Posted on December 3rd, 2008
Both medical and legal professionals have noticed a growing trend over the last few years: an increasing number of medical malpractice suits filed by people who contracted serious infections while being treated in hospitals. The Center for Disease Control estimates that 2 million people catch infection-causing bacteria in hospitals every year, leading to 90,000 deaths annually. In response to this grave problem the CDC and other health care agencies have issued detailed guidelines for hospitals that may reduce the rate of infection.
Doctors and personal injury attorneys are understandably divided on the source of this problem. Some doctors and their legal representatives tend to maintain that infections are simply a reality of hospital life, provided that precautions are taken to keep them to a minimum. There are other health care professionals, however, who claim that the risk of infection can be lowered to nearly zero if proper protocol is followed. The guidelines for hospitals recommend that workers should wash their hands before and after visiting every patient, regularly clean and sterilize the facilities, and screen incoming patients for infections that may be spread through the hospital.
Infections can create the need for invasive medical procedures, and can also cause complications such as pain, disability, and sometimes even death. If you or a loved one has contracted an infection due to hospital negligence, contact Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers Lowenthal & Abrams at 610-667-7511.
Posted on November 18th, 2008
Bountiful, UT resident Lisa Speckman has reached a settlement in her lawsuit against LDS Hospital, Intermountain Healthcare Hospitals Inc, Intermountain Nurse Midwifery, and several other related defendants. The lawsuit concerns a 2006 birthing experience that Speckman understandably describes as “catastrophic.”
According to the suit, doctors and nurses failed to notice signs of infection before performing her C-section. After the surgery, the initial infection spread and was joined by another one: the dangerous bacteria MRSA, also known as a “flesh-eating disease.” The lengths that had to be taken to save Speckman’s life were very severe. By the time she was released from the hospital for the last time, she had lost both of her legs, an arm, a finger, and several organs including her uterus, ovaries, gall bladder, and a substantial section of her large intestine.
Speckman and her husband were initially seeking $16 million as compensation for Speckman’s disability, pain and suffering, reduced earning capacity, reduced quality of life, and medical expenses. The amount of the settlement has not been disclosed.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of reckless or negligent medical professionals, contact the Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers Lowenthal & Abrams at 800-876-LAWYER.
Posted on November 18th, 2008
A jury in Montgomery County, Maryland, found in favor of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit concerning the 2007 death of Richard Semsker, age 47. The defendants named in the suit were Dr. Norman A Lockshin and his medical practice. The suit was filed because Lockshin failed to properly diagnose a mole on Semsker’s back that later proved to be cancerous.
Semsker initially saw the doctor in September 2004, at which point, according to the lawsuit, Lockshin should have examined the mole more closely. Instead Semsker’s cancer was not diagnosed until 2006, when his wife noticed the mole had changed color and urged him to see the doctor again. In the two intervening years, the cancer had spread to several lymph nodes around Semsker’s body. By the time of his death it had also spread to his brain.
Semsker’s wife and two children were initially awarded $5.8 million, although their lawyer reports that the amount will be lowered to $3.6 million in deference to Maryland’s cap on non-medical expenses.
If you need information about medical malpractice and wrongful death suits, contact the Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorneys Lowenthal & Abrams at 800-876-LAWYER.
Posted on November 18th, 2008
A decision has finally been reached in the medical malpractice suit filed by Laura and Daniel White of Jermyn, Pennsylvania in 2003. The suit targeted Dr. Richard Behlke, MD, and the Community Medical Center of Scranton. In the suit, Laura White claims that she called the medical center on June 30, 2001, because she felt something was “not right” with her unborn child. Dr. Behlke advised her to go to the center.
According to the suit, a series of oversights and errors ensued. When tests showed that White’s baby needed urgent medical attention, hospital workers contacted Dr. Behlke. It took him two hours to arrive, during which time the baby had limited access to oxygen. A decision was made to induce labor, but the attempt was unsuccessful. Four hours later, the Whites’ son Cody was finally delivered by C-section.
A jury agreed today that these errors caused Cody’s cerebral palsy, near blindness, non-functioning hands, and mental retardation. According to his parents, the seven year old boy has the mental functioning of a 9 month old infant. The jury determined that Dr. Behlke was 60% responsible for the boy’s injuries, while the Community Medical Center was 40% responsible.
The Whites received $2 million to cover medical expenses. Cody was awarded an additional $18.5 million for long-term care, pain and suffering, and lost earning capacity. This is one of the largest awards given by a Pennsylvania jury in the state’s history.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a negligent health care provider, contact the Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers Lowenthal & Abrams at 800-876-LAWYER.
