LAKE SUCCESS, NY, June 25, 2014

Annamarie Bondi-Stoddard, Managing Partner at the law firm of Pegalis & Erickson, LLC, has been elected as an officer of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA). Her role will be Parliamentarian for the 2014 – 2015 year. “I’m pleased to be joining this important organization that is a voice for the voiceless. It is a privilege to formally link with this group of dedicated attorneys to promote a safer and healthier society, assure access to the civil justice system for the wrongfully injured, and advance representation of the public by highly skilled lawyers.” One of NYSTLA’s most important pieces of work is to preserve and enhance New York’s civil justice system against legislative initiatives that would limit the rights of injured consumers.

Did you know medical malpractice is not required in all states, including New York? But even in states where medical malpractice insurance isn’t required under law, most hospitals and medical practices will require a doctor to obtain insurance before allowing the doctor to practice in their facilities. Most of the time, doctors provide attentive and effective medical care. However, there are few reckless doctors who do more harm than good. For this reason, it’s important that you only receive care from doctors with medical malpractice insurance.

This video tells the story of a young woman, who suffered permanent physical and emotional scars as a result of gynecological medical negligence. Though she filed a successful medical malpractice claim against a Maryland doctor, he didn’t have medical malpractice insurance, so she likely won’t receive anything. The next time you go to the doctor, even if you are not having procedures at a hospital, do not be hesitant to ask which hospitals they have privileges at.  And make sure that the doctor has privileges at the hospital you will be at because hospitals require doctors to be insured for medical malpractice.

We’ve been representing women in gynecological-related medical negligence cases in Long Island for 40 years. If you believe you have been the victim of medical malpractice, call Pegalis & Erickson at (516) 684-2900. 

Before 1906, there was almost no regulation of food and pharmaceuticals in the U.S. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was formed to protect American consumers from unsafe products and procedures with strict testing and regulations. Today, since new products are coming out all the time, and new studies reveal new information about existing products, the FDA issues health updates regularly. Paying attention to product updates may allow you to take control of your health and protect yourself from medical malpractice.   

Avoid Common Fibroid Removal Process Laparoscopic Power Morcellation

The FDA recently urged all surgeons to stop using laparoscopic power morcellation during certain gynecological surgeries. Evidence suggests that power morcellation can cause uterine cancer to spread, and may make hysterectomies and other procedures riskier than they need to be. If you are diagnosed with pervasive uterine cancer after a gynecological procedure involving power morcellation, you may have suffered medical negligence  

Effect of Drugs on the Liver

The liver is a crucial organ for filtering blood and ensuring that toxic substances don’t harm the body. According to the FDA, some drugs and dietary supplements  can cause liver problems. If your doctor fails to order regular blood tests after prescribing medications to be taken regularly, or during chemical medical treatments, and your liver suffers as a result, you may be the victim of medical malpractice. 

New Skin Cancer Treatments

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer there is, and the rate of diagnosis is increasing. Melanoma is the deadliest and most aggressive form of skin cancer, and the FDA has approved three new treatment methods in the past three years. If your doctor misdiagnosed your melanoma, or if you receive the wrong treatment, consider promptly having a medical malpractice attorney search for evidence of negligence.   

Pegalis & Erickson of Long Island, NY works hard to identify cases of medical malpractice and holds negligent medical professionals accountable. If you suspect that a recent procedure or treatment has done more harm than good, call our Long Island medical malpractice firm at (516) 684-2900. 

A tort is defined as a civil wrong that causes harm to an individual or group. For example, medical negligence is considered a tort. If a medical professional’s negligence causes you to suffer unnecessary harm, you can sue that medical professional under current tort law and be financially compensated.. However, some legislators are calling for tort reform, which could drastically reduce the compensation awards for victims of medical malpractice.   

Justification for Tort Reform

There are some who believe that there are too many frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits. These individuals say that excessive lawsuits are forcing hospitals and medical professionals to spend a lot on medical malpractice insurance and not enough on care.

Proposed Reforms

After winning a medical malpractice case, the plaintiff may receive compensation for economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, etc.) and non-economic damages (pain and suffering). Detractors of existing tort laws say that medical malpractice plaintiffs are awarded too much compensation for damages, and propose placing a “cap” on compensation awards. Some tort reform proponents also wish to make it more difficult to file claims.

Effect on Consumers

Critics of tort law claim that the system is broken; however, their arguments are often based on misinterpreted data.  For instance the cost of medical negligence cases is a mere 2% of health care costs in general. Additionally, a fraction of medical malpractice situations ever result in lawsuits. This is because people don’t know that what happened to them was avoidable!

Putting a cap on compensation awards will only help corporations and hospitals save money at the expense of people who have suffered avoidable injuries. If a hospital’s negligence causes a patient to endure unnecessary suffering, the hospital should be held accountable for the injuries caused  and the patient should receive fair compensation. If there’s a compensation cap in place, victims of medical errors may not receive what is rightfully theirs=the money to obtain necessary services to live day-to-day..

If you have questions about tort reform and medical malpractice, call Pegalis & Erickson at (516) 684-2900. If you believe that you or someone you love has been the victim of medical malpractice, our Long Island legal team will review for situation at no fee to determine if you have you’re a case.

If you suffer harm as a result of your doctor’s negligence or inaction, you may have a valid medical malpractice claim. However, medical malpractice claims are notoriously difficult to win, and are best filed promptly with the help of a skilled medical malpractice attorney.

Perhaps the biggest challenge is determining whether a negative result was caused by medical negligence, or whether it was the consequence of an inherently risky procedure. For example, a doctor may be considered negligent if he misreads test results that any other doctor would be able to interpret correctly. On the other hand, a failed surgery may not be considered medical malpractice if the surgery had a high risk of failure to begin with. A medical malpractice claim can be especially difficult if a medical professional or institution intentionally hides mistakes.

Hiring a skilled medical malpractice attorney can drastically improve your chances of filing a successful claim. If you live on Long Island, call Pegalis & Erickson at (516) 684-2900 to get started on your medical malpractice case.  

Congratulations to our very own Linda M. Oliva, Esq. who was just appointed Vice President of Programs of the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association!!! We are so proud of your accomplishments! 

Read the full press release here: http://www.pegalisanderickson.com/pdf/2014-final-NCWBA-LOliva.pdf

“The mission of the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association is to promote the advancement of the status of women in society and of women in the legal profession; to promote the fair and equal administration of justice; and to act as a unified voice for its members with respect to issues of statewide, national, and international significance to women generally and to women attorneys in particular.” -Nassau County Women’s Bar Association