Albuquerque Medical Malpractice Law Blog

Retained surgical supplies are a big problem for patients

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Surgical Errors on Tuesday, June 18, 2019.

Many different surgical errors can occur when a patient is under anesthesia. It is up to the people in the operating room to ensure that the patient remains safe. One problem that is particularly troublesome is when objects are left in the patient's body. This is one surgical error that could always be prevented if everyone would just use proper protocol.

It is imperative that all instruments and supplies that are used during the surgery are accounted for when they are getting ready to close the patient up. This is the only way to ensure that nothing, including metal instruments, soft items like surgical sponges and other components, is left behind. Around 80% of incidents involving surgical sponges occur when the medical team believes that all of them are accounted for.

Failure to diagnose is a serious matter that can harm or kill

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Failure to Diagnose on Friday, June 14, 2019.

Many factors go into a doctor being able to make a medical diagnosis. When there is any defect in the necessary information, including tests and imaging studies, there is a chance that a diagnosis will be missed. This can lead to very serious impacts for the innocent patient who only wanted to get help for what was wrong with them. We know that you might not think you will ever have to deal with this, but if you do, you need to know that there are options.

There are many cases in which the failure to diagnose can be harmful or even deadly. People who have cancer and don't receive the correct diagnosis aren't able to start the appropriate treatment. This can allow the cancer to spread, which can make it more difficult or even impossible to beat. Someone who had a heart attack needs immediate care, and they can die if they don't receive it. The same thing goes for a stroke patient.

New Mexico scrub techs are responsible for your safety in the OR

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski on Saturday, June 8, 2019.

Does the idea of being asleep for a surgical procedure frighten you? If so, you are definitely not alone in your fear. Many New Mexico residents would say they can relate to feeling stressed when preparing to receive anesthesia to undergo surgery. It's true that there's always risk involved. However, it's also true that your medical team, including a scrub technician, is responsible for making sure you stay safe before, during and after surgery.

Scrub techs assist in the operating room in many ways. In fact, their work may begin before surgery, perhaps shaving you or sterilizing the instruments your surgeon will use. While scrub techs have received a college education, they are also human beings who are capable of error or negligence. That's why it's so important for you to know where to seek support if you suffer injury due to substandard OR care.

Emergency responders don't have any excuse for medication errors

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Medication Errors on Thursday, June 6, 2019.

Many things can lead to medication errors, but the nature of the conditions in emergency medicine during pre-hospital care makes it difficult to ensure that proper dosing is being used. It is critical for all emergency medical service providers to have protocol in place to help ensure that all medications are dosed properly and that everything is double-checked.

One reason why it is so difficult for EMS providers to ensure that everything is being done properly is that they are under extreme amounts of stress. They are often fatigued and may have to work in conditions that aren't stable or ideal. Still, patients should be able to count on receiving high-quality care even before they reach the hospital.

You can take legal action over a birth injury due to negligence

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Birth Injuries on Friday, May 31, 2019.

Going to a hospital or birthing center to welcome a new addition to the family should be a joyful time. It shouldn't be one that leaves you with sadness and questions about what went wrong. Unfortunately, there are some instances in which a mom and newborn aren't cared for properly. This can lead to harm being done to one or both of them. This is a tragic situation that likely could have been prevented if the medical staff had followed proper protocol.

We know that when you are the one that is dealing with a birth injury, there are some important questions that you want to have answered. One of these might be what happened that caused the situation that resulted in you or your precious baby being harmed. Another might be what recourse you have for the matter. You may also want to know what type of financial assistance you qualify for when this type of situation is going to lead to more medical care than what would have been necessary without the injury.

Address your emotions after your loved one's tragic death

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Wrongful Death on Thursday, May 23, 2019.

The feeling of grief is one that is crushing after you lose a loved one in a tragic accident. One of the most important things that people might focus on after that loss is what happened to their loved one. For some, the reality is that the person died at the hands of the very people who were supposed to help them. This is the case when a patient dies due to medical malpractice.

You are likely going to feel a range of emotions that are associated with grief. These include:

Shock or disbelief
Sadness
Anger
Guilt

Emergency room negligence must be taken seriously

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Hospital Negligence on Friday, May 17, 2019.

When people go to the emergency room, it is typically because they think that they have something seriously wrong with them. They expect that emergency room staff will be ready to provide them with adequate medical care. Unfortunately, not all patients get that type of care.

The emergency department is an interesting place because the medical staff there will see a variety of conditions during their tenure. They might go from treating a child with unexplained stomach pains to caring for someone who was shot. The doctors and nurses are usually trained in traumas, but they aren't specialists. This can make it difficult for them to provide the care patients need.

Reasons why the average obstetrician might order a C-section

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski on Friday, May 10, 2019.

If there's a life experience that might make you feel excited and terrified all at once, it's having a baby. From approximately nine months of pregnancy through hours of labor and delivery and after-care, you will likely go through things you've never encountered up to this point in your life. This is especially true if you are having your first child, but also possible if you're a mother of several children because no two pregnancies or childbirth situations are exactly the same.

Advanced technology and higher-level education enable New Mexico obstetricians and medical teams to provide much stronger support and higher quality care to patients. Certain issues that would undoubtedly have proved fatal 100 years ago are resolvable today in emergency situations. Safety of baby and mother often depends on the doctor in charge knowing when to order a Cesarean section delivery.

Sharp or blunt surgical errors? Both are serious!

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Surgical Errors on Tuesday, May 7, 2019.

Surgical errors can negatively harm the patients who are seeking care for a medical condition. With the exception of an emergency procedure, the patients usually carefully consider their choices for the person who will perform the surgery. They should remember that even the most experienced surgeon can make errors in the operating room.

It is probable that experienced surgeons will make errors, and one study noted that these cases often involved a surgeon with experience. The issue that comes into the picture is the complexity of the case. System factors are present in the majority of cases, so surgeons must do what they can to minimize these.

Grave damage can occur in a failure to diagnose case

On behalf of The Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski posted in Failure to Diagnose on Friday, May 3, 2019.

Patients who go to the emergency room with signs that something is seriously wrong should be able to get the care that addresses the problem. This includes people who have a heart attack or stroke. Failing to diagnose these conditions properly can lead to the patient suffering from major health impacts, and it might even lead to death. We know that no patient should have to deal with a doctor not diagnosing their condition properly. When this does occur, the patient might choose to seek compensation.

There are many things that happen when you aren't diagnosed properly or have a delayed diagnosis. One of these is that you will need medical care to try to address the underlying problem and the issues that came from not beginning that treatment sooner.