Some would say Jahi McMath is dead; her family insists that she’s alive. And now McMath’s family is taking their case to federal court to have her death certificate overturned. At issue is the question of whether brain death equals final death. McMath’s family doesn’t believe so. The McMath’s are Christians who believe that life endures as long as the…
Lawrence Schlachter was a brain surgeon until a hand injury sent him on a new path: medical malpractice lawyer. His book, “Malpractice”, provides an insider’s account of how the culture of medicine is failing patients by encouraging doctors to circle the wagons and protect each other in the face of medical error. He argues that patients are the ones who…
A recent report published by Medscape describes the results of a poll of more than 4,000 physicians about their experiences being sued for medical malpractice. The poll showed that Ob/Gyn doctors are more likely than any other type of physician to be sued (85 percent), followed by general surgeons (83 percent) and orthopedists (79 percent). According to the report, the most…
ProPublica, a non-profit news organization focusing on stories in the public interest, has published the results of a patient harm questionnaire. The questionnaire includes stories from 1,000 people from all 50 states, revealing details of harm they suffered as a result of medical negligence in the U.S. The questionnaire revealed patterns in the experiences of patients who had been injured…
When a baby fails to receive adequate oxygen during (or even before) the birthing process, this is known as hypoxia, and it can have devastating and permanent health effects, including brain damage and cerebral palsy. There are a number of conditions and situations that can lead to hypoxia, including infection, shoulder dystocia (when the baby’s shoulder gets stuck during birth,…
A growing body of evidence is pointing to the possibility that antidepressant use in pregnant women may be linked to conditions like autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The drugs may also be linked to premature birth, heart defects, clubfoot and pulmonary hypertension, according to an article in the New York Times. Many physicians have historically been of the…
The time immediately after surgery is often the most critical time to be on the lookout for complications. Many doctors and hospitals meet the standard of care to properly monitor patients in this important post-operative period. A big part of that standard of care is to listen to patients when they complain of symptoms they are experiencing after an operation…
A man who recently underwent surgery has claimed that two doctors made errors that resulted in his permanent disability. The medical malpractice claim was filed in a state outside Ohio. The two doctors are surgeons who performed a hernia operation on the man. During the laparoscopic surgery, the surgeons are said to have drained a cyst, which they then failed…
The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is pleased to announce that Attorney Howard Evan Skolnick of Cleveland, Ohio has been certified as a life member of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is recognized as one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States. Membership is…