Medical Malpractice

• It Was Not Sympathy For Widow That Motivated Jury When Doctors Kept Heads In Sand

  Bob Carroll | January 21, 2007 7:09 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  In a recent Medical Malpractice/Wrongful Death case we are told the jury primarily heard the family's tale and acted with compassion rather than according to the rigors of the law. That is the take of Cortlandt Forum, at least.I read the facts outlined on the Forum and come to an entirely different conclusion. A complicated case is trumped by the sympathy factorThe patient was a 22-year-old...

• Fat May Be Your Friend

  Bob Carroll | January 20, 2007 6:39 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  This has absolutely nothing to do with the law. But, it is good news for those of us who cannot get down to our ideal body weight.Obesity may reduce risk of heart failure deathNEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Obese patients hospitalized with heart failure tend to fare better than their lean counterparts, new research suggests.The report, which appears in the American Heart Journal, indicates that...

• Let's Work On Eliminating Medical Errors, Not Patient Rights

  Bob Carroll | January 19, 2007 5:54 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  Every year between 44,000 and 98,000 people die from preventable medical errors. That is the take-away message from an item posted by Cyrus Dugger at TortDeform.How to Reduce Medical Costs, Lawsuits & Deaths at the Same TimeThe tort "reform" movement blames lawyers and lawsuits for the increasing cost of medical care. Whether or not you buy that argument (and this blog has argued many times...

• Burns Leave Serious Emotional Scars

  Bob Carroll | January 15, 2007 7:11 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  In burn patients, treating the physical injury may only be treating half the problem. Depression often goes along with a serious burn. Burn Patients Need More Help Coping With DepressionA new study reveals the full extent of psychological problems among people who have spent years recovering from serious burns. About half of those surveyed showed signs of clinical depression, with women being...

• Take Your Medicine And Live Longer

  Bob Carroll | January 11, 2007 7:14 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  Let me lead with the moral of the story. It's important to follow prescriptions carefully. And if you have concerns about a drug you're taking, talk with your doctor before quitting the drug or making changes.That is message we should take away from the following study:Drugs Prolong Life After Heart AttackFor heart attack survivors, it really is important to follow doctor's orders: A Canadian...

• Matt Noyes On The Herniated Disk

  Bob Carroll | January 10, 2007 8:42 PM | 1 CommentTampa Bay, FL

  My law partner, Matt Noyes, has created a legal blog to primarily discuss issues related to Workers' Compensation matters. Matt recently discussed the herniated disk or disc. The following is an excerpt from his informative article. What You Need to Know About Your Herniated Disk Your doctor has told you that you have a herniated disc, but what does this mean to you? When the soft part...

• Coumadin And The Risk Of A Brain Bleed

  Bob Carroll | January 10, 2007 6:21 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  Blood thinning, anticoagulant warfarin (Coumadin) carries risk of a brain hemorrhage. This is a risk of its use that is not always being considered by the prescribing doctor. Brain Bleeds From Blood Thinner on the RiseThe rate of bleeding in the brain associated with use of the anticoagulant drug warfarin quintupled during the 1990s, University of Cincinnati researchers reported...

• FDA Provides Video News Programs Helpful To Consumers

  Bob Carroll | January 07, 2007 6:07 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  A special thanks to Everett, at US Recall News, for alerting all of us to a valuable service provided by the FDA.FDA Patient Safety News Worth A Visit By ConsumersFDA Patient Safety News is supposed to be "A Video News Show for Health Professionals" but there is no reason why consumers could not stay up-to-date as well by watching the Internet broadcasts.What is it, exactly?FDA Patient Safety...

• Getting Your Pain Pill From Marcus Welby Could Make A Difference

  Bob Carroll | January 05, 2007 7:54 AM | 0 CommentsTampa Bay, FL

  If you really believe that a therapy will relieve your pain you may significantly improve the chances that it will. That is the basic finding of a research project just completed.Pain Relief Effectiveness Down To Mind-Set?Research by the Human Pain Research Group at The University of Manchester suggests that people's responses to placebo or "dummy" pain relief varies according to their way of...

• The Epidemic With Many Names

  Bob Carroll | January 04, 2007 9:11 AM | 1 CommentTampa Bay, FL

  According to a story in the New York Times there is an epidemic causing excessive medical treatment in the U.S. It is an epidemic with many different names. What's Making Us Sick Is an Epidemic of Diagnoses For most Americans, the biggest health threat is not avian flu, West Nile or mad cow disease. It's our health-care system. Americans live longer than ever, yet more of us are told we are...