Surgical errors are more common than you might assume. There have been numerous recorded instances when medical professionals misused medical instruments, performed the wrong procedure, or confused one patient with another. While it is the duty of healthcare professionals to take precautions against surgical errors, patients should know how to recognize them. These are some of the warning signs:

Pain at the Surgical Site
It’s not uncommon to experience some degree of discomfort in the area where your surgery was performed. If you experience prolonged or otherwise unusual pain, however, it may be a sign that an instrument was left behind during your surgery. Be sure to ask about what type of pain you should expect to experience after your procedure, and how long it can be anticipated to last.

Extreme Swelling, Redness or Drainage
Some level of swelling, redness, or drainage may be normal after surgery, but it’s important to know how serious you can expect it to become. If you experience severe swelling, redness, or drainage at the surgical site, you should be sure to contact your surgeon right away since this can be a sign of infection. You may want to take pictures to document it.

Unexplained Symptoms
If you develop any severe symptoms after surgery, it may be related to a surgical error. For instance, if you come down with a fever, have sharp pain, or experience flu-like symptoms such as vomiting, you should contact your surgeon as soon as possible. Make sure your surgeon has informed you of what the likely side effects of the procedure are, so that you can easily identify any unusual symptoms.

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.

When most people think about possible accidents during medical care, they tend to overlook anesthesia. Anesthesia in itself is a safe and effective medical practice that suppresses the nervous system, thereby eliminating awareness or sensation during medical procedures.

The potential anesthesia errors exist in position-related injuries, oxygen deprivation, spinal cord injury, failure to maintain blood pressure, and other provider-related errors which can place that patient at serious risk of an anesthesia-related injury.

Your risk of complications related to anesthesia depends on a number of factors including your general physical health. One potential problem is when a medical professional is in a hurry to administer anesthesia in an emergency and fails to take your physical health into account. Certain conditions such as obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes, high blood pressure, and health issues related to your heart, kidneys, or lungs may increase your risk of complications as can smoking, a history of heavy alcohol use, and certain medications like aspirin that increase bleeding.

While anesthesia is generally very effective, about 1 to 2 people out of every 10,000 may experience a condition known as anesthesia awareness where they are partially awake during general anesthesia. Patients are often unable to move or speak and this can lead to long-term physiological issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Unfortunately, although not common, death occurs as a result of general anesthesia in roughly 1 out of every 100,000 to 200,000 patients.

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.

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Prostate cancer affects more men in the United States than any other type of cancer, with hundreds of thousands of new diagnoses every year. It’s important to understand, however, that prostate cancer is a curable illness—in fact, the majority of men who contract it go on to survive it. As with every type of cancer, knowing the illness is essential to beating it. Here is what you need to know about prostate cancer.

What is prostate cancer?
The prostate is a gland between the penis and the bladder that is primarily responsible for the production of sperm. While prostate cancer does not always present symptoms, people who have it may experience erectile dysfunction, difficulty urinating, or blood in the urine. If the cancer is detected while it is still confined to the prostate, it is considered curable.

What are the risk factors for prostate cancer?
Your risk of the disease increases with age; the majority of men who develop prostate cancer are older than 65. Prostate cancer rates are highest among African-American men. You are also considered to be at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer if you have a closely related family member who has had it. By age 50, almost half of all men experience small changes in the size and shape of cells in the prostate. Therefore, routine screening after the age of 50 has empowered the diagnosis and early treatment of prostate cancer.

How can you prevent prostate cancer?
While prostate cancer can’t absolutely be prevented, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce your chances of developing the disease. If you are considered at high risk for prostate cancer, you may want to talk to your physician about getting screened for the condition, which is a simple blood test at an earlier age than the routine screening. Staying active and eating a healthy diet that includes vegetables can help.

If you are concerned about a misdiagnosis or possible medical error, contact the law firm of

Pegalis & Erickson, LLC, in New York. We advocate 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.

Cerebral palsy is a condition that affects an individual’s ability to move. It can develop as a result of injury to the brain, sometimes due to mistakes made by medical staff during the delivery process. If your infant has cerebral palsy, the symptoms of the condition may become noticeable during the first year of life. If you notice delays with the following milestones, talk to a physician about whether your child may have cerebral palsy:​

Social Smiling
While babies deliver spontaneous smiles very early on, they don’t begin social smiling—that is, smiling as a response to something else—until about six or eight months. This is an important development in the bonding process between a baby and his or her parents. However, cerebral palsy can interfere with this stage and affect the ability to smile as a social response.

Sitting Up Without Assistance
Most infants are able to begin sitting up independently, without being held or propped up, by the age of about six or seven months. If an infant has cerebral palsy, however, the condition can affect the motor skills required to sit up. If your baby is having trouble sitting up or holding his or her head up by seven months, it may be a sign of cerebral palsy.

Reaching and Grabbing
One of the most important milestones comes when an infant begins reaching and grabbing for things—such as toys, stuffed animals, or their mother’s hand. This is when babies first begin exploring the world around them through the sense of touch. Cerebral palsy, however, can slow down this progress, as it affects the development of fine motor skills.

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.

If you’re considering bringing a medical malpractice suit, it’s important that you understand what the term means. Medical malpractice is defined as having happened when a healthcare provider causes harm to a patient through the provider’s own negligence. In order for medical malpractice to have taken place, three things must be present: The patient must have suffered demonstrable harm, the provider must have delivered substandard care, and there must be a direct link between the quality of that care and the injury suffered by the patient. Medical malpractice can happen in numerous ways, including unnecessary treatment, failure to diagnose, medication errors, and premature discharge.

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.

In recent years, numerous studies have confirmed a disturbing trend: Men tend not to live as long as women. One of the reasons for this, unfortunately, is that men are far less likely than women to visit their doctors. June is Men’s Health Month, which means it’s the perfect opportunity to schedule a routine physical at your physician’s office. It’s also a time to be mindful of some of the most pressing health challenges that men face, including testicular cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, and depression. Diagnosing cancer and other serious illnesses as early as possible is the best way to raise the chances of a good prognosis, so it’s important to be checked regularly for any conditions you are at risk for.

It is Skin Cancer Awareness Month and professional skin checks with your dermatologist are important for everybody. The effectiveness of early treatment is why it’s so critical to diagnose skin cancer as early as possible. Here’s what you need to know about #skincancer:

How prevalent is skin cancer and is it treatable?
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. In the U.S. there are more newly diagnosed cases of skin cancer today than all other cancers put together. Some 20 percent of Americans will develop a skin cancer in their lifetime. The three most common types of skin cancer are melanoma, squamous cell carcinomas, and basal cell carcinomas. Melanoma is highly treatable in its early stages, but it becomes progressively harder to treat as it worsens. Squamous cell carcinomas and basal cell carcinomas are also both curable if they are caught early.

Can skin cancer be misdiagnosed?
Unfortunately, signs of skin cancer do get missed by medical professionals, even experienced ones, during skin checks. Dangerous carcinomas may be confused with acne, and a melanoma can be mistaken for a harmless mole. Early diagnosis is the key to effective treatment for many types of skin cancer. If a medical professional failed to diagnose your skin cancer in a timely way, you can call an experienced medical negligence attorney for a free consultation to find out what your rights are.

If you are concerned about a misdiagnosis or possible medical error, contact the law firm of Pegalis & Erickson, LLC in New York. We advocate for people of all ages to help our clients obtain justice and make healthcare safer for everyone. You can reach us now at (516) 684-2900.

The majority of births in the United States happen without notable complications. However, medical mistakes are too often made during labor and delivery and are not fully explained to parents, despite the resulting serious injuries that cause life-long harm. Here is a guide to some of the most serious types and causes of birth injuries:

Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is caused by permanent injury to a baby’s brain by trauma or a lack of oxygen. Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition with the common symptoms of seizures, speech delays, learning and other developmental delays and abnormal muscle tone. If complications during birth go unrecognized, they can cause lack of oxygen to the brain and permanent damage. Preventable birth injuries caused by misuse of vacuum extractors and other birth-assisting tools can increase the chances of traumatic injury to the brain.

Erb’s Palsy
Erb’s palsy is the condition of nerve damage in the neck and arm with impaired motion in the arm and hand. The effects of the condition can run from severe to mild depending on how extensive the nerve damage is. The condition can be caused during birth if a doctor or midwife pulls on the baby’s head during delivery.

Cortical Blindness
Cortical blindness also known as CVI is a type of birth injury that affects the ability to process visual information, such as depth perception and light perception. Cortical blindness frequently occurs along with cerebral palsy. CVI can be caused by decreased oxygen to the brain during the birth process. Other causes of CVI include hydrocephalus, developmental birth defects, head injury, and infections like meningitis. If healthcare providers discover, monitor, and remedy the conditions, irreversible damage may be avoided. The vision loss may be partial or total, but unfortunately is usually lifelong.

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 clients of all ages, to help their financial burden, and make future healthcare safer for others. You can speak directly to our attorneys by calling (516) 684-2900. There is no fee.

A stroke should always be treated as a medical emergency, and immediate help should be sought. The sooner treatment is provided for stroke, the more likely it is to be effective at preventing extensive brain damage. That’s why it’s so important to know what the symptoms of stroke are. People who are having a stroke may feel lightheaded, experience sudden fatigue, or have trouble keeping their balance. They may also experience abrupt vision problems, or be struck by a sudden and painful headache. However, the most common signs of stroke are slurred speech, numbness and signs of paralysis in one arm, and drooping in one side of the face. If a person displays any of these three signs, call 911.

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.