Medical Malpractice Lawyers File Suit in New York for Stillbirth

An Oneida obstetrician, Dr. Geoffrey Lucas, was recently arrested on felony charges and now faces more trouble as he is being sued for medical malpractice. Medical malpractice attorneys claim that Dr. Lucas was

reckless, egregious, grossly negligent, wanton and with absolute disregard for human life.

Negligence and Disregard Lead to Tragedy

new jersey philadelphia medical malpracitce lawyers suit new york stillbirthMelissa Halladay had been a patient of Women’s Health Associates since 1995, and Dr. Lucas was her primary caregiver throughout her 2009 pregnancy. In her third trimester, Melissa was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, which was monitored and controlled with insulin.

Nearly 40 weeks into her pregnancy, Melissa noticed troubling discharges and visited Oneida Healthcare. A urinalysis showed extremely high blood sugar levels. Dr. Lucas was notified over the phone and, without ever examining Melissa, advised her to return home, drink more water, and keep her feet up.

Melissa went home and for six days, experienced the same heavy discharge. She continually called Oneida Healthcare about her symptoms but was told by a nurse that everything was normal, and that she should should continue to drink more water and keep her feet up.

On October 15, 2009, after starting to experience contractions, Melissa and Morris Halladay went to the emergency room at Oneida Healthcare Center. There, no nurse or physician could find a fetal heartbeat. Dr. Lucas was notified, arrived over an hour later, and confirmed that the baby had no heartbeat. Melissa Halladay would deliver a full-term, stillborn baby.

The delivery was excruciating and took hours. The suit claims that the infant’s body was “mangled,” and that the baby was left inside the Halladay’s hospital room for “an extended period of time.”
The OHC relations director declined to comment on the lawsuit, but did say that what happened was:

an extremely tragic and devastating situation for the family and everyone involved

Meanwhile, Dr. Lucas faces two felony counts of criminal sale of a prescription for controlled substances, and 1 felony count of first-degree identity theft.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in NJ and PA

The Halladays were put through a horrific ordeal when losing their baby. The negligent behavior of Dr. Lucas and the Oneida Healthcare Center cost a couple their child. Dr. Lucas’ blatant lack of concern for the well-being of his patients or his role as a doctor is detestable. No medical provider with such a clear disregard for patient health and safety should be able to practice medicine.

If you or a loved one have suffered due the negligence of a medical provider, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation or call for a free case evaluation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.
The medical malpractice lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are dedicated to earning victims of medical malpractice and negligence full and fair compensation. Let us earn you the compensation you need and deserve.

Links Between MMR Vaccine and Autism Allegedly Fabricated

This medical malpractice post will discuss a report published this week by the British Medical Journal that denounces a 1998 study performed by Dr. Andrew Wakefield. The study, printed by The Lancet, links Autism with the MMR vaccination, and has now been labeled as nothing more than an “elaborate fraud.”

Autism Study a Fraud?

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers falsified report linking MMR vaccines with Autism Dr. Andrew Wakefield caused a significant decrease in MMR vaccinations since the publishing of his study in 1998 that claimed that the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccination was, in fact, causing “regressive autism“. Regressive autism is a form of the disorder that starts to develop after a child has displayed no symptoms, and has led, up until that point, a “normal” life.

Investigative reporter from the British Medical Journal, Brian Deer, analyzed for 6 years the results of Wakefield’s “study“, and found that Wakefield deliberately misrepresented facts and lied about the conditions of his subjects. The study was based on 12 children with autistic symptoms after they received the MMR vaccine. The study consistently lies about when symptoms developed, what those symptoms were, how they affected the child, and what they meant for their diagnosis. This blatent falsification of facts has led to a decline in MMR vaccines, and a rise in the contraction of Measles. In England, the Measles virus is now described as an endemic.

While Dr. Wakefield still believes in his study and it’s results, he hasn’t acted on offers to replicate his findings. The BMJ article says:

Instead, although now disgraced and stripped of his clinical and academic credentials, he continues to push his views. Meanwhile the damage to public health continues.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in NJ and PA

Dr. Andrew Wakefield acted against his purpose as a doctor to heal and protect patients, and instead grossly misreported data to publish a false report. Why? One can only conculde that his motive was personal gain. Why lie about the effects of a sometimes life saving vaccination? Children likely have died after not being vaccinated for measles, mumps, or rubella, and for no reason.
The kind of negligence Dr. Wakefield acted with is irreprehensible. And while he did so outside of the operating or emergency room, other medical providers act with the same negligence inside the operating or emergency room.

If you or a loved one have been injured by medical malpractice or negligence, 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 team earn you the full and fair compensation you need a deserve.

Medical Malpractice Filed by Younger Women Increasing

Medical Malpractice cases filed by young women are increasing, due to a rising number of cancer misdiagnoses.

Breast and Cervical Cancers Go Undetected in Young Women

In a recent report by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), younger woman are being diagnosed with cancer in it’s much later stages, making it difficult, if not impossible, to effectively treat. Specifically, the report states that:

…over half of all colorectal cancers and cervical cancers, and a third of breast cancers were diagnosed in the later stages.

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers cancer younger women increaseCancer detected early can be treated even without the use of radiation or chemotherapy, which would provide a patient the opportunity to avoid the often debilitating effects of treatment. When cancer is detected late, and damages are suffered, medical malpractice suits are filed.

The reason for the missed diagnosis is most likely due to the fact that younger women are simply screened less for cancer than older women. Most women will not get a mammogram until they are 40 years old. This is due, in part, to the current mammogram technology. Younger women have denser breast tissue, which can offset the accuracy of a reading. So even if they feel a mass themselves and go to have a test done, the tests will not always yield the proper results. Also to blame is healthcare. Insurance policies typically only cover one test per year for women of age. Younger women who would like to be tested might not be able to because of cost.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Catching cancer early is one of the best ways to effectively treat it. Doctors should start noticing the trends of cancer in younger women, and start to act upon them. Perhaps screenings should happen at younger ages, and more often, in order to avoid not only lawsuits, but patient suffering or death.

If you or a loved one have suffered due to a misdiagnosis, 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 medical malpractice lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are skilled and experienced in earning victims of negligence the full and fair compensation they deserve.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers with Tip#4 for Bedsore Prevention

As nursing home abuse attorneys, we are providing this nursing home abuse post as yet another in our recent series of tips to prevent bedsores and pressure ulcers in nursing homes. In our last post, we provided tip #3 which warned about how moisture can expose a nursing home patient to bedsores and pressure ulcers: prevention is always the best medicine when it comes to pressure ulcers in a nursing home.

Tip #4 for the Prevention of Bedsores and Pressure Ulcers

Proper bathing technique is essential to help prevent bedsores or pressure ulcers. Similar to our tip regarding moisture, a nursing home staff member can in fact cause a bedsores or pressure ulcers by improperly bathing a nursing home patient. Nursing home staff members should be trained in the proper bathing techniques of all nursing home patients to avoid causing pressure ulcers.

Ensuring that nursing home staff members have been taught measures such as:

  • proper water temperature;
  • friction reduction methods ;
  • safe cleaning product selection; and
  • proper bathing techniques

is one of the best ways to prevent these painful afflictions from developing. new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers fourth tip bedsores preventionFamily members should directly ask any nursing home staff who are bathing a patient if that staff member has been trained in proper bathing techniques. While the question may seem silly, it is really one of preventive medicine. More importantly, if a nursing home patient has already developed a pressure ulcer or bedsore, any bathing should take place under the guidance of a skilled wound care professional with the necessary experience. A pressure ulcer is an open wound and great care should be taken not to worsen the condition by causing an infection due to improper bathing by a nursing home staff member. If you see this kind of improper care taking place at a long term care facility, nursing home abuse lawyers can help you.

Prevention tip#4 may seem simple, but all nursing home care staff members should be questioned to ensure that they understand the importance of proper bathing techniques to prevent either causing a bedsore, or making one far worse.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is a resident in a nursing home and you believe that they are receiving sub-standard, abusive, or negligent care, 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 that nursing home continue to harm your loved one, or other residents, with an inadequate staff or caring regime. Let the Mininno Law Office team earn you the compensation you deserve.

Medical Malpractice in Denver Leads to License Suspension

Often times, medical malpractice lawyers are criticized for bringing cases against doctors, hospitals, and other medical providers. Many believe that medical malpractice attorneys are “ambulance chasers“, and attack doctors for negligence that does not exist. Medical malpractice attorneys have a certain stigma, and largely suffer from a poor reputation.
The simple and unfortunate truth is that medical negligence does exist. While most doctors are hard-working and dedicated professionals, others are greedy and aloof. They are responsible for the lives of hundreds of patients, yet some act as if those lives were disposable. Such is the case of Dr. Manuel De Jesus Aquino of Denver, Colorado.

Colorado Doctor Prescribes Marijuana to Pregnant Woman

new jersey philadelphia malpractice lawyers marijuana prescription pregnant woman Dr. Aquino has had his license suspended after prescribing medical marijuana to a 20 year old woman who was 6 months pregnant. The woman saw Dr. Aquino at the Back to the Garden Health and Wellness Center in Denver, Colorado, and asked for a marijuana prescription. The visit with the woman, who was a new patient, lasted all of about 3 minutes. No physical examination was performed, the patient was not required to complete medical history forms, nor was she scheduled for any follow-up visits.
She gave birth April 8, 2010, and tested positive for marijuana. Her infant was exposed to the drug in utero, and had some initial feeding difficulties. The baby may or may not face long-term damages.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadephia

Dr. Aquino acted with extreme disinterest in the well being of his patient. To write a prescription for marijuana use without performing a thorough examination is a depraved medical practice. An investigation should be performed to discover whether or not this is something that he does regularly with patients.

Dr. Aquino’s negligence as a medical professional is certainly not isolated. Unfortunately, there are doctors that act just as he did, and patients sometimes pay the ultimate price for that negligence. If you or a loved one have suffered from 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) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.
Let our team earn you the compensation you need and deserve.

DePuy Hip Recall Lawyers Warn Against Johnson & Johnson’s Tactics

If you are one of the 93,000 patients affected by the defective DePuy hip recall, you should expect to receive an unwanted telephone call from a DePuy hip recall insurance adjuster paid for by DePuy Orthopaedics and their parent company, Johnson & Johnson.

DePuy Insurance Adjusters Trained to Cheat You

This insurance adjuster is a trained professional working on behalf of DePuy Orthopaedics and Johnson & Johnson to reduce your potential exposure to damages. While they may seem to be concerned for your well being and deeply apologetic for issues arising from the hip recall, these skilled claims adjusters are following a careful script. new jersey philadelphia depuy hip recall lawyers warn against johnson tactics

First, these DePuy hip recall adjusters will try to gain trust and become something of a confidant. They will promise to help by paying for medical bills and offering other compensation. But some patients have reported being probed by DePuy insurance adjusters regarding post-operative symptoms, even though these adjusters have no medical training to determine whether symptoms are related to a defective DePuy hip implant or some other condition.

DePuy hip recall insurance adjusters are not your friend, do not represent you, and are not looking out for your best interest. Instead, they are documenting everything that you are and are not saying. They will likely utilize the information during later litigation to deny or minimize your right to recoveries.
What’s worse; although all DePuy hip implant patients have legitimate medical questions that they would like to ask, the DePuy claims adjusters are trained not to provide any meaningful answers, but to simply gather information and discourage recall victims from seeking proper legal representation.

DePuy Hip Recall Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

As a New Jersey and Philadelphia DePuy hip recall lawfirm, we believe that patients are entitled to far more than what is being offered by Johnson & Johnson and DePuy Orthopaedics. All DePuy hip implant patients are entitled to full and fair compensation, which includes full payment of medical bills, wage losses, pain and suffering compensation, and any and all damages which are lawfully permitted under our civil justice system.
If you are a victim of the DePuy hip implant recall, 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 a DePuy insurance claims adjuster rob you of your right to full and fair compensation. Let a DePuy hip recall lawyer earn you the recoveries you are entitled to.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Offer Tip#3 For Bedsore Prevention

As a New Jersey and Philadelphia nursing home abuse attorney, I am providing a continuation in our series of posts involving the subject of nursing home abuse and, particularly, tips for the prevention of bedsores and pressure ulcers. In our last post, I provided nursing home patients and their family members with Tip #2 to help prevent the serious medical problems that result from nursing home abuse and bedsores.
These tips are helpful because prevention is always the best medicine when it comes to protecting nursing home patients from bedsores or pressure ulcers.

Tip #3 for Preventing Bedsores and Pressure Ulcers

A third tip from nursing home abuse lawyers which will help prevent pressure ulcers or bedsores is to:

Identify any and all potential factors that could increase the risk in a nursing home patient of developing a bedsore or pressure ulcera.

For example, a major factor that exposes a patient to bedsores or pressure ulcers is moisture in a bed. new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers third tip prevent bedsoresAs New Jersey and Philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers, we hear from nursing home patients and their families that nursing home staff members do not change the bedding or sheets on a regular basis and, in particular, do not change the nursing home sheets when they become wet.

Nursing home bed sheets frequently become wet when a patient is incontinent. Incontinence can be caused by a decreased mental state, decreased mobility, or medications that increase urination. Other times, sheets become wet when patient have difficulty feeding themselves, and food and drink end up in their beds.

The moisture that results from wet bedding can lead to pressure ulcers or bedsores. As such, bedsore and pressure ulcer prevention requires nursing home staff members to frequently check residents’ bedding to ensure that it is clean and dry. If, as a nursing home patient or family member, you discover that bed sheets contain moisture, promptly insist that the nursing home staff change the bedding before the patient is placed back into the bed. No one likes to lie in a wet bed, but if a nursing home patient is forced to do so, it will put that patient at a greater risk for pressure ulcers or bedsores.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Neglecting to change resident bed sheets is just another sign of potential nursing home abuse, and any nursing home abuse should be reported to the New Jersey Ombudsman. After reporting the abuse to the ombudsan, 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.
A nursing home abuse lawyer will be necessary to seek full and fair compensation for negligence and abuse in a nursing home or long term care facility.

Jury Awards $7 Million to Victims of Medical Malpractice in New York

In New York, a Queens jury has awarded a Long Island couple $7 million in a case of medical malpractice that almost led to the untimely death of Owen McNamara.

Medical Malpractice at St. Francis Hospital

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers st. francis hospital case St. Francis Hospital, located on Long Island, NY, is known as “The Heart Center”. It’s reputation for cardiac excellence has patients the world over seeking treatment there. That is why Owen and Jo-Ann McNamara went to St. Francis Hospital for a “routine” by-pass surgery. The surgery went smoothly. Post-op, however, did not.

While in the ICU (Intenstive Care Unit), Owen developed a condition called tamponade. This condition involves the build-up of blood and fluid in the pericardium (the sac surrounding the heart) which can compress the heart and disrupt it’s normal function. A timely response can relieve the pressure within minutes, but because of a negligent response and failure on his doctor’s part to communicate the budding complications, Owen McNamara suffered a heart attack.

Doctors revived him, but Owen faced 2.5 years of complications, hospital stays, and rehab treatments resulting from the tamponade related heart attack. His heart blockages were cleared during the by-pass surgery, but Owen now lives with permanent damage to his heart, as well as chest and breathing complications.

Had St. Francis Hospital staff recognized the symptoms of tamponade sooner, and promptly and effectively treated those symptoms, Mr. and Mrs. McNamara could have avoided the nightmare that followed the cardiac arrest.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

The McNamaras, in some ways, are very lucky. Hospital negligence did not take Owen’s life. Others have lost life and limb as a result of medical malpractice and hospital negligence. That is why medical malpractice lawyers are necessary. Hospitals and doctors that act negligently and do not adhere to the standard of care must be held accountable for their mistakes.

If you or a loved one have suffered in any way at the hands of a negligent medical provider, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free consultation or call us at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.
Our team strive to earn full and fair compensation for those who have been seriously wronged by careless and negligent medical providers.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers Find Fault in Texas Tort Reform

In 2003, Texas government passed tort reform legislation regarding medical malpractice lawsuits within the state. The new legislation capped medical malpractice payouts at $250,000 per provider, with a maximum of $750,000 all together. It also stated that in order for emergency room physicians to be responsible for civil damages, they would have to act with “willful and wanton” negligence.
In other words, they have to purposefully and knowingly put their patients’ lives in danger.

A San Antonio medical malpractice lawyer, Jon Powell, commented on the “willful and wanton” standard, saying:

You’d have to be a Nazi death camp guard to meet this standard.

The liability caps and impossible standards are making victims of medical malpractice weary as they find that, in Texas, they simply do not have a case.

Medical Malpractice Leads to Amputation

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers willful wanton connie spears texasConnie Spears, a 54 year-old woman with a history of blood clots, went the the emergency room at the Christus Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, complaining of excrutiating leg pain. She was discharged with “bilateral leg pain” and told to follow up with her primary care physician.
Three days later, Connie’s legs were purple. An ambulance took her to another area hospital where doctors determined that a filter that had been installed in her heart years before was severely clotted, which led to tissue death in her legs, as well as kidney failure. Weeks later, Connie awoke to find that both of her legs had been amputated in order to save her life.

Now, she can’t find an attorney who will take her case, because in Texas, she doesn’t have one. Clear negligence exists, yet attorneys no longer have confidence in their judicial system due to the new standards set forth by tort reform. They also argue that this “willful and wanton” standard for medical malpractice allows for a serious decline in the standard of care provided to patients in Texas, and could allow Texas ER’s to become the most dangerous in the country.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Tort Reform has significantly and severely damaged a medical malpractice victim’s chance at justice in Texas. Connie Spears will live the rest of her life without her legs due to a careless misdiagnosis, yet because of the standards Texas tort reform has put forward, she may never be able to gain the compensation she needs and is entitled to.

Medical malpractice affects many patients in the US, and victims should know that when doctors act negligently, they are liable for damages. If you or a loved one have suffered at the hands of a negligent and/or careless doctor, 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 team earn you the full and fair compensation that you need and deserve.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Offers More Bedsore Prevention Tips

As a New Jersey and Philadelphia nursing home abuse attorney, I have recently posted on many topics involving nursing home abuse, especially in the areas of the prevention of pressure ulcers and bedsores. In our last post, we provided you with Tip #1 for avoiding bedsores.
It is our hope that these nursing home abuse and bedsore prevention tips will help nursing home patients and their families prevent pressure ulcers and bedsores from developing in a nursing home setting.

Tip#2 for Preventing Bedsores

A second tip from nursing home abuse lawyers to assist in the prevention of bedsores or pressure ulcers is to make up your own bed sore or pressure risk assessment daily chart and place it in the nursing home patient’s room. This risk assessment chart can be little more than a 8 x 11 calendar page printed from the internet which includes the following:

  1. The date;
  2. A line to indicate whether or not a nursing home worker has performed a pressure ulcer or bedsore risk assessment of the patient;
  3. A line to indicate what bed sore or pressure ulcer Braden score (see our latest blog about the Braden Scale) has been given to the nursing home patient by the nursing home staff; and
  4. A line for the nursing home staff member’s initials.

As nursing home abuse lawyers, we think this simple chart will help prevent bedsore or pressure ulcers from ever developing (enlarge it by clicking on the next miniature):


Download it (Right Click – Save as)

Why Will A Chart Assist in the Prevention of Bedsores?

Because, by law, a nursing home is not required to perform a daily pressure ulcer or bedsore skin assessment. The law only requires a pressure ulcer or bedsore skin assessment upon admission and at regular intervals, or with a change in condition. This law is the bare minimum standard of care required of a nursing home to prevent bedsores and pressure ulcers.
However, as New Jersey and Philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers, we encourage nursing home patients and their family members to insist that nursing homes provide the best bed sore or pressure ulcer preventive care – not just minimal care. So, although it may seem odd to have your own home made bed sore or pressure ulcer risk assessment chart in your room, this is the best way to ensure that the nursing home staff is properly assessing you or your family member for bedsores or pressure ulcers.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Bedsores and pressure ulcers cause the deaths of many residents in nursing homes and long term care facilities. Bedsores are very susceptible to infection, and for those whose immune systems are already weak, those infections can become impossible to fight off. Bedsore prevention is certainly key to a high quality of life for a nursing home resident.
If you or a loved one have suffered nursing home abuse, 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 the team at the Mininno Law Office earn you the full and fair compensation you need and deserve.