Valleywide Legal Blog

The Defensive Medicine Scam

One of the complaints doctors often make is that the existence of so many frivolous medical malpractice suits forces them to practice defensive medicine.  By this they mean that the worry of a potential lawsuit makes them order tests or … Read More

Posted in Defensive Medicine, Doctors, Fee for Service, Lawsuits, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, trial |

Where Are All The Malpractice Suits?

Study after study has shown that medical malpractice is a leading cause of deaths and injuries in the United States.  Some estimates place the number of annual deaths attributable to preventable medical errors at over 250,000.  This would make medical … Read More

Posted in arizona certified personal injury lawyers, Doctors, Finding a Medical Malpractice Lawyer, Hospitals, Lawsuits, Malpractice caps, Malpractice costs, medical errors, Medical Malpractice, medical malpractice damages caps, medical malpractice lawsuits, medical malpractice lawyers, medical mistakes, Medical Negligence, plaintiff, tort reform, trial, Valuing Damages in Medical Malpractice Cases |

The Statute of Limitations Can Kill Your Malpractice Case

Every state has a statute of limitations for civil claims.  The statute, which may actually be a series of statutes, sets deadlines by which a claim must be filed or the right to sue is lost.  There are usually different … Read More

Posted in disclosure of medical mistakes, Doctors, Hospitals, Lawsuits, medical charts, Medical Malpractice, medical malpractice cases, medical malpractice lawsuits, medical malpractice lawyers, medical mistakes, plaintiff, retained surgical instruments, Statute of Limitations |

A Complete and Total Failure – Part Three

The final betrayal of the public, and specifically the victims of Dr. Christopher Duntsch, aka Dr. Death, actually took place years before his surgical rampage through the Dallas area.  In 2003, the Texas legislature, responding to what it claimed was … Read More

Posted in disclosure of medical mistakes, Doctors, Finding a Medical Malpractice Lawyer, Health Care Costs, Hospitals, Lawsuits, Malpractice caps, Malpractice costs, Medical Costs, medical errors, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, medical malpractice damages caps, medical mistakes, Medical Negligence, plaintiff, Secrecy, tort reform |

A Complete and Total Failure – Part Two

This is the second part of my discussion of the system failures that allowed Dr. Christopher Duntsch to become a Dallas area neurosurgeon and to damage patient after patient. Having resigned his staff privileges with his first hospital after negotiating … Read More

Posted in disclosure of medical mistakes, Doctors, Hospital Negligence, Hospitals, Lawsuits, medical errors, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, medical mistakes, never events, plaintiff, Secrecy, Surgical Errors, tort reform |

A Complete and Total Failure – Part One

I recently finished listening to a podcast about a Texas neurosurgeon, who was so incompetent and injured so many people that he is now serving a life term for elder abuse and assault as a result of a surgery gone … Read More

Posted in disclosure of medical mistakes, Doctors, Hospital Negligence, Hospitals, Lawsuits, medical errors, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, medical mistakes, Medical Negligence, never events, Secrecy, Surgical Errors, tort reform |

Another Tragic Death

Stop me if you have heard this one, because I know you have.  It is almost the same case as I wrote about back in May and here it is happening again.  This time the dead patient was an 18 … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Hospitals, medical errors, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, Nurses, Surgical Errors |

Analysis of a Recent Large Medical Malpractice Verdict

I recently wrote that most large medical malpractice verdicts share some things in common.  Here is a recent Idaho verdict that demonstrates the point. An ischemic stroke is one in which blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a … Read More

Posted in Blood Clots, Doctors, Hospital Negligence, Hospitals, Lawsuits, Malpractice caps, medical errors, Medical Malpractice, Medical Malpractice Case Value, medical malpractice cases, medical malpractice damages caps, Stroke, trial, Verdicts |

Acute Compartment Syndrome

Unrecognized or improperly treated acute compartment syndrome can cause serious injury, including limb loss and even death.  As a result, it is the underlying medical condition in many medical malpractice lawsuits. Our bodies have a number of muscle compartments, which … Read More

Posted in Doctors, Lawsuits, medical charts, Medical Malpractice, medical malpractice lawyers, medical mistakes, Medical Negligence, Orthopedics |

State Medical Boards Continue To Fail The Public – Part 2

I always advise people looking for a doctor or getting ready to have surgery to check the web site of the state medical board to see if the doctor has been disciplined and, if so, for what reason.  Unfortunately, this … Read More

Posted in Arizona Medical Board, disclosure of medical mistakes, Doctors, Hospitals, medical errors, medical ethics, Medical Malpractice, Secrecy, Surgical Errors |