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Medical Malpractice Lawyers: We have a national practice and have been interviewed by CNN, CBS News, Fox News, Associated Press and others. Contact a lawyer at our firm for a free consultation: 1-888-377-8900.
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Pritzker Olsen Attorneys Medical Malpractice Blog
Pritzker Olsen attorneys have appeared on CBS News, Fox news, and numerous local television stations throughout the country. They have recovered millions for medical malpractice victims and their families. To contact our law firm, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form.
Neurosurgery on Wrong Side of Head
On July 30, an 86-year-old man came to Rhode Island Hospital three days after a fall. He was found to have bleeding on the brain, and as he started to do poorly in the emergency room, he was transferred to the operating room for emergency surgery. Neither the patient’s medical history nor the consent form specified which side needed the surgery. When a nurse pointed out that the information was missing, Harrington filled in the blanks, relying on his memory rather than consulting the CT scan.If you or a family member has had surgery done on the wrong side of the body, you need legal representation to get just compensation for the injuries. Contact the law firm of PritzkerOlsen toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form. The firm also represents families of patients who have died due to a medical error.
He cut open the wrong side. As soon as he realized the error, he operated on the correct side. The patient died a few days later, but the medical examiner has yet to determine whether the surgical error contributed to his death.
. . . In Harrington’s case, it happened more than once. In September 2006, he also operated on the wrong side of a patient’s head at Roger Williams Medical Center, but the Health Department did not sanction him because of mitigating circumstances.
Source: Felice J. Freyer"Doctor to blame in wrong-side surgery, panel says," The Providence Journal, October 14, 2007.
Neurosurgical Error Statistics
The number of recorded major errors in these cases is staggering. During 1108 elective (not necessary) neurosurgical procedures, there were 606 major errors. When major surgical errors lead to serious injury, patients are usually faced with additional medical expenses and loss of income due to the need to take time off of work or the loss of a job. There are also pain and suffering and emotional distress issues. Compensation for these “damages” is called “compensatory damages.”
In neurosurgery error cases, it is important to have a medical malpractice attorney who has had experience with highly complex medical cases. In many cases, hospitals and surgeons will not admit the error, and it will be up to the attorney to prove the error, that it led to the injuries, and that the patient should be fairly compensated for all past and future damages. Even if an error is admitted, the attorneys for the hospitals and doctors will make every argument possible to avoid liability (having to compensate the patient).
To contact a medical malpractice attorney at Pritzker | Olsen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form.
Source: S. Stone and M. Bernstein, “Prospective error recording in surgery: an analysis of 1108 elective neurosurgical cases,” Neurosurgery, June 2007, 60 (6): 1075-80; discussion 1080-82.
Error During Hospital Admittance Results in Medication Overdose
Here is a run down of some of the medical malpractice claims that can arise when a hospital gives a patient an overdose of a medication:
- Failure to take a proper history of current medications
- Failure to verify dosage of medications
- Failure to check for proper pediatric dosage
- Failing to assess proper dosage for patient by body weight
- Failure to have adequate policies and procedures in place to prevent medication overdose
- Failure to note and/or report responses to medication
- Failure to be aware of symptoms of a medication overdose
- Failure to timely diagnose an overdose of medication
- Failure to treat an overdose of medication
To contact a medical malpractice attorney at Pritzker | Olsen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form.
Sources: Court Case No. E180-497 filed in SE Texas and David Yates, “Suit alleges hospital oblivious to boy's lithium overdose,” South East Texas Record, October 15, 2007.
Pritzker Olsen attorneys have appeared on national television and have been quoted by national publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press and Lawyers USA. Attorneys Fred Pritzker, Elliot Olsen and Eric Hageman have been named "Super Lawyers" by Law and Politics magazine (2008 and previous years). Attorney Fred Pritzker is also listed in the current edition (2008) of The Best Lawyers in America. To contact Pritzker Olsen Attorneys, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit the firm's free consultation form.
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Medical Malpractice Topics
Pharmacy Error Settlement
Our law firm recently negotiated a settlement for the family of a woman who was given ten times the prescribed dose of cochicine.
$950,000 Recovery for Failure to Diagnose Septic Arthritis
Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Elliot Olsen recently secured a $950,000 recovery on behalf of a young man who developed septic arthritis eight days following knee surgery.
Heart Lead Extraction Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
Pritzker | Olsen attorneys are representing patients and their families nationwide in product liability and medical malpractice cases involving defective Medtronic Sprint Fideles defibrillator leads. Several patients have died during surgery to remove the defective Medtronic lead.
Dental Malpractice: Oral Surgery and Burn Injuries
The FDA has recently stated that poorly-maintained dental equipment has resulted in severe burns. These cases could involve both dental malpractice and product liability claims.
Hospital Malpractice Lawsuits
Hospital malpractice includes any type of medical negligence that occurs in a hospital setting, including errors by doctors, nurses, technicians and other hospital staff.
Neurosurgery Errors
Surgical errors are common and can lead to serious injury or death. In an article in the medical journal Neurosurgery that reported on a study of 1108 elective neurosurgical procedures, a neurosurgeon recorded 2684 errors in 87.1% of the cases. 22.6% of the errors were considered major. 78.5% of the errors were deemed preventable.
This is attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The result of each case is determined by the specific facts and the applicable law.
