Elder Abuse Lawyers: Advocate Group Distributes Hearing Devices

Elder and nursing home abuse prevention and awareness are vital in stopping the elderly and disabled from being taken advantage of or neglected. As elder abuse lawyers, we try to increase knowledge and provide prevention tips and warning signs to help keep your loved ones from falling victim to abuse. It is always rewarding to read about an individual or organization that is actively helping the fight against elder abuse.

Anonymous Donation Buys 200 Hearing Devices for Elder Abuse Advocate Group

new jersey philadlephia elder abuse lawyers advocate group hearing devices The Schuylkill Elder Abuse Prevention Alliance will be distributing personal amplification devices in order to help law enforcement and emergency personnel communicate more efficiently with hearing-impaired individuals. Thanks to an anonymous donation, the alliance will be purchasing 200 SuperEar 4000 amplification devices, which cost about $40 each. The devices are portable, battery operated, and consist of a headset, which the elderly person wears, and a small microphone that is held. They will be distributed free to all county police departments, state police barracks, hospital emergency rooms, Advanced Life Support services, the Schuylkill County Office of Senior Services Protective Services Unit, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, district attorney’s office, victim advocate and victim witness coordinator.

According to Carolyn Tenaglia, a member of the alliance, these devices are going to be a big help for officials to communicate with the hearing impaired in crisis situations. Gaining detailed and accurate information from victims of elder abuse is very important and when the victim is hearing impaired, this can be a challenge. Hopefully these devices will help the process. Tenaglia further explains,

“They are easily kept in a police car, easy to use, don’t take up a lot of space, and you simply replace the small battery when you need too. We try to educate the community about elder abuse, try to help law enforcement so they can more successfully prosecute people who are committing the crime of elder abuse.”

Elder Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is currently a resident of a nursing home or care facility, we encourage you to visit frequently and be very observant of any scratches, bruises, or anything that does not look right. If you are worried that the care they are receiving is negligent, abusive, or inadequate and would like to speak to an elder abuse lawyer, 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.

Elder Abuse Lawyers: Man Arrested for Burning Father with Cigarette

As you get older and need to depend more on your loved ones for help, there are a lot of things that you need to watch out for to protect yourself from elder abuse. As elder abuse lawyers, we are trying to provide as much knowledge about this growing problem as we can. No one wants to believe that their adult children would take advantage of or hurt them in any way, but it occurs more often than most people think. Elderly adults with children that live far away are at a higher risk to be abused. When one child is handling the day to day care and the other lives far away, they can be in the dark about how their parent is being treated.

Delusional Man Abuses Father for Calling Him an Obscene Name

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Tracy Gerard Chapman, 46 years old, was arrested on Friday, September 30, 2011 for a charge of elder abuse. He is being accused of abusing his 82 year old father, Jack Chapman, who is partially disabled because of a stroke. According to a report from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Tracy Chapman burned his father on the back of the neck with a lit cigarette because his father was yelling at him to stop insulting his brother Stephen who lives in Kansas and called him an obscene name. The heated altercation occurred on September 26, 2011, but when the brother found out about the abuse on Friday, he called local authorities to check on his father. Jack Chapman told the police that his son has also hit him in the past and recently hit him on the leg a few weeks ago. When examined, no other injuries were found on the elderly man’s body other than the burn.

While being investigated by authorities, along with explaining why he burned his father, Tracy Chapman insisted that he was the son of Elvis. He told the deputy that this “has always caused him trouble in the past.” The deputy said that Chapman “was somewhat delusional [but] otherwise appeared to be in control of his faculties and able to provide oral statements of what had occurred.” Tracy Chapman has been charged with knowingly and willfully abusing an elderly person by intentionally inflicting physical injury.

Elder Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is currently under the care of an individual or they are a resident of a nursing home or care facility and you are worried that the care they are receiving is negligent, abusive, or inadequate you should speak with a professional. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation with one of our elder abuse lawyers at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys Sue Deceased Plastic Surgeon

Judith Julian, an Arizona woman, is the most recent plaintiff to come forward and accuse a deceased surgeon of medical negligence. Medical malpractice attorneys believe that there are now approximately twenty such claims that have been filed this year. Daniel Ronel, the plastic surgeon whose estate is named in the lawsuit, recently passed away in a one-car accident in New Mexico. Julian’s claim accused the doctor of medical malpractice following her surgical debridement and abdominoplasty procedure, more commonly known as a “tummy tuck“. Julian claims that she suffered “bodily injury, physical and emotional, past and future pain and suffering, permanent disfigurement, past and future medical and related expenses and partial loss of enjoyment of life.” Julian also named the Physicians Plaza Surgery Center of Santa Fe, claiming that they failed to realize that Dr. Ronel was unable and ill-equipped to perform surgery.

Doctor’s License was in Danger

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Prior to Ronel’s death, he was scheduled to go before the New Mexico Medical Board because of ten charges of medical negligence that were brought forth by former patients. That hearing could have led to a suspension for the doctor or even a potential revocation of his license to practice medicine in the state. Now, medical malpractice attorneys will argue their cases in front of juries in the state of New Mexico who will then determine if the doctor was negligent and owes compensation from his estate.

Ronel’s wife was quoted as saying, ”I knew this would happen, because a dead doctor is a very easy target.” Mrs. Ronel has publicly stated that she believes fault lies with her husband’s patients and not with him –

“Some of these cases are from life seven years ago. They’re complaining they didn’t like their scar. Meanwhile, they did not follow doctor’s orders. They smoked. They continued to be morbidly obese in some cases. That’s not a judgment. Its just not healthy in healing from surgery.”

Although Elizabeth Ronel has strong opinions, medical malpractice attorneys believe that these plaintiffs may have viable cases if it can be shown that the doctor was indeed negligent while practicing medicine.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a family member have recently been the victim of medical negligence, you should discuss your legal rights 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

Elder Abuse Lawyers: 91 Year Old Dies Due to Daughter’s Neglect

Sadly, it is far too common that adult children neglect their aging parents. As elder abuse lawyers, we know too well that caring for someone in their old age is a daunting task and takes a lot of effort and dedication. Adult children want to think that they are the best person to care for their parents, but sometimes they get frustrated or overwhelmed and begin to neglect or abuse their loved one.

Daughter Goes on Two Week Vacation and Leaves Elderly Mother Alone

elder abuse lawyers in NJ and PA
In 2008, Susan Piro left her 91 year old mother, Barbara Mary Piro, home alone for two weeks while she went on vacation. Susan, a nurse and Barbara’s sole caretaker, was fully aware that her mother was not able to take care of herself, admitting that she would not be able to wash or change her clothes while she was gone. Susan left casseroles, fruit, biscuits, and canned food on her mother’s bedside table for her to consume. She left a toilet in the room and fit her for incontinence pads but acknowledged that her mother would not have been able to empty the waste from the toilet herself.

The elderly woman’s great nephew, Andrew Ghouse, came to the house to check on Barbara but did not enter the home. He asked her if she needed anything but she insisted that she was fine and responded “If I need your help, I’ll ask for it.” When he returned a few days later the woman had died. The coroner found that Piro had an untreated broken ankle, where the bone was exposed, that prevented her already limited mobility. This led to abscess formation, pressure sores and fatal thrombosis.

It is appalling that Susan felt that the accommodations that she made for her mother were acceptable. If she was going to leave her mother for that period of time, she should have found another caretaker to watch her the entire time. She clearly knew that her mother was not capable of caring for herself for a few days, let a lone a few weeks. This is unacceptable, no matter how much her mother fought her to be left alone. No one should have to suffer in that way. Barbara died alone, unable to move, in her own filth, surrounded by rotting food.

Elder Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is currently under the care of an individual or they are a resident of a nursing home or care facility and you are worried that the care they are receiving is negligent, abusive, or inadequate you should speak with an elder abuse lawyer. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation with one of our elder abuse lawyers at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Elder Abuse Lawyers: California Developing Website to Report Abuse

Every state operates differently. Elder abuse lawyers and state officials advocating for the elderly are always looking at the procedures of other states to find out what is working in the fight against abuse and neglect.

New legislation is waiting the approval of the governor in California to develop a secure website for police, doctors, and other authorities to report suspected elder abuse and neglect. The current system in California, and in a good portion of the country, involves a phone call to the state’s elder abuse hotline to report all forms of suspected abuse. The biggest flaw with the hotline, however, seems to be that, because it is used by both lay citizens and legally obligated authorities to report abuse or neglect, callers deal with long wait-times which in turn causes frustration and hang-ups.

The proposal in California suggests a reporting website for police and other civic authorities which would eliminate a large portion of the callers and lessen wait times, allowing the public to speak to a representative faster. The goal, of course, would be to create an easier reporting process for individuals with information, reducing the number of hang-ups and encouraging more people to come forward. According to a 2010 study of county calls, one in four callers hang up rather than wait while they are placed on hold. Developing a website and separating callers would also speed up the reporting process for doctors and police who do not have time to sit and wait through hour-long wait times to report suspected abuse.

“This effective reporting system will ensure that our seniors’ voices are heard and abuses are not overlooked,” said Sen. Juan Vargas, a San Diego Democrat who carried the bill.

Reporting Elder Abuse in New Jersey

As elder abuse lawyers, we know how frustrating the long wait times can be for the elder abuse hotlines. Phone representatives for these hotlines work very hard to keep up with an influx of calls while getting all necessary details, but this often results in a lot of waiting. Approving proposed legislation to ease the process almost seems like a no-brainer. Elder abuse lawyers at the Mininno Law Office hope to see that this legislation is passed and similar systems start to pop up nation wide.

The New Jersey Ombudsman’s Office works to investigate allegations of elderly abuse and neglect. You can report any suspicions anonymously by calling their 24 hour toll-free hotline toll at 1-877-582-6995, or emailing at ombudsman@advocate.state.nj.us. We feel that anonymity is very important for those who could lose their job or feel uncomfortable revealing potential elder abuse. The problem with the current New Jersey system is that the only way to anonymously report abuse is to call and wait to speak to a representative. A website similar to the one being proposed in California for the general public would allow someone to report abuse over the internet without having to use their email address. An anonymous secure website would be an efficient and quick way to report elder abuse to state authorities.

Elder Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is currently a resident of a nursing home or care facility and you are worried that the care they are receiving is negligent, abusive, or inadequate , contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation with an elder abuse lawyer. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys Win Large Verdict in Birth Defects Case

Ana Mejia and Rodolfo Santana were excited about the birth of their son Brian. That excitement was offset considerably when it was discovered that the baby had major malformations and birth defects. Medical malpractice attorneys took the case on behalf of the parents and argued that Dr. Marie Morel, OB/GYN Specialists of Palm Beaches and Perinatal Specialists of the Palm Beaches, had failed to properly diagnose their son and notice the potential defects. A Florida jury agreed with the plaintiffs and awarded them $4.5 million in the medical malpractice lawsuit.

Doctors Fail to Properly Examine Pregnant Woman

Brian Santana was born with no arms and one leg. The parent’s lawsuit claims that Morel and the ultra sound technician should have detected the missing limbs. The medical malpractice attorneys also found that both the doctor and the technician signed a report stating that they had seen all four limbs during the ultrasound. This news led the parents to believe that their child was healthy and would not be suffering from any major birth defects. The plaintiffs argued that because of this negligence, they were not properly informed about their son’s health and had they been, they would have terminated the pregnancy. This failure to properly diagnose the young boy and properly inform the parents of his health is a clear violation of the acceptable standard of medical care. It is the hope of the medical malpractice attorneys that this money will be an appropriate amount to care for the child, who will need considerable medical attention for his entire life.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a family member have recently been the victimized by medical malpractice or negligence, you should contact a medical malpractice attorney to discuss 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.

Birth Defects Attorneys Reveal List of Anti-Convulsants Causing Birth Defects

It is no secret that pregnant women have difficulty with medications, as many medicines and drugs can have extremely adverse effects on a fetus. Birth defects attorneys remind pregnant women to always check with their OB/GYN before taking any medications.

Because medicines can have such devastating effects on a pregnancy, a pregnant woman’s medicinal treatment is usually quite limited. For pregnant women suffering from epilepsy, that treatment is about to become even more limited.

Topamax, the FDA, and AdverseEvents, Inc.

birth defects attorneys in nj and pa Months ago, the Mininno Law Office blog posted about the anti-epileptic drug Topamax, which was shown to cause oral malformations, such as cleft lip or cleft palate, in newborns whose mothers took the drug during pregnancy. The FDA recently changed the drug’s classification from Class C, which is a drug that displayed adverse fetal effects during animal testing, to Class D, which is a classification for drugs that display “positive evidence of human fetal risk.” Now, a litany of other anti-epileptic drugs have been added to a list of drugs that are dangerous to fetuses.

Unfortunately, thanks to the competitive nature of Big Pharma, attorneys, consumer protection and/or patient advocacy groups, and private companies are the people releasing information about the dangers these drugs pose when taken during gestation; dangers as told by the FDA’s Adverse Events Reporting System.

AdverseEvents Inc. is a private company that analyzes the FDA’s adverse drug event database for use in the healthcare industry. AdverseEvents Inc. discovered that the following drugs had as many as 25 reports of birth defect related complications.

Carbatrol/Tegretol – head and facial deformities, spina bifida, and heart defects
Depacon/Kene/Kote – neural tube defects, craniofacial defects, cardiovascular malformations
Dilantin – oral/heart malformations, growth/mental retardation, Fetal Hydantoin Syndrome
Keppra – skeletal problems, slowed growth (before and after birth)
Klonopin – Oral malformations (cleft lip/palate), limb defects, infant withdrawal
Lamictal – cleft lip, cleft palate
Neurontin – spina bifida
Trileptal – craniofacial defects, miscarriage
Zonegran – spina bifida, cerebral palsy, cleft lip/palate

None of the above drugs have had classifications changes from the FDA, but for a few, it is only a matter of time.

Birth Defects Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you are a pregnant and currently taking any of the aforementioned anti-epileptic drugs, speak with your doctor as soon as possible about other, safer options. If you are a parent who has recently given birth to a child who suffers from a birth defect that you believe can be attributed to one of the above prescription drugs, contact the Mininno Law Office to speak with birth defects attorneys and discuss your legal rights. You may also call for a free case evaluation and consultation at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey, or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Nursing Home Abuse and the State Ombudsman

nursing home abuse and beglect ombudsman in new jersey
By definition, an ombudsman is a government official who hears and investigates complaints by private citizens against other officials or government agencies. In the state of NJ, an ombudsman works on behalf of the elderly in nursing homes and long term care facilities through the The Office of the Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly. This office accepts reports and complaints of nursing home abuse, negligence, inadequacy, theft, fraud, and other issues concerning the care residents receive in nursing homes and long term care facilities. The office invesitigates these reports of abuse and neglect from a neutral, third party stand-point, and takes the proper steps in the event that abuse is taking place.

I am a Victim of Nursing Home Abuse, What Should I Do?

If you or someone you know have been abused or neglected in a nursing home, the first thing you should do is contact the Elder Ombudsman’s Office. They will document the complaint, and take further steps to investigate it. Your next step is to contact a nursing home abuse attorney.

The NJ and PA nursing home abuse attorneys at the Mininno Law Office are dedicated to eradicating the disturbing trends of abuse and neglect in our nation’s nursing homes and long term care facilities.

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 Philadephia.

New Jersey Office of the Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly
To file a complaint:
Call 24-Hour Toll Free Hotline: 1-877-582-6995
Email: ombudsman@advocate.state.nj.us
Write: The Office of the Ombudsman
P.O. Box 852
Trenton, NJ 08625-0852
Fax: 609-943-3479

Pennsylvania Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Pennsylvania Department of Aging
555 Walnut Street, 5th floor
Harrisburg, Pa. 17101-1919
(717) 783-8975

Medical Malpractice Attorneys Represent Couple in Case of Neglect

Christina Mecannic, 40, and Michael Yocabet, 50, have been together for twenty one years and have an eighteen year old son. When Michael was in need of a kidney transplant, it was a no-brainer for Christina to be the donor. Unfortunately, medical malpractice attorneys have found that Michael’s doctors went forward with the procedure and transplanted the kidney despite blood test results that showed Christina had been infected with hepatitis C.

Hepatits C is an infectious disease caused by the Hepatitis C Virus, or HCV, that usually affects the liver. It tends to be asymptomatic at early onset and over time starts to affect liver function. Those with Hepatitis C generally face a higher risk of cirrhosis, which can lead to liver cancer, liver failure, or other fatal complications.

Based on this shocking and nearly unbelievable news, Michael fears that he may have contracted the fatal liver disease following the transplant that took place on April 6th at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center(UPMC).

Transplant Team Allegedly Misses a Crucial Blood Test Result

The couple has filed two malpractice lawsuits in which their medical malpractice attorneys will argue that there was negligence on the part of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh Physicians, four doctors, a nurse, and the whole kidney transplant center. Even more unnerving, the lawsuit alleges that the doctors offered Mecannic the option of keeping the hepatitis C diagnosis secret from her boyfriend after asking whether she was ever unfaithful to her partner and accused her of using cocaine. UPMC officials vigorously deny that there was a cover up and a spokesman stated “we sincerely regret the human error that caused this situation . . . once the error was discovered, UPMC disclosed the information to the patients involved”. The actual transplant procedure went well but now Yocabet faces the prospect that his treatment for the liver disease could in turn harm his new kidney due to the anti-rejection medication he is currently taking.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a family member have recently been the victim of medical negligence, you should speak with a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. 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 Win Verdict, Damage Caps Destroy It

When Lisa Gourley was pregnant with twin boys, Colin and Conner, she was nothing short of ecstatic. However, when she was 36 weeks into her pregnancy, she noticed that the babies’ movements had decreased significantly. Lisa’s doctor told her not to worry about it and sent her back home as if everything was normal. Unfortunately, everything was not normal. When the twins were delivered, neither was breathing. Colin was not getting oxygen and suffered a brain injury. Medical malpractice attorneys won the family $5.6 million to cover Colin’s future medical expenses and for pain and suffering.
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Lawyers project that Colin will need approximately $12.4 million to receive the care he needs for life. This figure far exceeds the actual amount awarded after cap laws in Nebraska reduced the nearly 6 million dollars to just over 1 million. Lisa Gourley stated “we feel, you have a right to a jury trial. That’s one of your constitutional rights and part of that is your right to a remedy.” Colin Gourley’s case is clearly a devastating one; his entire life altered due to medical malpractice. It must not be easy for him to watch his twin brother, a healthy young man, do all of things normal, healthy teenagers do, while he himself must struggle ten times more through life.

The boys are now 17 years old and Mike Gourley, their father, stated that Colin “knows enough to understand that Conner has girls over, friends over. He likes that and wants the same stuff. But he doesn’t have the ability to socialize.” This story is a nightmare for medical malpractice attorneys, who fight to earn clients a sum of money that should be sufficient to help support them for life but it is drastically cut by damage caps.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a family member have recently been the victim of medical negligence, you should seek out the counsel of our professionals. We are experienced and successful in earning awards for victimized patients. 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.