What to Expect from a Legal Case Review

If you believe that you have been affected by medical malpractice, your first step should be to contact a lawyer so that your case can be reviewed. When you meet with your lawyer, you’ll need to provide them with all of the information they need to evaluate the merits of your legal claim. Bring medical records and any other pertinent information that you have about your case. Be ready to answer questions honestly and directly. If you don’t remember something exactly or are fuzzy on the details, you can be up-front about that. The more forthcoming you are, the more useful your case review will be.

If you are concerned about a misdiagnosis or possible medical error, contact the law firm of Pegalis & Erickson LLC in New York. For 45 years, we have advocated for people of all ages, in order to help our clients financially and make healthcare safer for everyone. You can reach us today by calling (516) 684-2900.

Attorney Advertising

The Importance of Health Diaries for Proactive Patients

As a patient, it’s essential for you to be as proactive as possible when it comes to your health. After all, you will be able to monitor your own health better than anybody else will. One of the most important actions you can take is to keep a regular health diary. These are some of the benefits of keeping up with your health diary:

It will provide you with a guide to your symptoms.
Regardless of what type of health issue you are dealing with, having a health diary will allow you to keep track of your symptoms. When you have a health diary, you can make a note of when you experienced your symptoms, how long they lasted, and how severe they were. As you track these changes over time, it can help you get a better perspective on your health. It can help your doctor with a proper diagnosis and plan of care.

It will help you have meaningful discussions with your physician.
When many patients visit their healthcare providers, they have trouble being specific in terms of the symptoms they have experienced. Keeping a regular health diary allows you to access that information whenever you need to so that you can get better and more appropriate care from your physician.

It will provide you with a record of your health issues.
Most importantly, a health diary provides you with an ongoing record of the status of your health. It can provide valuable information to your loved ones should you be in need of care and treatment, and unable to communicate on your own.

If you are concerned about a misdiagnosis or possible medical error, contact the law firm of Pegalis & Erickson LLC in New York. For 46 years, we have advocated for people of all ages, in order to help our clients financially and make healthcare safer for everyone. You can reach us today by calling (516) 684-2900.

Attorney Advertising

Understanding Lawsuit Time Limits

If you have been harmed by substandard care that was provided to you by a medical professional, you may be wondering how long you have to file a lawsuit. The statute of limitations for medical malpractice cases differs from state to state. In the state of New York, generally, a medical malpractice claim must be filed within two and a half years from the time that the negligent action took place.  However, there are many variables as to what the actual time limit is based on the types of health care providers. It is often confusing for the layperson. To be safe, speak with an experienced medical malpractice attorney as soon as you suspect medical negligence may have occurred.

If you are concerned about a misdiagnosis or possible medical error, contact the law firm of Pegalis & Erickson LLC in New York. For 46 years, we have advocated for people of all ages, in order to help our clients financially and make healthcare safer for everyone. You can reach us today by calling (516) 684-2900.

Attorney Advertising

Spotlight on Medication Errors

It would be hard to overstate the importance of avoiding medication errors. If a patient does not take the proper dosage of a medication or is given the wrong prescription, it can have serious consequences for his or her health and possibly their life. It’s always a good time to check that you know all of the important information you should about any medications you are taking. Here’s how you can help prevent medication errors:

Get instructions from your physician.
It’s important to get thorough instructions from your physician or your pharmacist on how to take your medication. You should know what dosage you should be taking, when to take it, and how many days you should be taking it for. If anything is unclear to you, be sure to ask for clarification.

Ask about drug interactions.
Your physician should be made aware of any other medications you are taking, so that you will not be prescribed a drug that may have a dangerous interaction. Make sure that you also know about any possible side effects the medication may have, and whether it interacts negatively with any foods, such as juices or alcohol.

Make sure you know the medication name.
Confusing one medication with another is a common mistake, and it can be an extremely serious one. Many medications have names that sound similar, so it’s important to make sure that you know both the generic name and the brand name of the medication you are taking.

If you are concerned about a misdiagnosis or possible medical error, contact the law firm of Pegalis & Erickson LLC in New York. For 46 years, we have advocated for people of all ages, in order to help our clients financially and make healthcare safer for everyone. You can reach us today by calling (516) 684-2900.

Attorney Advertising

Knowing the Symptoms of Diabetes

If you have diabetes, it’s important that you are made aware of it as soon as possible so that you can take steps to protect your health. Diabetes has a number of warning signs that you should be alert to, including increased hunger and thirst, a constantly dry mouth, and an unusually persistent need to urinate. Other common symptoms of diabetes include chronic fatigue, sudden weight loss, and severe headaches. You may also experience blurred vision. If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms, you should talk to your physician as soon as possible.

If you are concerned about a misdiagnosis or possible medical error, contact the law firm of Pegalis & Erickson LLC in New York. For 45 years, we have advocated for people of all ages, in order to help our clients financially and make healthcare safer for everyone. You can reach us today by calling (516) 684-2900.

Attorney Advertising

Trial Verdict Obtained for Heart Patient in Nassau County

Lake Success, NY, October 31, 2018 …Plaintiffs’ attorneys Pegalis and Erickson, LLC won a $815,000 verdict for our sixty-four year old client in Nassau County Supreme Court this week.

Our client sustained a heart attack because his doctor improperly placed a heart stent. “Today, avoidable medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and those errors also inflict untold misery for their victims.  All healthcare consumers should remain proactive of their care, and also be aware that they and their loved ones have recourse,” said trial attorney for the case, Robert V. Fallarino, Esq.   “It is humbling each and every time we can obtain justice for an injured patient,” he said.

The case index is 601010/14. The trial was heard in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Nassau.  The plaintiffs were Kenneth Prechtl and Maria Prechtl. The defendants were Ralph Caselnova, MD, and the Amityville Heart Group.

About Us:

Pegalis & Erickson, LLC is a New York law firm for those suffering as a result of avoidable medical errors and personal injury. In 46 years of practice, we have won some of the largest verdicts in New York State history and strive for medical accountability to ensure safer medical practices for better patient care. Visit us at www.pegalisanderickson.com and on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. To discuss your medical/legal situation at no cost, call our attorneys directly at 516-684-2900.

How To Talk to Your Doctor About Pain

Pain can be difficult to describe. If you are suffering from pain, whether it is chronic or periodic, it’s important to be able to talk to your doctor about it effectively. Explain where the pain is felt in your body, how frequent it is, and how severe it is on a scale of 1-10. If you feel any specific sensations such as tingling, numbness, burning, or aching, be sure to talk about that. You should also mention if the pain is interfering with your life in any way, such as making it difficult for you to engage in your normal daily activities. Finally, tell your doctor if you have tried any pain relief methods, such as over-the-counter medications. The more information you provide your doctor with, the more likely it is that he or she will be able to help you.

If you are concerned about a misdiagnosis or possible medical error, contact the law firm of Pegalis & Erickson, LLC in New York. For 46 years, we have advocated for people of all ages, in order to help our clients financially and make healthcare safer for everyone. You can reach us today by calling (516) 684-2900.

Attorney Advertising

Pegalis & Erickson, LLC Attorneys Named to 2018 Super Lawyers® List, Among Top 5% of All New York Attorneys

New Hyde Park, October 25, 2018…. Five attorneys from the New York plaintiffs’ medical negligence law firm, Pegalis & Erickson, LLC, have again been named to the competitive New York Metro Super Lawyers® list for 2018. Less than five percent of lawyers in New York are selected to receive this honor.

A selection by Super Lawyers® is a testament to the skill and accomplishments of the nation’s top lawyers. The rating service reviews lawyers on professional achievement, peer recognition, experience, honors/awards, special licenses/certifications, scholarly writings/lectures, and more.

For the eleventh year in a row, Senior Partners Steven E. Pegalis, Stephen E. Erickson, and Managing Partner Annamarie Bondi-Stoddard have been selected by Super Lawyers® for their professional excellence and dedication to obtaining justice for injured clients., Gary M. Nielsen  and Robert V. Fallarino , are  recognized  for the fifth and seventh times, respectively by Super Lawyers®. Pegalis & Erickson, LLC has won hundreds of verdicts and settlements for clients, including a $116 million verdict for an infant who sustained brain damage and cerebral palsy due to negligence during a breech birth, a $10,000,000 settlement for a man who became a paraplegic after medical negligence during surgery, and a $2.8 million dollar settlement for a New York man whose mistreatment of high blood pressure in the ER resulted in a stroke. At Pegalis and Erickson, LLC, our goal for all clients is a financial recovery that is adequate and for peace of mind that comes from making health care safer for others.

About Us: Pegalis & Erickson, LLC is a New York law firm for those suffering as a result of medical errors and personal injury. We are advocates who obtain justice for our clients after hospitals, doctors, medical personnel, construction companies, or motor vehicle drivers commit avoidable errors that cause our clients life-altering harm. In our 46 years of practice, we have won some of the largest verdicts in New York State history and strive for medical accountability to ensure safer medical practices for better patient care. Visit us at www.pegalisanderickson.com and on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.  

To discuss your medical/legal situation, call our attorneys directly at 516-684-2900 or visit https://www.pegalisanderickson.com/. There is never a fee for our legal consultations.

Understanding and Preventing Falls in Hospitals

Hospital falls are extremely common. Hundreds of thousands of people sustain fall-related injuries in hospitals in the U.S. every year. In fact,  September 22 was Falls Prevention Awareness Day. Make yourself aware of what causes hospital falls—and how you can prevent them. Here is what you need to know about hospital falls.

Who is most likely to fall in a hospital?
While anybody can slip and fall, falls in hospitals most frequently happen to patients who are at higher than average risk of falling, such as those who do not have the ability to stand and walk safely on their own. Patients who suffer from vertigo or other balance-related conditions are also at high risk of falling, as are patients who are taking certain medications. The older a person is, the more likely he or she is to be seriously injured in the event of a fall.

What hospital policies contribute to falls?
Often, hospital personnel fail to properly assess a patient’s condition, and thus fail to take preventive action to protect them from falling. In particular, bed-exit alarms should be set up so that hospital staff can be alerted if the patient tries to get out of bed without assistance. A hospital staff member should be available at all times to answer the alarm and assist the patient.

What can hospitals do to prevent falls?
Patients who are at risk of falling should be given beds that are lower to the floor, and they can also be provided with no-slip footwear. When patients have a condition or are taking medications that could make them lose their balance, hospital staff should be aware of it. Most importantly, hospital personnel should be ready to timely-assist a patient in the event that he or she needs to leave the bed.

If you are concerned about a misdiagnosis or possible medical error, contact the law firm of Pegalis & Erickson, LLC in New York. For 46 years, we have advocated for people of all ages, in order to help our clients financially and make healthcare safer for everyone. You can reach us today by calling (516) 684-2900.

Attorney Advertising

What Causes a Child’s Shoulder Dystocia?

When a baby’s head is delivered but the shoulders are stuck, it is known as shoulder dystocia. It is a rare but serious birth complication, and it can cause injury to the newborn. There are a number of factors that can make shoulder dystocia more likely to happen, including obesity, diabetes, and overdue pregnancy. Having a baby that is larger than usual, also known as large for gestational age, can also raise the risk of shoulder dystocia. Being alert to these risk factors can help your doctor take measures to help ensure that your delivery proceeds safely.

If you have any concerns about baby or mom after delivery such as a misdiagnosis or possible medical error, contact the law firm of Pegalis & Erickson, LLC in New York. For 46 years, we have advocated for people of all ages, in order to help our clients financially and make healthcare safer for everyone. You can reach us today by calling (516) 684-2900.

Attorney Advertising