Tag: mininno

Feeding Your Baby With a Cleft Lip or Palate.

If you have a child with a cleft lip or cleft palate birth defect, you must be familiar with the difficulties that feeding entails. While it may be extremely upsetting and challenging to see your child suffer with a birth defect, it is important to remain calm and relaxed as it will help the child to also be relaxed during the feeding. If breastfeeding is not an option, remember that it is not your fault, and that there are other options.

Feeding Options for Babies with Cleft Lip/Palate

There are specialized bottles available that were designed with your baby’s cleft palate in mind. These bottles can be outfitted with nipples specifically designed to fit the baby’s mouth containing a cleft. There are also soft bottles that help you to deliver milk to your baby more easily.

Your baby may have trouble creating the suction required because air comes from the nasal cavity to the oral cavity to get milk from the nipple. By consulting with your caregiver, you may discover that more options may be available to you.

Birth Defects Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia.

birth defects attorneysMany parents ask if they need birth defects attorneys because their child was born with a cleft palate or lip birth defect. There are many internal and external causes of an oral cleft, including genetics, alcohol use, drug use, and infections. It has recently been announced by the FDA that pregnant women who use Topamax (Topiramate), a drug used to treat epilepsy and migraines, increase their likelihood of giving birth to a baby with a cleft palate by up to 21 times the normal rate.

If you believe Topamax may have been the cause of your baby’s cleft lip or palate, you have legal options. Let the experienced birth defects attorneys at the Mininno Law Office answer all of your questions, and work to earn you full and fair compensation.

The Mininno Law Office offers 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.

Topamax Lawsuits, Their Costs, and Possible Remedies.

It has recently been discovered that Topamax (Topiramate) has been linked to birth defects in children, increasing the likelihood of cleft lip or cleft palate formation. Topamax is used to help prevent seizures in epileptics and to prevent severe headaches in chronic migraine sufferers. Recently, the FDA released an announcement stating that data has shown an increased risk of craniofacial birth defects (cleft lip or cleft palate) in children born to women who used Topamax during pregnancy. NJ and PA Birth Defects AttorneysIf you believe that your child’s cleft lip/cleft palate may have been affected by your use of the Topamax drug, you probably have questions about what resources and remedies are available to you and what they will cost. Children who are born with a cleft lip/palate have a number of difficulties that will confront them in their lives. However, it is surgically possible to begin remedying the issue within the first two to three months after birth. In many cases, when surgery is undertaken, there can be a full and complete recovery.

Birth Defects Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

One important remedy is legal action, which will reduce financial stress on your family and provide funding for your child’s health issues. You probably fear that the costs of birth defects attorneys would be too high and only serve to further burden your family financially. However, you couldn’t be more wrong. The Mininno Law Office works on a contingency basis. What does that mean to you? It means that there are no out of pocket costs to you while the birth defects attorneys at The Mininno Law Office pursue your case. The Mininno Law Office only recovers its costs and fees when you get paid. In other words, we don’t make any money unless and until you make money.

It has been shown that the quicker corrective measures are used to remedy the child’s condition, the more effective they are. Please do not hesitate to ask 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.

Let the birth defects attorneys at the Mininno Law Office earn you and your family the compensation that will help your child live a normal, happy, and healthy life.

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Can Begin With New Hires

Nursing home abuse can begin as early as the hiring process. Not all states require background checks for those applying for jobs in nursing homes, and for that reason, people with criminal convictions do not have a hard time gaining employment at a nursing home or similar care facility. People with a history of assault, criminal negligence, or theft would be high risks as employees in a nursing home.

Overwhelming Frequency of Nursing Home Employees with Criminal Convictions

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers hiring employees criminal convictionAccording to the Department of Health and Human Services, over 90 percent of nursing homes in this country hire employees with criminal convictions, a huge problem in the fight against nursing home neglect. The report looked at the employees of 260 nursing homes employed on June 9, 2009 and found that 92 percent of the facilities had hired at least one employee with a criminal conviction. In fact, nearly half of the nursing homes had 5 or more employees with criminal convictions ranging from burglary to sex offenses. Forty-three states require background checks but only 10 states require both a state and FBI background check. This is necessary to find convictions in multiple states and under different names. New Jersey and Pennsylvania only require the statewide check.

This type of disregard in the hiring process leads to the hiring of inadequate and often dangerous employees in nursing homes across the country. These are often the people that are in charge of the daily needs of one of our most vulnerable populations. Do we expect a sex offender or other convicted criminal left in charge of the care of multiple patients to handle bed sores, accidents and other safety issues properly? Nursing homes are paid a lot of money to care for your loved ones, but they often hire employees that have shown a clear disregard for the rules of society. Bed sores and pressure ulcers, accidents, and other abuses such as restraints, lack of proper nutrition, and over or under-medicating are all issues in many nursing homes. Without a proper background check into possible nursing home hires, we are allowing dangerous people to care for our loved ones.

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

It is important that you are a frequent and attentive visitor in order to protect your loved one from neglect and abuse, especially when the nursing home is hiring convicted criminals and charging them with your loved one’s care. Lawmakers need to pass bills to make the background checks mandatory nationwide so that the vulnerable patients are protected.
If you believe your loved one has suffered neglect or abuse in a nursing home or other long term care facility, please contact the Mininno Law Office for free case evaluation or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Police Make Arrest for Nursing Home Abuse in New Jersey

A North Bergen nursing home worker was arrested recently for nursing home abuse that may or may not have lead to the death of an 87 year-old resident. Fifty-nine year old Julia C. Galvan, also of North Bergen, was arrested and charged with assault, abandonment, and neglect. Since her arrest, she’s posted $5,000 bail and has been fired from Harborage, the facility in North Bergen, New Jersey where she worked.

Nursing Home Abuse of Defenseless Resident

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers harborage facility north bergen
Julia C. Galvan
The victim of Galvan’s abuse was 87 year-old Modesta Alvarado. On January 15th, 2011, Galvan decided to wake Alvarado by slapping her in the head. Once Alvarado opened her eyes, Galvan followed up with two additional blows to the elderly women’s face. Alvarado was paralyzed and terminally-ill and had no defenses against Galvan’s depraved abuse. The only defense Alvarado did have was a “Nanny Cam” placed in a clock radio that caught the whole event on tape. North Bergen Police Liuetenant Frank Canella commented on the what he saw on the tape, saying that it was very disturbing. He commented further:

“This woman lies in a bed, defenseless. She was unable to defend herself. There are reactions she makes with her face and her mouth and her eyes in response to the blows. It was difficult for me to watch. The video was shocking.”

Police made the arrest after being presented with the week long footage that Alvarado’s daughter had gathered on the hidden camera. The footage also showed Galvan violently tearing off the elder woman’s oxygen mask, a task she was neither qualified nor permitted to perform.

Police say that the attack does not appear to directly cause the woman’s death, but that the investigation is being handed over to the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office to determine if other charges need to be filed.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadlephia

The treatment that Modesta Alvarado received from Julia Galvan was deplorable. Unfortunately, this case is not the onle one of it’s kind. This abuse happens in nursing homes and long term care facilities nation wide, and measures need to be taken to stop it. If your loved one is a resident in a nursing home and you believe the care they are receiving may be abusive or negligent, 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.

The nursing home abuse lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are here to answer your questions and to help you earn due compensation.

Support Does Exist for Children with Facial Clefts

new jersey philadelphia birth defects lawyers support exist children facial cleptsChildren born with cleft lips or cleft palates often face many challenges while growing up. Development is changed drastically, and learning to eat and speak becomes harder than ever. While surgeries are indeed available to correct craniofacial birth defects, these surgeries can be overwhelmingly expensive for some families, leaving parents and child forced to cope with these oral malformations.

Luckily, however, foundations exist to help children and parents move forward with treatment and therapy after a child is born with a cleft lip and/or palate. These foundations provide support and education, and some even provide treatment at discounted rates so that families without insurance can afford the costly procedures.

The Cleft Palate Foundation

The mission of The Cleft Palate Foundation is to:

“enhance the quality of life for individuals affected by cleft lip and palate and other craniofacial birth defects.”

nj adn pa birth defects lawyersThe foundation operates the CLEFTLINE, a toll free 800 number that provides information to callers about facial clefts and other oral malformations. Callers will also be provided with information regarding cleft palate support groups in their regions.

In addition to CLEFTLINE (1-800-24-CLEFT), the foundation provides free publications to website visitors regarding craniofacial research, meetings and events, available scholarships, and teams of specialists available in their area to provide treatment.

SmileTrain

nj and pa birth defects attorneysSmileTrain is a charity that provides oral cleft repair surgery for only $250 to poor families. They do this through funding from benefactors, and through donations from civilians like you and I. In addition to providing parents with the opportunity to afford the procedure, SmileTrain also trains doctors in over 75 countries to perform craniofacial surgeries on children.

SmileTrain makes it possible for children to live normal lives who otherwise would be forced to face a life of handicaps and physical deformities. The charity is a wonderful cause, and we urge anyone with the extra funds to make a donation.

Birth Defects Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Craniofacial birth defects, like oral clefts, can have internal and external causes. It has recently been determined that one of those external causes is the use of the anti-convulsant drug Topamax, used to treat epilepsy and chronic migraines. When used during pregnancy, or extensively by women of childbearing age, the risk of a fetus developing an oral cleft becomes much greater. Doctors have been alerted that prescribing this drug to pregnant women could end up doing more harm than good, and that only when no other viable treatment options exist should it be prescribed to pregnant women.

If your child was born with a craniofacial birth defect and you believe that it could be attributed to your use of Topamax, you probably have a lot of questions regarding your legal rights. 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.
If your child suffers from a cleft lip or cleft palate, there is help. Don’t wait to ask for it.

Traumatic Brain Injuries Have a Variety of Causes and Treatments

Traumatic brain injuries can vary considerably, especially so in newborn babies who can not verbally describe their pain or symptoms, making diagnosis and treatment more difficult. Some symptoms can be visible early on which helps in early treatment, but some brain injuries do not reveal themselves until later developmental stages.

It is important to understand what brain injury and damage truly is. Generally, brain damage can be defined as:

“injury to the brain that is caused by various conditions, such as head trauma, inadequate oxygen supply, infection, or intracranial hemorrhage, and that may be associated with a behavioral or functional abnormality.”

Brain Damage Poses Increased Problems in Newborns

new jersey philadelphia Brain Damage attorneys variety causes treatmentsBrain damage can be categorized in one of two ways – acquired and traumatic. Acquired brain injuries are those that do not result from external forces. For example, a stroke would cause an acquired brain injury because no outside forces are the cause. Depending on the site of the lesions ( a lesion is any area of tissue or organ that has suffered damage) and severity of the stroke, the brain damage can affect the victim in different ways. Traumatic brain injury is damage that is caused by external forces. A motor vehicle accident, known as MVA to medical professionals, is often the cause of traumatic brain injuries.

These differing types of brain injury will determine the path to treatment and recovery for the victim. Because newborn babies lack the ability to describe their symptoms and pain, brain scans, such as a CT – Computed Tomography – Scan may be used to get an x-ray view of the newborn baby’s brain. These scans can help identify lesions or recognize abnormal brain behavior.

Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one has suffered a brain injury and you believe that it can be attributed to the negligence of someone else, it is likely that you have some questions regarding your 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.

Alert of Link between Topamax and Oral Clefts

Topamax is an anti-convulsant used to treat seizures in adults and children over the age of 10. It is also used to treat migraines. The drug is not used to stop a migraine headache or seizure that is already in progress, but to prevent either one from happening. The drug has been approved by the FDA only for these two purposes, but has been used by doctors to treat other conditions. Legal action was taken, and the pharmaceutical company responsible for this was fined over six milliion dollars.

What Are Side Effects or Risks Associated with Topamax?

new jersey philadelphia birth defects attorneys cleft lip palate linked topamaxTopamax is associated with a few side effects and risks, some more dangerous than others. The most common side effect associated with the drug is numbness and tingling (parasthesia) in arms and legs. Other side effects include fatigue, change in tastes, weight loss, difficulty focusing, short term/non-severe loss of memory, nausea, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. No side effects seem to be long-term or life threatening.

Recently, the FDA announced a change in the drugs pregnancy classification from Class C to Class D. Data has shown that women who take the drug during at least the first trimester of pregnancy expose their fetuses to the risk of developing a cleft lip or cleft palate. Other birth defects have been reported as a result of Topamax use, but not at the same frequency as the oral clefts and malformations.

The FDA has suggested that doctors not prescribe the drug to pregnant women, or women of childbearing age, if there is another, viable option for treatment. Only when there is no other choice for treatment should a pregnant woman be prescribed Topamax (topimirate).

Birth Defects Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your child was born with a cleft lip or cleft palate birth defect and you believe the defect was brought on by your use of Topamax during the pregnancy, you may be entitled to compensation from Johnson & Johnson and/or Ortho-McNeil, the companies responsible for manufacturing and marketing the drug. 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.

Let our attorneys help your family earn your due compensation.

Nursing Home Abuse Costs Haverford Facility Its License

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers haverford facility licenseTwo weeks ago, we posted a nursing home abuse blog about the Quadrangle nursing facility in Delaware County, PA. The story revolved around the depraved abuse of 78 year-old dementia patient Lois McAllister and the orderlies that mocked and abused her, forcing her to walk around her room naked while they stood and laughed. McAllister’s family caught the abuse on tape, and the staff members involved were arrested and charged.

Today, we are happy to report that, due to this extremely abusive behavior, Sunrise Continued Care, the parent company of Quadrangle, has had their license revoked. Sunrise is no longer licensed to operate Quadrangle, and no longer able to intentionally humiliate it’s residents. Ronald Melusky, acting director of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, said that investigations into Quadrangle discovered gross incompetence, negligence, and misconduct at the Haverford care facility. The McAllister’s attorney commented on the DPW’s decision to revoke the license, saying, “[Quadrangle] violated the most basic tenets of trust and respect for their residents.”

The license revocation was a victory not only for Lois McAllister and her family, but for the current residents and their families as well. Luckily, the McAllisters caught the abuse on tape, but other families may not be so lucky. Hopefully, a relocation will provide the remaining residents with a chance to receive better, more respectful care.

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorneys in NJ and PA

If your loved one is currently a resident at a nursing home or similar long term care facility, pay close attention to their condition and the kind of care they receive. Your attentiveness is crucial to their continued safety at a nursing home. If you are worried that the care they are receiving is indeed negligent or abusive, 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 or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Lawyers Can’t Reform Nursing Home Industry Alone

new jersey philadelphia attorneys nursing home abuse lawyers help reform industryThe New England Journal of Medicine published an article last month that discussed research done on the correlation between a nursing home’s inspection results and it’s risk of being sued. Not surprisingly, the more frequent the deficiencies, the more likely that facility is going to be sued for nursing home abuse or neglect.

Researchers used information gathered through programs called OSCAR (the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting System) and MDS (Miniumum Data Set) Quality Measure Indicator Report. The OSCAR system contains all survey and certification information for any Medicare and/or Medicaid certified care facility in the U.S. The MDS system contains information on the physical and cognitive functioning of nursing home residents and is recorded on a monthly basis in order to track care processes and their effectiveness. That data is then used to grade quality of care provided by each individual home.

The study also utilized information provided by five of the nation’s largest nursing home chains regarding tort claims filed against any of their facilities within the country. All information spanned the time from 1998 to 2006.

What did the Research Say?

In that time, it seems that nursing home litigation decreased, having occurred 1.5 times for every 1,000 patients in 1998, and only .3 times for every 1,000 patients by 2006. Nursing home falls and bed sores/pressure ulcers maintained the strongest relationship with the number of claims filed against a home. So, based on this research, the stronger the frequency of falls and bedsores, the lower the quality of care and the higher the risk of civil action.

Researchers stated that while there is indeed a correlation between poor care and lawsuits, the relationship is not strong enough to allow for sole dependance on litgation to reform the nursing home industry. Other steps must be taken to ensure that our loved ones are being properly cared for once that care escapes the realm of our capabilities.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is a resident at a nursing home or long term care facility and you believe the care they are receiving could be considered abusive or negligent, contact the the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. Our team is dedicated to advocating for nursing home patient and resident safety. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Abuse in Burlington County Facility Revealed by Inspections

As nursing home abuse lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia, it is necessary for us to expose nursing homes that show signs of nursing home abuse and neglect. Sometimes we find nursing homes and long term care facilities with a history of dangerous bed sores and pressure ulcers. These nursing homes are clearly showing signs of abuse and neglect. Other nursing homes have a large number of citations and are also considered to be negligent.

Palace Rehabilitation and Care in Maple Shade, NJ

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers Palace Rehabilitation Care CenterThe Palace Rehabilitation and Care Center in Maple Shade, NJ is one such long term care facility. The Palace Rehabilitation and Care Center is a for-profit, corporately owned nursing home with 165 long term patient beds. From February 2009 to January 2011, this Burlington County care facility was inspected on 6 occasions. It was additionally inspected 12 more times based on complaints. During these inspections, it was cited for 55 separate deficiencies. Some of these citations were for failing to maintain a drug regimen free from unnecessary drugs, failing to keep medication errors below 5%, and failing to prevent the spread of infection. This nursing home was also cited for failing to keep the facility free from abuse and involuntary seclusion. These are sure signs of abuse and neglect, and the type of deficiencies that can lead to harmful and painful bed sores and pressure ulcers as well. Before you place your loved one in a long term patient facility, it is very important to research and be aware of these signs of neglect.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one has been abused or neglected at this Burlington County nursing home, or another long term care facility, you should contact a nursing home abuse attorney for help. Our attorneys want to help you protect your loved ones rights. 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.