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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,...

While some medical mistakes can be the result of negligence by an individual health care provider, Florida law also allows patients to pursue hospitals that cause harm. In fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) points out that many medical errors are the result of defects at the enterprise level. Entire health care systems...

Damages in a medical malpractice case are intended to make the victim whole after being harmed by a healthcare provider’s negligence, and there is one important fact that stands out initially. Statistics reported by Forbes indicate that Florida ranked second for medical malpractice payouts by state in 2022, with compensation to victims hitting $382...

Cancer can affect any part of the human body, and it will often spread to other organs and tissues through metastasis from the first cancerous cells to form. However, in some cases, the primary origin of the disease is not apparent to health care providers. Medical professionals at the Mayo Clinic refer to the...

A substantial part of our practice involves representing gravely damaged people or their families in cases of death resulting from failures to properly diagnose conditions in emergency rooms. Most of our cases involve missed or improperly treated strokes, heart attacks, aortic dissections, aneurysms, infections, spinal cord issues, and even some cancers. So it didn’t...

Florida physicians have your health and well-being in their hands when making medical decisions and treating patients, which is why they must undergo years of school and training. However, despite these intense efforts, health care providers are still capable of making mistakes. From misdiagnosis and surgical mishaps to birth injuries and medication issues, these...

The thyroid is a vital gland for purposes of hormonal balance within the human body, playing a key role in a person’s metabolism, development, and regulation of bodily functions. Its importance is recognized every year during Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month, which will be a month-long celebration this September 2022. The Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association...

Though there are certainly concerns as individuals get older, heart health is important at any age. Statistics compiled by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal high rates of coronary illness and related conditions, pointing out that heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women across the...

A woman’s cervix plays multiple, important roles during pregnancy. It initially serves as support for the growing fetus, and then gradually opens late-term to accommodate the infant moving through the birth canal. Cervical insufficiency is a medical condition that occurs when there are weaknesses or structural defects that affect these functions. According to the...

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common reasons that individuals seek medical care, and the vast majority of patients will fully recover with proper antibiotics. However, if left untreated, a UTI could expand and cause infection in the kidneys. The human body counters the contamination with an immune response, but it...

Though the primary focus of any procedure is treatment or prevention of a medical condition, one of the most critical duties of the surgical team is ensuring proper wound healing. The failure to manage the hygiene, safety, and security of the incision can lead to separation, putting the patient at risk of serious harm....

You might not think too much about the working relationship between your treating physician and the hospital where you received care. However, there could be important distinctions and the question will likely come up more often in the coming years. Statistics reveal that around half of doctors in all specialty areas are in private...

Any Florida health care provider can make a mistake, but there are some specialty areas where allegations of negligence occur frequently. Neurosurgery is one of the most complicated, delicate procedures in all of medicine because it involves the intricate workings of the brain. A report from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reveals that...

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...

A stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is disrupted by a clot or tear in a blood vessel, in turn preventing the flow of essential oxygen. This condition is the leading cause of serious long-term disability in the US according to the Stroke Awareness Foundation, which reports that there are around 4.69...

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...

Many people are familiar with the higher stages when it comes to understanding the progression of cancer, so it might be surprising to learn that there is actually a Stage 0 for breast cancer. The National Breast Cancer Foundation explains that this level is also termed “carcinoma in situ” for the fact that the...

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...

Anesthesia enables Florida health care providers to perform surgeries and diagnostic procedures that would never even be possible without some pain management for the patient. However, in a recent study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers discovered that around 2,140 patients were affected by mistakes in administering anesthesia annually. There were...

The majority of Florida personal injury cases are resolved via out-of-court settlement, and this phenomenon is certainly true in the subcategory of medical malpractice claims. The benefits of settling are certainly convincing, as you can receive payment faster, will not have to testify in court, and will not face the risk of losing at...

Though every U.S. state has enacted laws covering medical malpractice claims and the legal process, there are subtle differences among the jurisdictions. Florida’s malpractice laws can be quite nuanced and complex. Negligence has a precise definition in the practice of law and a very specific application in medical malpractice cases. When trying to recover...

Whether a patient is hospitalized for emergency treatment, an elective surgery, or other ailment, the hospital’s laboratory will play a central role with care. Lab tests and screenings are critical for diagnosing a medical condition, so that health care providers can develop a strategy and get started with proper treatment. You might not expect...

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,...

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, having overtaken lung cancer for the first time and rising to become the second leading cause of cancer death in 2020. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) also reports that a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 14 seconds, and this type of...

COVID-19 has impacted Florida health care professionals in many immeasurable, devastating ways, but there is one unexpected consequence that you might not consider. A recent study revealed that almost 74 percent of physicians are hospital or corporate employees, and the pandemic was a motivating factor. The proportion of doctors who became employed by hospitals,...

Safety should be a top priority at Florida hospitals, but data reveals that some health care facilities fall short when it comes to exposing patients to a risk of harm. In an article published by Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, researchers reported that more than 200,000 individuals die from hospital errors every year, including health...

Hospitals are where people head for the treatment of medical conditions, so it is disturbing to learn how frequently patients suffer additional injuries or ailments because of being hospitalized. Estimates on patient harm associated with hospital care reveal that more than 210,000 fatalities are linked to preventable harm by hospital administration, staff, and other...

Though medical malpractice is a type of personal injury claim, there are additional details, requirements, and concepts that apply to these cases under Florida law. One important factor is that a plaintiff is required to conduct a reasonable investigation before filing a lawsuit, and the statute is very specific on how to meet the...

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...