March 4, 2010

Toyota Crisis Just One Example of Why Indiana Needs Trial Lawyers

speedometer.jpgIn all the attention that the Toyota acceleration crisis has received, one fact has become clear – the role of trial lawyers in protecting consumers when companies fail to respond to safety concerns, and federal agencies entrusted with protecting the consumer, dither in their duty to keep defective products off the market.

In Toyota’s case, reports of unintended acceleration in its vehicles began surfacing as far back as 2002, when the company first introduced its bestselling electronic throttle control systems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration however, failed to find the issue serious enough to warrant a recall. It took the deaths of four people in a San Diego accident involving a Lexus for the NHTSA and Toyota to admit that there was a problem.

Continue reading "Toyota Crisis Just One Example of Why Indiana Needs Trial Lawyers " »

February 25, 2010

How Indiana Patients Can Prevent Central Line Infections

Sanitizer.jpgPatients still struggle to determine a hospital’s safety based on its infection rates. However, things are slowly changing for the better. More and more hospitals are beginning to report their infection rates. Approximately, 1,500 hospitals report infection data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, these reports are strictly confidential. The Agency of Health Care Research and Quality also collects data from hospitals in 42 states, but these hospitals are not named.

The Leapfrog website reports patient safety ratings, allowing you to screen hospitals in any city in Indiana, and compare ratings. Simply enter your search preferences (city/state) and wait for the listings. Follow THIS LINK to see an example of hospitals in Indianapolis.

Continue reading "How Indiana Patients Can Prevent Central Line Infections" »

February 18, 2010

Indiana Hospitals Can Prevent Deadly Central Line Infections

IV%20drip.jpgEvery year, one particular type of medical infection kills approximately 30 percent of the estimated 99,000 people who died from hospital infections. Consumer Reports is discussing how hospitals around the country including Indiana hospitals, have been able bring down these infection rates through simple steps.

These infections are central line infections, and they are introduced through intravenous catheters that allow intensive care patients to receive medication, nutrients and fluids. The central lines have long catheters inserted into a large vein connected to the heart. These are different from regular IV lines, and can stay in place for months.

Continue reading "Indiana Hospitals Can Prevent Deadly Central Line Infections" »

February 11, 2010

Types and Causes of Radiation Errors

xray3.jpgIndiana medical malpractice cases involving radiation errors are extremely technical and complicated. One reason is because there isn’t just one way in which a radiation error can occur. With new medical technologies, using radioactive rays to diagnose and treat, and a continued paucity of training and oversight, the types and sources of these errors have increased.

The types of errors have been numerous.

Continue reading "Types and Causes of Radiation Errors " »

February 4, 2010

Indianapolis Radiation Therapies Offer Hope, But Also Present Risk of Injuries

radiation.jpgNew radiation technologies are offering patients more focused and precise treatment, but as a series of investigative reports in the New York Times shows, lack of safeguards, software flaws, faulty programming, poor safety procedures or inadequate staffing and training are causing these technologies to harm the very patients they are meant to treat.

The New York Times profiles a series of radiation errors involving new, more advanced and highly sophisticated machines capable of delivering a treatment called Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). The errors have included overdoses caused by poorly configured systems, radiation that misses all or part of the target or is focused on the wrong part of the body and other errors. With these increasingly sophisticated radiation tools, you would think that the margin for errors would be virtually nil. In fact, as the NYT reports, the complexity of the machines that deliver the radiation, combined with the failure of hospitals to implement processes that catch errors in time and poorly trained staff, have all helped create a “crisis” situation.

Continue reading "Indianapolis Radiation Therapies Offer Hope, But Also Present Risk of Injuries " »

January 31, 2010

Indianapolis Furnace Blamed for Devastating Fire

Flame.jpgIndianapolis resident, Alice Helterbrand woke to a shock early Sunday morning when her furnace exploded, causing the total destruction of her home and the loss of several exotic birds. The explosion was so destructive that Ms. Helterbrand had to be rescued by neighbors through a hole in her wall. The home was determined to be a total loss, estimated at a value of $140,000. A neighboring home suffered about $20,000 in damage due to the flames and heat.

Helterbrand’s daughter informed officials that the furnace had been making a funny sound for several days.

Miraculously, no one suffered serious personal injured, as all other family members were staying with friends for the night.

Continue reading "Indianapolis Furnace Blamed for Devastating Fire" »

January 28, 2010

Safe Driving Tips for Indiana Parents

toy%20car.jpgYou can have laws against using cell phones while driving to prevent auto accidents. In fact, if all goes well, Indiana will soon have a ban on text messaging while driving. However, what do you do about the nonstop distractions parents face every day as they drive their children to school, and elsewhere?

For too long, the topic of distracted driving has focused on the distractions to teenagers and adults from the use of cell phones. Every day however, thousands of Indiana moms and dads drive their children to play groups, tennis lessons recitals, ballet classes, playgrounds, and more. These trips are filled with noise, tantrums and seemingly nonstop whining. They also cause the parent who is driving to experience severe stress, possibly affecting his or her driving abilities.

Continue reading "Safe Driving Tips for Indiana Parents " »

January 27, 2010

Indiana Tractor-Trailer Accident Takes Two Lives

shattered%20glass.jpgIndiana residents were again reminded of the devastation caused by semi tractor-trailer accidents when they awoke last Sunday to the news of a crash involving a tractor-trailer and a passenger van.

According to early reports, a passenger van traveling north on Interstate 65 near Edinburgh was struck from behind by a semitrailer. The accident occurred around 3:30 a.m. on the darkened interstate.

The full-sized passenger van, filled with family members, was returning from a kite flying competition in Atlanta, Georgia. The van carried 18 people. All the passengers in the van were from one Chicago area family.

Continue reading "Indiana Tractor-Trailer Accident Takes Two Lives" »

January 21, 2010

More Highway Highway Safety Laws Needed to Minimize Indiana Accidents

Stop%20Sign.jpgLast week, a safety group handed out its annual report card for highway safety. Indiana received a mediocre rating for the strength and effectiveness of its highway safety laws. Coming as it does during the first month of a brand new year, Indiana personal injury lawyers hope that the government takes seriously the issues brought up by the report card and its recommendations.

The report by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety called Road Map to State Highway Safety Laws, rated all states based on the kind of highway safety laws they have in place to minimize accidents, prevent fatalities and reduce injuries. Fifteen basic and essential highway safety laws relating to teen driving, drunk driving, adult occupant protection and other aspects of highway safety were taken as bench marks.

Continue reading "More Highway Highway Safety Laws Needed to Minimize Indiana Accidents " »

January 19, 2010

Indianapolis Tow Truck Driver Injured

skid%20mark.jpgIndiana State Police responded to a call concerning a near fatal accident on the Indianapolis east side this past Tuesday morning. The accident occurred around 9:00 am when the driver of a van hit a tow-truck driver on westbound I-70.

Indianapolis Police report that the tow truck driver, Mark Daily was outside his vehicle, helping a broken-down car on the side of the highway. While he was working, a van ran over him. Police say that the driver of the car, 40-year old Ronald Stevens, failed to obey the law that requires a driver to move to another lane when service vehicles and emergency personnel are present. He was cited for unsafe lane movement and following too close.

Continue reading "Indianapolis Tow Truck Driver Injured" »

January 14, 2010

Indianapolis Patients Can Prevent Medication Errors

prescriptions.jpgAs Indiana medical malpractice lawyers, we are always looking for ways that patients can protect themselves from medication errors. We came across this simple checklist that a patient can use to take the right medication and the right dosage of medication.

The list outlines three “checkpoints” at which errors can be caught and rectified.

The first checkpoint is at the doctor’s office when you receive your prescription. Make sure that the doctor or nurse informs you of the:
• Drug name
• Strength
• Dosage
• Dosage procedure
• Why you need the medicine
• What the medication will do
• How quickly you will see results

Remember those drugs are going into your system, and ultimately will affect your health. You have every right as a patient to demand information, and your doctor has every duty to provide the information you need.

Continue reading "Indianapolis Patients Can Prevent Medication Errors" »

January 8, 2010

Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers Look Forward to Texting While Driving Ban in 2010

cell%20phone.jpgThe New Year promises to usher in new state and federal laws of the kind that Indiana personal injury lawyers would really like to see. Our state continues to lag behind many in its approach to the safety issues arising from motorists texting and using cell phones while driving. We currently have a ban on all cell phone use by motorists below the age of 18. However, there is no law yet that bans texting while driving for all.

A new bill introduced by Senator Travis Holman (R-Markle) will ban texting and sending emails behind the wheel for all drivers. The bill was filed in the legislature last year, and a non budget session of the legislature which begins on January 5th, has the bill on its agenda. The momentum against cell phone use while driving is gaining momentum in Indiana, and the bill has received support from legislators, Indiana personal injury attorneys and the public.

Continue reading "Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers Look Forward to Texting While Driving Ban in 2010 " »