• Personal Injury

    Posted on January 27th, 2012

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    Pediatric ICUs Have Higher Risk of Infections than Adult ICUs

    Concerned parents of children who have been admitted into the local ICU may have much to worry about.  A study by Consumer Reports finds that pediatric ICUs have much higher infection rates than adult ICUs.

    Researchers from Consumer Reports focused on 98 pediatric intensive care units in 31 states across the country.  These pediatric intensive care units reported their infection data.  The researchers found that pediatric ICUs had infection rates that were at least 20% higher than the national rate for adult ICUs.

    Pediatric ICUs had a rate of 1.8 bloodstream infections for every 1000 days the children were on central lines.  In comparison, adult ICUs have a national average of 1.5 bloodstream infections for every 1000 days adults were hooked on a central line.  In some of the pediatric ICU’s, the infection rates were as high as 7.2.  That is higher than the national average infection rates in adult ICUs.

    Out of the 98 pediatric intensive care units in the study, Consumer Reports researchers found that only 5 pediatric intensive care units reported zero infection rates in 2010.

    According to Consumer Reports, the data came from pediatric intensive care units and hospitals that report infection data.  Arizona medical malpractice lawyers find that there is reason to be concerned about infection rates at hospitals that choose not to report infection data.

    Parents can reduce the chances of infections in their children by working together with the ICU staff to keep the central line and catheters clean and sterilized.  Parents must read up on the best practices for avoiding deadly central line-associated bloodstream infections, and make sure that hospitals are following these practices.  Parents can also help ensure that visitors and hospital staff keep their hands clean when visiting or attending to a child.

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  • Brain and Spine Injury, Motorcycle Accidents, Personal Injury

    Posted on January 23rd, 2012

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    New Trials Investigate Effect of Progesterone on Brain Injury

    New clinical trials that have just commenced at 5 hospitals in the U.K. will investigate the effect of the female sex hormone progesterone on persons with a traumatic brain injury.  The trials are part of an international study into the use of the female sex hormone in the treatment of patients who have suffered a brain injury in motorcycle accidents and other types of accidents.  Similar trials have been conducted in the United States too, and have found substantially higher healing rates among persons who were administered the hormone.

    The researchers in this trial will use a synthetic version of the progesterone hormone called progestin.  One group of subjects in the study will be administered the hormones, while the other group will be given a placebo.  The researchers want to compare the healing rates between the two groups.

    More than 1,200 people across the world are taking part in the international study called SyNAPSe, and results are not expected until at least 2-3 years.  The researchers believe that the progesterone hormone contains healing properties that protect the brain cells after injury.  This helps limit the extent of the injury, thereby accelerating the process of recovery.  Researchers say that they are being cautious about the results of the trial, but are optimistic.

    If the trials are successful, then Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyers believe this opens up a brand-new avenue for treatment of traumatic brain injury.  There have been no major advances in brain injury treatment, although there are a number of experimental studies in varying degrees of research, many of them being funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.

    Persons who are involved in a motorcycle accident may be at an especially high risk of traumatic brain injury.  The risk of injury can be reduced, but not completely eliminated by wearing motorcycle helmets.

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  • Car Accidents, Personal Injury

    Posted on January 13th, 2012

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    Accident Risks Increase When You Drive With a Cold

    New research out of the UK suggests that the driving skills of persons, who are driving with a heavy cold, could be just as bad as those who are driving under the influence of alcohol.  It’s a small study, and it’s hard to tell exactly how much credence Los Angeles car accident lawyers should place on these results, but it’s an interesting theory.

    The researchers used a device to measure a motorist’s speed, braking and other factors when he was driving with a cold.  They found that having a cold affected a driver’s motoring abilities almost as much as if he had been driving under the influence.   In short, the motorist’s reaction times were slowed, responses were delayed, and judgment was impacted.  These motorists had a much lower awareness of their surroundings than other drivers, and were much more likely to brake suddenly.

    Additionally, motorists with a cold had their accident risks bumped up, because sneezing causes a person to shut his eyes briefly, and takes attention away from the road for a few seconds.  Also, these persons could be at a serious risk of a auto accidents if they are driving after taking over-the-counter cough and cold formulations.  These medications can increase drowsiness.

    It may be a small study, but UK police are warning that persons suffering from a cold avoid driving altogether.  In fact, they even believe that persons driving with a cold should be prosecuted.

    Even with all the automation in your car, driving is a task that requires 100% of your attention.  A heavy cold or symptoms of flu can undoubtedly impact concentration, increase feelings of irritability and induce lethargy, all impacting your driving skills.  Driving under the influence of flu therefore may be just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol.

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  • DUI, Personal Injury

    Posted on January 13th, 2012

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    Increase in Binge Drinking Fuels Drunk Driving Accident Risks

    According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the year 2010, not only were more people binge drinking, but they were also drinking more alcoholic beverages per session of binging than the previous year.

    In 2009, the prevalence of binge drinking among American adults was about 15.2%, and that percentage had increased to 17.1% in 2010.  In 2010, approximately one out of every 6 adults admitted to binge drinking, and during the average binge drinking session, knocked back at least 8 alcoholic beverages.  That number is much higher than what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Los Angeles car accident lawyers had earlier believed.

    Binge drinking is considered to be the consumption of at least 5 alcoholic beverages by males.  Among women, binging is defined as the consumption of 4 alcoholic drinks.  However, what the CDC research suggests is that the number of drinks being consumed in a single session is actually much higher.

    The CDC analysis collected data from more than 450,000 telephone surveys conducted across the country.  The highest binge drinking rates were found in Wisconsin with a rate of 25.6 %, and the lowest rates were found in Utah and West Virginia where the rate was 10.9%.

    Young adults and white males were more likely to drink excessive amounts of alcohol.  More than 23% of the men in the survey admitted to binge drinking on at least one occasion over the last month.  In comparison, 11.4% of women admitted to binge drinking over the last 30 days.

    The public safety concerns from any increase in binge drinking in Los Angeles are immense.  When a person drinks excessive amounts of alcohol, his chances of being involved in a serious alcohol-related accident increase dramatically.

     

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  • Personal Injury

    Posted on December 31st, 2011

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    Unsafe Use of Drug Infusion Pumps at UC Irvine Medical Center

    It’s always a matter of concern to Los Angeles medical malpractice lawyers when some of the country’s most renowned hospitals are found to be reckless in their operations.  Health inspectors who conducted a survey of UC Irvine Medical Center have found issues with the way that drug infusion pumps are being used by hospital staff.

    The inspection was triggered after officials at the hospital reported that a kidney disease patient had died after he received excessive medication from a drug infusion pump.   A review conducted by internal and external physicians found that the excessive medication was not responsible for the patient’s death.  However, during the inspection, the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services did find several problems in the way that the drug infusion pumps are being operated in the hospital.

    For instance, they found that adequate staff training was not being provided before the drug infusion pumps were used.  Patients were being administered medications through the drug infusion pumps without staff members knowing how to use these properly.  Further, the hospital had neglected to establish strong safety procedures for the proper use of these infusion pumps.  According to UC Irvine Medical Center, its staff has been properly trained to operate the pumps.

    The death of the patient, which occurred in July, was linked to the fact that he received 100 mg of thymoglobulin over a period of just one hour, instead of the recommended 6-hour period.  In this case, the pump had not been properly programmed to prevent excessive medication from being released.  The doctor administered the excessive dosage, but according to health inspectors, the pump should have been properly programmed to prevent excessive medication from being released.  In this case, the safeguards that were in place to prevent excessive medication from being released, were not set up properly, and failed.

    There was another incident that occurred in June, in which a patient received more than 30 times the prescribed dose of medication because the pump was not properly set up.  In that case fortunately, the patient survived.

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  • Personal Injury, Slip and Fall

    Posted on December 29th, 2011

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    Higher Fall Accident Risks for Obese Seniors

    A new study by researchers from Syracuse University in New York has both good and bad news for seniors.  The bad news is that senior citizens who are obese may be at a higher risk of a slip and fall accident than normal weight individuals.  The good news is that some obese individuals may be at a lower risk of serious injuries in a fall.

    Obese people may be at a higher risk of a fall, because they have difficulties in balance, and may be less capable of blocking or stopping a fall.  However, seniors who are severely obese, or have a BMI of 40 or higher, may have a lower risk of fractures and other serious injuries during a fall accident.  These people have extra padding on the body that can cushion them from serious injuries.  The additional protection from fractures and serious injuries in a fall accident do not seem to apply to seniors who are moderately obese.

    But seniors who are severely obese and are injured seriously enough to require hospitalization may recover much slower.  These people are in a poor medical condition, and may suffer from a number of other conditions like hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease that lower their chances of recovering quickly.

    San Fernando Valley slip and fall accident lawyers conclude from this study that even though severely obese adults enjoy some form of protection against serious injuries like fractures in fall accidents, the overall health risks for these people after a fall accident are too serious to ignore.  Seniors must maintain optimum weight, and exercise regularly to maintain bone health and prevent disability and falls.  Eliminate fall hazards from the home, like floors that can trip you.  Install railings and grab bars in bathrooms to prevent falls.

     

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  • Personal Injury

    Posted on December 28th, 2011

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    New Truck Safety Rules Limit Weekly Hours, but Not Daily Hours

    New trucking work hour rules released by the Department of Transportation limit the number of hours that a driver can drive in a week, but do not reduce the maximum number of hours that can be driven in a day, as Los Angeles truck accident lawyers had hoped.

    The new rules were released last week by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and while they do contain a few concessions to trucking safety, they fall severely short of the kind of trucking safety rules that Los Angeles truck accident attorneys had been looking for.  For instance, the current 11-hour rule will continue to stand, against calls by trucking safety groups to reduce them to 10 hours in a 14 hour window.  According to the feds, the current rule has worked fine for the industry, and has not been found to increase the risk of fatigue-related accidents.

    However, the feds have also limited the number of hours that a truck driver can drive in a week to 70 hours, down from the current 82 hours.  The rule also makes a provision for truck drivers to get two rest periods in a week between 1 AM and 5 AM.  Truck drivers are also required to take a break of at least 30 minutes for every 8 hours that they drive.

    However, the fact that the 11-hour rule continues to stand is definitely a matter of concern.  You cannot judge a truck driver’s work hour standards with those of people in other occupations.  These are people who are in charge of operating a massive machine that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, and can cause severe damage in an accident.

    Fatigue continues to be a major factor in truck accidents, and these new rules will not help tackle the problem.  In fact, in trying to please both trucking safety groups and the trucking industry, the feds have come up with a rule that has displeased both groups.

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  • Car Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Personal Injury, Vehicle Accident Injury

    Posted on December 28th, 2011

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    Drop in Auto Accident Fatalities

    Across Florida, fewer people were killed in traffic accidents in 2010, compared to the previous year.  Last year, a total of 2,445 people were killed in traffic accidents in Florida, compared to 2,560 the previous year.

    That was a substantial decline of 4.5%.  Nationwide, there was a drop of 2.9% in accident fatalities in 2010.  In fact, Florida was one of 4 states, including California, Louisiana and Texas that had a decline of more than 100 fatalities over the previous year.  The good news was that nationwide, the number of people killed in drunk driving accidents dropped.  However, there was bad news for Florida car accident lawyers too.  The number of deaths in accidents involving large trucks, motorcycles and pedestrians actually increased last year.

    499 occupants of commercial truck accidents were killed in 2009, and that number spiked to 529 in 2010.  That was an increase of 6%.  Further, there was also an increase in the number of people injured in commercial truck accidents from 17,000 in 2009, to 19,000 in 2010.

    There was also an increase in the number of people killed in motorcycle accidents.  In 2009, 4,469 people died in motorcycle accidents in the United States.  That number increased to 4,502 fatalities in 2010.  That was an increase of .7%.  However, the number of people being injured in motorcycle accidents declined from 90,000 in 2009 to 82,000 in 2010.

    Pedestrian accident fatalities also increased last year.  A total of 4,109 pedestrian fatalities had been recorded in 2009.  That number increased to 4,280 pedestrians killed in traffic accidents in 2010.

    The data is still new, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not yet begun analyzing the reasons for the increase in pedestrian, motorcycle and truck accident fatalities last year.

     

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  • Personal Injury

    Posted on October 26th, 2011

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    New CDC Guidelines to Prevent Oncology Clinic Infections

    A string of recent infections at outpatient oncology clinics has served as a sobering reminder to Los Angeles medical malpractice lawyers that these clinics need further regulation to prevent medical malpractice.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees.  The agency has just released new plans to reduce infection rates at outpatient oncology clinics.

    Outpatient clinics are popular with patients because they offer much cheaper treatment than hospitals.  An estimated 1 million patients receive cancer treatment at outpatient centers every year. Approximately 50,000 cancer patients suffer an infection annually.

    Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report based on an investigation of a hepatitis C outbreak at a New Jersey oncology clinic.  That outbreak left at least 29 patients with hepatitis C.  The epidemic was ultimately traced to the use of contaminated saline bags and single-dose medication vials.  Yet another infection outbreak at a Mississippi oncology clinic was linked to the reuse of needles.

    It’s especially important to ensure that cancer patients are protected from infections.  These patients may be more susceptible to infections because of weakened immune systems.  This is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has focused on reducing infection rates at these clinics.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants patients to be aware of the infection risks that exist when appropriate sterilization and hygiene procedures are not followed.  The agency has set up a website called preventcancerinfections.org to educate cancer patients about these infection risks.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending proper administration of medications, hand hygiene, and safe injection practices in order to reduce infection rates at oncology clinics.

    The CDC recently turned its attention to outpatient clinics, and in July, set guidelines for the prevention of infections in outpatient surgical centers and pain management clinics.

     

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  • Personal Injury, Slip and Fall, Vehicle Accident Injury

    Posted on October 17th, 2011

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    Ultrasound Device Could Help Treat Fractures Quicker

    Doctors at the Royal Glasgow Infirmary have successfully used an ultrasound device to treat serious fractures much more quickly.  The doctors report that the devices were used in the successful treatment of complicated and multiple fractures.

    The device is strapped to the broken bone, allowing the bone to benefit from the ultrasound waves.  These waves trigger regeneration of new bone cells, hasten cell maturity, and accelerate the healing process.  The device destroys bacteria that can cause infections.

    This is a relatively painless and convenient therapy that speeds up the process of healing a fracture by as much as 40%.  Researchers have successfully used the therapy to treat fractures that were believed to be untreatable.  Some of these cases involve multiple fractures, involving an initial prognosis that the broken bone could not be mended and the leg had to be amputated.  With the use of the ultrasound device, the multiple fractures healed quickly.  The treatment is expensive right now, but there is reason to hope that the treatment will become more affordable as the use of the ultrasound device increases.

    That could mean quicker and more convenient treatment for hundreds of thousands of people who suffer broken bones in auto accidents, trip and fall accidents and workplace accidents every year.  For people who suffer from serious and complex fractures, the device could also offer alternatives to more drastic measures like amputation.

    The significance of the fact that this treatment has been perfected at the Royal Glasgow Infirmary is not lost on Los Angeles serious injury lawyers.  Glasgow was the birthplace of ultrasound more than fifty years ago.  A team of specialists then successfully reproduced images of the human body using sonar.  Ultrasound is currently used successfully for diagnosis, especially for prenatal monitoring.

     

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