Updates and Insights
- Jury Finds in Favor of Woman in Defective Medical Device Case
Dec 26, 2015
A recent case in Philadelphia resulted in a multi-million dollar settlement for a woman who filed a product liability lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) after experiencing complications allegedly caused by J&J’s Prolift pelvic mesh. The case in question involved plaintiff Patricia L. Hammons, who claimed to have suffered serious medical problems after implantation of the Prolift pelvic mesh, which was manufactured and marketed by Ethicon, a division of Johnson & Johnson, to treat incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. A medical...Read More - Malfunctioning Mobile Medical Apps May Lead to Product Liability Claims
Dec 11, 2015
With the constant development of new technologies that supplement our lives, applications (often referred to as “Apps”) have become increasingly common, allowing us to accomplish a variety of tasks ranging from purchasing our coffee to finding directions to the nearest hotel or restaurant. It is not surprising, then, that monitoring our health has become easier than ever, with Apps such as Fitbit and MyFitnessPal helping us to regulate everything from calories consumed to steps taken, all from the...Read More - NJ Supreme Court Says Insurer is Not Responsible for Covering Doctor Who Submitted Fraudulent Application
Dec 4, 2015
The New Jersey Supreme Court recently issued a ruling in favor of an insurance company, stating in a split decision that they are not responsible for compensating a victim of a surgical error because the practicing physician in the case lied on his application for medical malpractice coverage. The case in question stems from a surgery performed by former Ocean County podiatrist, Dr. Sean Robert Stoddard, in 2010. The patient in this case, Lakewood resident Thomas De Marco, filed a lawsuit...Read More - High Blood Sugar in Pregnant Women May Increase Risk of Congenital Heart Defects
Nov 29, 2015
Diabetes remains a significant health concern among Americans, bringing a host of complications including cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, nerve damage, loss of vision, and many other devastating symptoms if left uncontrolled. Similarly, gestational diabetes can spell catastrophic and even life-threatening consequences for mother and child if left untreated. A new study, published during November, which is National Diabetes Awareness Month, has added to the existing body of research related to diabetes, revealing that elevated blood sugar...Read More - Traumatic Brain Injuries on the Rise in the United States, According to CDC
Nov 20, 2015
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), recently submitted a report to Congress addressing the prevalence of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) in the U.S., the implications of these injuries for those affected, and available data related to the effectiveness of TBI rehabilitation. Understanding the prevailing causes of these injuries, as well as the long-term consequences, informs our discussion of the many legal issues that may...Read More - Couple Files Product Liability Lawsuit Against Pharmaceutical Company, Claiming Drug Led to Birth Defect
Nov 14, 2015
A couple from Los Angeles, California recently filed a product liability lawsuit against one of the pharmaceutical industry’s dominant companies, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), alleging that GSK’s prescription medication brand Zofran contributed to the tragic death of their infant daughter. Dulce A. Morga, the expectant mother in this case, was prescribed Zofran during her pregnancy. Her daughter was then born in 2014 with severe congenital heart defects. After receiving open-heart surgery in the days following her birth, the infant passed...Read More - Pivotal Report Addresses Problem of Medical Misdiagnosis
Nov 5, 2015
In a follow-up to its landmark report addressing the problem of medical errors and misdiagnosis, the Institute of Medicine recently released new findings that call for significant improvement in the quality of today’s healthcare. In fact, the overwhelming rates of medical misdiagnosis in the United States has led some to call the new report a “second wake-up call” for medical practitioners. The Institute of Medicine first called attention to the detrimental effects of medical misdiagnosis in...Read More - New Study Reveals Staggering Findings about Medication Errors During Surgeries
Oct 29, 2015
According to a recent study conducted by researchers at one of the country’s leading medical centers, approximately half of all surgeries performed in the United States involve some form of medication error or result in an unintended drug side effect for unsuspecting patients. Surgery Mistakes involving Medication These staggering new statistics resulted from a study conducted by academicians from Massachusetts General Hospital’s anesthesiology department. The findings were recently published in the medical journal Anesthesiology after researchers observed 277 procedures at...Read More - New Mammogram Guidelines Spark Contentious Debate About Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Oct 22, 2015
Leaders in the medical community have generated additional confusion among patients and practitioners alike, as the The American Cancer Society recently published new mammogram guidelines for breast cancer screening, but experts fail to reach a consensus. The implications of this ongoing debate are two-fold: first, it leaves patients to question the best course of action for breast cancer prevention, and second: it further complicates questions of medical malpractice in cases involving breast cancer misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis. On Tuesday,...Read More - Monmouth Beach Man Sustains Traumatic Head Injury After Tire Explosion
Oct 15, 2015
A Monmouth Beach man was recently hospitalized with traumatic injuries after a tire that he was filling with air exploded, causing the metal rim to strike him in the head. According to Thomas C. Walsh, Chief of the Monmouth Beach Police Department, a 56-year-old man was inflating a tire using an air compressor on Borden Street in Monmouth Beach at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 10th prior to the incident. The man, who remains unidentified, was discovered...Read More