As we have written about previously, there are approximately 6,800 prescription medications available in the United States. In addition, there are countless over-the-counter drugs, health supplements, herbs and other concoctions used by the public regularly to treat their health problems. Given these large numbers, medical professionals make mistakes in the ordering and disseminating of these drugs and other healthcare-related products.  There is also the risk of negative interactions between medications and other products. It is...

Emergency room healthcare facilities like hospitals or free-standing emergency medical departments provide immediate care to patients suffering from a wide variety of problems – injuries from car crashes, heart attacks, animal bites, broken bones and strokes. The pace of emergency rooms is generally fast and frantic as medical professionals triage injuries and illnesses. The current disturbing trend in hospital staffing shortages has also had an impact. Lack of communication and fragmented medical care by various...

Most surgeons are well-trained and able to provide a standard of care that is competent and meets applicable protocols. However, because of how closely they must work near a nerve or a nerve network, sometimes they damage a nerve.  Whether a doctor or medical professional is responsible for the harm arising from this nerve damage depends upon whether medical malpractice is involved. That is, did the physician meet the standard of care required? What Causes...

If a baby is born too early, a premature birth can result in serious injuries to the newborn baby. Premature birth can be caused by a number of factors, but there’s no question that premature birth can result in serious and life-long medical problems for the baby. In some cases, premature birth is related to the mother’s actions, such as tobacco or substance abuse, or it may be related to natural causes. Medical conditions in...

Intravenous therapy, otherwise known as “IV therapy,” is a very common medical procedure in hospitals, medical centers, and even home care. IV therapy involves placing an intravenous catheter – a thin, flexible tube – into a patient’s vein in order to supply saline, medications, nutrients, or other vital fluids. IVs are used during and after surgeries and also used in medical and non-medical emergency procedures.  A medical complication known as IV infiltration occurs when a...

Intravenous, or IV, therapy is used to administer antibiotics, medications, electrolytes and other fluids into the bloodstream. The procedure is straight-forward and relatively simple. The nurse or technician places a needle in the patient’s vein. A plastic catheter slides into place over the needle before removing it. A tube is connected to the catheter to deliver the fluid.  Intravenous (IV) Infiltration occurs when the catheter goes through the vein or slips out of the vein...

Vicarious liability is a legal concept that attributes responsibility to a person or entity who should be responsible for another’s negligence. Often it’s called by its legal term, “respondeat superior.” In the case of medical malpractice, for example, questions can arise about whether a hospital is responsible for the individuals who provide care to patients – doctors, residents, nurses, x-ray technicians, pharmacists, etc.  The legal theory of vicarious liability provides opportunities for recovering for damages...

From 2003 until recently, non-economic damages for medical malpractice cases in Florida were capped. However, the Florida Supreme Court eventually ruled such caps unconstitutional. What does this mean for a plaintiff in a medical malpractice lawsuit? An Orlando medical malpractice lawyer or Fort Lauderdale medical malpractice attorney at Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm may be able to help you understand the compensation to which you may be entitled. Legal Damages in Medical Malpractice Cases There are...