Posted on November 20, 2019 in Medical Malpractice

Past studies reported by Forbes have estimated that 12 million Americans are misdiagnosed by health professionals each year, which makes up 5 percent of all patients who seek out doctors for answers to their health concerns. Considered by many experts to be an epidemic, the issue of medical malpractice takes many different forms, from medication and pharmaceutical errors to surgical, emergency room, and birth injury errors. Frightening accounts of medical malpractice cases are regularly amplified in the media and talked about in our communities, but many patients are still unsure of how to protect themselves and their families as they turn to their physicians for help. It is one thing to hear of someone else’s experience with a medical error, but it becomes an entirely different matter when it happens to you.

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 Posted on November 18, 2019 in Car Accident

The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of fatality in the workplace, and research according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that more than 32,000 people are killed each year due to car accidents across our highways nationwide. When it comes to non-fatal injuries due to vehicle collisions, the statistics are just as grim. The CDC reports that a staggering 2 million people are injured each year in car crashes in the United States alone. With numbers like these, drivers everywhere are in continual need of ongoing safety awareness and education. While prevention efforts are not enough on their own to put a stop to unnecessary collisions, they are key to saving lives, and they have been proven effective at significantly lowering injuries and accident risks, in general, each year.

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 Posted on November 12, 2019 in Catastrophic Injuries

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that approximately 2.87 million traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) were recorded in the year 2014. Motor vehicle accidents were the second most common cause of recorded brain injuries, and they accounted for more than half of all TBI-related hospitalizations in the United States that year. What can you expect during your crash-related TBI injury? It is important to understand what is involved in the recovery from this type of injury, both physically and financially. In some cases, another driver's negligence may have caused the crash that led to your TBI. A seasoned personal injury attorney can assist you in pursuing full and fair compensation for your losses.

Understanding Your Prognosis

TBI-related injuries can range drastically in severity. Whereas one person might suffer only a minor concussion, needing only rest and relaxation for several weeks before making a full recovery, others may never return to full function. The areas of the brain affected by the injury, the duration between injury and treatment (where applicable), and the severity of the injury can all impact a person's prognosis. Some people do improve or recover sooner than expected, but your recovery plan should be discussed with your physician and followed exactly as instructed.

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 Posted on November 08, 2019 in Car Accident

The winter season is upon us, and as we gear up for another cold winter on our Illinois roadways, it is time to once again prepare for the potential seasonal road hazards that put drivers at risk for car accidents and injuries. Reports from USA Today revealed that between the years 2011 and 2015 alone, an average of nearly 800 people died in America due to winter weather. Everything from snow, rain, sleet, and ice caused such fatalities, and since then, the same seasonal hazards continue to cause both non-fatal and fatal injuries across the map each year around the same time. While these dangers naturally come with the territory when living in cold-weather regions, there are certain precautions drivers can take at the beginning of each winter season to help prevent themselves from becoming a car crash statistic, beginning with awareness.

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 Posted on November 04, 2019 in Car Accident

Whether you are involved in a minor fender-bender in a quiet, suburban area or find yourself a victim in a serious rear-end car accident, the moment you experience a crash, panic naturally takes over and can leave you feeling disoriented and unsure of what to do next. During those critical moments just after the collision, it can be difficult to push through the mental wave of shock, but the decisions you make amidst the aftermath are the most important and can make a significant difference in the outcome of the incident.

State Law Advisory for Drivers After a Crash

No matter where you are involved in a car accident, there are certain steps you need to take after the collision, like taking care of your health first and foremost. The state of Illinois advises all drivers to do the following after a crash and to be aware that failure to adhere to some of these practices could mean breaking the law:

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 Posted on October 30, 2019 in Medical Malpractice

If you have ever suspected a possible prescription medication error by your doctor or pharmacist, you are not alone. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that each year, they receive over 100,000 reports in the United States about suspected medication errors, which pile in from medical professionals, consumers, and drug manufacturers far and wide. Studies have shown that certain populations, such as the elderly and those of low socioeconomic status, are at greater risk of experiencing medication errors, a very serious form of medical malpractice. However, research further reveals that emergency departments are the third most common source for patients receiving incorrect doses or overdoses, placing the general public as a whole at risk.

Prevent Yourself from Becoming a Statistic

With alarming reports of medication errors flooding the news each year, it is only natural for patients in the state of Illinois and nationwide to experience a growing concern about their health and the health of their loved ones. When it comes to protecting your well-being, being a strong advocate of your healthcare is the very best defense against becoming a medical malpractice statistic. Put the following steps into practice to take a proactive approach to protect your health:

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 Posted on October 16, 2019 in Medical Malpractice

Within recent years, the public has witnessed an array of medical malpractice statistics surface across the nation. In the not-so-distant past, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) cited medical negligence as the third leading cause of death in the United States, and a Johns Hopkins study once claimed that more than 250,000 people die each year in the United States from medical mistakes. From coast to coast, emerging reports such as these leave a trail of concerns among patients and their families, namely the worry that one of these medical errors will one day affect them personally and hit much too close to home.

What Is Medical Negligence?

While the thought of a medical mistake in the healthcare community is a scary one, you can combat that fear by educating yourself and your loved ones. You are the best advocate for your own healthcare. Make yourself aware of the various forms of medical negligence so you can work to reduce your risks, and empower yourself by seeking out the resources and help you need in the event that you experience an incident of medical error. Here are examples of some of the most common types of malpractice we see in the medical community today:

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 Posted on October 11, 2019 in Pedestrian & Bicycle Accidents

Within recent years, studies from the U.S. Department of Transportation have found that close to 6,000 pedestrians were killed each year due to car accidents. These studies have also revealed that motor vehicle collisions rank as one of the top leading causes of unintentional death in the United States, creating an even clearer perspective on the scope of pedestrian accident risks on our roadways. Because they have little protection from injury, pedestrians are particularly vulnerable, and they must often rely on their own self-awareness to protect themselves on the streets.

Tips for a Safe Commute

Whether you walk on a daily basis or you only choose walking as a mode of transportation under special circumstances, you are likely to be a pedestrian at one time or another. Being proactive is key to ensuring your safety as you get around on foot, and the most effective way to do this is to remain alert and aware of your surroundings. Sadly, the motorists who cause many pedestrian injuries are often distracted themselves. Negligent drivers can place you at increased risk during your commute, but you can protect yourself in the following ways:

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 Posted on October 09, 2019 in Nursing Home Negligence

According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, the issue of nursing home neglect first gained widespread public attention back in the 1970s, during a time when long-term care facilities lacked much-needed regulation. Since then, incidents of elderly abuse and neglect continue to remain prevalent in nursing homes, largely due to the growing elderly demographic. Our senior populations are living longer, resulting in a greater number of people being placed in long-term care facilities. Factors such as low pay, stressful working conditions, and staff shortages sadly cause the quality of care to be compromised, creating countless incidents of injuries and neglect.

Do You Suspect Abuse or Neglect?

Cases of abuse can be particularly difficult for a victim's family members to uncover, especially for those relatives who are unable to visit their loved ones on a regular basis. For many long-term care residents, however, their family members are their eyes and ears when it comes to their health. Whether you have the luxury of making frequent visits to your loved one’s place of residence or simply speak to him or her occasionally on the phone, if you suspect he or she is not being properly cared for, it is important to investigate further. Here are some clear signs that your family member or friend may be experiencing a form of nursing home abuse:

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 Posted on October 02, 2019 in Car Accident

Nearly everyone has known someone who has taken the risk of driving a vehicle with no insurance at one time or another, and it is no secret that this choice can have many dangerous ramifications. Every day, car accidents of all kinds occur on Illinois roadways, and all too often, the drivers in these collisions lack active vehicle insurance policies to back them up. Not only will the uninsured driver face penalties, but the unfortunate victim who suffers injuries may end up with expensive medical bills and/or lost wages if he or she cannot return to work. That is why it is important to seek professional legal counsel to determine how to recover compensation in these types of personal injury cases.

Consequences for the Uninsured Driver and the Victim

Drivers are usually caught without insurance in the event of a collision or due to a traffic violation, but the state works to crack down on uninsured motorists in other ways. Law enforcement randomly selects vehicles via a computer program and sends drivers a questionnaire asking them to verify proof of insurance. If drivers fail to provide the requested information, their license plates are suspended, and they are subject to a host of other consequences. Despite these enforcement efforts, however, accidents still happen, and victims injured by uninsured drivers are left with a mess. If you have been involved in a crash with an uninsured driver, keep the following tips in mind as you face the collision aftermath:

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