A common misconception that may be held by many in New York City is that all medical malpractice lawsuits end with large payouts to plaintiffs. Hospitals, doctors, and other healthcare providers often are not keen on the idea of admitting wrongdoing, for doing so could serve as a public relations blow that may erode public trust in their ability to provide effective patient care. Such individuals and organizations often tend to have significant resources at their disposal to assist in fighting such claims, as well as expert opinions to justify their decisions. All of this can combine to create quiet a compelling counterargument.
Hospital's evidence proves more compelling in malpractice case
How clean is your hospital room?
Past posts on this blog have detailed the risks that you may face of acquiring an infection while you are a patient in any of the hospitals or medical centers in Queens. Controlling these risks may, from an outside perspective, seem relatively simple: just make sure all hospital rooms and treatment areas remain clean. However, given the complexity of infection control (particularly in areas where disease-causing pathogens are present in high concentrations, such as hospitals), ensuring that everything is “clean” may be easier said than done.
Unnecessary surgery leads to man’s stroke
Previous posts in this blog have detailed the problem that unnecessary surgeries may present to people in Queens. While surgical treatments are designed to help address ailments and promote recovery, advances made in surgical science in recent years may lead people to view such procedures as being routine. Yet the fact is that anytime someone is subjected to the physical stresses that accompany surgery (e.g., the suppression of consciousness through the use of anesthesia, interrupting normal blood flow, the mechanical manipulation of muscle and interior tissues), risk is involved. In many cases, complications that occur due to those risks can often present greater problems than the condition that one’s surgery was meant to address.
Detailing the problem of unnecessary surgeries
Like most of those in New York City that we here at Futterman, Sirotkin, and Seinfeld PLLP have worked with, you likely trust wholeheartedly in the opinions of the doctors and other clinicians that treat you. They are, after all, paid the proverbial “big bucks” to know what it is that is ailing you and what exactly needs to be done to correct it. In many cases, they may recommend surgery to treat a problem. Again, your confidence in a doctor’s knowledge and expertise will likely have a major influence on your decision to seek such treatment. Yet would ever think to ask yourself if surgery is truly necessary?
Detailing when assisted delivery should be considered
You may hear horror stories about cases where people in Kew Gardens saw their babies sustain injuries due to the use of forceps or vacuum extractors during delivery. Indeed, many of those that come to see us here at Futterman, Sirotkin and Seinfeld, LLP bemoan the fact that assisted delivery is even an option for doctors to consider. However, the fact that tools and procedures have been created to help assist in the delivery process may speak to their need. You simply need to understand when assisted delivery should be considered.
Investigating silent heart attacks
Patients who present to hospitals and medical centers in Queens complaining of symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, arm pain or a shortness of breath should immediately trigger an assessment for a possible heart attack. In many cases, heart attacks may be misdiagnosed because the aforementioned symptoms are also linked to other ailments like indigestion, muscle aches or anxiety. If doctors struggle to correctly link the symptoms of a heart attack to an actual cardiac event, one can only imagine how much more difficult it may be to diagnose a heart attack that is asymptomatic.
How can you get your loved one to talk about nursing home abuse?
Nursing home abuse and neglect is not new problem; such cases have been reported in Queens and throughout the rest of the U.S. for decades. Yet many still seem shocked when news of such abuse does come to light. Perhaps the perception of nursing home abuse not being as prevalent as it actually is may be because so many incidents go unreported. According to information shared by the National Center on Elder Abuse, there may be as many as 24 unknown cases of such abuse for every one that is reported.
Reviewing the types and causes of nosocomial infections
People seeking medical care at any of the hospitals or medical centers in and around New York City enter such facilities expecting not only treatment for their injuries or illnesses but also improvement. However, in many cases, not only may that not happen, but one could see his or her condition actually start to deteriorate. What many may not know is that the cause of such deterioration many be due to an infection one acquired in the hospital itself.
Common medical mistakes that lead to medical malpractice
Doctors and health care personnel belong to a group of professionals you should be able to trust implicitly with your life. You go to them for medical advice, treatments and surgical procedures to keep you healthy. But with the number of medical malpractice claims rising each day in Kew Gardens, you may find your faith in medicine dwindling.
