Law Blog
Woman Discovers Her Real Father Was Her Parents’ Fertility Specialist
Biologists James Watson and Francis Crick are credited with having discovered the structure of DNA. This discovery has paved the way for medical and scientific breakthroughs for combatting disease, using fingerprinting in criminal cases, modifying food, and giving the world Jurassic Park. Over the last 65 years, we have come to rely on DNA to…
Read MoreColorectal Surgery Malpractice Is More Common Than You Think
Colon and rectal surgeries, collectively referred to as colorectal surgeries, account for about 24% of all general surgery cases and about 15% of the physicians in this field face medical malpractice lawsuits each year. A study published in the Journal of Surgical Research analyzed 122 medical malpractice lawsuits and found that the most common cause…
Read MoreWhy is the Death Rate so High for Black Women in Pregnancy and Childbirth in the U.S.?
Black women in the United States are more likely to die during or after childbirth due to racial disparities in maternal health in this country. And article published by ProPublica and NPR reveals that the disparity is not about class or level of education attainment, as even college-educated mothers who deliver in local hospitals are…
Read MoreWomen Are Being Over-Prescribed with Opioids After C-Sections
According to a recent study conducted at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, women who undergo Cesarean sections have been routinely overprescribed opioid (narcotic) pain medications. The study looked at 179 patients who had undergone cesareans at VUMC over an eight-week period to examine opioid prescribing practices and consumption…
Read MoreThe Difference Between a Birth Defect and Birth Injury
Parents and other family members of children who are the victims of preventable injuries at birth due to substandard care provided by medical personnel during pregnancy, labor, or delivery have the option to pursue legal action. Cases that involve birth injury often involve an allegation that medical staff fell short in their obligation to deliver…
Read MoreSurgical Malpractice – “Never Events” That Occur Too Often
Even the most simple of surgeries can elicit concern for patients. While surgeons and other medical professionals are highly trained in their craft, human error is always a possibility. Beyond simple errors, there is also the potential for acute carelessness and negligence that can result in serious complications or injury. Surgical malpractice can produce long-term…
Read MoreLimbrel Capsules Deemed by the FDA as an Unapproved Drug
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suggested that use of the product known as Limbrel may inflict a life-threatening injury to the liver in addition to promoting the development of pancreatitis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. In November 2017, the FDA issued a warning concerning Limbrel, which Primus Pharmaceuticals, the company that markets the product, designates…
Read MoreThe FDA Takes on Pharmacy Errors and Medication Errors by Changing Drug Packaging
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking on medication errors by changing drug packaging and labeling. Medication errors are a massive problem in the healthcare systems of the United States. The Institute of Medicine reports that as many as 98,000 Americans die each year because of medical errors, and up to 7,000 of…
Read MoreMedication Errors Caused by Negligent Bar Code Medication Administration
Medication errors in a health care setting are rampant despite efforts to solve the problem. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality defines an adverse drug event (ADE) as harm experienced by a patient because of exposure to a medication. ADEs account for approximately 700,000 emergency room visits and 100,000 hospitalizations each year. The AHQR…
Read MoreDr. Charles Akoda Is Not a Real Person, But That Didn’t Stop Him from Practicing Medicine
At least 100 women have come forward claiming to be patients of Dr. Charles Akoda at Prince George’s Hospital Center in Maryland. The problem is that Dr. Charles Akoda is not a real person; he’s an identity thief who managed to fool both hospital administrators and patients for eight years, as he practiced as an…
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