Brachial plexus injuries are one of the most common types of birth injuries in the United States. This video explains how and why brachial plexus injuries occur.

If a child’s shoulders become wedged during birth, the attending physician may pull the head to loosen the baby. This type of trauma can tear and sever neck nerves, causing paralysis. Pulling should not be done, rather, there are certain maneuvers the doctor and medical personnel should use to dislodge the baby’s shoulders so as to avoid permanent nerve damage.

Have birth injuries forever changed your child’s life? Then call Pegalis & Erickson at (516) 684-2900. Our Long Island practice can help you proceed with a medical malpractice case.

Medical mistakes and medical injuries happen more frequently than you may realize. Though the majority of procedures successfully treat patients, some cause people greater harm. Medical injuries are a major concern within the healthcare industry, which is why many changes have been implemented to reduce their occurrence and increase care quality. The following medical mistakes have forced the medical community to take notice and make improvements for the health and wellbeing of future patients:

Forgotten Instruments
Even simple surgical procedures require the use of many instruments, sponges, and needles. These tools are necessary to perform the surgery. However, those in the operating room can quickly lose track of the instruments used during surgery. In some cases, the patient’s incision may be stitched close with one or more tools still inside the body. An instance in which a sponge was forgotten during a routine appendectomy led to improved methods for counting surgical tools, including using bar codes and x-ray visible threads.

Anesthesia Errors
Years ago, a straightforward hysterectomy procedure instead turned into an anesthesia-caused fatality. After the patient was intubated through the esophagus instead of her trachea, the medical community implemented several changes to prevent similar accidents. Additionally, with the introduction of electronic monitoring systems, attending anesthesiologists can now regulate a patient’s carbon dioxide levels to avoid unexpected surgical complications.

Wrong Limb Surgeries
All it takes is one mislabeled x-ray or incorrectly draped cloth to cause a medical injury. Miscommunication is the common culprit behind surgeons operating on the wrong arm, leg, or other body part. Unfortunately, it’s the patient who suffers for the rest of their life due to this oversight. In one case, a medical error cost the patient a functional leg. To prevent these medical injuries, surgeons must now mark the site that is to be operated on with the consent of the patient.

If you are the victim of a medical error, call Pegalis & Erickson at (516) 684-2900 for a consultation. Our team of medical malpractice lawyers provides high quality assistance to Long Island residents suffering from medical injuries. Let us help you claim your owed financial compensation.

Anesthesia is a fundamental part of the surgical process, which is why it must be administered correctly. Far too often, however, medical injuries occur from mismanaged anesthesia usage. In some cases, patients receive the wrong dose of anesthesia. Other times, an anesthesiologist doesn’t properly examine the patient’s vitals before giving them anesthesia, or, during surgery itself, the anesthesia is improperly administered because of a miscommunication amongst the medical team. Regardless of these circumstances, anesthesia errors are a form of medical malpractice. Medical injuries from anesthesia errors can range from allergic reactions to death. If you or a loved one has suffered as the result of anesthesia misusage, consult a medical malpractice attorney about your legal options.

Pegalis & Erickson can provide capable legal guidance for clients pursuing medical malpractice claims. Our Long Island practice can help you obtain the compensation you deserve for your medical injuries. Call (516) 684-2900 or visit our website for more information.

When you or someone you love suffers life-changing injuries as a result of medical negligence, you may be stuck wondering what your options are. Carelessness in the medical setting can lead to birth injuries, brain damage, and much more; a medical malpractice suit offers you a way to hold the negligent doctor, hospital, or surgeon responsible for your injuries. A Long Island medical malpractice attorney created this infographic to explain the surprising reach of medical malpractice in the US and which doctors are most prone to malpractice cases. Everyone deserves to know their rights when seeking medical care, so please share this information with as many people as you can.

If a loved one is hurt, a local hospital may be the only option for speedy medical care. This may be a troubling proposition for New York City residents, whose closest hospital may be municipally-run and failing patient care standards. While city hospitals help millions of New Yorkers every year, these medical institutions are also notorious for their numerous cases of malpractice. Below is an update on malpractice lawsuits in NYC:

Unsafe Hospitals
Medical professionals in this city’s over-filled hospitals are often trying to help as many patients as possible while running on too little sleep and high levels of stress. These situations often lead to lapses in judgment and general errors. While surveying NYC hospitals in 2012, Consumer Reports looked at hospital-acquired infections, staff-patient communication, rates of readmission, and discharge numbers to see how these medical providers stacked up against other parts of the country. Unfortunately, New York hospitals ranked as some of the worst.

Options for Holding the City Accountable
When faced with the slow pace of bureaucracy and ineffective hospital management, a medical malpractice lawsuit is one of the most effective ways to hold the city accountable for failing hospitals. The legal standard for filing a claim involves proving that a medical professional directly caused injuries or unnecessary suffering to oneself or a loved one. This proof should show a deviation from the reasonable standard of care that other patients may expect in a similar situation.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries or complications as a result of medical malpractice or carelessness at an NYC hospital, you may have a legal claim against the city for the compensation of past and future medical expenses.  Pegalis & Erickson is a local law firm with a proven track record of winning sizable settlements from the city. Call (516) 684-2900 to schedule a consultation with a member of our staff.

The birth of a child is meant to be one of life’s most joyous occasions. For some parents, however, this momentous event becomes a crushing tragedy. Each year, countless newborns experience birth injuries as the result of physician mistakes. A single wrong move or late reaction from a medical provider can cause irreversible harm to a newborn child. The following scenarios constitute some of the most common mistakes physicians make during delivery.

Pulling on the Newborn’s Head
When a baby is big or a mother’s birth canal is small, it can result in a particularly arduous labor. Once the baby’s head has exited the birth canal, the attending physician may find that her shoulders are lodged in place, making it difficult to remove the baby from the womb. In a panic, the doctor may try to pull or twist the baby’s head to release the shoulders. These actions can cause severe damage to the nerves in the neck, which may result in paralysis.

Delay in Addressing Fetal Distress
A baby can experience stress for any number of reasons during labor. Physicians have monitoring systems to track the child’s heart rate, which indicates whether the infant is tolerating the labor process. If the heart rate suddenly drops, time is of the essence. If there’s a lack of oxygen, the baby can suffer irrevocable brain damage in just minutes. A doctor who does not immediately attend to fetal stress or can cause the baby to sustain significant birth injuries.

Improper Handling of Umbilical Cord Trauma
The umbilical cord can easily become entangled around the baby’s head or neck. If it does, it’s the physician’s responsibility to respond appropriately. As with fetal distress, a tangled umbilical cord can cut off the child’s oxygen supply, which can then lead to brain damage and cerebral palsy.

Don’t let a doctor’s delivery mistake cost your child more than she has already lost. Pegalis & Erickson can help ensure that your medical malpractice claim results in the financial compensation you deserve. To speak with a medical malpractice attorney, call our Long Island office at (516) 684-2900.