Surgical Errors Leading Form of Medical Malpractice

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys negligence common surgical errors According to a report by the American Medical Association, 98,000 people lose their lives each year to medical errors, most of which are surgical. This makes medical malpractice the eighth leading cause of death in America, killing more people than car accidents, breast cancer, and AIDS.
The term “surgical errors” includes errors that are made before, during, and after surgery, and can involve medical providers other than a surgeon, including the anesthesiologist, nurses, or other hospital staff members.

Read on to learn about the most common surgical errors, and what to do if you or a loved one are a victim of a surgical error, or any other form of medical malpractice and negligence.

Patient Consent Errors

Before a surgeon can perform a procedure, he has to obtain what is called “informed consent” from his or her patient. This process involves explaining in detail what the procedure entails, possible side effects and complications, and what the patient can expect after the procedure. The patient then signs a consent form, allowing the doctor to perform the surgery.
Many times, however, this process is sped through. Sometimes, doctors fail to mention the possible complications or side effects. Other cases involve the doctor explaining the procedure one way, but then performing it another. This can be very dangerous, as complications could easily arise if a certain plastic was supposed to be used, but a metal that the patient is allergic to was used instead. These consent errors are entirely too simple to avoid to be such a prevalent error.

Surgical Errors

These errors are generally caused my negligence in the operating room, but many times can be caused by the lack of qualifications of the surgeon. General surgeons very often perform procedures that may be best left for a specialist, and as a result, surgical errors occur. They do not need a board certifcation to perform these procedures, and a monetary motivation makes it easy to go ahead with these surgeries even without the proper qualifications.

Surgical Site Errors (Wrong Site Surgeries)

Unfortunately, wrong site surgeries are not something we’ve never heard of. All too often, patients go in for a surgery on the right side of their body, and wake up to find the procedure was performed on the left. This kind of mistake often results from lack of communication, poorly kept medical charts, and understaffing at hopsitals. When not enough doctors are dealing with a multitude of patients, mistakes like this happen.

Anesthesia Errors

These errors can be some of the most devastating. Most surgeries require either local or general anesthesia, and it can be administered by an anesthisiologist or an anesthesia nurse. Errors can arise when too much is injected, causing a drop in heart rate that lead to brain damage or death. In addition, if not enough is administered, a patient can be awake during a procedure! This can not only cause an unfathomable amount of pain, but can also effect a patient psychologically forever.

Infection

Infection is a huge risk when undergoing a procedure. Infection can be caused when instruments are not properly sterilized, or when doctors and or nurses do not effectively “scrub in.” Infection can also grow after a procedure if the patients’ wounds and incisions are not properly cleaned. The most dangerous infections a patient can develop are MRSA, or staph. These infections can quickly lead to death.

NJ and PA Medical Malpractice Attorneys at the Mininno Law Office

If you or a loved one have suffered the effects of surgical errors, negligence or medical malpractice in New Jersey or Philadelphia, you will need the assistance of an Medical Malpractice Attorney. 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.

Don’t let negligent medical providers get away with their life altering mistakes. The team at the Mininno Law Office wants to work to earn you the compensation you deserve.

Medical Malpractice leads to a 1.5 Million Dollar Verdict

In 2006, a 20 year old woman died after being misdiagnosed and released from a Chicago area ER. November 9, 2010, a Chicago jury awarded her family $1.5 million.

Medical Malpractice in a Chicago Hospital

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys misdiagnosis provena st. marys hospital death Michelle L. Koenig went to the Emergency Room at Provena St. Mary’s Hospital with complaints of a skin condition that she did not recognize or know the cause of. The ER doctor, Timothy Moran, diagnosed her skin illness as simply a rash and sent Michelle home. Two days later, Michelle was dead.

Michelle was actually suffering from an aggressive form of Chickenpox and, tragically, Dr. Moran’s misdiagnosis lead to her death. In two days, the virus spread to her liver and she died shortly thereafter.
Dr. Moran’s inadequate examination led to the death of a 20 year old girl. It is likely that the ER was understaffed and Dr. Moran was working with a number of other patients, trying to give each adequate examinations, and failing when it came to Michelle Koenig.

So often, physicians, surgeons, and hospital workers are overworked, making it harder to perform their job to the best of their abilities. Understaffing plays a very large role in Medical Malpractice and it’s effects on the lives of many patients.

NJ and PA Medical Malpractice Attorneys

If you or someone you love has been affected by medical malpractice, specifically, misdiagnosis or surgical error, 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.
Our New Jersey and Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys are experienced and ready to help you earn the compensation you deserve.

Medical Malpractice and Fraud May Put Doctor in Jail

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys negligence mark weinberger fraud jail Mark Weinberger, also known as the “nose doctor,” was an otolaryngologist in Meriville, Indiana.
On the outside, his practice was very attractive, posh and glamorous, but also modern and convenient. In reality, while Weinberger promised modern medicine and charged modern prices, he was performing outdated and somewhat ineffective procedures. He regularly made surgical mistakes, and, as some of his patients claim, missed cancer diagnoses.

He disappeared for almost five years while fraud charges and medical malpractice and negligence claims mounted against him. He was on vacation with his wife in the Greek Isles, and was declared missing when his wife woke up one morning to find him gone. The Dr. was found 5 years later living in a tent on a mountain in Northern Italy.

Consequences of Medical Malpractice for Mark Weinberger

Now, Mark Weinberger is looking for a plea bargain with the court regarding the 22 counts of insurance fraud he has against him. His side of the bargain would include four years in prison and $366,000 to patients who either overpaid for procedures they did receive, or paid for procedures they didn’t receive at all. If Weinberger is convicted, he could face up to ten years in jail and $5.5 million in restitution.

Victims of Weinberger’s deceptions and greed are hopeful that they will be able to receive the compensation they deserve. Most of them feel that while he definitely deserves jail time, 4 years isn’t long enough.
For Peggy Hood, no amount of time can be long enough. Peggy lost her sister, a patient of Dr. Weinberger, to throat cancer, after the doctor failed to diagnose it. Peggy just hopes for closure for her family, and for the doctor to be held accountable for what he did.

NJ and PA Medical Malpractice Attorneys

The medical malpractice attorneys at the Mininno Law Office are experienced in handling some of the toughest cases. Doctors and hospitals that act negligently should be held accountable for their acts, and our team is poised to make sure that happens.
If you or a loved one have suffered due to medical malpractice, 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) 567-2382 in Philadelphia. Let us fight for you, and earn you the recoveries you are due.

Surgical Errors: Do You Really Need Surgery to Cure a Stomach Virus?

new jersey surgical errors complications attorneys tech surgery stomach virus A recent research study by the University of Washington revealed that sixteen percent of appendectomies are performed on hospital patients who don’t need them. Medical tests can determine if the patient has a stomach virus or inflamed lymph nodes that mimic the symptoms of appendicitis.
Although appendicitis can be a serious illness (and if untreated potentially result in wrongful death), many hospitals are too quick to operate and remove the appendix when this organ is not causing the patient’s symptoms: sixteen out of every one hundred hospital patients will be subjected to this surgical errors and complications.

How Can This Surgical Error be Reduced?

A patient should ask the hospital for a CAT Scan of the stomach if a patient’s white-cell count is over 10,000 cells per microliter. This medical test should always be done before appendix surgery to confirm the correct medical diagnosis to determine f the appendix surgery truly must be performed. Otherwise, an unnecessary surgery can expose a patient to many surgical risks such as infection, bleeding and wrong site surgery. These surgical risks can be more deadly to a patient then appendicitis.

Surgical Errors Lawyers in New Jersey & Philadelphia

Surgical errors are a very common form of hospital negligence: Medical Malpractice victimizes hundreds of thousands of patients each year. If you or a loved one have suffered at the hands of a negligent medical provider, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation: (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey and (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

The surgical errors lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are experienced and equipped enough to handle the toughest malpractice cases. Do not hesitate to contact our team, and let us earn you the compensation you deserve.

$9 million Awarded to Victim of Medical Malpractice

A California jury awarded Maria Theresa Sanchez $9 million when her physicians comitted medical malpractice and negligence by failing to diagnose her brain infection, causing permanent brain damage.

Maria’s Past Medical History

As a child, Maria Theresa Sanchez was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, or “water on the brain.” The disorder involves an abnormal build-up of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain. A shunt was installed within her head to drain the excess fluid and relieve any intracranial pressure caused by the condition.

Negligent Doctors fail to Diagnose Infection

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys negligence maria theresa sanchez brain infection In 2003, Maria (37) walked into the emergency room at Downey Regional Medical Center in California with complaints of severe headaches and vomiting. Maria was sent home with Tylenol. A few days later, after her symptoms worsened, Maria returned the ER, where doctors determined that it would be necessary to check her for a shunt related brain infection. She was transferred to Lakewood Regional Hospital, but her treating physician did not include any of Sanchez’s within her report, and the consulting neurologist at Lakewood failed to look at any of her records. He also didn’t test for the infection she was sent to Lakewood to be tested for. Sanchez’s condition worsed and she was finally admitted to the Lakewood ER after she fell out of her wheelchair.

The infected shunt was finally removed from Sanchez, but she had already sustained moderate brain damage. Today, Sanchez is partially paralyzed, cannot walk, has slurred speech, cannot eat unassisted, and continues to experience pain.

The care Maria Sanchez received was negligent and irresponsible. It is basic protocol to check previous medical history before treating a patient. Had the neurologist looked at Maria’s records, he would have known she had a shunt in her brain, and would have immediately tested for infection, saving Maria from the permanent brain damage she suffered.

NJ and PA Medical Malpractice Attorneys

If you or a loved on have suffered at the hands of a negligent doctor or hospital, 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.
Our medical malpractice attorneys are willing and eager to help you receive the compensation you need and deserve.

Orlando, FL Jury Awards $38.75 Million in Cerebral Palsy Case

new jersey philadelphia birth defects cerebral palsy attorneys medical malpractice jury orlando $39 million In March, an Orlando jury awarded a $38.75 million dollar verdict after medical malpractice in the delivery room caused an irreversible birth defect: cerebral palsy. A C-section was necessary to deliver the baby safely, but was not performed in a timely matter, resulting in the neurological disorder that affects body movement and muscle coordination.

In situations where the standard of care dictates the necessity of a caesarian section, waiting to perform the surgery is considered severe medical negligence. This delay can cause permanent birth defects, including minor to severe brain damage.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy often occurs when an unborn baby is in “fetal distress.” Fetal distress often describes an abnormal heartrate and/or insufficient oxygen. There are three things a doctor can do during fetal distress before a c-section is necessary:

Put the mother on her left side, which can increase the baby’s heart rate;
Increase the amount of intravenous fluids being administered to the mother; and
Give the mother more oxygen.

Upon the failure of all three of the above attempts to remove the baby from fetal distress, the doctor must swiftly deliver the baby either by c-section, forceps, or vacuum extraction.

In the event of the $38 million dollar verdict, the Doctor should have performed a c-section, but waited. Unfotunately, that wait caused a disorder that child and it’s family will live with for the rest of their lives.

NJ and Pa Birth Defect Attorneys: Mininno Law Office

Birth defects are absolutely avoidable. The difference between a healty baby and a baby with cerebral palsy could be a matter of seconds, and doctors must act quickly when a baby’s life is on the line. If your child suffers from an irreversible birth defect and you find yourself having to pay for care you never anticipated and can’t afford, 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.

Our NJ and Pa birth defect attorneys are experienced and eager to help you earn the compensation you need and deserve.

Avoid Medical Malpractice by Being a Safer Patient

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys negligence avoid being safer patient According to a study by Hearst Newspapers, medical malpractice claims the lives of approximately 200,000 people a year. The study also asserts that medical malpractice is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. It’s frightening to think that almost 200,000 people die each year from preventable mistakes.

It would be irresponsible, however, to assume that we, as patients, have no control over the outcome of a doctor’s visit or surgical procedure. By being pro-active with our own healthcare, and staying on top of our own treatment, we can work to avoid the potential mistakes that could change, or even end our lives.

Ask Questions!

Asking questions is key to understanding what is going on with your healthcare. Ask your provider all of the questions you can think of, and if you can’t think of any, bring someone with you who can. Ask about your prescriptions and procedures; what are they, what are they meant to treat, are there any alternative treatment options? Ask how often your provider performs the procedure you are about to undergo. What is the success rate? Failure rate? Ask about what you can do to prepare for a procedure. What can you expect doctors and nurses to do in preperation for your procedure? Ask what to expect from your recovery. What activities should you avoid in recovery? What can you do to assist your recovery? Ask your doctor when you should follow-up. If the follow-up plan changes, ask why!

Be Informed!

Use the sources available to you to research the doctor or hospital providing your medical care. Websites like Medicare’s Hospital Compare, The Joint Commission’s Quality Check, and The Leapfrog Group are all available to provide you with information regarding the history and safety of your medical institution.
Infection control is a major area of concern that you should pay close attention to. Your state health department website will also have pertinent information regarding health and safety records for hospitals and physicians.

You want to be informed about yourself as well. Know your past medical history. Bring lists of all of your medications and allergies. Keep test results in your own medical file. Always have copies of your hospital discharge papers sent to your primary care physician.
You may even request copies for your own medical file (This would come in handy should you ever find yourself in the unfortunate position of suing for medical malpractice).

Follow-Up!

Too many ailments go undiagnosed because both doctor and patient fail to follow-up. We assume that when we get tests done, we will be alerted of any undesirable results. That is not always the case. If we are sent to a specialist for those tests, many times the specialist assumes the doctor will follow-up, and vice versa. Be in charge of your own medical care, and personally follow-up!

NJ and PA Medical Malpractice Attorneys

Medical Malpractice, as the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., is far to prevalent. Precautions must be taken on the part of patient and provider in order to begin shrinking these numbers of medical malpractice related death and injury.
If you or a loved one have suffered due to Medical Malpractice, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free consultation or call at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Our hardworking and experienced medical malpractice attorneys are dedicated to earning victims of negligent medical care the compensation they deserve.

Disclosure of Large Medical Malpractice Events Uncommon

An article published in the September issue of the New England Journal of Medicine included the results of research done, that claimed that disclosure of medical malpractice that affects individual patients is becoming more common among health care organizations.
However, the disclosure of Large Scale Adverse Events, or LSAEs, does not happen as often. LSAEs can include incompletely sterilized surgical tools, poor lab quality control, or equipment malfunctions.

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys large scale disclosure events AHRQ LSAE mininno The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, or the AHRQ, funded the research into the disclosure practices of hospitals and private practices. AHRQ director Carolyn Clancy, M.D. said of the results:

“It’s clear that health care organizations face a dilemma regarding disclosure of large-scale adverse events whether these events lead to patient harm or not. It’s not always clear how to do that in a way that minimizes risk to the patient and the organization, but this research can help.“

Questions arise when considering the disclosure of medical malpractice on this large scale. Is it ethical to disclose the event in a case where patients were unlikely to be physically harmed, but may be psychologically harmed by the disclosure? Based on the research, the AHRQ decided that events should always be disclosed, and offered the following suggestions for health care organizations to apply:

Develop an Institutional Policy – A health care organization should have a clear set of guidelines for disclosure management.

Plan for Disclosures – Disclosures should be made pro-actively, and patients should be told personally and simultaneously.

Communicate with the Public – Health care organizations should understand that media coverage of a large scale adverse event is unavoidable. To gain the trust of it’s public, that organization should provide a media response that shows it’s committed to honesty and patient safety.

Plan for Patient Follow-Up – Organizations should provide follow-up diagnostic tests to patients effected by the LSAE. All anxiety resulting for the disclosure of LSAE should be addressed as well. Patients who were physically harmed by an LSAE should be compensated.

Medical Malpractice in NJ or PA: Mininno Law Office

Have you been physically harmed by any form of medical malpractice at a health care organization? Did this event go undisclosed? If so, you’ll need to seek the assistance of a medical malpractice attorney. The team at the Mininno Law Office is prepared to work hard to earn you the compensation you deserve.
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.

What Makes a Good Medical Malpractice Case?

Doctors, nurses, surgeons, and specialists are not infallible. They make mistakes. Sometimes, those mistakes go unnoticed. Sometimes, the mistakes are substantial, but do not cause any significant damage. Sometimes, those mistakes lead to serious and even fatal consequences. The result of a mistake is what determines whether or not a medical malpractice case is present.
It is the job of a medical malpractice attorney to determine if pursuing a medical malpractice lawsuit is economically justifiable.

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys negligence seek recoveries A medical malpractice attorney is going to spend a lot of time and money filing a claim against a medical provider that has wronged his or her client. Sometimes, as much as $100,000 dollars in out-of-pocket expenses, and as long as 5 or 6 years.
It doesn’t make sense for an attorney to spend $75,000 dollars of their own money, only to recover $25,000.

If a doctor misses a diagnosis, but eventually does make the diagnosis and no real damage was done, there is probably not a case. Yes, that doctor failed his or her patient, but that patient came out of the situation unscathed and is very lucky to have done so.
Sometimes, doctors miss cancer diagnoses, and by the time they catch it, the cancer has spread. That could cost a patient their life. Those cases are tragic, and may leave family members and loved ones with medical bills they can’t pay, and new struggles in life absent the deceased.

If a doctor makes a surgical error that will debilitate a patient for the rest of their lives, there is a case. If a doctor makes a surgical error that causes a bit of pain for a short time, but no real damage or negative effects, yes it’s unfortunate, but probably not a case.
The money won in a medical malpractice lawsuit is recovered for damages. If there are no damages, there is no case.

Think You Have a Medical Malpractice Case?

If you or a loved one have suffered damages due to the medical malpractice of a doctor, nurse, surgeon, or specialist, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation.
Our medical malpractice attorneys will work hard to earn you to compensation that you DESERVE!

Yo can also talk to a medical malpractice attorney just calling for a free consulation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2830 in Philadelphia.
Don’t wait! A statue of limitations could nullify your claim!

Medical Advice from a Medical Malpractice Attorney

As a Medical Malpractice Attorney, I have dealt with and heard stories of my fair share of medical errors. One that comes up quite often is a doctor missing a diagnosis, or more accurately, failing to inform the patient of a diagnosis, and subsequently begin treatment.

new jersey philadelphia attorneys medical malpractice negligence legal advice We’ve all heard the phrase “no news is good news.” But when it comes to medical test results, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
If you get tests done and have to await results, follow up!!

Too often, doctors receive results that they do not disclose to patients, and diseases and disorders end up going untreated for months and even years at a time.
In order to avoid this dangerous and potentially fatal accident, be sure to follow up if you have not heard from your doctor regarding medical tests you underwent.

Negligence and Medical Malpractice is an unfortunate truth in the medical industry. Doctors work hard and can not be expected to be perfect. If there are certain measures we can take to protect ourselves from malpractice, those measures should be taken. And a simple phone call is nothing compared to what our doctors and surgeons do for us everyday.

Don’t Wait to Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you or a loved one have suffered due to medical malpractice, please do not hesitate to contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation.
A two year statute of limitations could prohibit you from filing suit against a doctor that has done you harm.

Act quickly, and let the NJ and PA medical malpractice attorneys at the Mininno Law Office help you receive the compensation you deserve!
Call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.