Erin Webster, a Pennsylvania woman, was recently awarded $525,000 in a medical negligence lawsuit after a surgical sponge was left in her abdomen following a cesarean section. Medical malpractice attorneys say that the lawsuit was brought against Lower Bucks Hospital, Dr. Richard Turner, and two nurses, Megan Blatcher and Laura Tedesco. The jury found the hospital and the two nurses liable, while they determined no liability should be placed on Turner.
Rare but Serious Mistake Leads to Countless Problems
After the laparotomy sponge was left in Webster, she suffered from a severe infection, bowel perforation and obstruction, digestive problems, and intense abdominal pains. These extreme pains and symptoms led to the discovery of the sponge a long two months later. Webster finally was forced to undergo another surgery to remove 16 inches of her bowel, but her medical problems were still not completely solved. These issues could have likely been avoided if these two nurses did not fail to properly count the medical equipment before and after surgery.
Although leaving a laparotomy sponge inside of a woman is a rare case, it is very serious and potentially deadly. In 2003, the New England Journal of Medicine reported that there were approximately 1,500 cases per year of sponges or other surgical tools being left behind inside a patient after an operation. There are a number of precautionary measures that can be taken to avoid the tragedy and pain that Webster experienced.Medical malpractice attorneys believe that sponge counting, tracking bar codes, and radio-graphic screening are just some of the options that can greatly decrease the potential of surgical instruments being left inside patients.
Most states have elected to extend the statute of limitations in these sorts of cases to allow victims to bring medical malpractice complaints longer down the road because detection can be somewhat difficult. Medical malpractice attorneys believe this extension shows that states recognize the extreme danger that patients may be in while undergoing a procedure and they want to preserve their ability to bring a lawsuit in a court of law.
Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia
If you or a loved one have recently been victimized by medical negligence, it is possible that you would like to speak with medical malpractice attorneys. 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.
According to a study that was published online in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences by Dr. Sarah D. Berry, a scientist at the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife in Boston, the elderly are at a greater risk of falling the days after they start taking non-SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressants, such as bupropion or venlafaxine. The researchers studied information on 1,181 nursing home residents who fell and compared the changes in their antidepressants shortly before the fall. They discovered that a patient’s 
According to the complaint, from 2004 to 2008, many of the facility’s residents suffered injuries, and five patients died during that time. The poor care in question involved failure to follow physicians orders, failure to treat wounds and bed sores, failure to update resident care plans, and failure to monitor the blood sugar levels of diabetic residents.
Wilson strongly argued that these medical malpractice caps are blatantly favoring a special class of society over the general public. This special class includes medical professionals, corporations, insurance companies, and special interests groups. Malpractice victims may suffer many non-economic damages that will no longer be fully compensated for in states such as West Virginia. Someone who is permanently disfigured, maimed, or handicapped will certainty be owed compensation that exceeds mere medical expenses and future costs. An avid golfer or swimmer who can no longer enjoy these activities, a young child who will never walk or talk, or a woman who can never bear a child are only some of the instances where non-economic damages that exceed a cap may be necessary. Medical malpractice attorneys also have fears that were pointed out by Judge Wilson. He stated, 
Marisa Robles, 31, faced 92 counts related to theft, fraud and elder abuse and pleaded guilty to 32 counts of fraud and elder abuse this month. Robles used her access to the 81-year-old man’s financial documents to write checks to herself and sign his name. According to Deputy District Attorney Barrie Pink, “She started small to see if she could get away with it,” first forging checks for $500 but then quickly began writing them for larger amounts up to $10,000. Robles stole up to $300,000 from the elderly man.
One of the most important tips that we can give to prevent your loved one from falling victim to elder abuse is to have all of the appropriate documents ready as the person gets older. It is important to have these documents before you need them so you are not surprised and unprepared by how fast their health or mental state worsens.
Even though he is claiming that she died of natural causes, the investigators are saying that she died of starvation while covered in bed sores. The autopsy showed she died of severe pneumonia, malnutrition and possibly dehydration. They are also saying that the house was messy and the only food was two cans in the cabinet. According to her driver’s license, Ms. Rogers weighed 140 pounds, but at the time of her death, she weighed only 70 pounds. The coroner said the bed sores were severe and all over her body and that the sores on her feet meant that she was too weak to move her legs. More than a third of the home’s combined monthly income of $3,500< came from Connie’s social security. According to bank records, that money was usually withdrawn as cash days after it was deposited.
Mr. Rogers may have had good intentions for his mother’s care, but this is no excuse for the severe elder abuse that occurred. Even if she refused to eat or was difficult to care for, he should have known the point where he needed the professional help. There is no record of Ms. Rogers applying for or receiving any Medicare benefits. This means that he did not take advantage of a service that could have improved her condition drastically and allowed her to live much longer.