Blog
- How a Class Action Lawsuit Made Contact Sports Safer
Jun 13, 2016
Medical research in the 1990s and 2000s examined whether concussions (especially repetitive concussions) could result in cognitive impairment years later. Former football players developed dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease years or even decades before the average age in the general population. Researchers named these losses Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), formerly known as “punch-drunk.” CTE can only be diagnosed after death through an autopsy of the brain. Retired football players may develop cognitive defects associated...Read More - Rock Star Leading the Fight against Cancer Misdiagnosis
Jun 10, 2016
When Foghat bassist Craig MacGregor underwent a CT scan after a fall in 2012, a 10-millimeter tumor on his lung was present on the scan results. MacGregor was not made aware of the tumor until three years later, when another doctor reviewed his medical records. MacGregor’s situation points to a much bigger problem: radiologists and other diagnostic imaging service providers are not currently required by law to report test results to patients. The failure to inform...Read More - The History of Asbestos Litigation in the US
Jun 10, 2016
Asbestos appears naturally in the environment as bundles of fibers. Once considered a go-to insulation material, asbestos is now widely recognized as a dangerous cause of cancer. The shipbuilding industry is particularly well-known for using asbestos in its boilers, steam pipes, and hot water pipes, but it was also widely used in construction, the automotive industry, and more. Asbestos exposure generally= comes through inhalation, meaning that people working in asbestos industries and their families are...Read More - Challenging Auto Manufacturers to Make Safer Cars and Trucks
Jun 9, 2016
Crashworthiness refers to a motor vehicle’s ability to safely protect people during a collision. Cars and trucks must have various safety features, such as airbags, headrests, roll bars and seat belts, that are meant to prevent or lessen injuries. When these features fail, unnecessary injuries occur. Automakers have, without question, a responsibility to sell cars and trucks with safety features that work properly each and every time. Unfortunately, automotive defects continue to occur and in greater...Read More - Questions about Prevacid and Possible Kidney-Related Side Effects
Jun 9, 2016
Studies have linked certain popular stomach acid medication with a very dangerous risk. Anapol Weiss Partner Tracy Finken answers a few important questions about these drugs and what patients can do. Prevacid and other proton pump inhibitors have been in the news a lot lately. What’s going on? Two population-based analyses published in January 2016 associated proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs, with an increased risk for developing chronic kidney disease. The results indicate that the ten-year absolute...Read More - Six Surgical Mistakes with Deadly Consequences
Jun 8, 2016
Surgical mistakes are the stuff of nightmares: a surgeon amputating the wrong limb, a patient contracting an infection from unsanitary equipment, or even an instrument being left inside of a patient. While mistakes like these are rare, they can have serious or even fatal consequences. The following examples are among the mistakes that may occur during surgery: Damage to organs, tissue, or nerves. Surgery on an organ does always carry some risk, and the organ operated...Read More - Risk Factors and Medical Negligence that Can Cause Macrosomic Complications
Jun 7, 2016
Macrosomic babies, or babies that are “large for gestational age,” have a birth weight of over 4,000 grams (8 lb 13 oz). Approximately nine percent of babies are born macrosomic. Macrosomia can lead to severe complications during pregnancy including shoulder dystocia and ensuing brachial plexus injuries, oxygen deprivation and brain damage, lacerations of the birth canal, uterine rupture, and urinary incontinence. Babies born at weights over 4,500 grams (9 lb 15 oz) are at an even...Read More - Proper Fetal Monitoring May Prevent Birth Trauma
Jun 6, 2016
Pre-birth fetal monitoring is designed to prepare you and your doctor for your birth and to give warning signs if anything is abnormal with your baby. Since your baby can’t tell you if anything is wrong, your doctor needs to carefully monitor him or her throughout the pregnancy. The following tests may be necessary if you have a high-risk pregnancy (including women with diabetes and women who have had complications with previous pregnancies) or if...Read More - Three Things to Research after a Truck Accident
Jun 3, 2016
Large truck and tractor-trailer crashes are often among the most serious of collisions. In the wake of a truck collision, victims may be overwhelmed by their injuries, medical bills, lost time from work, and at the very least damage to their vehicle. However, it is important to gather information soon after a truck accident; at some point in the future, this information will be important for the hospital and doctors, insurance companies, police, and the victim’s...Read More - 7 Questions For Your Pharmacist to Help Prevent Medication Errors
Jun 3, 2016
Although your doctor and pharmacist are experts in their fields, patients should pay careful attention and ask questions whenever they’re prescribed a medication. Even the best pharmacists make mistakes sometimes, but patients can avoid problems by staying alert and involved in their medical treatment. Here are some questions that you should ask your pharmacist whenever you are picking up a new medication: 1. What is the brand name of this medication? What is the generic name? The...Read More