Giving birth is supposed to be a joyous occasion, marked by cigars, balloons and well wishes. What if your birth does not go as planned. If your baby comes out with low Apgar scores, an ominous sign or, develops signs of Cerebral Palsy or hypoxic brain injury. Fetal Heart Rate Monitors Fetal heart rate monitoring… Read More
Bacterial Meningitis: Failure to Diagnose or Treat
Meningitis refers to a clinical syndrome that is characterized by an inflammation of the 3 layers of tissue that line the spinal cord. This tissue is called the meninges. The inflammation affects the underlying cerebrospinal fluid. Bacterial meningitis is a dangerous disease process that attacks the central nervous system. It is critical to diagnose this… Read More
Stimulation Treatment For Paraplegia
A new study has been heralded as having “staggering” success and implications for the future treatment of paralysis. A group of researchers at the University of California Los Angeles and the University of Louisville were able to help restore voluntary movement to four individuals who had been told they would never be able to walk again. The… Read More
General Anesthesia Errors and Medical Malpractice
What is general anesthesia? General anesthesia is the administration of medication and anesthetic agents that put a patient undergoing a surgical procedure “to sleep” an unable to feel pain. Anesthesia is utilized during surgical procedures to reduce anxiety or to eliminate pain in otherwise painful procedures. It is widely used and generally considered safe. A combination… Read More
When Routine Spinal Surgery Goes Terribly Wrong
Imagine for a moment that you visit a doctor with your back problem, and his or her trusted medical recommendation is a minimal, routine spinal surgery procedure. The diagnosis makes sense to you, you agree to have the surgery with its minimal risks, and you enter the operating room. But somehow a surgical error occurs,… Read More
Meningitis as a Result of Epidural Injections
In March of this year, the Center for Disease Control announced a multistate outbreak of fungal meningitis as a result of steroid epidural injections. Additionally, the CDC reports other patients who present with spinal or paraspinal infections such as epidural abscess, discitis, osteomyelitis of the vertebral bodies, and arachnoiditis near the site of injection. These… Read More
Spinal Cord Injury During Surgery
Many patients undergo surgery because of disc herniation in the cervical or lumbar spine. It is a fairly common condition, and patients expect the surgery to be routine. Although an “informed consent” document is signed, and the patient acknowledges the potential risks, no one expects to undergo surgery and wake up permanently paralyzed. The unfortunate… Read More
Study Finds Brain Imaging Can Predict Pain Intensity
Pain and suffering is often difficult to measure, even by the most experienced pain specialists. Patients are typically asked to rate their own pain on a scale of 1-10. Although there are objective ways to confirm physical and psychological injuries consistent with pain, the nature and extent of pain is typically measured by the patient’s… Read More
Maker of Meningitis-Tainted Injections May Be Prosecuted
Our meningitis injury attorneys have previously written about the outbreak of meningitis found in steroid injections used to treat pain, which sickened scores of people earlier this year. We have encouraged the victims of this negligently-prepared product to seek legal advice immediately. Now, it appears that civil lawsuits may not be all that the makers of… Read More
Missed Diagnosis Can Cause Paralysis
The failure to diagnose a patient’s true medical condition can lead to a whole host of serious consequences – from lengthy hospital stays and chronic pain to permanent disability and death. And in some cases, as our Chicago medical malpractice attorneys know, a missed diagnosis can also lead to permanent paralysis, leaving the victim a… Read More