Ask questions. Ask the nurse, therapist, doctor, or resident/intern taking care of you or your loved one what is going on. Some medical negligence happens in circumstances where there is only a short period of time relevant to the care, such as a birth injury when an obstetrician waited fifteen minutes too long before calling for a caesarian section. In other instances, the injury or death occurs after multiple failures by multiple health care providers wherein the communication was poor and the execution of a medical care plan was even worse.

Talk to everyone that comes into your room. Ask them how you’re doing, ask them what the plan is, and ask them why the plan is what it is. Demand honest answers. These health care professionals are human like you and me. They are prone to mistakes, mental slips, and forgetfulness like anyone else. If a test is supposed to be done per a doctor’s order, make sure the nurse knows that. If something happened while the doctor wasn’t there and you’re not sure if the nurse told the doctor, then you tell the doctor.

Information is power. These health care professionals often have many patients at a time, and it can be difficult to remember all the signs, symptoms, complaints, and test results of every one of their patients. Minimize the risk of a forgetful moment by keeping your health care professionals on their toes with questions.

Don’t accept anything less than a full answer that you fully understand. For obvious reasons, we trust our doctors. We assume what they’re telling us is correct. But, that doesn’t mean that we don’t deserve answers that we understand. If an answer doesn’t make sense to you, ask a follow up question. Ask for clarification. If a response doesn’t sound right for one reason or another, do not be afraid to call out a confusing answer to a medical question.

Doctors are used to debate regarding diagnoses and treatment, as they do it every day with other health care providers and have been engaging in similar debates since the beginning of medical school. Don’t be afraid to question the doctor, even if it means that you need the doctor to explain in detail why he isn’t wrong. If you’re worried, speak up.

Do a little research. Look online – “Googling” something alone will provide a wealth of information. It can provide you with the vocabulary and understanding that will allow you to speak intelligently with your doctor and/or nurse. It will allow you to feel more comfortable with what the doctor is saying, or perhaps it will lead you to question the doctor’s approach. This can ultimately save your life or the life of a loved one. 

The bottom line is that people are silent and overly deferential to their doctors far too often. Speak up, be heard, and don’t be afraid to have frank conversations with your health care providers. It will provide you peace of mind, and it will decrease the likelihood of a miscommunication that can lead to a bad outcome.

About Our Chicago Healthcare Negligence Lawyers

Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. is a leading Illinois medical malpractice law firm with offices in Chicago and Waukegan. In addition to representing clients in medical malpractice cases, the firm’s personal injury lawyers focus on car and truck accidents, airplane and train accidents, construction injuries, birth injuries, brain injuries, unsafe properties and animal attacks. The firm has obtained more than $620 million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our injury clients.

Our record includes 175 cases with verdicts or settlements of $1 million or more. For more information, call (312) 372-1227 or use the firm’s online contact form.

Initial reports in 2011 of the potential drug-cancer connection came just days after at least two European countries banned use of the drug.

Five-year data show that although there’s no overall increased risk of bladder cancer, patients with the longest exposure to, and the highest cumulative dose of the drug, were at a greater risk, the agency said.

The five-year analysis included data on 193,099 diabetic patients who were treated with pioglitazone for a median of two years.

Patients on the drug for more than a year had a 40% increased risk of bladder cancer compared with those who never took it, although the finding was of borderline significance. The significance increased after two years of treatment (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.0), but the FDA acknowledged that the finding was still of “nominal” statistical significance.

Additional support for the drug-cancer connection was reported by the website EHealthMe, which discusses a study conducted on August 17, 2011, regarding the side effects of taking Actos and bladder cancer. According to the report, 22,512 reported side effects when taking Actos and 0.22% have bladder cancer. The largest concentration (approx. 43%) were using Actos between 2-5 years before having bladder cancer with the next largest concentration (approx. 29%) usingActos between 1-6 months.

“I will ask my patients on Actos to consider dropping it and give them an alternative,” Albert Levy, MD, of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, said.

If you or a family member has taken Actos and suffered harmful side effects, call Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., at (847) 249-1227 or use the firm’s online contact form.

When considering the world’s worst killers, alcohol likely doesn’t come to mind. Yet alcohol kills more than 2.5 million people globally each year, more than AIDS, malaria or tuberculosis.  It was reported today that the World Health Organization (WHO) has meticulously documented the extent of alcohol abuse in recent years and has published recommendations on how to reduce alcohol-related deaths.  Primarily, WHO would like to implement more regulations on alcohol to force nations to strengthen weak drinking laws and better enforce laws already on the books.  Not a bad idea.

While alcohol related deaths also include those associated with certain cancers and other chronic and life-threatening illnesses, I’m quickly reminded of the negative and often tragic impact it has on our roadways, and in the lives of many of our clients.  And, even though law enforcement and other groups have helped make our roads safer by bringing needed attention to the dangers of drinking and driving, the fact remains that drinking and driving still kills and/or injures thousands of people in the US each year.  According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), every minute, one person is injured from an alcohol-related crash. One in three people will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetime. Very scary.

If you or a family member has been injured by a drunk driver, call Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., at (847) 249-1227or use the firm’s online contact form.

Ms. Heffernan received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and Child Development from Arizona State University and earned her Juris Doctor along with a Masters of Law in Taxation from The John Marshall Law School.  

About Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.

Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard is a leading personal injury law firm in Illinois representing clients in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death cases.  The firm has obtained more than $620 million on behalf of its clients including 175 multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements.  For more information, visit http://www.salvilaw.com/or contact Christina Solomon at csolomon@salvilaw.com.

In a consumer advisory on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website, NHTSA said that defective rivets could cause infants to be improperly secured during collisions.

The defective rivets were used to attach the harness adjustor to the car seat.The harness adjuster is used to loosen and tighten the belt that holds the child to the seat.The harness adjuster is located at the foot of the car seat beneath easily lifted fabric.

Britax says there were 57 complaints out of the 14,420 car seats sold in the US. The company is also recalling 3,600 car seats sold in Canada.  Neither NHTSA nor Britax know of any injuries due to the defect.

The recall affects models E9L692J, E9L692K, E9L692L and E9L692M manufactured from September 1, 2010, through April 30. NHTSA requires that Britax contact owners. The company has a repair kit it planned to begin sending out on February 6. Until then, the company will replace all seats.

One of the last major recall of car seats occurred in February 2011. At that time, 800,000 car seats produced by Dorel Consumer Group were recalled for faulty locking mechanisms. The recall included infant, convertible, and booster child restraint systems. Dorel marketed the seats under separate brand names including Cosco, Maxi-Cosi, and Safety First.

If you believe you or a loved one has been the victim of an accident or a defective product, call us at 877-249-1227 or submit a question regarding your case to us via our website at www.salvilaw.com.

Under state law, the nursing home should have reported the incident immediately to the health department, the victim’s family and local police.  The complaint received by the health department about this case was by a third party – not the nursing home.  Oak Park HealthCare Center declined to comment. 

The primary role of a nursing home is providing each resident with a safe environment in which their health and medical needs can be met. Unfortunately, gross violations occur every day, tragically compromising the health, well-being and dignity of some of our society’s most vulnerable members. Nursing homes have a legal and moral duty to make sure residents are protected from themselves, staff, and other residents—especially those who might have prior criminal histories.

Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard has successfully represented clients in hundreds of nursing home abuse cases.  If you have a loved one in a care facility that you suspect is a victim of abuse call Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., at (847) 249-1227or use the firm’s online contact form.

The 2009 survey of nearly 1,900 doctors, published today in the journal Health Affairs, shows that many doctors don’t adhere to the standards of medical societies and accreditation groups, which have long required doctors to be open and honest with their patients.

The study indicates that 20 percent of survey participants say that they have withheld at least some information about a medical mistake from a patient within the past year, for fear of being sued for medical malpractice.

“There’s an expectation that our doctors will be truthful, and most are but some are not,” said study co-author Eric Campbell, director of research at the hospital’s Mongan Institute for Health Policy. The researchers didn’t determine whether any patients were harmed because of a physician’s dishonesty.

In addition, nearly 40 percent of physicians said they didn’t think it was necessary to reveal potential conflicts of interest that may arise from financial relationships the doctor may have with drug and medical device companies.

While the survey was anonymous, doctors may have veered a bit toward reporting behaviors that they deemed to be acceptable to their colleagues rather than what they truthfully did in practice, said Campbell. “Only 11 percent of physicians reported saying something untrue to patients over the past year,” he said, “which I suspect is much higher.” The doctors were not asked what they lied about.

The study authors say that more research is necessary to learn more about what situations are more likely to trigger a feeling of justification for a doctor to lie to a patient. Other studies have been conducted that show that “informing patients about medical errors can reduce anger and lessen patients’ interest in bringing malpractice lawsuits,” according to research conducted at Harvard Medical School.

About Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.

Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. is a leading Illinois medical malpractice law firm with offices in Chicago and Waukegan. The firm represents clients in matters involving emergency room errors, failure to diagnose, hospital negligence, physician error, birth injuries, surgical malpractice, anesthesia errors, organ puncture/perforation, post-operative and pre-operation malpractice and surgical complications. The firm’s success in medical negligence, personal injury and wrongful death cases features recoveries of more than $620 million on behalf of its clients, including more than 175 multimillion-dollar verdicts or settlements.

To learn more about Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., call (847) 249-1227or use the firm’s online contact form.

“These projects enhance roads, sidewalks, and other infrastructure within communities, which is important in keeping both drivers and pedestrians safe,” Governor Quinn said. “Encouraging children to walk and bike to school not only makes school routes safer, but also improves the quality of life for Illinois residents by easing traffic congestion and reducing emissions.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in school-age children. In 2009, about 18% of under-14 traffic fatalities were pedestrians.

The Safe Routes to School program seeks to improve safety by funding projects to improve sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, and to add bike lanes and traffic calming measures like speed bumps or lights. Area schools will also use the funds for safety training, educational materials and public service announcements.

While the funding is dedicated to pedestrian and bicycling safety for children, officials also hope it will improve youth health and educate children about alternative transportation choices.

Chicago Accident Lawyers

Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard is an Illinois car accident law firm with offices in Chicago and Waukegan. The firm’s accident attorneys focus on car and truck accidents, as well as medical malpractice, airplane and train accidents, construction injuries, birth injuries, brain injuries, unsafe properties and animal attacks.The firm has obtained more than $585 million on behalf of its clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases, including 160 multi-million dollar verdicts or settlements.

For more information, call (312) 372-1227 or use the firm’s online contact form.

Delirium can be triggered by certain common medications including sedatives, sleeping pills, painkillers and other drugs that interfere with neurotransmitters. Physical restraint worsens the condition. Susan Seliger, in a recent article for the New York Times, described how her previously bright and active mother spiraled into a classic case of hospital-caused delirium post-surgery. Medical workers first treated her confusion with sedatives. As she became increasingly erratic, they tied her down to her hospital bed, according to the article. Panicked, her condition worsened.

“Nobody knew this before, but experiencing delirium in the I.C.U. is a very strong predictor of dying — there’s a threefold rise in death within a year,” said Dr. Sharon K. Inouye, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of the Aging Brain Center at Hebrew Senior Life in Boston.

Many hospital workers do not appropriately treat delirium, believing that the condition eventually goes away and besides, is part of hospital life. That attitude may worsen delirium.Dr. Inouye believes that 30 to 40 percent of delirium cases are preventable and could represent a cost savings that could “solve our whole Medicare crisis.” While young doctors are now taught to recognize and appropriately treat delirium, older health care workers were taught that delirium had no real impact.

“Even well-meaning doctors are doing damage without knowing it,” saidDr. E. Wesley Ely, a professor of medicine and critical care at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Dr. Inouye believes family members can make sure their loved ones are treated correctly: “Don’t let the doctors and nurses tell you this just happens in the hospital. Say, ‘This is not normal — this can be a medical emergency.’”

About Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.

Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. is a leading Illinois medical malpractice law firm with offices in Chicago and Waukegan. The firm represents clients in matters involving emergency room errors, failure to diagnose, hospital negligence, physician error, birth injuries, surgical malpractice, anesthesia errors, organ puncture/perforation, post-operative and pre-operation malpractice and surgical complications. The firm’s success in medical negligence, personal injury and wrongful death cases features recoveries of more than $620 million on behalf of its clients, including more than 175 multimillion-dollar verdicts or settlements. To learn more about Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., call (847) 249-1227or use the firm’s online contact form.

Cleveland Clinic reviewed seven trials of Pradaxa, involving more than 30,000 patients. Researchers stated, however, that the added risk for any one individual of having a heart attack on Pradaxa was 0.27 percent.

Many doctors still recommend Pradaxa over alternative drugs. Pradaxa was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October 2010 for use in patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.Those with atrial fibrillation, a common problem with heart rhythm, are at greater risk for other health problems, such as strokes. Anticoagulant drugs such as Pradaxa are often prescribed to lower the risk of stroke. 

Lead researcher Dr. Ken Uchino, director of the Vascular Neurology Fellowship Training Program at the Cleveland Clinic, commented that the increased risk associated with Pradaxa use was “small, and the benefit in prevention of stroke among persons with atrial fibrillation is greater.” However, Dr. Uchino warned, “for other uses the risk of heart attack has to be taken into account.”

Dr. Jeremy Jacobs, who lectures in geriatric medicine at Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem and is familiar with the researchers’ methodologies and data, said that the review highlights the importance of continued study and monitoring of drugs after they have been placed on the market. Determining who is to be held accountable for continued study of drug risks and affects, he says, is increasingly difficult.

“Who takes responsibility? Industry? Independent researchers? National bodies?” Dr. Jacobs asks. He adds, “The stakes are very high for new drugs, and it is difficult for industry-backed research to overcome conflicts of interest that inevitably arise.”

If you believe you or a loved one has been the victim of a defective or dangerous drug, give us a call at 877-249-1227 or submit a question regarding your case to us at www.salvilaw.com.  Compassion, Experience, Results and Reputation. These are the qualities that distinguish all the attorneys of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.