According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teenage drivers (age 16 to 19) are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than drivers over the age of 20. In the face of these statistics, the Wisconsin Senate has passed a bill which would limit…
In California, an appellate court is being asked to consider whether a texting driver can be held liable for punitive damages. Punitive damages are intended to punish the wrongdoer and, hopefully, deter others from engaging in the same harmful conduct. In the texting while driving context, the argument is that…
Certain breeds of dogs have historically been classified as bully breeds and subject to special rules. For instance, military bases ban certain bully breeds. And, in the past, many local governments passed bans prohibiting residents from owning specified bully breeds. But surprisingly, that legislative trend is now reversing itself. State…
Roger Bates got into the grain auger to break up material that would have clogged the machine. But, the corn sucked him down so fast that he could not use the chain he had brought in with him as a safety measure. Lucky for Mr. Bates, his grandson reacted quickly…
Almost everyone who is reading this has some connection to social media. If you are not on Facebook, Twitter, Vine, Instagram or other social media, I would be wiling to bet your kids, spouse, girlfriend, grandkids, boyfriend or someone else close to you is using social media. And if you…
According to research conducted by John Hopkins Medical Center, diagnostic errors do the most harm to patients and result in the most medical malpractice claims and additional expenses. Diagnostic errors can be either a missed diagnosis, a delayed diagnosis or a wrong diagnosis. Some of the most common reasons for diagnostic…
As we wrap-up Patient Safety Week, we want to conclude with some steps you can take to prevent being the victim of a medical error: 1. Write down questions you have of your doctor so you do not forget to ask about issues that are important to you; 2. Do not be…
Earlier in the week, we discussed the "never event" of wrong site surgeries. Another never event is patient falls. Patient falls in hospitals, nursing homes and other medical facilities should never happen. In fact, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will typically not reimburse medical facilities for additional medical treatment that is necessitated…
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each day roughly 1 in every 20 hospitalized patients will develop a healthcare-associated infection as a result of receiving medical care. And, that statistic does not include infections acquired at doctor’s offices and long-term care facilities. There are several types of healthcare-acquired infections…
National Patient Safety Week continues and so does our discussion about preventable medical errors. Medical errors are now the third leading cause of death in the United States. Only cancer and heart-disease claim more lives. Accidents, stroke, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease are not even close to the deaths caused by preventable medical…