Birth Injury Lawyers: A FDA Warning For Pregnant Women

new jersey philadelphia birth injury lawyers warning pregnant woman taking antipsychoticsThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration, (FDA), recently updated labeling for antipsychotics to alert female users in their third trimester of pregnancy that use of the drugs could have adverse effects on their fetuses, causing birth injuries or defects. A few of the drugs now displaying the warning label include Risperdal, Seroquel and Invega. The drugs are used to treat mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, or depression.

A statement released by the FDA said:

“Healthcare professionals should be aware of the effects of antipsychotic medications on newborns when the medications are used during pregnancy. Patients should not stop taking these medications if they become pregnant without talking to their healthcare professional, as abruptly stopping antipsychotic medications can cause significant complications for treatment.”

Birth Injury Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your child suffered a debilitation birth injury at birth and you are now faced with expensive treatments that will be necessary for the rest of your child’s life, 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. The birth injury lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are skilled and experienced when it comes to earning full and fair compensation for victims of delivery room negligence and/or birth injuries.

Let the Mininno Law Office team earn you and your family the compensation you need and deserve.

Zimmer Knee Attorneys Explain Knee Replacement Beginnings

As knee implant attorneys, we are blogging on the Zimmer NexGen knee replacement component which was the subject of an FDA recall . This is the first in a series of posts providing information regarding some of the Zimmer knee implant component parts. We hope these posts will be helpful to any knee replacement patient.

Zimmer Knee Background

new jersey philadelphia zimmer knee attorneys explain replacement beginningsOn September 13, 2010, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration issued FDA Recall No. Z 2409 010 entitled “NexGen Complete Knee Solutions MIS Tibial Components, Locking Screw and Stem Extensions” recall notice. This recall notice can be found at the FDA website.

This latest Zimmer recall was one in a series of knee joint replacement hardware recalls issues by the FDA. Zimmer’s track record over the years had been very good. However, this potential component problem is concerning to the medical community.

Given the sheer volume of knee implant patients who have had joint replacement surgery, it is fair to ask whether risks associated with knee implant surgery outweigh the benefits. This is the first in a series of posts that will discuss the evolution of knee replacement surgery in an effort to answer this question. We hope that this discussion may have particular interest to all patients who have had knee implant surgery whether or not the surgery involved the recalled Zimmer knee implant component.

History of Knee Implant Surgery

Knee replacement surgery was pioneered back in 1954 by surgeon L. G. P. Shiers. Research shows that Dr. Shiers was a true patient advocate and actually refused to patent his knee replacement technology. In doing so, Dr. Shiers gave up what could have been millions of dollars in royalties from the future sales of knee replacement technology. Instead, he traveled the world, teaching knee replacement surgery to other orthopaedic surgeons and medical students so they could pass on the benefits of knee joint replacement surgery to any patient who needed a knee replacement.

new jersey philadelphia zimmer knee attorneys explain replacement beginningsKnee replacement surgery, following the success and failures of hip replacement surgery, became more commonplace in the 1960s and the 1970s. It was billed as safe, effective, and an enormous benefit to any patient with osteoarthritis. Since that time, as with hip replacement surgery, knee replacement joint technology is constantly changing and modifying in an effort to improve patient outcomes in knee replacement patients.

Throughout the years, there have been many knee replacement part manufacturers (Zimmer, Stryker, DePuy, etc). These joint replacement manufacturers and others constantly compete to try and develop the “latest and greatest” knee implant components and techniques. The one constant challenge to all of these knee replacement manufacturers has been to limit the inevitable problems of implant loosening, wear and tear of the implant parts, and loss of the natural range of motion. As with all joint replacements, there still is not any suitable replacement for the body’s own anatomical structures.

Since the innovation of knee replacement surgery, there have been hundreds of thousands of patients who have undergone knee replacement surgery involving different techniques and various artificial knee components. Unfortunately, with each new “innovative” technology, there always is the potential for possible hardware failure problems, which could cause the patient to develop a new set of symptoms that conveniently replace the old ones. As a result, many patients who have undergone knee replacement surgery and have been subjected to these problems are left to wonder whether the surgery was worth it.

Knee Implant Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you have recently undergone a knee replacement surgery and your recovery process is taking far longer than expected, you may want to find out if there is a problem with your knee replacement. 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.

For more information regarding the knee replacement concerns, visit the Mininno Law Office site dedicated solely to Zimmer knees.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Reveal Poor Care at Holiday Care Center

Because we are attorneys that represent many clients in nursing home abuse cases in New Jersey and Philadelphia, we continue to investigate and post on nursing homes that have been given below average ratings on a report card published on the Medicare website. This is the official US Government website for Medicare, and as such, they compare nursing homes all across the United States. Based on their own specific criteria, they rate each nursing home with one to five stars. Those with 5 stars are considered to be well above average, and those with 1 star (the minimum rating you can receive) are considered to be well below average, with all others falling somewhere in between. The nursing home we will post on today has been given a one star rating. It is located in Ocean County, New Jersey. It is a corporately owned for profit nursing home with 180 long term patient beds.

The Holiday Care Center Fails to Impress

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers expose holiday care centerThe Holiday Care Center located in Toms River, New Jersey. This nursing home was inspected routinely on 9 occasions and cited for 40 deficiencies during the period from December 2008 through November 2010. It was also necessary for the NJ Division of Health Facilities and Evaluation and Licensing to conduct 10 complaint inspections with 5 more deficiencies cited during this time period. Some of these citations were for failing to keep the rate of medication errors (wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong time) to less than 5%, for failing to have a program to keep infection from spreading, and failing to make sure that a residents nutritional needs are being met. These types and amount of deficiencies are those that lead to nursing home abuse. Patients’ families must remain vigilant when their loved one is in a for profit nursing home such as Holiday Care Center, to make sure that they are being cared for in an acceptable and effective manner.

Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is a resident in a nursing home or long term care facility, and you believe the care they are receiving is negligent or abusive, 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.
Let the nursing home abuse attorneys at the Mininno Law Office earn you the full and fair compensation that you need and deserve.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Urge Vigilance of Nursing Home Care

On Tuesday February 22nd, 78 year old William Spears took himself and his walker for a stroll around 11:00 pm. He left through the front doors of the Emeritus Senior Living Facility in Mount Prospect, Illinois, and no one said or did a thing. Shortly after, Spears was struck by an SUV traveling east down Euclid Avenue. He was rushed to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, where, thanks to nursing home abuse by neglect, he was pronounced dead at 11:27pm.

Before he was a struck, a Ford Escape traveling west down Euclid Avenue saw him walking and stopped. The driver and the passengers got out of the car and tried to offer Spears help, which he refused. The Audi SUV that struck him also struck the Ford Escape, but fortunately, none of the passengers were hurt.

How Does a Man Wander Into the Street Without Anyone Noticing?

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers urge vigilanceSpears was able to leave this facility with his walker late at night, without any nursing home staff doing as much as asking him where he was going.
Where were the staff members when Spears wandered out to his death that cold Tuesday night? Why wasn’t there anyone at the front door? How can a man go missing and no one even notice?
It’s this kind of negligence that leads to injury and death of nursing home patients, and something must be done to make nursing homes and long term care facilities safer places to live.

There comes a time when our loved ones become ill and we can no longer provide the care they need. But if we can’t trust the nursing homes and rehab centers that we are supposed to send them to, what can we do? As family members, our only option is to research the facilities we are considering, and be vigilant when it comes to the care they are providing. Once your loved one is a resident, visit often, ask lots of questions, and listen to your loved one’s complaints. If no one else is going to regulate the industry, then we have to do it on our own.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is a resident at a nursing home or long term care facility, and you are worried that they care they are receiving is abusive, negligent, or inadequate, 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.
The nursing home abuse lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are skilled and experienced in earning full and fair compensation for victims.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys Reveal Truth About Tort Reform Supporters

Reform of the medical malpractice tort system is probably something you’ve heard a great deal about recently. It seems that there are people who believe that the way in which injured victims of medical malpractice and negligence are compensated in this country is sufficiently flawed. These supporters propose caps on damages and harder restrictions on what constitutes medical malpractice. So it’s no surprise that these supporters include medical providers of all sorts, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical giants.

House Bill to Reform Medical Malpractice Litigation

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys truth about tort reformTwo nights before President Obama’s State of the Union Address, Republican Phil Gingrey introduced a bill to the House that would severely limit the amount of compensation that victims of medical malpractice could receive. What’s a bit more interesting is who Phil Gingrey was before he sponsored a tort reform bill.

For 30 years before he was elected to congress, Gingrey was an obstetrician; an obstetrician who was involved in his fair share of malpractice lawsuits. And one of those suits settled for $500,000.

His patient, a young pregnant woman, had acute appendicitis that went undiagnosed, and therefore, untreated. The appendix burst and an infection spread throughout her body that killed her fetus and caused a severe stroke.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

It’s no wonder Phil Gingrey introduced a bill that would make it easier for negligent doctors to continue practicing negligent medicine; he used to be one of them.

Taking away the rights of injured patients is not the way to repair our health care system. Perhaps another route would be to fix the actual problem: the alarming frequency of injuries and death brought on by medical malpractice.

If you or a loved one have suffered medical malpractice at the hands of a negligent medical provider, 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 Abuse Lawyers Expose Faults of Gloucester County Facility

As lawyers practicing in the field of nursing home abuse in New Jersey and Philadelphia, we find it imperative to highlight the nursing homes in the area that are performing at a below average level. It is important to be aware of such below average nursing homes, as they are likely to be homes to nursing home abuse. Today we will discuss a nursing home in Gloucester County that has been rated only 1 out of 5 possible stars in its overall rating according to the Medicare Nursing Home Compare. This site rates nursing homes across the country and a one star rating is considered to be WELL Below Average.

Citations and Deficiencies of Gloucester County Facility

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers expose gloucester county facilityThis Gloucester County nursing home, named Gloucester Manor Health Care Center, located in Sewell, New Jersey is a for profit partnership owned nursing home. It participates in both Medicare and Medicaid and has 139 long term beds at its disposal. During three routine inspections between December 2008 and November 2010, the Gloucester Manor Health Care Center was cited for an outrageous 56 separate deficiencies. Among the numerous deficiencies, the Manor Center was cited for the improper treatment to prevent bed (pressure) sores or to help heal those bed sores properly. In fact, actual harm for a few patients was found in this category. It was also determined that they failed to staff enough nurses to care for every resident in a way that maximizes the resident’s well being. Actual harm for a few was noted in this category as well.

Gloucester Manor was cited for a variety of other deficiencies including failure to be free from dangers causing accidents, failing to provide proper meal times, failing to hire only people with no legal history of abuse or neglect and/or reporting such abuse or neglect, and failing to give residents enough fluids to prevent dehydration. Gloucester Manor was also visited 9 times for complaint inspections and cited an additional 7 times during these inspections. Many of the previously mentioned deficiencies, such as nursing staff, bed sores, and hazardous conditions, were included in these citations. It is appalling that a for profit nursing home that is supposed to be caring for its patients should show such disregard for their welfare leading to what could be considered nursing home abuse.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is a resident at an abusive or negligent nursing home, 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 nursing homes ruin the time that your loved one has left.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys Disagree With Physician ‘Gag Orders’

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys disagree physician gag ordersA Gag Order is a legal term used to describe an order issued by a judge that prohibits the release of information concerning a legal matter to the public, for fear that such an action may prejudice or influence a trial’s outcome. Lately, medical providers have been issuing their own kind of gag order, prohibiting their patients from utilizing physician rating websites to rate the treatment they received, or the experience they had. And while medical malpractice remains a huge concern, limiting patient access to first hand accounts of medical negligence seems counter-productive.

As a patient, it’s hard to see any legitimate reason that a doctor wouldn’t want his quality of care discussed, other than the fact that it could be considered poor. Also as patients, we often feel a responsibility to refer our friends and family to good doctors, and veer them away from bad ones. By forcing patients to sign agreements that they won’t divulge their experiences, physicians are taking away much needed assistance when it comes to choosing doctors.

The ratings and comments on these sites always seem to be consistent, and patients often find common ground in their accounts. Obviously, doctors are afraid of what will come of their practices when a steady stream of bad reviews surface on sites like Rate MD’s, Health Grades, and Vitals. Personally, I would never agree to sign anything that prohibited me from being openly honest about my experiences with any physician. I urge you to consider the same.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a loved one have suffered medical malpractice at the hands of a negligent medical provider, 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.

Let the experienced medical malpractice attorneys at the Mininno Law Office earn you the full and fair compensation that you need and deserve.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Expose Cooper River West Violations

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers expose cooper river westAs we continue our series highlighting the below average nursing homes in New Jersey, today we will discuss a facility in Camden County.

As nursing home abuse lawyers, it is always disconcerting to see the amount of local nursing homes with below average ratings. These ratings are based on the Government’s Official Medicare Site, which provides a nursing home compare system for those interested in researching the background of care facilities in their area. This site compares nursing homes across the country and rates their care on a 5 star standard. A five stars rating places the nursing home well above average, and one star considers a facility well below average.

The Camden County nursing home we will discuss today, Cooper River West, was given an overall rating of 2 stars, which is considered a below average rating. Let’s find out why Cooper River West was given such a below average and unacceptable rating.

Cooper River West Receives Below Average Rating

Cooper River West is located in Pennsauken, Camden County, New Jersey. It is a corporately owned for profit institution, yet it rates below average on the Medicare Nursing Home Compare. Cooper River West has 180 long term beds, and during the period between November 2008 and October 2010, it was routinely inspected 2 times. During these inspections, 15 separate deficiencies were sited. Of those deficiencies, one that was shown to affect a few residents had to do with the improper treatment to prevent new bed (pressure) sores or to heal existing bed sores. This was actually cited at the time of both routine inspections. This is a very important deficiency, as bed sores can be both extremely painful and dangerous to the patient.

Additionally, deficiencies were cited having to do with abuse and neglect policies, as well as medication errors over 5%. During this time, Cooper River West also was subject to 8 complaint inspections with a total of 7 deficiencies cited. Serious issues and harm can arise when a patient is in a below average rated nursing home, and it is very important that a careful review and vigilance is had by that patient’s love ones to prevent nursing home abuse!

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is a resident at a nursing home and you are fearful that the care they are receiving may be harming their quality of life, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New JerseyM, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers Win Large Birth Injury Verdict in Illinois

An Illinois jury awarded $5.5 million dollars to a mother and her child for medical malpractice that led to the boy’s permanent brain damage.

Negligent Care Leads to Oxygen Deprivation and Permanent Disability

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys birth injury verdict illinoisEva Liberato was admitted to Westlake Hospital to deliver her baby in 2002. After hours of labor, she was given drugs to help induce contractions and dilation. The drugs caused the baby’s heart rate to slow and, instead of calling for the assistance of an obstetrician, her family doctor attempted to deliver the baby himself using, among other methods, forceps and a vacuum retractor.

The doctor ended up lodging the forceps in Eva’s uterine wall. When another physician stepped in to perform a C-Section, it was too late. Eva’s son Angel was born severely brain damaged due to lack of oxygen. Today, Angel cannot walk, talk, or feed himself. He will need constant, life long care.

Eva’s suit named the hospital, as well as the two doctors that attended her. The family doctor who initiated delivery was found to be most negligent, and the hopsital and second physican will also have to contribute seperate sums to the verdict. The money awarded by the jury will fund the expensive care required for the rest Angel’s life.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a loved one are the victim of medical malpractice, or if you think that conditions your child currently suffers from are due to negligence in the delivery room, 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 medical malpractice lawyers at the Mininno Law Office work to earn you the full and fair compensation that you need and deserve.

Medical Malpractice Shuts Down Kidney Transplant Program at California Hospital

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys kidney transplant programThe University of Southern California recently shut down it’s kidney transplant unit after implanting a kidney in the wrong patient. An investigation is underway to determine what holes in the program allowed for such horrid medical malpractice. Fortunately, no patient was injured, due to the fortunate fact that the kidney was a universal ‘O‘ blood type. Had that not been the case, someone could have died.

After the error was discovered, the hospital quickly began working to locate an eligible recipient for the additional kidney. Luckily, the intended recipient of the misplaced kidney received an organ just a few days later.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

While the patients involved in this potentially fatal mishap remained well and everything turned out okay, these errors occur regularly, and outcomes are not always so positive. Almost 100,000 patients will lose their lives each year to preventable medical errors, and most families won’t see the justice they so clearly deserve.

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. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia. Our medical malpractice lawyers are dedicated to earning full and fair compensation for innocent patients victimized by avoidable medical negligence.
Don’t wait, as a statue of limitations may be running out on your claim. Let our team work hard to earn you the compensation you deserve.