An Ohio teenager who lost his legs as a result of a flesh eating bacterial infection has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against several doctors and two hospitals, alleging his condition wasn’t properly treated.

Steven Haxton was just 18 years old when he went to the emergency room at Riverside Methodist Hospital last March complaining of pain in his calf.  He was diagnosed with necrotizing fascitiitis, also known as flesh eating bacteria, however it is his claim that the condition was not properly treated in a timely manner leading to devastating results.

According to documents, several days following diagnosis Haxton’s condition was so serious that he was placed on life support and transported to Ohio State University Medical Center.  Although he recovered, he was forced to have both legs amputated to save his life, and has since faced 20 additional surgeries.

Haxton’s lawsuit alleges that doctors and staff at both medical facilities failed to provide him with a level of care that would meet accepted medical standards and he has suffered immeasurably as a result.

Necrotizing fascitiitis, and other types of bacterial infections, can wreak havoc on the body, resulting in further illness, amputation and death.  It is imperative that these types of infections be diagnosed and treated immediately in order to prevent the damages they can cause.  When they are not, medical malpractice may be to blame.  Only an experienced medical attorney will know for sure.

A New York woman who is now disabled following a botched surgery has agreed to a settlement in her medical malpractice lawsuit against the surgeons and Vassar Brothers Medical Center.

In September 2003, Martha Meyer underwent a surgery to repair a perforated ulcer.  Less than a week later she was back in the hospital suffering from severe internal bleeding.  The blood loss ultimately caused brain damage, and other injuries including the loss of her teeth, one of her thumbs, and a portion of two of her fingers.

The case went to trial and testimony was heard from expert witnesses and members of Meyer’s family before the defense agreed to a confidential settlement.

Not all medical malpractice lawsuits end up in the hands of a jury.  On the contrary, a great many are settled for an agreed amount.  Some, as in this case, are settled in the midst of a courtroom trial, others are settled before they even end up in front of a judge.

Experienced medical attorneys know how to handle both situations, and can advise you what is best for your unique case.  If you feel you may be a victim of medical malpractice, the first step is contacting a medical lawyer to see if you too may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against a California hospital claiming that Penny Louise Prevezich died as a direct result of the hospital staff’s negligence.

Penny’s daughter, who filed the suit, claims that her mother was left unattended in the waiting area of the hospital for 90 minutes after being transported there by paramedics for an undisclosed condition.  When Prevezich was finally checked on, she was found slouched over and not breathing.  She was in cardiac arrest and unfortunately, did not recover.  She was pronounced dead just over two hours following her arrival.

According to records, Ms. Prevezich’s “psychiatric history was well-known to the staff” at San Mateo Medical Center.  It’s unclear whether this had something to do with their lack of attention to her.  The wrongful death lawsuit states that the hospital has left Prevezich’s daughter “deprived of a kind and loving mother”.

Regardless of past circumstances, it is the duty of hospital personnel to treat each patient, and each visit, with care and priority.  Had the staff in San Mateo done so, Ms. Prevezich would likely still be alive today.

If you have been neglected by hospital staff, or have a loved one who suffered harm or death as a result of hospital negligence, you may have the right to file a medical malpractice lawsuit and hold those at fault accountable for their inaction.  The best way to know for sure is to contact a medical attorney.

One of the country’s most prestigious hospitals has been named in a medical malpractice suit in the wrongful death of a 3 year old boy, and the jury has found against them awarding $15 million to the boy’s parents.

In April 2003, Jason Fox was brought to Children’s Hospital Boston by his parents to undergo a groundbreaking procedure to widen his pulmonary arteries.  Jason suffered from a birth defect called Tetralogy of Fallot, which affects blood flow through the heart.

Doctors in Fox’s native state of Pennsylvania treated the boy several times in his short life before referring him to the renowned Boston hospital for further work.

According to the medical malpractice lawsuit, Jason suffered complications just hours after the procedure.  He suffered a seizure and it was discovered during a CAT scan that some of the contrast dye used during the procedure had leaked into the boy’s brain.

Following the seizure, Jason was then transferred to the ICU and underwent two MRI’s to gauge the extent of any brain damage suffered.  At that point, it was discovered that a small piece of metal, likely from a medical instrument, was lodged in the boy’s brain.

According to the wrongful death lawsuit, Jason went into the hospital “a playful and active little boy” and left unable to walk or speak.   He ultimately died in December 2004.

It took the jury four days to deliberate and reach their decision.  The award was to account for $5 million for Jason’s pain and suffering, $5 million for the child’s wrongful death, and $5 million to Jason’s parents for the loss of their child.  Because of an agreement made prior to the conclusion of the trial, however, the total verdict will be reduced, although it is not clear how much.

Some medical errors can result in the ultimate sacrifice - a human life.  If you have lost a loved one and feel it may be due to a doctor or hospital’s negligence, get in touch with a medical attorney to find out for sure.  You may be entitled to compensation for your loss.

The parents of an Illinois child whose leg was amputated shortly after birth as a result of hospital malpractice has won their lawsuit and been awarded a hefty settlement of $22.3 million.

In May 1999 Jake Tinman, now 10 years old, was born with a congenital heart defect that required a procedure to insert a shunt.  The medical malpractice lawsuit claims that due to a series of delays and negligent care by hospital staff, the child was forced to have his left leg amputated.  Court documents claim that the leg was improperly dressed after surgery.  Tinman’s parents also claim that the delay in treatment their son received is the cause of his developmental delays and cognitive deficiencies.

Among the accusations of negligence, the lawsuit claims that hospital staff:

• Failed to make a timely diagnosis of the patient’s shunt problem
• Did not properly apply the pressure dressing to the patient’s leg
• Failed to remove the pressure dressing from the patient’s leg in a timely manner
• Improperly subjected the patient to cardiac catheterization
• Failed to monitor the patient’s pulse
• Improperly destroyed an echocardiogram

The jury that heard the case sided with the Tinmans and found the hospital and its staff negligent in their treatment of Jake.  The trial lasted just three weeks.

Hospital malpractice is serious business.  Jake is lucky to have survived his ordeal, but now he and his family must deal with a host of medical problems that otherwise wouldn’t exist had he been properly cared for by the medical professionals that were in charge of his treatment.  Thankfully in this case, the hospital is being held responsible for their actions (and inactions).  If you have been harmed by a hospital doctor or nurse, you too may be eligible for compensation for your damages.  Contact a medical attorney right away to find out more.

The death of a 10 year old British boy is being blamed on medical malpractice and has caused quite a stir among the medical community there and across the globe.

Kieran Howard’s problems started with a simple sneeze at his home last March, which inadvertently caused a tumor in his brain to burst.  He was taken to the hospital where, instead of being properly tested and monitored, he was made to wait some 12 hours and moved between three medical facilities before he finally died as a result of his condition.

Coroner, Dr. Fiona Wilcox, who performed the autopsy on the boy says he would be alive today had his condition been properly diagnosed in time and the life-saving surgery he required had been performed.  Dr. Wilcox cited the hospital staff with neglect, and called the whole situation a “gross failure”.

Neither the hospital, nor its staff has offered any explanation as to why Howard was so severely neglected.  There is also no report yet on whether the family plans to file a medical malpractice lawsuit, although it is more likely than not that they will.

Hospitals are supposed to be a place that we can go for help - and the doctors who work there are supposed to be trained and ready to handle any emergency situations that arise.  Unfortunately, sometimes there is a failure to do so, and the results can be injury or even death.  Have you or someone you love been harmed by an emergency room physician?  Did you suffer an injury due to hospital staff’s neglect?  If you have, then you may be entitled to compensation for your damages.  It is in your best interest to contact a medical attorney right away to find out more.

Source: www.thisislondon.co.uk

David Cohen, a veteran of war is suing a New York VA for medical malpractice for denying him the ability to receive a colonoscopy.

Cohen claims that his local VA refused to perform a colonoscopy on him on multiple occasions, and disregarding the fact that colon cancer runs in his family, which places him at a much higher risk of developing the disease.  Cohen’s grandmother and several other family members all had colon cancer, so he was attempting to take preventative measures for himself.

In August 2009, Cohen finally received the test he’d been trying to get all along only to find out that he was, in fact, suffering from colorectal cancer.  At that point, the disease was already in a stage four and he was given a prognosis of 26 months to live.  According to Cohen’s medical malpractice lawsuit, he is facing this situation because of the refusal of the tests he requested.

A soldier at heart, Cohen’s bravery is evident in his vow to beat his prognosis and live past the short time-frame he’s been given.  He also wants to remind people never to take no for an answer when it comes to medical care.  Heeding his advice may mean avoiding becoming a victim of medical malpractice.

Academy Award nominated actor James Woods has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the 2006 death of his brother.  The amount of damages he is seeking has not yet been reported, however it is known that he filed the suit on behalf of his nephew in order to “seek justice”.

According to the lawsuit, 49 year old Michael Woods went into cardiac arrest while on a hospital gurney at Kent County Hospital in Rhode Island.  The suit claims that Woods did not receive appropriate or timely care and subsequently died as a result.

This is certainly not the first medical malpractice lawsuit brought by a celebrity, and is yet another example that they are by no means immune to the risks associated with medical treatment.  You may recall recent reports about Dennis Quaid, Kanye West and Ed McMahon all having their own unfortunate experiences with negligent physicians.

Remember - medical malpractice does not discriminate - it can happen to anyone at any time.  If you or someone you love has been a victim of a doctor’s negligence, talk it over with a medical attorney today.

We frequently hear of celebrities and even every day people receiving botox treatments in hopes of turning back the clock and reducing the appearance of wrinkles.  But there are other, lesser known reasons that botox may be administered, as in the case of Missouri man Richard Hart who was prescribed the highly toxic drug as a treatment for another condition and is now suing for medical malpractice.

The plaintiff suffers from a condition called torticollis, which causes the chin to rise and the head to tilt to one side.  He sought treatment with a physician who prescribed and administered injections of botox, a drug which is controversial and highly toxic, to combat his condition.

Hart’s medical malpractice lawsuit alleges that the doctor gave him excessive doses which caused him to suffer side effects, including difficulty swallowing, loss of a gag reflex and blurred vision.  He claims his symptoms will require ongoing medical treatments and monitoring as a result.

The FDA now requires that all botox treatments contain a warning to consumers about the possible severe side effects and has completely disapproved of the use of such drugs for the treatment of muscle spasticity.  These warnings were not, however, in place at the time of Hart’s treatments.

Hart is suing the maker of Botox, Allergan USA Inc., Tenet Health Systems SL Inc., and the doctor who gave him the injections.  It is not clear how much he is seeking for damages.

It’s not too often that we hear about radiation malpractice in the news, but unfortunately it does happen.  In fact, it happened just recently to a California man while undergoing a CT scan.  The man has subsequently filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Trevor Ree claims that a combination of faulty equipment and doctors’ negligence caused him to receive eight times the normal dose he should have received during a CT scan in December 2008.  In the days and weeks following, Ree’s hair and eyebrows began to fall out and he began experiencing red, flaky skin on his face and scalp.  He didn’t realize it at the time but these are all signs of radiation overdose.

Ree’s lawsuit also claims that about a month ago someone from the hospital contacted him and asked if he had experienced any negative side effects after the procedure.  He alleges that he was not told why they wanted to know and was never notified that he had received an overdose.

Some 206 patients are also named in the class action lawsuit because of their possible overexposure to the dangerous radiation.

Radiation therapy is used in different medical procedures utilizing a form of energy called ionizing radiation.  Although its purpose is typically to destroy bad cells such as those that are cancerous, it can also damage healthy cells so it should be used with the utmost caution to limit the patient’s exposure.

Overexposure or radiation overdose can cause a host of medical problems and almost always occurs at the hands of a negligent doctor.

If you think you may have received a dose of radiation that was too high, and have suffered subsequent injury or medical issues, it is a wise idea to contact a medical attorney immediately.  You may be a victim of radiation malpractice.