According to a recently released study, 80,000 to 160,000 patients are harmed or killed by misdiagnosis by healthcare professionals every year, making such type of errors the leading cause of medical malpractice in the United States.
The study was reported by BMJ Quality &Safety, a trade magazine for healthcare managers and clinicians, and conducted by John Hopkins University. Researchers reviewed over 350,000 paid medical malpractice claims. Of those, 28.6 percent were attributed to ...
There are times when too much technology can be counter-productive. Case in point: a new study that shows an abundance of medical monitoring devices - or more specifically their alarms - can lead to fatal medical errors.
The daily, ongoing beeping of alarms of medical devices, including ventilators, EEG machines and blood pressure monitors, tend to become white noise and medical professionals may ignore them, putting patients at risk. The Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit ...
Further proof just how dangerous unsafe trucking companies and truck drivers can be, in March the federal government shut down not one but three trucking operations in a two-week span for careless practices.
In July 2012, Congress passed the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Among its provisions, the new law allows the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to force negligent trucking companies to cease operations. Last month, the FMCSA flexed its new muscles.
Our firm is one of the many that has added the Apple iPad to its lawyers' set of
tools. The iPad has invaded litigation to become a common sight in client interviews, meetings, depositions, motion hearings, and trials.
Like many litigators with state and nationwide practices, lawyers spend quite a bit of time away from the office. Attorneys may travel to other states for expert witness depositions or even hundreds of miles within the state for witness depositions or court appearances.
The iPad is particularly useful in trial ...
Distracted driving is an epidemic on America's roadways. In 2011, 3,331 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver. An additional 387,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver.
Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include:
- Texting
- Using a cell phone or smartphone
- Eating and ...
Since they were mandated in new automobiles beginning in 1989, air bags have undoubtedly saved lives and prevented numerous accidents. But a recent rash of defective air bags incidents is cause for concern for driver and passenger safety.
Since 2011, air bag problems were responsible for the recall of 7.75 million vehicles. This year alone, 1.5 million vehicles have been recalled for possible defective air bags. Honda and Toyota have issued 22 recalls in 2013, covering 18 different models, over this ...
A drug-resistant "superbug" is quickly spreading across the United States, alarming medical professionals and endangering patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities.
Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is a class of bacteria that is immune to even today's strongest antibiotics. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly half of all individuals who develop a bloodstream infection from CRE die. And the CDC reports that CRE has been found in medical ...
Each year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation, publishes a comprehensive review of motor vehicle crashes that occurred throughout the nation. Called the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), the report typically lags about a year behind. For example, the most recent FARS, published in December 2012, covers the year 2011. The 2012 FARS is expected to be finalized in the fall of this year.
The good news is that, in 2011 ...
Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the disease shortens the average life expectancy by 13 years. The average person diagnosed with mesothelioma can expect to live just one year following the diagnosis. Each year, 2,500 to 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Asbestos is a mineral. Its fibers are resistant to heat and, therefore, were used in insulation products, as well as brakes, shingles and other ...
A recent tour bus crash in California that so far has claimed eight lives is a disastrous example of what can go tragically wrong when many potential commercial vehicle dangers come into play.
While the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the fatal accident, several facts have been documented in media reports. On the night of February 3, a bus carrying 38 people was traveling down a Southern California mountain two-lane road after a ski outing. The bus lost control, hit an automobile ...
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