In June of 2008 a former professional football player died at a Pennsylvania Hospital.  The family has filed a lawsuit claiming that the hospital and its doctors were negligent and the Plainitff died as a result.  Allegedly, the Plainitff had back surgery a few days before he was rushed to the same hopsital where he had the back surgery.  The lawsuit alleges that the plaintiff was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism and died a few weeks later.  The lawsuit claims that the doctors and the hospital missed nuumerous opportunities to save the life of the Plainitff.  For more information on wrongful death cases please click here.  

A jury in Illinois recently awarded a woman $ 5 million because a physician performed an unnecessary hysterectomy. Apparently the Plaintiff did not need the procedure at all but the doctor performed it anyway. Clearly this was a breach of the standard of care required of a physician. The Hippocatic oath requires a doctor first to "do no harm". In this case, that is exactly what the doctor did. Now the woman cannot bear children and will have permanent hormonal changes, all because a doctor failed to do what he was supposed to do. If you or a loved one has been the victim of what you believe to be medical malpractice, please call one of our lawyers for a free consultation today. http://www.foranlaw.com/resources/maryland-medical-malpractice-lawyer/maryland-medical-malpractice-lawyer.html

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

The heartburn drug known as Reglan allegedly has possible side effects that should be disclosed is strong warnings according to recommendations of the FDA. It is alleged that the drug can cause tics and uncontrollable muscle spasms even after the consumer stops taking the drug. Estimates suggest that more than 2 million people take the drug nationwide.

A recent lawsuit in Pennsylvania alleges that a hospital intentionally euthanized a brain injury patient in order to harvest organs for transplant purposes. The allegations suggest that a breathing tube was removed without authorization.

Recently, the estate of a dental patient sued his oral surgeon and obtained a verdict of 11 million dollars as a result of the suffocation death resulting from removal of wisdom teeth. This award was apparently the largest in New Jersey state history for dental malpractice. The decedent was 21 years old.

The Supreme Court recently provided an opinion that effectively insulated medical device makers from lawsuits. Democratic lawmakers have reintroduced legislation to overturn that decision by the Supreme Court. The proposed legislation is known as the Medical Device Safety Act. Opponents claim the bill will stifle innovation within the industry. Proponents suggest that there should be no immunity for negligence in the design or manufacture of medical devices as holding companies accountable for dangerous products is the main way to assure a higher degree of safety for such products.

The California Medical Center has been sued by a person who alleges that his heart was permanently damaged as a result of a broken catheter being left in his heart during an operation. The hospital is alleged to then have tried to cover up its mistake. The man was allegedly not told about the catheter until 2008 even though it was allegedly visible in 2006 by x-rays and scans. Unfortunately, the first surgical attempt to remove the broken catheter was unsuccessful. Fortunately, the second surgical attempt was successful. However, during the second attempt (open heart surgery) a heart valve was damaged and had to be replaced with a pig's valve. Arguably, a pig's valve only has a limited time that it will function properly and may need to be re-done many years later. If you or a loved one has been injured by the negligence of hospital based physicians, physicians with privileges at a hospital or by hospital staff, please contact one of our medical malpractice lawyers for a free consultation. 

KV Pharmaceutical recently announced it was recalling most of its products because of concerns raised by federal regulators. This recall follows an earlier recall because of concerns about painkillers and attention deficit disorder medications that were capable of delivering dangerously high dosages. Quality control at the company has become the focus of the investigation by regulators.