Recent Blog Posts

malpractice claims. They both involve health care providers and the individuals who receive care from them, as well as some type of misconduct that causes harm. Fortunately, med mal and nursing home injury claims also allow victims to pursue the wrongdoer for compensation. Under Florida’s medical negligence statute and laws covering assisted living facilities,...

There is a wealth of information about suicide available online, but one common theme you may note while reviewing these resources is their agreement that suicide is preventable. Unfortunately, these tragedies still occur with alarming frequency. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that almost 46,000 people die by suicide every...

Nurses play an important role with patient care in hospitals and clinical settings, so questions often arise about liability and potential parties in medical malpractice claims. Under Florida’s Nurse Practice Act, there are different standards of care depending on the license the nursing professional holds and related details. Generally, the applicable standard is based...

Nurses are charged with a wide array of tasks in the hospital, clinical, and assisted living environments, so the potential for errors is cause for concern. Researchers have identified the seven most common mistakes made by registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), certified nursing assistants (CNAs), and many other nurse professionals. They primarily...

Nursing home abuse and neglect are intolerable, and the laws in Florida are harsh on facilities that cause harm to residents. A resident, often through family members, has the right to pursue an assisted living center for all injuries resulting from intentional misconduct or negligence. Florida’s statute allows civil enforcement, so it is possible...

Suicide has been a major public health issue in the US for decades, and it is disturbing to learn that rates are on the rise despite initiatives to get help for those with mental health issues. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US,...

There are many statistics on the incidence of nursing home neglect and abuse in Florida and throughout the US, but data also indicates that the problem exists on a global scale. A report from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that 1 in 6 individuals living in assisted living facilities suffered some form of...

There is no doubt that nurses are among the hardest working staff members at any Florida hospital, clinic, or health care facility. They take on important responsibilities and play an essential role with patient care. Still, nurses are held to certain standards just like other health care professionals, and failure to provide adequate care...

Unintentional falls are the number one reason people aged 65 and older visit emergency rooms for medical treatment, and they are also the top cause of fatalities in this age group. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 25 percent of older Americans experience a fall every year; 1...

Few people would deny that nurses are among the hardest working people in Florida, but even these dedicated employees have their limitations when overworked. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the odds of nurses committing an error increases three-fold when they work more than 12 hours compared to 8-hour...

We rely on nursing homes to care for our most vulnerable loved ones. Sadly, in far too many cases, nursing homes fail to live up to their basic responsibilities. According to data cited by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), approximately 1 in 5 nursing homes nationwide were cited for serious quality violations in 2015....

The relationship between a patient and mental health professional is one of the most intensely personal in all of medicine, so it is not surprising that the implications of psychiatric malpractice can be devastating. For parents of troubled teens, the outlook is especially concerning. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), suicide is the...

Nurses play a critical role in a hospital, handling numerous, varied aspects of treatment and management to support quality patient care. Disruptions can lead to serious harm, which is why many in the medical field have expressed concerns about the implications of COVID-19. However, survey results gathered before the pandemic indicate that there have...

August 18, 2021 — Freidin Brown, P.A. is pleased to announce that Philip Freidin and Joel H. Brown have been included in the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers has published their list for over...

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provides a national minimum wage along with a rule requiring that workers be paid overtime at one and a half times their normal rate for every hour worked over 40 in a given week. Unfortunately, these simple rules are frequently violated by employers in Florida and around the...

Billing For Care Not Provided Many Floridians rely on Medicare to cover designated medical expenses, and health care providers who offer services recoup their fees through this federal health insurance program. Unfortunately, there are some physicians and practices that take advantage of the system. According to the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS),...

South Florida’s leading legal newspaper, the Daily Business Review, recently announced the recipients of their annual Florida Legal Awards. We are thrilled to announce that attorney Jonathan E. Freidin has been recognized as a 2021 “On the Rise” honoree, reserved for South Florida’s most promising young attorneys selected through peer nomination. Previously recognized by...

On Monday February 1, Universal Health Services, a Fortune 500 healthcare company, announced development plans for a new 7-story, 270-bed hospital after purchasing a 32-acre lot in Palm Beach Gardens. Based out of Pennsylvania, Universal Health is a nationwide healthcare network with over 25 medical facilities in the state of Florida, as listed below....

How to Recognize this Common Fraud Pattern Upcoding and unbundling are examples of healthcare billing fraud that involve the improper use of billing codes by health care providers. Billing codes (known as CPT codes) are a part of the Medicare healthcare program. The program uses a set of tables to determine how much a...

Florida once again ranked in the Top 10 US states for medical malpractice payouts according to the 2019 Medical Malpractice Payout Report prepared by LeverageRx, an analytics resource and insurance marketplace for doctors. Another key finding in the publication is that, after a steady increase over the last few years, the average settlement for...

To try to stay updated on Covid-related developments here in Florida (ie: for purely non-political reasons), I started following Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Twitter at the beginning of the Pandemic.  Just a couple days ago, a tweet from the Governor came up on my feed indicating that, since the Pandemic Florida has established...

Congratulations to attorney Jonathan Freidin, who recently recovered a $270,000 settlement on behalf of his client. The case involved a pedestrian who was struck by a security golf cart in her condominium parking lot, resulting in an ankle fracture and dislocation. “We are happy about this result for our client, who can finally have...

What would your past clients say about you? – Philip Freidin I think, on the whole, our past clients are all very, very satisfied that we treated them fairly, that we treated them with respect, that we listened to their concerns, and we got them excellent results. I think they would also say that...

Freidin Brown, P.A. is proud to announce that both of our named Partners – Philip Freidin and Joel Brown – have been named to The Best Lawyers in America© list for 2019! Philip Freidin – Lawyer Philip Freidin was selected for inclusion in the area of Plaintiffs’ Medical Malpractice Law. A nationally recognized trial...

In the aftermath of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, our firm has received inquiries into the obligations and duties of schools and educators to safeguard children, and whether schools even have a duty to students. The answer is yes: Florida law imposes a duty on schools to...

In the wake of Hurricane Irma, perhaps the most tragic news is coming from The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, a 152-bed nursing home facility serving patients from Florida-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. As has been widely reported, as many as 9 patients have now passed away as a result of high temperatures...

Tragically, each year 44,193 Americans commit suicide (https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/), often times leaving family members asking themselves why or how this could have happened. In most scenarios, no legal action will be taken after this period of self-reflection and personal investigation. However, in limited scenarios, family members of a suicide victim may be able to bring...