Medical Malpractice Attorneys Explain the Basics of a Trial

A civil trial, including medical malpractice and negligence, are used to settle non-criminal disputes. Generally, patients are seeking compensation for some sort of wrong and they will hire medical malpractice attorneys to bring forth the case. At trial, both parties present evidence in an attempt to demonstrate their case and persuade the trier of fact, a judge or jury, of the strength of their position. In order to find the truth of the matter, the adversarial approach is used in American jurisdictions to settle civil litigation.

Describing the Adversarial Approach

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys explain trial basics
The lawyers and the defense team will present opposing legal arguments and use the facts of the situation to prove their case as they go head to head against one another. The purpose of the adversarial approach is to arrive at a just result. The logic is that the truth is more likely to become evident when each side contests the facts and law, giving the trier of fact the full scope of the dispute. The burden of proof in medical malpractice cases is a preponderance of the evidence. This standard can be described as the debated proposition, “more likely than not.” For example, if medical malpractice attorneys can prove that it is more likely than not that a doctor failed to live up to the standard of care required by the medical profession and this resulted in harm to the plaintiff, the victim has sustained its burden in proving the case.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a family member have recently been the victim of medical negligence, it is possible that you would like to speak with our professionals. 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 Attorneys: Negligence Kills Wife and Mother

After nearly four years of litigation and appeals, a family is finally able to present their medical malpractice case in front of a jury at trial. Jury selection took place on October 3rd and the family of the late Dorothy Broussard is seeking a number of damages including pecuniary loss, medical services, physical pain and suffering, mental pain and anguish, disfigurement, physical impairment, loss of consortium and loss of enjoyment of life. The medical malpractice attorneys on the case claim that a breathing tube connected to Mrs. Broussard was inadvertently removed which led to a lack of oxygen.

Could the Healthcare Provider Have Done More?

medical malpractice attorneys in NJ and PAPreston Broussard, on behalf of his late wife, filed the lawsuit against Dubuis Hospital and Dr. Sreedhar Polavarapu. The medical malpractice attorneys stated in the lawsuit that the “defendants’ failure to safely monitor and restrain Dorothy Broussard led to the deprivation of oxygen that caused Mrs. Broussard’s untimely demise.” Obviously the lack of oxygen over a sustained period of time had an adverse effect but no one on the staff recognized the problem in time. The medical lawyers found that the saddest part of this story was how the family discovered the woman. The lawsuit stated,

Plaintiff Cody Broussard, the 10 year old son of Mrs. Broussard, ran ahead of his father into his mother’s hospital room. Cody Broussard was the first person to find the oxygen tube hanging on the side of the mother’s hospital bed, and found his mother gagging for air.

The woman later fell into a coma and lost her life on July 12, 2005.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a family member have recently been the victim of medical negligence, it is possible that you would like to speak with our professionals. 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.

Bed Sore Attorneys Fight for Son of Woman Killed by Bed Sores

Lois Pierce was spending time at Fort Sanders Sevier Medical Center in Tennessee. Bed sore attorneys say that she was transferred from that center on April 7th, 2008 when she began developing small pressure sores. The woman was moved to Pigeon Forge Care and Rehab in hopes of treating the minor bed sores. Only one month later, Lois Pierce tragically passed away after she was removed from there and taken to an emergency room to treat massive bed sores which became infected and had reached stage four. The appellate court’s summary of the case stated “on May 7, 2008, she died when her organs failed as a result of the infections.”

Health Care Center Attempts to Dodge Liability

new jersey philadelphia bed sore attorneys fight woman killed massive pressure soresPierce’s son, David Blackmon, attempted to file a complaint in Sevier County Circuit Court but defense attorneys claimed that the action had to go through arbitration due to forms that Blackmon signed while his mother was at the nursing home. The appellate court affirmed the lower court’s ruling in favor of the woman’s son. Judge Rex Ogle, the lower court judge, found that the center failed to provide Blackmon with copies of the forms that he signed, a major mistake according to bed sore attorneys. The Judge noted “it troubles the court that anybody who requires someone to sign legal documents affecting the rights of patients would not give those people copies, executed copies. That makes no sense to me.” Lawyers say that the Judge continued by stating “the execution of the agreement, the way it was handled, it was very shoddy. And I think that quite candidly is unconscionable, that it does shock the conscience of this court by how this entire agreement was handled they should not be enforced.”

Bed Sore Attorneys of New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one has recently suffered from a bed sore, you may have questions for our professionals regarding your legal rights. If you suspect that neglect or mistreatment played a factor in the development of a bed sore, Please contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation in New Jersey at (856) 833-0600, or in Philadelphia at (215) 567-2380.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys Win Deceased Man’s Family $2.5 Million Verdict

Lawrence Dixon was only 59 years old when he passed away. His death was due, in part, to his physician’s failure to properly diagnose his condition and recognize that he was suffering hemorrhagic shock. Medical malpractice attorneys witnessed a Maryland jury award the deceased’s family $2.5 million in money damages. Dixon’s estate and his wife were each awarded one million dollars in non-economic damages while each of his two children are set to collect a quarter of a million dollars each. Unfortunately, due to a cap in Maryland on non-economic damages, the award total is likely to be cut all the way down to $812,500.

Two Days after Fracturing His Pelvis, Man Loses Life

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys Lawrence Dixon case million verdictOn May 17, 2007, Lawrence Dixon fell and fractured his pelvis. David Harding was the doctor assigned to Dixon. It was alleged by the plaintiffs in the lawsuit that, after conducting examinations, Dr. Harding failed to notice internal bleeding which ultimately led to the failure of multiple organs and eventually death. It is argued that there were numerous warning signs that an experienced doctor, such as Harding, should have recognized. Medical malpractice attorneys argued that the victim had not produced urine in over twenty four hours, had a rapidly increased heartbeat, a rapidly decreased blood pressure, and suffered loss of lucidity. Professionals believe that any of these signs should have been a strong warning sign to Harding that something was wrong and it was likely that the patient was losing blood.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a family member have recently been the victim of medical negligence, it is possible that you would like to speak with our professionals. 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.

Bed Sore Attorneys Advise: It’s All in The Family

Tiffany Duthu, a 35 year-old woman, was found guilty of neglecting her paralyzed mother, Clara. Clara Duthu passed away due to untreated bed sores which soon became infected. Now, the daughter faces up to fifteen years in prison after being convicted of cruelty and negligent homicide. Bed Sore lawyers discovered that Tiffany is the second family member who has been charged in this death already. Her father, Joseph, is currently serving a two year sentence in prison, while another daughter, Tessie Breaux is scheduled to go on trial later in 2011.

Woman Lived in Horrid Conditions Prior to Death

new jersey philadelphia bed sore attorneys family case Tiffany Duthu caseClara Duthu passed away at Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center due to sepsis. Her daughter’s conviction came following a three day trial before District Judge David Arceneaux. When Tiffany’s father was unable to take care of his wife due to his own medical issues, there was a two month span where she failed to provide assistance to her mother. Tiffany had acted as a caregiver in the past but steadily began to provide less help. Lawyers say that Tiffany made a statement to authorities in which she claimed to have neglected her mother as a way to get back at her other siblings who did not help. The judge said “it seems she simply stopped going to her mother’s house, knowing nobody else could change her diapers.” Bed sore attorneys found that Clara’s bed and sheets were covered in urine and feces, a terrible way for a life to come to an end. Bed sores can be caused by many things including bed bugs, getting a mattress protector can help. Here are some bed bug mattress cover reviews on the best protectors.

Bed Sore Attorneys of New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one has recently suffered from a bed sore, you may have questions for our professionals regarding your legal rights. If you suspect that neglect or mistreatment played a factor in the development of a bed sore, Please contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation in New Jersey at (856) 833-0600, or in Philadelphia at (215) 567-2380.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys: Man Sues Doctor for Amputating Penis

medical malpractice attorneys in nj and paPhillip Seaton, a sixty one year old man from Kentucky, went to Dr. John Patterson for a routine circumcision to relieve inflammation. Medical malpractice attorneys say that Seaton is now suing his former doctor after this routine procedure turned into an amputation of his penis. Seaton claims that he never gave the doctor permission to go through with the amputation and he was not given a chance to consult with another doctor for a second opinion. The key question that medical malpractice attorneys believe will be answered in litigation is whether a doctor can remove an organ or a limb if he or she believes it will be life saving.

Doctor Says Amputation was Necessary

Dr. John Patterson’s medical malpractice attorneys will argue that the doctor had to remove the patient’s penis because cancer was discovered during the circumcision procedure. On the other side, Seaton has declared that even if there was cancer, it was not life threatening and the amputation did not need to occur imminently. The jurors will be asked to determine if the doctor’s actions were a “necessary part of the surgery” and whether the doctor “had no reasonable option” other than removing the body part. David Perecman, one of many medical malpractice attorneys chiming in on this issue, stated “the law protects a patient’s right to make his or her own medical decisions. . .The law extends to the right of every patient to be informed of the consequences, risks and alternatives or any surgery or procedure.”

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a family member have recently been the victim of medical negligence, it is possible that you would like to speak with our professionals. 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 Attorneys: Maine Supreme Court Makes Landmark Ruling

medical malpractice attorneys in nj and paMedical malpractice attorneys believe that a recent decision by the Supreme Court of Maine will now, for the first time, allow patients to bring medical malpractice lawsuits that extend beyond the statute of limitations period. This could have a dramatic impact on cases that involve misdiagnosis or treatment by doctors who continue to see patients over a long period of time. Unlike a botched surgery, where the statute of limitations begins running almost immediately, when a doctor negligently diagnoses and treats a patient over a period of time, the limitations period to bring a lawsuit is now extended.

Sustained Medical Negligence in Treatment and Testing Leads to Prostate Cancer

Phillip Baker was a regular patient of his primary care physician Dr. Merrill Farrand Jr. Baker saw this physician for twenty years and he was regularly screened for a prostate specific antigen known as PSA. These tests can reveal risks and evidence of cancer. Baker’s results were high but it took five years of similar results for Farrand to refer Baker to a urologist. Medical malpractice attorneys say that when Baker went to visit the urologist and had a biopsy completed, it was revealed that he had prostate cancer. The biggest disappointment of this revelation was that the most important period of time to treat this cancer was more than three years in the past. Now, because of the Maine Supreme Court ruling, the “Continuing Negligent Treatment Doctrine” will be used and Baker can assert that there was not a single negligent act, but rather this medical malpractice continued between 2002 and 2006. Baker’s medical malpractice attorneys stated,

“the issue that has always lurked in the background is the situation in which a patient is told to have a test, gets that test and for one reason or another the test is abnormal but the doctor doesn’t act on it…That doctor continues to treat the patient for a period of years, seeing the patient each year, seeing the abnormal test each year but continuing not to act on it.”

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a family member have recently been the victim of medical negligence, it is possible that you would like to speak with our professionals. 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.

Nursing Home Neglect: Recognizing the Warning Signs

Today in the United States, there are more than one million elderly individuals living in nursing home establishments. Most families resort to nursing homes because their loved ones require moderate to extensive assistance with basic needs and medical care; care that they can no longer provide. The biggest problem in nursing homes, however, is neglect. These basic needs and medical care that should be provided consistently and in conjunction with a doctor’s orders are neglected, or not carried out correctly. Annually, there are over 20,000 complaints of nursing home neglect, which represents only a fraction of the total instances, as recent data shows that only 1 of 14 nursing home incidents is reported.

Be on the Look Out for Falls, Poor Nutrition, and Bed Sores

nursing home neglect in nj and paFalls: Residents of nursing homes, depending on their conditions, are usually very susceptible to falls. Falls can be very dangerous to an ailing elderly person. Broken hips and ribs and/or head injuries often result from nursing home falls. Residents who are more likely to fall are usually marked with bracelets, citing them as fall risks to the entire nursing home staff. If one of these patients is to fall, it is a clear sign of inadequate supervision or, even worse, no supervision at all. Severe injuries suffered from only a single fall could lead to paralysis or even death.

Poor Nutrition: Nursing homes are required to provide proper fluids and food to residents. When a patient becomes sick from malnutrition, it is most certainly because A.) the nursing home is not providing proper nutrition to the resident, or B.) the nursing home is not providing supplemental nourishment in the case of a resident refusing to eat. Nutrition is first and foremost in a list of needs for a patient, and malnourishment is an unacceptable form of nursing home neglect.

Bed Sores: Bedridden or wheelchair ridden patients are to be rotated every 2 hours to prevent the development of bedsores. Although bed sores are certainly treatable when caught early, neglect of a patient can lead to stage III and stage IV bedsores, which can be extremely painful and quickly fatal. When bed sores progress to levels three and four without proper treatment, it is evident that adequate medical attention is not being provided.

Nursing Home Neglect in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you believe that a loved one, residing in a nursing home or long term care facility, is receiving negligent, abusive, or inadequate care, it is possible that you have some questions regarding nursing home neglect. Please 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.

Birth Defects Attorneys: Popular Migraine Med Effective but Dangerous

Topamax is a very popular pharmaceutical drug that is used in treating migraines and epilepsy. Although it has been shown to be extremely effective, birth defects attorneys warn that pregnant women should steer clear of its use. Recent studies have reported that use of Topamax during pregnancy has led to an increased chance of babies born with birth defects, such as cleft lip and cleft palate.

Why has Topamax been so Popular in Treating Migraines?

birth defects attorneys in nj and paTopamax is not like many other migraine medications and this may shed light on its popularity. As opposed to taking the medicine as soon as headache pain begins, Topamax is taken daily which helps avoid migraines all together. Topamax begins limiting the frequency of migraines after only one month. But when women begin to heavily rely on it, a problem may arise. Many studies have shown that Topamax is successful in limiting headaches, but unfortunately, women need to prioritize once they become pregnant. Although headaches can have a devastating effect on daily activities, birth defects attorneys believe that the risk to newborn babies is far worse. Topamax has been widely available in the United States since 1996, but the true dangers of potential birth defects have only recently been realized. Expectant mothers should speak with a medical professional and seek an alternative medication while pregnant to limit the potential of birth defects.

Birth Defects Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Many parents who have children born with a cleft lip or cleft palate are often overwhelmed and, in some instances, confused about their legal rights. They are especially confused about whether or not the services of birth defects attorneys would be needed. In some cases, there have been improper actions that may have led to your child’s birth defect and contacting our professionals is beneficial to your family’s physical and financial health. 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 Attorneys: Doctor Fired After Lawsuit is Filed

medical malpractice attorneys in nj and paDoctor James Stillerman was recently fired from his position as a general surgeon at Lewis County General Hospital after he was named as a defendant in a medical malpractice lawsuit. The New York surgeon was one of five doctors to be named as defendants in the suit that was filed by Kevin Muncy and Wanda Bush-Muncy. Medical malpractice attorneys believe that the hospital elected to cut ties with its former employee around the same time that the lawsuit was submitted.

Former Patient Seeks Damages

The Muncy’s have filed the lawsuit in hopes of receiving a variety of damages. The couple is looking for damages and legal fees for pain and suffering, loss of income, and loss of enjoyment of life for Mr. Muncy, and loss of care, compassion and consortium for his wife, Wanda. Medical malpractice attorneys say that the couple accuses Dr. Stillerman of failing to properly assess, treat, and provide follow-up care for cellulitis and an abscess of the big toe. Furthermore, the couple’s medical malpractice attorneys claim that the remaining defendants failed to provide the necessary medical care, inform Kevin Muncy of the dangers associated with surgery, follow specific protocols that relate to diabetic patients, or obtain an opinion from a physician who was board certified in surgery. Medical malpractice attorneys believe that these acts of medical negligence, if proven in a court of law, could have led to the severe and permanent injuries that Mr. Muncy still lives with today.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a family member have recently been the victim of medical negligence, it is possible that you would like to speak with our professionals. 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.