The effects of medical malpractice can range from mild to severe. In the case of birth injuries, the result is often devastating. Children with birth injuries often suffer from permanent disabilities, preventing them from leading a normal childhood and enjoying a productive adulthood. Caring for a child with birth injuries can also take its toll on the entire family, causing financial problems and relationship strain. If your child has suffered birth injuries, a medical malpractice lawyer can help you obtain compensation from negligent doctors to help with the costs of medical care and other damages.

Erb’s Palsy
Erb’s palsy is also frequently referred to as a brachial plexus injury. The brachial plexus is a group of nerves in the neck area. These nerves are responsible for enabling the shoulder, arm, hand, and fingers to move and to have sensation. During a difficult delivery, the infant’s head and neck may be pulled or thrusted, which can lead to damage to these nerves. This causes temporary or permanent paralysis .

Clavicle Fractures
Clavicle fractures are among the most common types of birth injuries. They typically arise from birth trauma or a difficult delivery. For example, sometimes the newborn’s shoulder becomes stuck. Although in many cases, clavicle fractures in newborns heal very quickly, they can sometimes lead to complications. Since the brachial plexus is quite close to the collarbone, the child can suffer from damage to this important cluster of nerves. The resultant paralysis may be temporary or permanent.

Femur Fractures
Femur fractures aren’t quite as common as clavicle fractures. An infant’s thigh bone may break if the leg is twisted improperly during the delivery. This causes pain, particularly when the child is being changed or otherwise moved. Often these fractures heal but sometimes there can be serious complications resulting in permanent injury to the leg.

At Pegalis & Erickson, our medical malpractice team aggressively pursues the rights of families who have been affected by birth injuries. All case reviews are free of charge,. If medical negligence is identified in Long Island, New York, we can then file a medical malpractice lawsuit on your behalf to seek damages for all injuries that were a result of medical errors. If your child has been diagnosed with birth injuries, call us at (516) 684-2900.

It’s all too easy to think that medical malpractice will never happen to you. Unfortunately, physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals aren’t infallible and medical errors such as birth injuries and medication errors occur every day. You may be startled to discover, that according to the Institute of Medicine, over 1.5 million people a year are injured as a result of medical errors. Even if you’re unsure of whether you could be a victim of negligence, you can contact a medical malpractice lawyer for a review of your case.

Compensation
In a medical malpractice lawsuit, the injured patient can seek ompensation for losses such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The vast majority of medical malpractice cases are settled out of court. This means that the defenfense counsel and the counsel for the patient negotiate a settlement for a sum of money without the need for a trial. Only a small percentage of cases are resolved with a jury verdict.

Allegations
A review of the allegations listed in medical malpractice cases reflects that most of them involve diagnosis errors, such as misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose. In fact, of the top five allegations, diagnosis problems accounted for 33 percent of them. The second runner-up was surgical errors, which was named in 23 percent of the cases, with treatment problems being listed third at 18 percent. Medication errors and problems related to anesthesia are also entirely too prevalent. Some examples of complications from anesthesia errors include oxygen deprivation, brain damage, cardiopulmonary arrest, and even death.

At Pegalis & Erickson, a malpractice law firm in Long Island, New York, you’re never treated like just another statistic. Our medical malpractice lawyers provide personalized attention, and will carefully listen to your concerns and thoroughly answer all of your questions. Call (516) 684-2900 today for your free consultation.

Before just recently, if you were medically injured while on a cruise, you could not bring a medical malpractice lawsuit against the cruise line. But, just last week the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals maintained an avenue for medical malpractice lawsuits against cruise ships. Martime law previously indicated that cruise ship passengers could not expect the same level of medical care on a ship as on land. The recent l aw suit filed by the family of a man who died from a injury sustained on a cruise ship, has changed that for now, yet the cruise industry could still appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

If you have been personally injured, consider contacting Pegalis and Erickson for a free consultation.

With some types of medical advice, it’s best to seek out a second opinion. For instance, if your regular doctor suggests that you undergo a serious operation, it’s a good idea to get another doctor’s point of view. After all, an operation is a significant undertaking with no shortage of risk, and you wouldn’t want to follow a recommendation based on a misdiagnosis—an all-too-common form of medical malpractice.

When You Should Get a Second Opinion When you speak with your doctor, it’s important to take a proactive role in decisions that can impact our future health. For example, if your physician suggests a serious operation, you should consider getting another opinion. Operations are significant undertakings with risk. You wouldn’t want to follow recommendations based on misdiagnosis, which is sadly an all-too-common medical mistake. If your MD recommends surgery for a condition that isn’t life threatening, you should explore your range of options. Before you agree to treatment, ask more questions, share your concerns, and consider getting a second opinion.

What to Discuss With a Second Doctor
In advance of your appointment, have your medical records sent to the second doctor, or bring them with you, which can spare you from being re-tested. Go with questions. Try to bring someone with you as a second set of ears and who can also take notes. If the second doctor has a different opinion, discuss that with your main doctor, and perhaps seek input of a third medical professional. professional.

If you or someone you love has suffered complications due to an ill-advised medical procedure, call the medical malpractice law firm of Pegalis & Erickson at (516) 684-2900. We’ve been rated Best Lawyers by U.S. News and World Report and work with clients throughout Long Island involving cancer misdiagnosis, neurosurgical related injuries, hospital liability, birth injuries, infectious disease, and other forms of medical malpractice.

There is nothing more painful for a parent than an infant injured or killed during childbirth. Unfortunately, the wrongful actions of physicians and other medical professionals are too often the cause of these injuries. Here are some of the most frequent ways that medical malpractice can cause a birth injury:

Failure to Anticipate Complications
Modern diagnostics equipment like ultrasounds have made it possible for hospitals to dramatically reduce birth injuries over the past century. Nevertheless, the failure of medical professionals to use this equipment properly still leads to a great number of injuries. Potential complications that should be detected ahead of time include Cephalopelvic Disproportion and pre-natal infants that are abnormally small or large. The failure to anticipate these complications can often result in medical malpractice lawsuits.

Failure to Respond to Complications
While many complications can be anticipated, many more develop unexpectedly during childbirth. In these situations, a medical professional needs to respond quickly and decisively. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. When a physician or medical professional fails to respond to complications like bleeding, umbilical cord entrapment, and heartbeat irregularities, birth injuries can result. Another common source of injury is the failure of a physician to order a cesarean section when it is medically necessary to do so.

Misuse of Medication and Equipment
Today’s medical professionals rely on a range of equipment and medications to assist and ease childbirth. The misuse of these tools is one of the most common causes of birth injuries. The misuse of a forceps or vacuum extractor can lead to many complications, as can the improper use of Pitocin, a synthetic hormone used to induce labor.

If your infant has suffered injury or death due to the wrongful actions of medical professionals, Pegalis & Erickson can help you defend your right to fair compensation. Call us today at (516) 684-2900 and schedule a consultation with an experienced medical malpractice attorney.

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Erb’s palsy is a form of paralysis centered in the brachial plexus, a nerve stream between the neck and shoulders that powers movement through the arms and hands. Named after German neurologist Wilhelm Erb (1840-1921)—one of the first medical professionals to diagnose the condition—Erb’s palsy affects between one and two baby births per 1,000 due to medical malpractice during delivery.

The Cause of Erb’s Palsy
Erb’s palsy is caused during complicated or poorly handled childbirths. When a newborn’s head emerges from its mother’s birth canal, a brachial plexus stretch can occur if the baby’s head is pulled with excessive force by the doctor. While it may take years for the permanent effects of this stretch injury to become fully apparent, it is nonetheless a grievous form of medical malpractice resulting in the inability to have full use of the arm and hand.

Physical Treatment
If the effects of a brachial plexus stretch are readily apparent, daily range-of-motion exercises can begin within three weeks of a baby’s birth. With the help of a physical therapist, the joint-stiffening effects of Erb’s palsy can be countered with regular, supervised movements of the elbow, hand, shoulder, and wrist.

Nerve Treatment
If a child’s movements don’t improve after six months of physical therapy, there’s also the option of surgical treatment. Depending on the locality of the injured nerve, it might be possible to transfer a nerve from another muscle in the body. Performed with microsurgery, nerve treatments can help restore partial function in small infants, but aren’t known to work on older children.

If your child has a physical problem that you suspect was caused by medical malpractice in the delivery room, contact Pegalis & Erickson at (516) 684-2900. Serving clients throughout Long Island, we take on medical malpractice cases stemming from cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, birth injuries, cancer misdiagnosis, infectious disease, neurosurgical related injuries, and hospital liability.

It’s a little-known fact that 10 times as many women die of heart disease as breast cancer. One of the more common forms of medical malpractice is the misdiagnosis of women with heart disease, which is generally perceived by the medical establishment as a man’s disease. Doctors will sometimes discount the possibility of heart disease in female patients, even when the warning signs—sweating, pain from exercise, elevated cholesterol, nausea—are on display. In the video, two women who’ve survived heart attacks discuss the misdiagnoses they were given by their doctors.

If you have suffered due to medical malpractice, the law firm of Pegalis & Erickson can help. We’ve handled cases across Long Island that involve misdiagnosis, hospital liability, infectious disease, and more. To learn more about our firm, call (516) 684-2900.

If you or a loved one is in the hospital, you may think that your primary concern is the medical condition itself. In fact, your loved one could be at risk of suffering further medical injuries due to falls. Falls can cause debilitating injuries that may involve permanent complications. If your loved one has suffered a fall as an inpatient, you can explore your legal rights and options by speaking with a medical malpractice attorney.

Identifying At-Risk Populations
Some people may be at a higher risk of suffering from a fall while hospitalized. This can be due to reduced mobility, poor reaction time, and impaired eyesight that renders people particularly vulnerable to suffering a fall. Individuals who are on certain medications, such as narcotic pain relievers, are also susceptible to falling. Patients who have undergone certain surgeries, such as joint replacement surgery, have reduced mobility. These patients and any others who require an assistive device for walking are at an increased risk of falls, as are any patients with muscle weakness.

Understanding Hospital Negligence
A medical malpractice attorney can review the case to determine who might be held liable for injuries sustained in a fall during hospitalization. For example, a physician might be held liable if he or she failed to order the use of side rails on the hospital bed, despite the patient being at risk of a fall. The nursing staff may be held liable for failing to raise the rails, despite written notes indicating their use. The hospital itself may also be named as a defendant in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

If you or a loved one has suffered medical injuries as an inpatient, you do have legal recourse available to you. Contact Pegalis & Erickson, a medical malpractice law firm in Long Island, at (516) 684-2900 for more information. Our medical malpractice lawyers handle cases involving hospital liability, birth injuries, surgical errors, cancer misdiagnosis, and others.

Looking after your health is important for living a long and happy life, which is why it’s essential to take good care of yourself no matter how old you are. Women have unique medical needs, and should not ignore their gynecological health even if everything seems to be normal. Your doctor should give you a Pap test on a routine basis to check for signs of cervical cancer and any other abnormalities. A gynecologist can also screen you for ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, and breast cancer, which all have the potential to be fatal. If you have sustained medical injuries or you suspect medical malpractice in relation to your gynecological health, you need a Long Island medical malpractice attorney to represent your rights. Explore this infographic to learn more about gynecological health, and to learn the truth about common myths surrounding women’s health. Please share with your friends and family.