February 18, 2020
We can simplify your Certificate/Affidavit of Merit process
Our Comprehensive Case Evaluation service is a simple and cost effective approach to meet your State requirements in the preparation of a Certificate/Affidavit of Merit
What Must the a Certificate/Affidavit of Merit cover?
The specific language requirements of the affidavit vary from state to state. But generally speaking, the a Certificate/Affidavit of Merit must state three things:
- the expert signing the affidavit qualifies as an expert in the same medical field or healthcare profession in which the defendant health care provider practices
- the expert has reviewed your case, and
- the expert is of the opinion that your case has merit — meaning that the defendant’s conduct has deviated from the accepted standards of care under the circumstances.
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January 23, 2020
Urgent care centers first opened in the 1970s. Now, more than 10,000 urgent care centers provide a variety of medical services to consumers in every part of the United States.
As the number of urgent care centers has increased in the U.S., so has the number of medical malpractice lawsuits brought against these facilities. A majority of these claims allege an urgent care center made an incorrect diagnosis or failed to diagnose a serious medical condition.
Unfortunately, errors made in outpatient settings are considered to be as common, if not more prevalent, than errors made in hospital settings. Yet it’s hard to find data on the numbers of these errors.
As a point of reference, it’s important to note that in 2016, medical errors in hospital settings were the 3rd leading cause of death in the US.
The typical long wait and high costs associated with visiting a hospital emergency room have enticed many people to visit urgent care centers for emergency treatment. Unfortunately, urgent care centers do not have access to the same diagnostic or critical care equipment found in hospital emergency rooms, which can lead to serious consequences for the patient. (more…)
December 3, 2019
Thirty days after release from the hospital can pose a risky time for many people. A study found that nearly 20% of patients experience adverse events within 3 weeks of discharge, nearly three-quarters of which could have been prevented.
Early discharge dangers include:
- Adverse drug events are the most common post-discharge complication
- hospital-acquired infections
- procedural complications
- hazards arising from the fact that nearly 40% of patients are discharged with test results pending
- discharged with a plan to complete the diagnostic workup as an outpatient
In addition, there is increasing concern that the stressful hospital environment may lead to post-hospitalization syndrome— a patho-physiologic syndrome of weakness and increased stress that may leave patients vulnerable to clinical adverse events such as falls and infections. Nearly 20% of Medicare patients are re-hospitalized within 30 days of discharge. (more…)
October 23, 2019
What is a breast implant?
A breast implant is an implanted device used to augment existing breast tissue for cosmetic purposes or to reconstruct the breast after surgery such as mastectomy. Litigation from alleged harm due to breast implants is not new, but recently a new form of lymphoma thought to be associated with implants added to concerns over the safety of these devices, which have also included implant rupture and contracture.
In 2018, silicone implant breast augmentation was the #1 performed plastic surgery for women in the United States, with 928,914 procedures performed. Implants range from round to oval to teardrop shape to best approximate the patient’s natural shape and may contain silicone or saline. Both silicone and saline implants have an outer shell made from silicone. Some implants have a smooth surface, others have a textured surface thought to stabilize the implant and decrease scar tissue formation.
Fig 1 Breast implants (image courtesy FDA; https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/implants-and-prosthetics/breast-implants, accessed 6/1/19)
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September 12, 2019
It can happen even if you are treated by the most skilled physician at best hospital the state has to offer. Leaving lasting scars, disabilities, a lifetime of pain or even death, medical malpractice can destroy a patient’s life. It is little wonder why tragic mistakes lead to serious lawsuits.
Here are recent medical malpractice cases that have resulted in large settlements: (more…)
August 2, 2019
The Choice of Experts for Certificate or Affidavit of Merit
The expert that will review your case for merit will be matched to the specific board-certification of the defendant, or will match the certification of the licensed healthcare professional in question. The expert will be actively practicing or actively working in an academic capacity, and will meet your State requirements in qualifying as an expert witness. The expert will be checked for any potential conflicts, since they have agreed to support their opinion through deposition and/or trial, if warranted.
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April 5, 2017
It is becoming increasingly likely that the hospital will be included in the claim as plaintiff attorneys are very aware that courts are finding corporate negligence as a factor in many claims, and more and more states are recognizing corporate negligence as a contributing issue. (more…)
December 7, 2016
Updated February 20, 2019
Medical errors kill more than 250,000 people in the U.S. yearly, and injure millions. The chaotic nature of emergency rooms leads to a multitude of emergency room (ER) malpractice incidents, including misdiagnosis, surgical errors, delayed diagnosis, failure to diagnose, anesthesia malpractice, and more.
In fact, the Physician Insurers Association of America (PIAA) has said that the ER is an area of the hospital that generates the most medical malpractice lawsuits.
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November 10, 2016
Medication errors are one of the leading causes of death and injury in hospitals today. They arise in several situations. Here are the most common forms of error:
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October 11, 2016
According to the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths (RID), a non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives, hospital infections kill more Americans each year than AIDS, breast cancer and auto accidents combined. As stated by The Center for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 100,000 people die of a hospital-acquired infection per year, though experts believe the number is actually higher. (more…)