Albuquerque Medical Malpractice Law Blog

Weight control is crucial for traumatic brain injury survivors

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Brain Injuries on Friday, July 13, 2018.

People who have suffered from head injuries have a host of things that they have to worry about. According to a new study that was published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, obesity is now a concern for these individuals. It found that people who are obese or overweight after suffering a traumatic brain injury classified as moderate to severe have a greater risk of chronic diseases.

The study looked at 7,287 adult patients who had gone through acute rehabilitation. In the early days after the injury, the metabolic rate increased and caused weight loss. As time passed, the patients gained weight due to many factors, including physical limitations and medications.

Doctors who make errors can harm or kill patients

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Doctor Errors on Friday, July 6, 2018.

We trust doctors with our health each time we seek out medical care. We don't expect that they will be perfect but we don't ever want them to make an error that can put us in danger. When a doctor does make an error, there is a chance that it can be easily corrected without harm to the patient; however, it is also possible that great harm might occur. This can completely change the direction of your life after the incident.

When harm is the result, the severity of the harm matters. Sometimes, it is so serious that the patient won't ever fully recover. When a catastrophic injury or death occurs due to these errors, a medical malpractice lawsuit might be filed. If the patient dies, the family members left behind might choose to file a wrongful death claim.

Problems occurring after birth can be very serious

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Birth Injuries on Wednesday, June 27, 2018.

It is all too easy to think of the dangers of childbirth as ending when the baby is born. This isn't the case. There are some issues that can creep up after the birth. These can be just as serious as those that do happen during labor and delivery. All women who are preparing for childbirth should find out some of the basic things to expect in the days following birth.

One of the first things that will happen after birth is that the doctor or midwife is going to check you to make sure that nothing is amiss. They are going to evaluate the placenta to ensure that all of it came out. Any piece of the placenta remaining in your uterus could lead to an infection, so it is imperative to make sure that nothing is left. You will also be evaluated for hemorrhaging, which can be a life-threatening issue.

Errors with prescriptions must be avoided to prevent patient harm

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Medication Errors on Friday, June 22, 2018.

Patients trust that medical professionals are making the right decisions about what medications they need. Once a medication is chosen, the dosing needs to be accurate. When a patient doesn't have the right dosage, harm can occur.

Some people will automatically think about the symptoms of an overdose when they think of improper dosing of medications. While this is one of the possibilities, it is also possible that a person will be prescribed a too-low dose of a critical medication. This comes with risks of its own.

Under what circumstances would a Cesarean section be needed?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski on Wednesday, June 20, 2018.

Any number of things can go wrong during a pregnancy. Fortunately, in most cases, many New Mexico women enjoy problem-free pregnancies.

However, some end up in a precarious position during the actual birth. It is up to the doctors and the nurses attending the birth to make sure that mom and baby remain safe and that they receive the best care possible. In some instances, this means ordering a Cesarean section.

Hospitals should be safe havens, not neglectful centers

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Hospital Negligence on Wednesday, June 13, 2018.

Hospitals are charged with giving patients care that meets or exceeds the standard of care. When this doesn't happen, the patients can suffer from great harm. This is an atrocity that shouldn't happen to people who are trying to get the care they need from a source they trust.

We understand that there are some very real challenges that come with hospital visits so patients can't be expected to know everything about what is needed during their stay. Instead, they rely on the nurses and medical staff to let them know what they need to do.

Wrongful death claims must meet certain requirements

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Wrongful Death on Friday, June 8, 2018.

People who don't receive adequate or appropriate medical care when they seek it out might end up suffering harm. When the person survives the harm, he or she might decide to seek out compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit. If the person dies as a result of the improper medical care, a wrongful death lawsuit might be in order.

The family members of the person who died might decide to take this legal action. There are some very specific criteria that must be met if a wrongful death claim is going to be launched. It is imperative that all of these points are present in the case or else it might be found invalid by the court.

Impacts of surgical errors are considerable for the patient

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Surgical Errors on Monday, June 4, 2018.

Surgeons are only human but this doesn't mean that errors they make are always innocent. There are many times when an error in the operating room can leave a patient in pain or fighting for his or her life. It is imperative that surgeons always make sure that they are doing things by the book. This includes double checking certain things during the surgery.

One of tragic things that can happen in a surgery is that surgical tools are left in the patient. This will almost certainly lead to health problems since a foreign body is in the person. Retained objects can lead to infection and other health challenges. In these cases, the person will have to undergo another surgical procedure to remove the retained items. This can mean another stay in the hospital, more pain and more missed work.

Beware of infections after a surgery

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Surgical Errors on Friday, May 25, 2018.

Surgical procedures are sometimes necessary, but they don't come without risks. One of the risks that comes with these procedures is infection. Typically, an infection of a surgical site will occur within 30 days. The chance of this happening is anywhere from 1 to 3 percent, depending on the circumstances.

There are three specific locations where these infections might occur. One is superficially at the incision location. Another is deeper in the tissues that were manipulated during the procedure. The third is the organs that were operated on or the spaces around them. No matter what type of infection with which you are dealing, they will likely have the same symptoms.

Wrongful death claims aren't just about money

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Wrongful Death on Saturday, May 19, 2018.

A loved one's death is always hard to handle. When that death comes from issues with the medical care that your loved one received, the difficulty might be intensified. In these cases, you might opt to pursue a wrongful death claim in an effort to hold the person accountable for their actions. We can help you to explore this option and move forward with it.

Filing a wrongful death claim will require a bit of investigation. Your case has to show that the death came from negligent or reckless behavior by the medical professional who was working on your loved one's case. You also need to prove that you suffered monetary damages because of the loss of that person.

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