A closed head injury occurs when the skull suffers a blunt force impact, resulting in internal injuries, but no open wound. While closed head injuries may seem less severe than open head injuries, they should not be taken lightly. In fact, some of the most severe brain injuries fall under this category. Diagnosing, treating, and rehabilitating after sustaining a closed head injury can be a grueling and expensive process. For help seeking compensation for your own accident-related head injury, consider reaching out to an experienced Miami brain injury lawyer today.
What are Closed Head Injuries? Closed head injuries occur when the intense force of a physical blow causes the brain to shake, or strike the insides of the skull. This movement can result in swelling and tearing, and in some cases, the rupturing of the blood vessels in the brain and a collection of blood (and increasing pressure) within the skull. Unlike open head injuries, closed head injuries are not penetrating, which means that there are no visible wounds or lacerations. This does not, however, mean that closed head injuries are not serious. In mild cases, injured parties are often able to recover with rest and time. In severe cases, however, an accident victim could suffer from permanent disabilities, like cognitive dysfunction and mood disorders. Symptoms of a Closed Head Injury Accident victims who suffer from mild closed head injuries often only report experiencing a slight headache, or a sense of feeling a little off. These symptoms are common and in less severe cases usually disappear within a few days or a week. When an impact was more significant, however, a person may suffer from a brief period of unconsciousness, followed by vomiting and confusion. These symptoms often worsen over time, as more blood pools in the brain or in the space between the skull and the brain. Even after obtaining treatment, a victim could experience long-term problems, such as difficulty concentrating, slurred speech, dizziness, changes in sleep patterns, unexplained mood swings, and problems with coordination and balance. Accident victims should also keep an eye out for other symptoms, such as a ringing in the ears, changes in personality, nerve damage, and changes in sensory perception. Contact Our Legal Team Today Head injuries are one of the most debilitating injuries that an accident victim can sustain. Fortunately, it is possible for some injured parties to recover compensation for their diagnosis and treatment if they can prove that someone else caused their accident. Doing so, however, can be complicated, so if you sustained a closed head injury or other traumatic brain injury because of someone else’s carelessness, don’t hesitate to call the dedicated Miami brain injury lawyers at Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum, LLP to learn more about seeking compensation for your losses. We can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 305-371-2692. You can also set up a meeting with a member of our legal team by completing one of our online contact forms.
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Patients who are undergoing surgery are required to consent to their procedures ahead of time, recognizing that complications could arise. There are certain mistakes, however, that should never be made, especially by a trained and knowledgeable medical professional. When these kinds of errors do occur, they can have devastating, and even fatal, consequences for patients.
For instance, patients who suffer from surgical errors face additional medical bills, in addition to time off from work, and even chronic healthcare problems. For these reasons, victims of medical negligence can and should attempt to hold their negligent healthcare providers accountable for their failure to provide adequate care by filing a legal claim with the assistance of a dedicated Miami medical malpractice lawyer. Anesthesia Mistakes Some of the most common errors made during surgery actually involve the administration of anesthesia, which is intended to keep a patient unconscious during the procedure. Administering anesthetic drugs is a complex process, requiring careful calculations of a patient’s weight, sex, and overall health condition. Patients who receive too much of the drug could suffer from oxygen loss during the procedure, while too little of the drug could leave a patient fully conscious during the procedure, but unable to move. In some cases, an anesthetic drug could even trigger a fatal allergic reaction. Performing the Wrong Procedure Although it may be hard to believe, one of the most common surgical errors made by doctors is operating on the wrong body part, or performing the wrong procedure entirely. This often occurs due to an error on a patient’s chart, or a failure to follow the proper protocol when prepping a patient. Obviously, these are some of the most egregious surgical errors and as such, are often referred to as “never events”, as a patient should never be in fear of this happening during a procedure. Damages awards for these kinds of surgical errors are usually high, with victims able to recover compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Leaving a Foreign Object Inside the Patient Surgical procedures require the use of a variety of instruments and tools. Unfortunately, these tools don’t always make it outside of the patient and back into the operating room like they’re supposed to. Everything from sponges and drains to clamps and electrodes have been left inside unsuspecting patients, usually as a result of a breakdown in communication between surgical staff and a lack of organization. Besides being grossly negligent, this kind of conduct is extremely dangerous for patients, who could suffer from pain, abscess, and even sepsis. Count on Our Dedicated Medical Malpractice Attorneys If you suffered a surgical error, you should speak with an experienced attorney about your legal options right away. Most of us use checklists on a regular basis. Maybe you create to-do lists so you know what tasks are on your plate at work. Perhaps you create a shopping list every time you go to the store.
We are all very busy and don’t always remember everything we need to do, so these memory aids keep us from forgetting. So wouldn’t it make sense if those who worked in challenging occupations—like surgeons—use checklists so they remember what needs to be done before, during and after a surgical procedure? Perhaps regular use of these checklists would reduce the number of medical malpractice cases. A checklist can help a team of medical professionals work together toward a common goal and most importantly, remember everything that needs to be done. Surgeries involve making incisions into the body—these are not minor procedures. They are very complex, and there are 10 major ways in which a surgery can go wrong. This is a frightening prospect for a patient. Why a Checklist? Surgeon Atul Gawande was asked by the World Health Organization to find a way to reduce deaths caused by surgical procedures. With so much innovative technology in the medical field, why are medical malpractice errors still occurring? Gawande realized that the issues likely had to do with complexity. When procedures are highly complex, they can affect a person’s ability to do the task safely and accurately. Aviation and other field use checklists, so that’s when Gawande decided to create a checklist that would assist surgeons with operations. Are Surgeons Using Checklists? The World Health Organization recommends that surgeons use the Surgical Safety Checklist. This checklist covers important items such as making sure the surgical site is marked, checking for allergies, anticipating critical events and checking for equipment issues. Unfortunately, there is often an issue of arrogance among doctors. Many believe they are above making basic errors and therefore refuse to use them. In fact, the usage rate in some medical facilities is as low as 50 percent. But by empowering nurses and having different departments responsible for completing the checklist, the checklist completion rate has increased to 100 percent. However, some doctors have gone around this rule by completing the forms in advance. This does nothing to help reduce the medical error rate, and should not be tolerated. A checklist is just a piece of paper, but when used properly, it can save lives—something that all medical professionals should aspire to do. Injured by Medical Malpractice? Contact Our Team Today Doctors may think they know everything, but sometimes steps are missed, especially when staff is in a rush. That’s why checklists should be utilized and monitored in all medical facilities to keep doctors accountable. A doctor’s error can lead to serious injuries and even death. Have you been injured by a doctor’s negligence? If so, the dedicated Miami medical malpractice lawyers at Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum, LLP can help you with your case and determine your rights to compensation. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation. Today’s cars have so many cool features that it’s almost scary. From backup cameras to blind spot alerts, it’s almost like you don’t even need a license to drive. Given that most modern cars are are more like computers on wheels, your 5-year-old could probably drive one.
All kidding aside, driving takes an immense amount of skill, attention and judgment. We all live busy lives, and sometimes it’s hard to have full attention on the road in front of you, especially if you have a long commute or are often stuck in traffic. Having some help in the form of safety features can prevent serious crashes and injuries. The safety features in 2017’s cars are far superior to the features your parents had in their first cars. If you have an older car--the average car on the roadway is just over 11 years old—you’re missing out. You’re also jeopardizing your safety. Read on to learn more about the amazing technology you’ll find when you bring home a brand-new car. Backup Cameras and Sensors If you find backing out of parking spaces difficult, backup cameras and sensors are a godsend. By looking at a screen on the dashboard, you can see what’s behind you. There may also be lines and distances showing you a clear area and how far you can back up before hitting something. Most cameras also have sensors that beep when you get too close. Other Crash Avoidance Systems Besides backup cameras, many newer models of car have other crash avoidance systems. Many cars also have forward collision warning, which detects when the driver is going to fast and may cause an accident. You may get audible and visual signals letting you know. If you don’t brake quickly enough, your car’s automatic emergency braking may take care of that for you. As the name implies, the car will automatically apply the brakes to avoid an accident. Both of these features are often combined to provide pedestrian detection. This system looks for pedestrians in the car’s path and uses audible and visual warnings to alert you. Many cars can also detect blind spots and warn you before changing lanes. This system uses cameras and radar to warn you if you turn on your turn signal. Some systems will even steer you back into your lane automatically. Lane-departure warnings are also available on some cars. If you veer out of your lane without turning on the turn signal, the system will chime and sometimes even vibrate the steering wheel to let you know. In cars that have lane-keeping assist, the car will go back into the lane on its own. Injured in a Miami Car Accident? While many of today’s cars have a ton of bells and whistles that improve safety, accidents still occur quite frequently. If you are a victim, you may be able to file a personal injury claim. The Miami personal injury attorneys at the law offices of Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum, LLP can help determine liability in your accident and assess the value of your damages. Request a free consultation by calling our law offices today at (786) 661-1359. |
AuthorDDRB Lawyers are a personal injury law firm located in Miami, Florida and specialize in representing victims of personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death and serious injuries on premises. Archives
November 2021
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