Malpractice
Jury Awards $2.7 Million in Punitive Damages in Nursing Home Malpractice Case
This past September, a Pennsylvania jury awarded $2.7 million in punitive damages to the estate of a nursing home resident who had suffered a fall while under the home’s care. The punitive damages, which followed an award of $300,000 in non-economic compensatory damages after a trial this past April, sends a strong message to nursing…
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Abdominal Compartment Syndrome – A Surgical Nightmare
Compartment syndrome is a well-recognized complication that occurs in the extremities. However, it can also occur in the abdomen and intracranial cavity. When it occurs in the abdomen, it refers to organ dysfunction caused by intra-abdominal hypertension and is called abdominal compartment syndrome or ACS. Increased intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) may lead to intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH)…
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When is Prescribing Opioids Medical Negligence?
The opioid crisis has been a hot topic in the news lately. Physicians are prescribing medications without ever seeing or examining patients. Patients are becoming addicted or worse, overdosing and dying. Yet other patients have chronic pain and are on pain medications for a long period of time. How can you tell if this is…
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Medical Errors: A Leading Cause of Death in the US
The electronic medical record was implemented to try and reduce the number of medical errors by providing continuity of care as well as a solution to the problem of deciphering illegible handwriting. Over the past several years, most physician offices and hospitals have converted to utilizing this type of charting system. However, in a study…
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Pseudotumor Cerebri vs Hydrocephalus; Is There a Difference?
A case I worked on recently for a client with pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) had concurrent notations for a diagnosis of hydrocephalus, which led me to question the difference between the two. What distinguishes one from the other and how can our client establish PTC as the cause of her problems and the resulting Ventriculoperitoneal (VP)…
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