- Lauren Ellerman | December 31, 2007 8:49 AM |
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Nursing Home & Elder AbuseI have never sued a Sunrise facility - although I have loved ones who lived in one of their assisted living facilities in Northern Virginia many years ago. As the Nation investigates for-profit health care providers, it seems like Sunrise may not be without controversy themselves.The nation's largest owner of assisted living facilities, announced the departures of Thomas Newell, president since...
- Dan Frith | December 30, 2007 3:39 PM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers about a possible contamination with Clostridium botulinum of canned cut green beans manufactured by New Era Canning Company, New Era, Michigan and labeled as "GFS Fancy Blue Lake Cut Green Beans." The products were distributed in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee...
- Dan Frith | December 27, 2007 6:04 AM |
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Nursing Home & Elder AbuseWe all are concerned, rightfully, over the care our family members receive in nursing homes. You would have to be blind and deaf not to read, hear, and see all of the problems the nursing home industry in America!The most critical aspect of getting good care in a nursing home is the quality and training of the nursing staff. However, the problem is that most nursing homes are under-staffed and...
- Lauren Ellerman | December 26, 2007 1:50 PM |
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Nursing Home & Elder AbuseResident of a North Carolina Nursing Home dies of a Bowel Impaction - $5.4 Million dollar settlement.This is such an awful example of nursing home neglect - but we see it all the time. Nursing Homes are supposed to record how often residents use the bathroom, so this doesn't happen - but we see it often. How sad.Failure to manage catheter leads to $1.75 million dollar verdict in West Virginia....
- Dan Frith | December 26, 2007 12:19 PM |
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MiscellaneousThe Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the American public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The commission recalled over 25 million toys and children's items this year - many made in China.The problem is that the CPSC has only 400 employees to monitor more than...
- Dan Frith | December 22, 2007 6:11 AM |
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Nursing Home & Elder AbuseThe National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) this week released a report entitled, Think Twice Before Signing: Improper and Unfair Provisions in Missouri Nursing Home Admission Agreements. The report summarizes the results of a study of admission agreements from 175 Missouri nursing facilities. Although focused on nursing homes in Missouri, we have seen these very same issues in our cases...
- Dan Frith | December 21, 2007 6:23 AM |
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MiscellaneousIs there anyone who has not been to their doctor's office and observed note pads and pens with some version of Big Pharma printed in big letters across the pad or pen? Ever receive a "free sample" of a medication? I bet you have and all of these are an example of a serious problem with the relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession. Drug companies pay doctors...
- Lauren Ellerman | December 20, 2007 3:52 PM |
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Nursing Home & Elder AbuseI wish this were a fictional account.Today's LA Times reports story of an elderly man who " just stopped breathing," in the assisted living facility, or so his wife of 49 years was told. "Then came the anonymous phone call the day after the funeral.A woman claiming to be an employee of the nursing home told Rita that her 80-year-old husband's death had been anything but peaceful. She said Elmore...
- Dan Frith | December 20, 2007 6:19 AM |
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Medical MalpracticeSurely I'm kidding you right? I have enough friends and acquaintances who are quick to tell me the laws governing medical malpractice lawsuits needs to be "reformed" in order to be fairer to doctors and prevent the wide-spread defection of doctors to other states and greener pastures! A new university-based study says those calling for reform are full of baloney...or something worse!Philip...
- Lauren Ellerman | December 19, 2007 2:00 PM |
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Nursing Home & Elder AbuseBecause of our duty of confidentiality, we cannot blog about many case details. We can't share statements made by nurses, unless they are public record. Well, here is a public record about nursing home abuse and neglect, that is almost too awful to believe. Faye Clark, a nurse aide at Heritage Hill in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, had her license revoked in August after the board found her guilty of...
- Dan Frith | December 19, 2007 9:14 AM |
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MiscellaneousThe Hooker Furniture Company of Martinsville, Virginia, along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, has announced a recall of 1,300 imported bunk beds sold to retailers by Hooker. The beds pose a risk of strangulation for children because of gaps between parts in the upper bunk. The gap exceeds the federal bunk bed safety standard.The beds were sold by Hooker Furniture retailers...
- Dan Frith | December 19, 2007 6:13 AM |
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MiscellaneousWe all have heard stories, maybe even experienced the problem first hand, of hospital patients discharged from the hospital before their health and condition would warrant a discharge. Why? Because their health insurance company has arbitrarily decided that the average patient with similar conditions needs to be discharged. Don't want to run up that hospital bill! It's all about the money! ...
- Dan Frith | December 18, 2007 6:10 AM |
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MiscellaneousAmericans fortunate enough to have health insurance, and there are many who do not, hope they have enough insurance coverage for that dreaded catastrophic injury or illness where the medical bills are staggering! Here is a real life story of one man who thought he had plenty of coverage.Jim Lawson, 61, was working for an oil company in northern California when he became ill from a staph...
- Lauren Ellerman | December 15, 2007 2:54 PM |
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Defective & Dangerous ProductsWe hear about toys from China made with lead paint causing harm to our children. More frequently, children poisoned by lead swallow or ingest it by eating paint chips. Now, at first glance, I could not understand how paint chips or peeling paint could be purposefully consumed by a child - but it happens and happens frequently! Cribs near windowsills, or small children within arms reach of...
- Dan Frith | December 14, 2007 6:06 AM |
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Nursing Home & Elder AbuseIn the last several weeks there have been reports in the news that many nursing homes in America are over-prescribing antipsychotics to residents who suffer from Alzheimer's disease. The medications include Seroquel, Risperdal, and Haldol.On December 12, 2007, letters to the editor of the ever conservative Wall Street Journal (WSJ) contained several readers' comments on their experiences with...
- Lauren Ellerman | December 13, 2007 10:34 AM |
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Head & Brain InjuriesGod willing, you will never be in a serious car accident. God willing, no one you know will ever be in a serious car accident. BUT, if you are, here are some important tips:1. Go to the hospital right away. A jury will think something is up if you wait a week or two - so go, just in case there is something wrong.2. Notify your insurance company - AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 3. Do not give tape-recorded...
- Dan Frith | December 13, 2007 8:52 AM |
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MiscellaneousThis is a sad story to report - a mother and daughter in Virginia who died in a gas explosion! The sad ending could have been prevented.The accident occurred when an automobile accidentally rolled into a 300 gallon propane gas tank located outside a laundermat in the small Southwest Virginia town of Fries. After the propane tank began leaking gas, a pilot light from a clothes dryer in the...
- Lauren Ellerman | December 12, 2007 2:58 PM |
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Miscellaneous
- Dan Frith | December 12, 2007 2:16 PM |
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Medical MalpracticeWe all know how important it is to detect breast cancer early before it metastasizes into surrounding tissue. Frankly put, the earlier the diagnosis ...the earlier the treatment...the greater the likelihood of a good outcome! One tool used by doctors to make that early diagnosis is the mammogram. The scary part of the story is how frequently doctors (radiologists) misread this diagnostic...
- Lauren Ellerman | December 10, 2007 9:14 AM |
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Nursing Home & Elder AbuseWe know it is confusing... but remember it this way. Medicaid is a state program for low income families - it is AID for those in need. Medicare is health benefits for older Americans - CARE for those who are 65/66 or older. Probably 95% of our clients are either on Medicare or Medicaid. This is something we ask immediately when investigating a claim. We ask for two reasons. (1) If you do...
- Dan Frith | December 09, 2007 6:04 AM |
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MiscellaneousWe are heading into the end of the year and the Holidays. A great time to enjoy family and friends! Unfortunately, it is also a time when many older Americans suffer injuries from falls and fires which are two leading causes of unintentional injuries and deaths among adults 65 and older. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about two-thirds of all hospital emergency room...
- Lauren Ellerman | December 08, 2007 10:25 AM |
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Medical MalpracticeStress. Over-eating. Alcohol... don't want to burden your family with complaints of chest pains during the Holidays? Think it may be indigestion...?According to Associated Press report, a nationwide phenomenon reflects more heart-attacks occur in December and January... And likely, some of these holidays mean fewer staff at local hospitals. I spent Christmas eve two years ago in the ER - and...
- Lauren Ellerman | December 07, 2007 10:17 AM |
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Medical MalpracticeThis is one of those issues that generally concerns me - and one I am glad to see is being addressed by others. Direct marketing of pharmaceuticals, to consumers. You know - "Lipitor" ads on Monday night football - Boniva ads during Desperate House Wives. I like Sally Fields, but shouldn't she be selling Boniva to my doctor - and my doctor learn enough that she can recommend for my needs? A...
- Dan Frith | December 05, 2007 6:49 AM |
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Nursing Home & Elder AbuseDoes your mother, father, or other family member in a nursing home take Seroquel, Risperdal, Haldol, or other antipsychotics? If so, it is probably because they have a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Why do nursing home patients receive antipsychotics if they do not have a diagnosis of a psychiatric condition? Great question...and the answer is MONEY!Medicaid has spent more...
- Dan Frith | December 04, 2007 6:20 AM |
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Medical MalpracticeThe patient twisted and broke his left ankle. He also suffered from diabetes and poor circulation and he developed blisters as his ankle swelled. He was seen by a surgeon at the local hospital and, due to the blisters, the surgeon postponed the repair procedure for one week to allow time for the blisters to heal. However, a week later the doctor neglected to inspect the ankle before his...
- Lauren Ellerman | December 03, 2007 9:03 AM |
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Medical MalpracticeAbout six months ago, there was a deluge of articles and news features on the dangers of Avandia, a medication most often prescribed to diabetics. The news then, was that Avandia caused or contributed to heart problems.Well, as they say, the more things change, the more things stay the same.Today, researching are reporting the medication may also contribute to bone loss, or osteoporosis. As the...
- Dan Frith | December 03, 2007 8:57 AM |
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MiscellaneousHave you made a big purchase recently - maybe a car or refrigerator? Have you found the need to admit your aging father or mother to a nursing home? If you have been involved in one of these, or similar transactions, you were probably faced with a mandatory arbitration provision in the contract of sale, admission agreement, etc.What happens when you sign an agreement which contains a mandatory...