available on a large scale.

The Leapfrog Group’s Ratings

Hospitals were graded on a typical letter scale, A-F, called the Hospital Safety Score. Quite traditionally, an A was the highest mark (meaning safest), and F was the lowest (high rates of error). The scores are based on data regarding medical errors, medication errors, patient injuries, and infections. The group’s report also goes on to explain that hospital errors account for about 400 patient deaths each day in the U.S. The authors make a striking comparison of that staggering number to a large jet plane full of passengers crashing everyday.

Some noteworthy data from the report:

The Hospital Safety Score graded 2,652 hospital according to safety.

  • 729 received an “A” grade
  • 679 received a “B” grade
  • 1,243 received a “C” or below grade

The following are well-known hospitals that received A marks;

  • Academic medical centers, such as University of California San Francisco, NYU Langone Medical Center, and Massachusetts General
  • Several rural hospitals, such as Baptist Health South Florida Homestead Hospital, Grinnell Regional Medical Center in Iowa
  • Well known centers of excellence, such as University of Michigan Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, and Virginia Mason Medical Center
  • Hospitals in impoverished or highly vulnerable areas, such as Detroit Receiving Hospital, Bellevue Hospital, and Montefiore Hospital
  • Several for-profit hospitals, including a significant number in the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) system
  • Hundreds of not-for-profit and public hospitals
  • Some community hospitals, such as OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Illinois

Widespread knowledge of these statistics could help save lives in hospitals.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Hospital safety should not be the foremost concern when choosing treatment at a hospital. All hospitals should be safe and operate with the highest level of care and professionalism. Unfortunately, however, this is not the case. Many lives are lost in hospitals daily, thanks to miscommunication, overworked staff, medication errors, surgical mishaps, and other egregious deviations from the standard of care. If you or a loved one have suffered at the hands of a negligent hospital or other medical provider, contact the Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys of Messa & Associates. Our dedicated team will work to uncover any mistreatment you or your family received and earn you fair compensation for your damages. Call, toll-free, 1-877-MessaLaw, or submit an online inquiry for a free case evaluation.

Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys: Blogs Help Educate

nursing home abuse lawyers, philadelphia nursing home abuse, nj nursing home negligence, elder abuse If you have spent any time at all combing the internet for news and/or advice regarding nursing home abuse, you’ve no doubt stumbled upon Jonathon Rosenfeld’s Nursing Home Abuse Blog. Through his frequent updates and pertinent analysis, Rosenfeld has established a real and dependable source for information and guidance aimed at helping victims and their families attain justice for wrongs perpetrated at nursing homes, by home health aids, or even by other family members. Nursing home abuse attorneys of Messa & Associates are proud to be among the company of Jonathon Rosenfeld in a common mission to protect the elderly from negligent care facilities.

Nursing Home Abuse Blog References Messa & Mininno

Recently, Jonathon referenced the Messa & Associates Blog in a post about fellow law firms taking into their own hands public education regarding what is and is not considered acceptable treatment in nursing homes and long term care facilities. Blog contributors John Mininno and Joseph Messa have been representing injured nursing home patients for over 10 years in hopes that their work against nursing homes and negligent caregivers would help the industry raise it’s standards and, in turn, protect our elderly community.

Abuse and negligence in nursing homes can often result in severe physical and emotional injuries and sometimes even death. Bedsores, unexplained bruises, weight loss, depression, and other unexplained symptoms could all be signs of abuse or negligence by the staff at a care facility.

Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is a resident of a nursing home and you suspect that the care they are receiving is negligent and/or abusive, contact the nursing home abuse attorneys from Messa & Associates for a free consultation. Call, toll-free, at 1-877-MessaLaw, or submit a free online inquiry.

Let the Philadelphia and New Jersey nursing home abuse attorneys of Messa & Associates earn you and your loved one the compensation you need and deserve.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers Advise Patients of Smith & Nephew’s Intention to Remove Hip Replacement Devices from the Market

Medical malpractice lawyers have recently learned that Smith & Nephew PLC has announced that it will withdraw a metal liner used for its R3 Acetabular System hip replacements from the market. The company said that it is “not satisfied with the clinical results” of the liner because some patients have required an additional surgery to have the liner removed. Smith & Nephew introduced the hip replacement liner in 2009. Since that time, about 7,700 patients have had them implanted. According to Smith & Nephew, patients who have not experienced problems do not need to have the liner removed. The majority of the R3 Acetabular System hip replacement liners were used in stemmed total hip replacements.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers Express Concern Regarding Increasing Hip Replacement Device Recalls

philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers, new jersey medical malpractice lawyersComplaints about failed hip replacement devices have continued to indicate that patients are experiencing serious problems with certain types of artificial hips. In the past two years, the Food and Drug Administration has received more than thousands of reports about popular devices known as metal-on-metal hips, including the A.S.R. or Articular Surface Replacement manufactured by the DePuy division of Johnson & Johnson, the Zimmer Durom Cup, and implants made by Stryker Orthopedics. Smith & Nephew now joins this list with their latest recall.

In many cases, the all-metal devices were sold without testing in patients or without a requirement that producers track their performance. However, complaints from patients indicate many of them had the all-metal hip devices removed because they failed after only a few years. Typically, replacement hips last 15 years or more.

Metal-on-metal hip replacements can cause devastating injuries as many patients have suffered injuries as a result of tiny particles of cobalt and chromium that the metal devices shed as they wear. Common injuries are damaged muscles and other soft tissue, severe inflammation or the need for additional surgery, also called a revision.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Philadelphia and New Jersey

The Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers at Messa & Associates are experienced at handling cases involving medical malpractice cases resulting from medical errors and defective medical devices. Our extremely skilled team of medical malpractice lawyers and medical experts is dedicated to ensuring you receive proper compensation for your personal injuries. If you or a loved one has suffered personal injuries as a result of a medical error, defective medical device or any other type of negligent care received by a medical provider, contact the medical malpractice lawyers of Messa & Associates for a free consultation. Call toll free at 1-877-MessaLaw, or submit a free online inquiry.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers and Litigation NOT Breaking Healthcare’s Bank

medical malpractice attorneys negligence new jersey philadelphia tort reformHealth Affairs, the leading journal of health policy and research, founded in 1981 to support health policy education in the medical community domestically and worldwide, recently published the results of a study involving the cost of medical malpractice to the public. This well respected organization demonstrated that the “tort reformists” claim that medical malpractice litigation adds enormous costs to healthcare is simply a myth.   In fact,  Health Affairs estimated that less than 2.5% of all healthcare costs in the United States are in any way associated to medical malpractice litigations.  That’s two and half pennies out of each dollar.

Frivolous Medical Malpractice Defense Costs to the United States

Health and Human Services data shows that in 2008, the United States spent $7,681 per person on healthcare related costs.  Less than $200 of this sum is in any way related to medical malpractice law suits.  Although the “tort reformist” likes to blame this cost on frivolous lawsuits, what we never hear about are “frivolous defenses.”  Someone’s mother, father,  son, or daughter is injured because a medical provider took short cuts or didn’t follow basic safety rules of medicine.  Instead of accepting responsibility and making up for the medical mistake,  many times a medical malpractice insurance company will decide to mount a frivolous defense.  It pays thousands and thousands of dollars to high-priced lawyers and medical “experts” to fight the case.   Deny and Defend – even when decency and economics demand fair compensation. The family comes into court with a fair and legitimate case  and a jury turns them away with nothing. This happens every day – and it adds to this cost of health care

Medical Malpractice Victims vs. Tort Reformists

Tort reformists (and the insurance lobbyists who promote them) like to spin tales about the astronomical costs of medical malpractice litigation to the taxpayers and medical providers of America, but the Health Affairs study negates those accusations. It seems that the only people paying heavily for medical malpractice are those who commit it: negligent doctors and irresponsible pharmaceutical companies. Tort Reformists, medical malpractice insurance lobbyists, and corporate nursing homes all desperately want to prevent ordinary citizens from fair compensation for injuries that could potentially afflict them for the rest of their lives.  These tort reformists and HMO lobbyist supporters want the government to place caps on how much a jury is allowed to compensate injured patients. Imagine that. An elected official making a law that says a jury is not permitted to pay victims of malpractice fair compenation – no matter what. 

Is $100,000 for causing a young mother of 4 children to lose a breast to misdiagnosed cancer a fair cap? How about $250,000 for causing a father of 3 to spend a lifetime in a wheel chair; or $300,000 for a child who will live the rest of his or her life with a debilitating brain injury?  These governement proposed caps on mothers, fathers and children’s compensation  would also eliminate the possibility of punitive damages in the case of willful and intentional conduct. Research has shown that monetary punishments are one of the few effective ways to hold corporate wrongdoers accountable for purposelfully harming consumers in the name of profit. As for the medical field, most doctors are hard working, decent, and caring professionals. These doctors don’t need tort reform.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a loved one have been vicitmized by medical malpractice or negligence, contact Messa & Associates for a free case evaluation. NJ and PA medical malpractice attorneys at Messa & Associates, P.C. are experienced in earning fair and helpful compensation for those injured by medical negligence. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

To discuss your case immediately, click on the “CHAT LIVE” icon in the bottom right hand corner of your screen. Representatives are standing by to speak with you.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys Report FDA Recall of Cardiac Science AEDs

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a class 1 recall for a number of Cardiac Science’s Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). A class 1 recall, as described on the FDA’s website, is issued for

“dangerous or defective products that predictably could cause serious health problems or death. Examples of products that could fall into this category are a food found to contain botulinal toxin, food with undeclared allergens, a label mix-up on a life saving drug, or a defective artificial heart valve.”

The FDA’s recall comes after Cardiac Science issued their own voluntary recall of the same products. Medical malpractice attorneys urge patients who may be affected by these recalls to speak with their doctors immediately and contact an attorney. Below is the FDA’s actual announcement.

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers, medical malpractice attorneys

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a loved one may be affected by this or any other FDA recall, contact the personal injury and medical malpractice attorneys of Messa & Associates by calling 1-877-MessaLaw, or by submitting an online inquiry for a free case evaluation.

Personal Injury Lawyers: Medical Device Maker Agrees to Pay Penalty for Selling Unapproved Devices

new jersey personal injury lawyers, attorneys, philadelphia, medical malpracticePersonal injury lawyers at Messa & Associates, P.C. have recently come across news stating that Globus Medical Inc., a spinal implant manufacturer, will pay the U.S. Food and Drug Administration $1 million in penalties for selling its NuBone Osteoinductive Bone Graft product after the FDA rejected the device in 2009.

The FDA learned that Globus was distributing the NuBone Osteoinductive, despite being told that the medical device was not substantially equivalent (NSE) to legally-marketed products, during a September 2010 inspection. The company also ignored multiple warnings given by the FDA to stop selling the device, according to a commissioner for regulatory affairs.

The settlement requires Globus Medical to pay a $550,000 penalty fee and the company’s CEO, David Paul, to pay an additional $450,000 fine.

Personal Injury Lawyers: FDA Approval Process Required NuBone Osteoinductive Devices to Be Substantially Equivalent

The FDA currently uses two procedures to approve medical devices. Clinical trials are necessary to get approval for more critical devices. However, Globus Medical’s NuBone Osteoinductive is considered a medical device that poses a lower level of risk to patients. Therefore, Globus Medical was only required to show that the NuBone Osteoinductive was substantially equivalent to similar medical devices that are already on the market.

Personal Injury Lawyers in Philadelphia and New Jersey

The Philadelphia personal injury lawyers at Messa & Associates are experienced at handling cases involving pharmaceutical and medical device injuries. Our extremely skilled team of personal injury lawyers and medical experts is dedicated to ensuring you receive proper compensation for your personal injuries. If you have been injured by a defective medical device, a negligent medical provider, or have endured any other type of personal injury, contact the personal injury lawyers of Messa & Associates for a free consultation. Call toll free at 1-877-MessaLaw, or submit a free online inquiry.

For immediate assistance, click the CHAT LIVE button to your right.

Personal Injury Lawyers Warn of Fatal Complications with Bath Refinisher

new jersey personal injury lawyers, phildelphia, attorneysPersonal injury lawyers recently came across an announcement made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding a common paint stripping chemical that is often used to refinish bathtubs. The substance, called methylene chloride, is commonly used as a paint remover or degreaser in industrial and home improvement products.

The CDC’s announcement served as a warning against using any products containing the substance which Michigan State University research discovered was the cause for 13 deaths between 2000 and 2011. The 13 victims were workers who had used methylene chloride products to refinish bathtubs.

In its weekly report, the CDC commented on the 13 deaths, saying:

“Each death occurred in a residential bathroom with inadequate ventilation. Protective equipment, including a respirator, either was not used or was inadequate to protect against methylene chloride vapor.’’

The report went on to say that the chemical “has been recognized as potentially fatal to furniture strippers and factory workers but has not been reported previously as a cause of death among bathtub refinishers.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explained that using the chemical in confined spaces that lack sufficient ventilation is quite dangerous. In the same report, it urged labor safety organizations and public health agencies to “communicate the extreme hazards” of using the product under the wrong conditions. The author of the report, Michigan State’s Kenneth Rosenman, suggested to leave the product out of bathrooms entirely, citing that the vapors are heavier than air and linger after applications. Rosenman went on to explain:

“To use products containing methylene chloride safely, work areas must be well-ventilated, and when levels of methylene chloride exceed recommended exposure limits, workers must use protective equipment. In a small bathroom, it is unlikely these products can be used safely.’’

Personal Injury Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Without proper warning, 13 workers used a product to complete a job and ended up losing their lives. Thirteen people died to refinish bathtubs. Dangerous products and chemicals, such as methylene chloride, should always come with proper warnings and clear safety instructions. It should not take research studies executed after the fact to determine that a product is dangerous.

If you or a loved one have been injured by a dangerous or defective product, contact the New Jersey personal injury attorneys of Messa & Associates, P.C. for a free legal consultation. Call 1-800-MessaLaw or submit a free online inquiry.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Oppose the Use of Chemical Restraints to Care for Dementia Patients

new jersey , philadelphia, nursing home abuse lawyers, attorneysAThe use of chemical restraints is, unfortunately, nothing new. Nursing home abuse lawyers have long known that medication is often used to sedate and restrain residents. ABC News online recently published an article on the detrimental effects of a certain prescription often given to Dementia patients in nursing homes. Most of the time, these prescriptions are dispersed not only to sedate patients so they become more “manageable,” but also to help the nursing home make money from the Medicaid reimbursements they receive for ordering the medication.

Medication Causes Increased Death Risk in Dementia Patients

study of over 75,000 nursing home residents – 65 and older, who suffer from dementia – has found that those that take the anti-psychotic drug Haldol double their risk of death compared to those taking Risperdal. It seems that the risk was highest during the first 40 days of treatment. Krsita Huybrechts, epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, commented on the recent findings:

“The evidence provided in our study reinforces the important risks associated with the use of these drugs and underscores the need to try alternative means of dealing with behavioral problems in older patients with dementia. [The use of Haldol] cannot be justified because of the excess of harm. ”

Conversely, patients taking Seroquel appeared, according to the study, to have a decreased risk of death compared to those taking Risperdal. However, the use of any of the medications seems unneccessary, seeing as their effect on dementia symptoms is quite limited; so much so that the FDA never even approved many of these drugs for use in the treatment of dementia. Nursing homes are being reimbursed by Medicaid for the off-label distribution on anti-psychotics, or chemical restraints.

Dr. Jenny McCleery, consultant psychiatrist with the Oxford Heath NHS Foundation Trust in the U.K., believes that doctors are prescribing these antipsychotic drugs due to a lack of resources for non-drug interventions.

“Clearly, doctors find compelling reasons to prescribe antipsychotics to patients with dementia, reasons that are unlikely to be found in the evidence base alone.”

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Nursing home residents suffering from dementia are indeed a difficult population to care for. That does not, however, condone the use of drugs to sedate patients so they become easier to care for. Nursing homes should provide competent, compassionate, and attentive care to your loved ones living in long term care facilities.

If you believe that the home in charge of your loved one’s care is acting negligently or abusively, contact the nursing home abuse lawyers of Messa & Associates, P.C. Call 1-800-MessaLaw, or submit a free online inquiry. You may also click on the CHAT LIVE icon to the right to speak with a representative immediately.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys: Dentist Gets Jail Time for Paper-Clip Root Canals

A dentist in Massachusetts has been sentenced to a year in prison after it was discovered he was performing root canals with paper clips! He faced assualt and battery charges in addition to charges of witness intimidation. He also faced charges of Medicaid Fraud in the amount of $130,000. For years, despite a suspension, Dr. Michael Clair was filing claims with the government agency using the names of fellow dentists, all colleagues from his practice. Medical malpractice attorneys are astounded that a medical professional would stoop to such despicable means to make money.

The Michael Clair Special: A Pretty Penny for a Paper-Clip Procedure

new jersey medical malpractice attorneys, medical malpractice lawyers philadelphia, dental malpracticeTraditionally, root canals are performed using small steel posts. Dr. Clair’s scheme to use paper clips instead of surgically competent steel posts caused many patients unnecessary pain, suffering, and infection. Brenda Almeida’s young son underwent the procedure in 2005. His tooth turned black and had to be pulled. Almeida also claims that her other children received poor care from Dr. Clair as well.

Almeida is unsatisfied with the one year jail sentence that Dr. Clair will serve, saying, “He put my kids in pain for months…I hope he rots there.” The prosecution had hoped for at least a five year sentence. Judge Moses, the judge who passed down the sentence, explained his decision, citing Clair’s mental health issues, lack of priors, and his acceptance of full responsibility. Judge Moses did, however, satisfy the prosecution’s request to keep Clair away from his victims and colleagues. It was noted that his former staff feared for their safety.

Clair will be on five years probation upon his release from prison. After receiving his sentence and before he was escorted out of the courtroom, Clair offered his gratitude:

“Thank you, your honor, for your consideration.”

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Medical malpractice comes in many forms. Some doctors commit malpractice by making surgical mistakes. Others act negligently due to a temporary lapse of judgement. But Michael Clair purposely put his patients in danger so he could make more money. This type of malpractice is surely the most egregious kind.

If you or a loved one have suffered at the hands of a negligent surgeon, physician, or other medical provider, contact the New Jersey medical malpractice attorneys of Messa & Associates, P.C. by calling, toll-free, 1-877-MessaLaw. You may also submit a free online inquiry. You may also click on the CHAT LIVE icon on the right to speak with a representative immediately.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys Take Issue With Physician Opinions on Honesty and Disclosure

Harvard Medical School, along with a number of other Massachusetts health institutions, executed a survey among doctors and medical professionals regarding their honesty with patients. The study and it’s findings were published in the medical journal Health Affairs. Unfortunately, medical malpractice attorneys aren’t shocked by some of the survey’s results.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys Concerned with Survey Results

philadelphia and new jersey medical malpractice attorneys, new jersey lawyers, medical malpractice lawyers, philadelphia medical malpracticeThe team of med students and medical professionals aimed to discover how honest doctors believe they should be, and in turn actually are, with their patients. The survey was carried out in 2009 and involved almost 1,900 practicing doctors from the United States.

While the majority of doctors and physicians believe that patients should always be told all of the truth, there was a substantial minority of practicing doctors that do not agree that patients need always know the whole truth about their treatment. This opinion and possible basis of practice is a direct violation of The Charter on Medical Professionalism, which insists on openness and honesty. The Charter was penned in 1999 by medical entities in both the US and Europe. It is argued by some that the charter, while not outwardly proclaiming to do so, aims to replace the Hippocratic Oath as a medical guideline for professionalism and patient safety. It is backed by over 100 professional organizations world wide, including the US Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

The survey inquired as to how closely its participants followed the principles set forth in the Charter when it came to conveying information to patients. Authors of the Health Affairs article reported the following:

  • The vast majority of doctors believe they should be 100% honest with their patients regarding the pros and cons of certain medical treatments. That same majority also agrees that they should never reveal confidential patient information to unauthorized persons.
  • About one third of the doctors surveyed don’t believe it’s necessary to disclose serious medical errors to patients.
  • Almost one fifth of the doctors surveyed believe that lying to patients in certain situations is justified.
  • Forty percent of surveyed doctors believe it is unnecessary to habitually disclose information about their financial relationships with pharmaceutical or medical device companies.
  • About 1 out of every 10 doctors surveyed admitted to lying to at least one patient in the 12 months prior.

The article’s authors suggest that the survey results could mean a large gap between what patients know as true and what actually is. They wrote:

“(our findings raise concerns) about whether patient-centered care is broadly possible without more widespread physician endorsement of the core communication principles of openness and honesty with patients.”

Philadelphia and New Jersey Medical Malpractice Attorneys

Doctors take an oath to always act in the best interest of their patients; it is the most crucial part of their job. If you believe that you’ve been deceived by your physician, or that physician acted negligently in your treatment, contact the Philadelphia and New Jersey medical malpractice attorneys of Messa & Associates, P.C. Our attorneys are experienced and skilled in earning substantial compensation for injuries sustained due to medical errors. Call, toll-free, at 1-877-MessaLaw, or submit a free online inquiry for a free case evaluation.

If you would like to speak with someone immediately, simply click the link to your right that says “CHAT LIVE!” A representative will be able to help right now.