Posts by Crandall & Pera Law, LLC
Large Verdicts Nationwide for Nursing Home Negligence
Nursing home facilities nationwide continue to be hit with large verdicts in negligence cases due to improper treatment of the elderly residents placed under their care, according to a recent Senior Housing News article. Trans Healthcare Inc. was just slammed with $1 billion in punitive damages and $110 million in compensatory damages regarding the death of…
Read MoreTechnology and Equipment Failures Blamed for 70% of Medical Errors
Problems with technological advancements may be drastically adding to the amount of medical errors that affect up to 16 percent of patients admitted to hospitals, according to a recent Medical Daily article. In a comparison of 28 studies regarding medical mistakes, researchers found that 70 percent of errors are related to equipment available in operating…
Read More$910,000 Verdict Kelly Maron et al. v. Lake Health Systems and Dr. Timothy Pritchard Lake County, Ohio
A surgical towel was left in Kelly’s abdomen after a June 2009 surgery to remove colon cancer and was not discovered until November 2009. It caused the removal of 2/3 of Kelly’s small bowel and massive digestive issues which will last her entire life. Tried in Lake County Court of Common Pleas, the verdict reached…
Read MoreOhio Nursing Home Ranked Among Worst Nationwide
A Cincinnati-area nursing home has been placed on a federal “Special Focus Facility” list, ranking it among the worst facilities in the country due to a history of serious quality issues. East Galbraith Health Care Center in Deer Park, Ohio, owned by Provider Services Holdings Co. of Cleveland, was rated much below average in health inspections…
Read MoreHeart Patients Warned Against Common Antibiotics
Patients with underlying heart disease should not use antibiotics commonly prescribed for bronchitis and sinus infections as they may dramatically increase the risk of death from heart problems, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Use of the antibiotic azithromycin (sold under the brand name Zithromax) was linked with nearly…
Read MoreMedical Malpractice Highlighted in Colorado Doctor Case
The Colorado Medical Board has filed 14 counts of unprofessional conduct against a Denver surgeon for various forms of medical malpractice, according to CBS News. Dr. Warren Kortz is accused of leaving sponges and surgical equipment in patients as well as improperly using robotic surgery for kidney transplants. Not only has Kortz misrepresented the success…
Read MoreGene Patents Delay Research, Affect Every Patient
A potential decision made by the US Supreme Court on a current case regarding patenting human genes could affect the health and lives of every American. Myriad Genetics currently controls the patents on variations of two human genes – BRCA1 and BRCA2 – whose mutations provide a high risk of breast and ovarian cancer. With…
Read MoreDepakote Reported to Cause Long-Term Effects on Children
Depakote, a drug used to treat seizures, bipolar disorder and migraine headaches, could cause lasting negative effects when used while pregnant, recent studies suggest. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings about the use of Depakote while pregnant, which has reported risks of decreased IQ and a risk of autism for the…
Read MoreTherapy “Plateau” No Longer Stops Medicare Coverage
A class-action lawsuit last month has prohibited Medicare from denying patients coverage for reaching a “plateau,” meaning their conditions are not improving. Medicare patients with chronic health problems or disabilities that require nursing care, home health services or outpatient therapy will be able to continue to receive the skilled care they need for as long…
Read MoreM&M Conferences Shield Errors from Patients
“Morbidity and mortality” – or M&M – conferences emerged in the early 20th century as a way for physicians to review cases that had gone wrong behind closed doors, away from patients and families. In the medical world, surgery M&Ms are especially known for their confrontations, as more experienced surgeons often browbeat younger doctors into…
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