The “super bug” MRSA continues to remain an important and dangerous issue both in our hospitals and in our community. MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, is a strain of staph that’s resistant to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat it. MRSA infections usually begin as small red bumps that resemble pimples, boils, or spider bites which can sometimes turn into deep, painful abscesses that require surgical draining. The bacteria may remain confined to the skin, but can also be more dangerous and penetrate into the body, causing life-threatening infections in bones, joints, surgical wounds, the bloodstream, heart valves, and lungs. MRSA can also be fatal.
Staph bacteria can commonly be found on the skin or in the nose in about one-third of the population. These bacteria are normally harmless unless they enter the body through a cut or other wound. For the most part these infections only cause minor skin problems in healthy people; however they can cause serious illness in older adults and those with weakened immune systems. Although the endurance of bacteria contributes to antibiotic resistance, our society is to blame for most of the problem. Primary causes of antibiotic resistance include: unnecessary antibiotic use, antibiotics in food and water, and germ mutation. Antibiotics continue to be prescribed for viral infections like the cold and flu and simple bacterial infections that normally absolve on their own.
Risk factors for community-associated MRSA include: young age: participating in contact sports; sharing towels or athletic equipment; having a weakened immune system; living in crowded or unsanitary conditions; and association with health care workers. Community-associated MRSA can be very dangerous for children because their immune systems aren’t fully developed or they don’t yet have the antibodies to common germs. Risk factors for health care-associated MRSA include: a current or recent hospitalization; living in a long term care facility; invasive devices; and recent antibiotic use. It is estimated that 46 out of every 1,000 people hospitalized are infected with MRSA, according to a 2007 report from the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
Medical advice should be looked into when minor skin problems appear to be infected. Signs and symptoms of a wound infection include redness, warmth, and tenderness of the wound; pus; and a fever. MRSA is diagnosed by checking a tissue sample or nasal secretions for signs of drug-resistant-bacteria. Both hospital- and community-associated strains of MRSA can still be treated with certain medications. The most commonly used antibiotic is vancomycin.
Hospitals track bacterial outbreaks to reduce the spread of MRSA, but the best way for health care workers to prevent the spread of germs would be to wash hands frequently and properly disinfect hospital surfaces and devices. The following precautions will help to protect you from MRSA in the community: wash hands; keep personal items personal; keep wounds covered; shower after athletic games and practices; sanitize linens; get tested for MRSA; and use antibiotics appropriately.
We have recently updated our auto accident help page on our main web page. Our auto accident help page is designed to bring information to accident victims. Any type of auto accident can be a traumatic life experience. Our goal is help bring information to victims that are affected by this experience. The help page includes information about prevention, what to do after an accident, Maryland law, PIP and more. Below is a sample taken from our frequently asked questions.
Q: How common are auto accidents?
A: There are over 6 million auto accidents every year! That means about every 13 seconds another auto accident has occurred. In a 5 year period, about 25% of drivers will be involved in an auto accident. Its safe to say that auto accidents are very common.
Q: How many of the 6 million auto accidents result in injury or death?
A: About 3 million of the annual auto accidents result in injury, and there are about 40,000 deaths. Many of the injuries that are sustained will be permanent.
Q: What are the causes of auto accidents?
A: There are several causes of auto accidents. Many accidents are caused by carelessness of drivers. Drivers tend to be easily distracted or not pay adequate attention when they are driving. Activities such as eating, talking to passengers, adjusting the radio, texting, talking on a cell phone, etc, all present danger when driving a vehicle. Drivers that speed, tailgate, make unsafe lane changes, or commit other reckless acts also present danger. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a common cause of accidents, and usually with fatal consequences. Sometimes auto accidents may not be the result of driver error. A small percentage of auto accidents can be attributed to poor road maintenance or poor road design. Another less frequent factor would be vehicle malfunction.
Q: When do most auto accidents take place?
A: Most auto accidents occur during the night, and on weekends. Times of inclement weather will also produce many auto accidents. Times when traffic is heavy such as holidays and rush hour have a higher rate of accidents.
Have you heard about Necrotizing fasciitis? Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare bacterial infection that destroys skin and soft tissues. This disease is often referred to the “flesh-eating” bacteria because the tissues often die rapidly. This disease is rare, but very serious as 30% of those people who develop the disease die from it. Most people who get this disease are usually in good health. However, those who have an increased risk of contracting the disease include those: who have a weakened immune system or chronic health problems; those who have had chickenpox or other viral infections or who use steroid machines; and those who have cuts including surgical wounds from operations. People can get this condition while in a hospital after treatment. More about hospital negligence.
Necrotizing fasciitis is caused by several bacteria, but the most common cause is infection by a group A strep bacteria. Most often, the infections caused by these bacteria are mild, but in some cases they can damage the soft tissue below the skin, leading to a more dangerous, faster-spreading infection. Another type of this disease may be caused by multiple bacteria found in the intestine. Gunshot injuries, intestinal surgery, or tumors in the lower digestive tract are also cases where necrotizing fasciitis may develop. Necrotizing fasciitis caused by Group A strep can be passed from person to person, but is usually not serious unless that person has an open wound or an impaired immune system.
Symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Most often, a person may appear to be getting better from an injury and then suddenly gets worse. The skin may then become red, swollen, and hot to touch. This infection may spread rapidly and can quickly become life-threatening, leading to organ failure or death. Doctors can diagnose necrotizing fasciitis because of how fast the symptoms appear and how quickly the disease is spreading. Immediate medical care is necessary to stop the spread of the infection. Antibiotics are used to kill the bacteria and some people will require surgery. To help prevent infection, people should practice good hand washing habits and always keep open wounds clean.
Everyone has heard the story of the man that goes bar hopping and meets up with a new “friend.” The story continues that the man wakes up the next day in obvious pain and has surgical incisions where his kidney was removed when he was drugged. This type of horror story is becoming more and more real as theft of human organs becomes more publicized. The story of the man, whether fact or fiction, highlights an important point about the value of health human organs.
Recently, a lawsuit was filed over a missing organ (brain) which was taken without permission for medical studies. According to the lawsuit, neither the deceased husband or the widow ever consented to organ donation and the brain is still missing.
Organ trafficking was also recently exposed in a professional setting as well. A few years back several funeral homes were under investigation for harvesting body parts of the deceased that they were supposedly putting to rest.
Organ trafficking is one of the lowest forms of theft. Besides the obvious mutilation of the body, it involves doing damage to live person when they don’t have knowledge of it or from a deceased individual when the family is most upset and emotional. It is such an intentional and sick act that punitive damages should result. It remains to be seen if punitive damages will ever be awarded by the courts.
A rise in crashes on the railways is leading to public outcry for banning the use of cell phones and wireless devices by on duty rail engineers, conductors and brakemen. Recently, accidents in Texas and California have been linked to cell phone usage and/or texting. Any time a rail worker is not paying attention to the duty at hand(safe operation of the train) that operator is putting the public at risk. Please visit our site for more information about train accidents.
Some states have already banned the use of cell phones without the use of a headset while driving a vehicle. Some states are now considering banning of cell phones for all rail workers whether it be for texting or phone usage.
How far will the reach of the government extend with the use of cell phones?
Is the use of a cell phone while operating a vehicle negligent, if used properly and only for talking?
Most providers have headset devices that allow for cell phone usage without the need for holding the cell phone.
Clearly, the use of a cell phone for texting purposes or email purposes while driving or operating a piece of heavy equipment or a car would pose a serious risk to the operator and the public in general as the operator of the vehicle is not looking at the road or tracks in front of them, but is rather looking at the face of the cell phone.
Clearly something should be done to limit or restrict the usage of phones or PDA’s for email or texting while operating any vehicle. Cell phones, if used properly and with a headset, can be risk free if just used for talking on the phone. Most people that do a great deal of travel for their job would suffer if not permitted to use a headset device for talking on the phone while driving. Without proper precautions such as a headset, serious accidents and injuries can occur from the use of a cell phone while operating a vehicle. Please visit our website for more information on negligence and auto accidents.
The death of an Indiana real estate agent has left her loved ones questioning the care that she received. Her children repeatedly warned staff that their mother was allergic to certain pain medication and that a previous exposure to the medicine made her very ill. Despite the warnings from the family, a doctor prescribed morphine to the patient anyway.
The Post Tribune 8/17/08
There are numerous errors in the medical field that can cause serious injury or death. In a case where hospital employees disregard warnings about allergic reactions, the hospital can be found negligent through the actions of its employees. Nurses or other staff members can be guilty of medical malpractice as well. In addition to failure to properly medicate a patient, hospital staff can commit numerous other errors that can result in a medical malpractice claim against the hospital. Often, errors committed by the doctors treating their patients involve the hospital under an agency theory.
A recent study reveals that most Plaintiffs who pass up a settlement offer and go to trial received less of an award than they would have received had they taken the offer. The study further found that Defendants were wrong in 24% of their decisions to proceed to trial as contrasted to the Plaintiff’s being wrong 61% of the time. The study further found that in only 15% of the cases, both the Plaintiff and Defendant were right in that the award was less than the Plaintiff’s demand but more than the Defendant’s offer. Under some estimates, approximately 80% to 92% of cases settle. Many skeptics of the profession argue that there is motive to go to trial so that lawyers can collect fees for preparation and attending trial.
The Study will be published in the September issue of The Journal of Empirical Legal Studies. On average, the study found cost plaintiff’s $43,000.00. For defendant’s, the cost was much greater, a whopping $1.1 million. The study found that there must not be an understanding between the lawyer and client about the odds of winning at trial. This leads to one of two conclusions: 1. Lawyers are doing a poor job explaining the odds to their clients, 2. the Clients are not taking their Lawyers advice.
The study further found that some of the bad decisions made by Plaintiffs were associated contingency fees. The Study further found that the common errors by the defense were where there was a lack of coverage.
Law Students do not learn how to handicap trials in law school. Only hands on experience will allow a lawyer to develop this skill. This is a skill that can be learned only after numerous trials are actually tried and either won or lost.
