attorneys Archives - Page 28 of 34 - New Jersey Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Adding Your Child’s Teacher to the Cleft Palate Care Team

The birth defects attorneys of the Mininno Law Office would like to share with you some advice about preparing your child with a cleft lip/palate for school. There are many things you may want to communicate with your child’s teacher. First and foremost, in as tactful a way as possible, let the teacher know that your child is an individual, not a diagnosis. Other children will naturally be curious, because your child’s appearance may be different, but the teacher can make this a positive experience by respectively educating the other children about the birth defect, as well as making your child feel more welcome.

It is also important to let the teacher know that your child may have hearing issues tied to the cleft palate, which should be considered if the teacher believes the child isn’t listening. Lastly, try to encourage the teacher to maintain an open line of communication, as the first years of school are most likely going to shape your child’s self-image strongly, and it should be as positive as possible. Teachers are generally compassionate people, so adding your child’s teacher to your care-team along side your doctors, birth defects attorneys, and other professionals is a great idea.

Birth Defects Attorneys In New Jersey and Philadelphia

Now that your child is getting ready for school, you may be asking yourself if you need birth defects attorneys. The simple truth is that in a great portion of cases there is no one to blame for the development of the birth defect as it was caused by natural forces. However, in some instances, there are external forces at work which may have affected your child’s development. For instance, the FDA has recently announced that Topamax (Topiramate) has been linked to an increase in the development of a cleft lip/palate by 21 times the normal rate.
If you believe that Topamax may have been a factor in the development of your child’s cleft lip/palate please do not hesitate to contact us. Our lawyers are experienced and in many cases can help achieve financial judgments that can help your family.

Contact the Mininno Law Office in New Jersey at (856) 833-0600 and in Philadelphia at (215) 567-2380 for a FREE case evaluation and consultation.

Nursing Home Abuse Occurs as Fraud and Theft

Not all forms of elder and nursing home abuse are physical. Financial elder abuse is becoming more of a problem in this country. Nursing home employees and caregivers are taking advantage of the elderly and sometimes even stealing large amounts of money from them or putting themselves in charge of their finances. Banks will often issue signature stamps to their elderly and disabled customers who are not able to physically go to the bank. Some caregivers are using these stamps to steal thousands of dollars from their elderly patients.

Caregiver uses Signature Stamp to Steal from Elderly Woman

Liz Sanders is a Southern California woman who is fighting against financial elder abuse because her mother, Bette Isenberg, was taken advantage of by her caregiver. Before Bette died at the age of 82 last year, she was bedridden and required round-the-clock care. The woman charged with her care used a signature stamp to cash checks, empty her bank account, access her life insurance fund, and add herself to department store accounts by faxing over a letter that was signed with the signature stamp. Helen Wofford was convicted and sentenced to 32 months in prison. Liz sanders testified to the life-altering effects of Wofford’s actions:

“This $20 signature stamp cost my mother three-quarters of a million dollars and left her in financial ruin. This has been heartbreaking and I don’t want any other family to have to go through this.”

new jersey philadelphia Nursing Home Abuse lawyers occurs fraud theft Ms. Sanders is now testifying in support of a bill authorized by Senator Fran Pavley that will enforce new regulations on the issuing of signature stamps. The bill would make it harder for caregivers with ill intentions to obtain the stamps by requiring that a bank employee witness and sign all requests for new signature stamps. Customers given the stamps will also be provided with information on the risks associated with them, in hopes that people will be more aware of the signs of theft or fraud, and also more careful of where the signature stamps are kept. The bill would also increase the punishment for financial elder abuse in California.

This is an excellent step in protecting the elderly from being taken advantage of in California. However, the rest of the country needs to be aware of this issue. Ordering signature stamps for your elderly loved ones can be risky and should be done with caution. Do not leave the stamp around where caregivers or others could potentially take possession of them. Check bank and credit card statements on a regular basis to make sure there are no mysterious charges, and report any suspicions that you may have.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is being taken advantage of financially, or you believe the care they are recieving is abusive or negligent, you should contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, and (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys & a Kidney Procedure Gone Bad

Seventy-two year old Christine Williams went in to Naval Hospital Jacksonville to have a mass removed from one of her kidneys. The procedure was expected to keep Ms. Williams in the hospital for three days and then allow her to resume normal activities. Those three days turned into four months. Ms. Williams then contacted medical malpractice attorneys to file a lawsuit against the hospital for a surgical error that lead to the need for additional surgery, diminished feeling in extremities, and loss of the ability to walk.

Aorta Inadvertently Stapled During Kidney Surgery

Two days after the initial kidney procedure, a CT scan was ordered by physicians which revealed a problem with her aorta. The radiologist conducting the CT scan notified the surgeon that Ms. Williams appeared to have a dissection of the aorta, a condition that called for a follow-up CT of the aorta itself. The woman’s medical malpractice attorneys said that a second CT scan did not occur for several days because it was Memorial Day weekend. When the second CT was finally done, it did show that a vascular surgeon was needed and Williams was transferred to the Mayo Clinic for emergency surgery. This additional procedure revealed that Williams’ aorta was accidentally stapled during the initial surgery.

Sean Cronin, Ms Williams’ medical malpractice attorney, stated:

“we have a surgical error that took place that was not recognized. Once it was recognized by the attending radiologist, it was not acted upon. Ms. Williams is experiencing a medical emergency. She’s unable to walk. She didn’t have pulses in her legs and people are going home and going on vacation.”

Williams has become dependent on her family and she now has to do physical therapy to try and regain some of the strength she had before surgery. Williams is taking very small steps towards recovery but she is thankful to be alive. Medical malpractice attorneys believe these types of negligence cases happen more often than most people would expect and they can cause great damage to a patient and their family.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you believe that you are suffering the effects of medical malpractice or negligence, you do have legal rights. Please contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Birth Defects Attorneys Give Insurance Advice for Cleft Lip/Palate

If your child is suffering from a cleft palate or lip the stress involved can seem, at times, overwhelming. Dealing with your insurance carrier to get the necessary care should not, but often does, add to the stressful burden. In many instances, insurance companies will deny the claim outright initially. This can be frustrating, especially when the person making the initial denial does not have a medical background, and therefore is not intimately familiar with the issues associated with a cleft lip/palate. The attorneys at the Mininno Law Office have some practical advice to help cope with this problem.

It is important to prepare yourself for the possibility of spending considerable amounts of time on the phone speaking with various representatives from the insurance company. It is important to document every phone call, with the date, time, name of who you spoke with, and the content of the call. This serves to protect you. Essentially, you are looking for that one sympathetic person at the company that will make your life easier and help get your child the treatment that he/she deserves. In the case that your claim is denied, as a paying customer, you should consider the appeals process to have the claim looked at again.

Birth Defects Attorneys In New Jersey and Philadelphia

Many times people who have a child with a cleft palate/lip birth defect ask if they need to contact birth defects attorneys. The answer is complicated. In many instances, the birth defect was caused by natural forces and there is no one to blame. In these instances you may find yourself fighting the insurance battle described above. However, in other cases, external forces may have been in play, like Topamax (Topiramate), a drug that the FDA has recently announced increases the likelihood of cleft palate/lip by 21 times.

If you believe Topamax may have been a factor in your child’s birth defect, the birth defects attorneys at the Mininno Law Office can provide financial remedies that will alleviate the stresses associated with your child’s birth defect. Contact the Mininno Law Office in New Jersey at (856) 833-0600 and in Philadelphia at (215) 567-2380 for a FREE case evaluation and consultation.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys – Lawsuits in Pennsylvania Are Down

New rules were enacted in 2002 by the Pennsylvania high court in an attempt to limit “frivolous” medical malpractice lawsuits. In 2010, medical malpractice litigation against hospitals and doctors in Pennsylvania dropped to the lowest point since the adoption of the new guidelines. The new standards within the state are supposed to ensure that all the medical negligence cases that reach trial are legitimate, as opposed to dubious, claims. Medical malpractice attorneys believe plaintiffs will still be able to acquire just compensation for medical malpractice because more of the judicial resources will be available to the deal with stronger lawsuits.

Statewide Medical Malpractice Suits Down 45% Since Adoption of New Rules

The worry among medical malpractice attorneys has been that the new rules limiting the ability of plaintiffs to bring lawsuits may place a significant obstacle in the way of patients finding justice. Medical malpractice has been a hot button issue in nearly every jurisdiction within the country, with many politicians concerned with stabilizing the costs of malpractice insurance. Medical malpractice attorneys’ chief concern is that rules that are over-expansive may keep meritorious cases from reaching a courtroom. On the other hand, many medical malpractice attorneys believe that these new rules in Pennsylvania may help those patients bringing strong negligence cases to court. Although the new standards on negligence have been put into place to limit frivolous lawsuits, those patients with strong cases will have more of the judicial resources at their disposal.

The Pennsylvania rules now require medical malpractice attorneys to file a statement by an expert in the medical field stating that the claims being brought are not frivolous. Clearly, those patients who are able to pass this standard have a legitimate case and should have a fair shot at prevailing in a court of law. The rules also require medical malpractice attorneys to file the lawsuit in the county where the health care provider’s mistake took place, in an effort to limit plaintiffs from running to a more sympathetic forum to have their case tried.

Hospitals and doctors are clearly involved in big business and have a big say in the political processes across the country. Hopefully, patients who have been harmed by medical negligence can still pursue a fair remedy in Pennsylvania.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you believe that you or a loved one have been recently treated by a negligent medical provider which is causing excess and/or unnecessary pain and discomfort, please contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers seek Damages in Breast Cancer Lawsuit

In late April, Carol Renna was awarded $400,000 by a jury in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. The lawsuit derived from multiple visits made by the plaintiff to different doctors. Ms. Renna wanted to have two large masses in her breasts examined. Medical malpractice lawyers believe that this is an extreme case of negligence because if the problem is not properly detected, breast cancer is often deadly.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers Argue the Necessity of a Follow-Up

Medical Malpractice Lawyers Ms. Renna originally found two masses in her breast in April of 2004. She visited her primary care physician but was soon referred to Dr. Mark Schadt. In the month following Renna’s discovery, Schadt conducted a fine-needle aspiration biopsy in an effort to determine whether cysts in the breast were cancerous. The initial results came back negative. The fine-needle aspiration biopsy is acceptable for some women in particular cases, but more extensive examinations such as a core-needle biopsy or an open biopsy are often necessary.

The following March, Renna returned and was once again given a fine-needle aspiration. Unlike her previous test however, these results came back positive for cancer. In April of 2005, the plaintiff underwent an excisional biopsy, which entails removing cysts and other surrounding area. Following the more invasive biopsy, Renna learned that she had invasive carcinoma stage III. Following this traumatic and shocking discovery, Renna was forced to undergo a simple mastectomy on her left breast and a radical mastectomy performed on her right breast. Medical malpractice laywers point out that a competent doctor should have followed up the initial fine-needle aspiration biopsy with a more complete biopsy to test a large sample of tissue.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you have recently undergone a procedure and you are still in pain that you believe may be attributed to negligence, it is possible that you have questions that only medical malpractice lawyers can answer. Please contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey, or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Assembling the Team to Care for Your Child with a Cleft Lip or Palate

If your child has a cleft lip/palate it should come as no shock that he or she will face numerous medical, psychological, social, and economic issues. The medical needs of the child are complex and care often continues into adulthood. Usually, the care team consists of many different interdisciplinary professionals including geneticists, pediatricians, plastic surgeons, otolaryngologists, oral surgeons, orthodontists, dentists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and, of course team, coordinators. This list can be daunting to a parent first grappling with the needs of their child born with a cleft lip or palate. However, there is one other group of professionals, often overlooked, who can alleviate the financial stresses involved with caring for your child’s birth defect: birth defects attorneys.

Birth Defects Attorneys as a Member of the Care Team

Experienced birth defects attorneys can be invaluable to the cause of a child born with a cleft palate/lip birth defect. It is true that in many cases when a child is born with this tragic birth defect, no one is at fault. Sometimes, however, there may have been external forces working against your child. One major consideration can be found in the FDA’s recent announcement that Topamax (Topiramate) increases the likelihood of cleft palates and lips in newborns by 21 times the normal rate when taken by women who are pregnant or during child bearing years. The experienced birth defects attorneys at the Mininno Law Office can help recover the finances necessary to help your child live a normal free of physical deformities.

Birth Defects Attorneys In New Jersey and Philadelphia

It is important to note that the birth defects attorneys at the Mininno Law Office operate on a contingency basis, meaning there are no out-of-pocket costs to you when pursuing your case. The Mininno Law Office gets paid when you get paid, and not a moment before.

If you believe that your child’s birth defect may be caused by the use of Topamax (Topiramate), please don’t hesitate to help your child by contacting one of the Mininno Law Office’s experienced birth defects attorneys. Contact the Mininno Law Office’s birth defects attorneys in New Jersey at (856) 833-0600 and in Philadelphia at (215) 567-2380 for a FREE case evaluation and consultation.

Birth Defects Attorneys Provide Cleft Palate Speech Info & Remedies

Our birth defects attorneys strive to provide parents of children born with cleft palates and lips with pertinent information about their child’s disorder. Over half of children born with a cleft palate will encounter speech problems at some point during their lives. Regular evaluations by the speech-language pathologist on your child’s care team may be necessary to monitor your child’s speech and language progress and make any changes that are necessary. It is certainly possible for a child born with a cleft palate birth defect to not experience any speech disorders and, if the child has surgery before speech develops, the problem may be avoided completely. However, even if your child is not of speech age, it is important to familiarize yourself with difficulties that they may face in the future.

What Causes Speech Problems

When a cleft palate exists, the oral and nasal cavities are not separated, which causes two distinct issues that affect the formation of speech. First, the child has difficulty building the required air pressure in the mouth because it escapes out of the nose. Second, the tongue has less tissue available to touch on the roof of the mouth. Both of these issues make it difficult for a child to make some sounds required for speech. Once the palate is repaired it may be easier for your child to learn the sounds needed for the formation of speech. But remember: development of speech may end up being slower, so do not be frustrated.

Birth Defects Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Parents often wonder if they require birth defects attorneys because their child was born with a cleft palate. In most cases, the answer is simply no: natural causes lead to the birth defect. However, contacting the Mininno Law Office birth defects attorneys may be one of the most important decisions you can make for your child if Topamax (Topiramate) was used while your child was in the womb. Topamax has been linked to a drastic increase in cleft palate formation when women take the drug while pregnant or during their child bearing years. If you believe that Topamax may have been a cause of your baby’s cleft lip or palate, do not hesitate to contact us.

We offer FREE consultations and case evaluations. There is no upfront cost to meet with the experienced birth defects attorneys at the Mininno Law Office. Please do not hesitate to ask our birth defects attorneys for help for your child. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey and (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys: Doctor Performs Wrong Site Operation

An Oregon doctor performed a routine operation on the incorrect eye of four year Jesse Matlock. The young child went in for the surgery on his right eye in an attempt to keep it from wandering, but unfortunately, the doctor “lost sense of direction” and began performing surgery on his left eye. Medical malpractice attorneys view this as an inexcusable and avoidable mistake with serious consequences. This negligence has put a young child in a far worse situation than he was in before he entered the operating room.

Negligence Leads to Increased Troubles for Young Child

The surgeon who performed the surgery, Dr. Shawn Goodman, said she “didn’t realize I had operated on the wrong eye until I was done operating on the eye”. The child’s mother reports that since the operation, there has been no improvement in the right eye and the left eye, which was unnecessarily operated on, now appears to be wandering also. The doctor did send out a nurse to inform the parents that they would be operating on both of the child’s eyes, but she provided no explanation and did not ask for the parent’s consent before she soon vanished.

Medical malpractice attorneys believe that wrong site operations are so preventable that they are totally intolerable. Medical malpractice attorneys do admit, however, that this type of mistake occurs far more frequently than should ever be the case, calling in to question the diligence and professionalism of some surgeons who make these sorts of mistakes. Having surgery performed on a wrong site, a part of the body that by all accounts is otherwise healthy, will undoubtedly put a patient at risk for further and unnecessary injury and pain.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you have recently undergone surgery but are still feeling pain and discomfort which you believe may be attributed to medical malpractice, it is possible that you have some questions. Please contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Birth Defects Attorneys Discuss Cleft Palate Hearing Issues & Remedies

Babies that are born with a cleft palate are more likely than other children to frequently suffer from ear infections. The cleft palate contributes to a buildup of fluid in the middle ear, and if this becomes infected, the baby can develop a fever and an earache. Unfortunately this buildup can also cause moderate hearing loss. This hearing loss, if treated properly, need not be permanent. It is recommended that the child have their ears checked yearly so that if fluid is detected, it can be treated with the appropriate medicine or minor surgical procedures. This may seem daunting on top of all of the other responsibilities a parent of a child with a cleft palate birth defect may face, but it is possible that experienced birth defects attorneys may be able to alleviate the financial burden on your family.

Possible Remedies Available to Prevent Hearing Loss

Often, when a baby suffers from a cleft palate and frequent ear infections, a doctor may insert tubes into the baby’s ear. The desired effect of the tubes is to alleviate fluid build-up in the ears and restore hearing for the baby. If left for too long, it is possible that hearing damage will become permanent. You should have your baby see an ENT (ear, nose, and throat doctor) as well as an audiologist for more information. It may also be important to consult with a speech language pathologist to remedy any speech issues that may be caused by the temporary hearing loss.

Birth Defects Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

The mental, emotional, and economic stresses of caring for a child with a cleft palate can be overwhelming. In a large portion of the cases, no one is to blame for the development of the cleft palate. However, the FDA has recently announced that the epilepsy and migraine treatment Topamax (Topiramate) has been linked to an increase in the development of cleft lips and palates when taken by women during pregnancy. If you believe that Topamax may have been a cause to your baby’s cleft lip or palate, you have legal options with the Mininno Law Office’s birth defects attorneys.

We offer FREE consulations and case evaluations. There is NO upfront cost to meet with the Mininno Law Office’s experienced birth defects attorneys. Please do not hesitate to ask for help from our birth defects attorneys for your child. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey and (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.