Large Truck Accident Causation Study

The objective of a joint research study conducted by the Federal Motor Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was to identify the factors that increase the probability that large trucks would be involved in a serious motor vehicle accident.  The researchers examined the details and circumstances of 963 truck accidents in which at least one large truck was involved.  There were a recorded 249 fatalities with another 1,654 injuries.

Data was collected by directly interviewing the drivers and any known witnesses of the accidents.  The researchers, in collaboration with a state truck inspector, examined the actual trucks involved in the accident and revisited each crash site.  Police reports, hospital records of the injured victims, and drivers’ logs were also assessed.  Researchers considered what the road and weather conditions were like at the time of the truck accident.

Looking at the Causes of the Truck Accidents

The researchers were able to identify some of the more common factors that are associated with large truck accidents.  For all the accidents included in the study, the trucks were cited as the “critical cause” in 44 percent of the case study crashes.  An additional breakdown of the data showed that 87 percent of these crashes were related to the truck driver, 10 percent linked to the vehicle itself, and the last 3 percent to environmental factors.

Driver-related causes for the truck accidents included poor decision making, such as driving too fast or following too closely behind other vehicles.  Driver recognition was also a factor mentioned, which included the driver being distracted or inattentive while operating the vehicle as well as non-performance factors such as falling asleep or fatigue.

Brake problems accounted for the majority of the truck accidents in which the vehicle was identified as the cause of the accident, followed by tire issues and a shift in the cargo that was being carried by the truck.  Problems with the roadways were the most frequent environmental factor cited.

New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyers Fighting for Justice for Truck Accident Victims

Victims of truck accidents often suffer disastrous injuries that require lifelong medical care and treatment.  If you or someone you love has been hurt or fatally injured in a truck accident or any other motor vehicle accident, contact the personal injury attorneys at Legome & Associates. For over two decades, we have been helping victims of all types of motor vehicle accidents get the compensation they deserve. Our office is conveniently located in Haddonfield, New Jersey and we serve clients throughout the state including Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, Cumberland County and Atlantic County. Contact us online or call us at 856-528-3284 to schedule a free consultation.

Recently, NBC news reported on the specific dangers of a zinc shortage and how it directly affected a number of premature babies. Zinc is a mineral our bodies utilize for cellular function, and it has numerous health benefits. According to the report, premature infants born between 23 to 24 weeks were sustained on an intravenous solution called total parental nutrition (TPN). TPN contains various nutrients, vitamins and dietary minerals such as zinc. For these premature infants, TPN was necessary for their growth and development. Due to the shortage of injectable zinc, some of the TPN bottles were prepared without the necessary zinc.  The infants developed skin lesions, blisters and severe diaper rashes. Specialists were able to identify the lack of zinc in their TPN as the culprit, after ruling out other possible causes. These premature infants experienced unnecessary suffering due to a drug shortage.

FDA Trying to Preempt Drug Shortages

The government has become more involved with pharmaceutical manufacturers due to the ever-increasing drug shortage crisis. A law passed in February,  2011, entitled the Preserving Access to Life-Saving Medication Act, was enacted to give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more insight into an upcoming shortage by requiring pharmaceutical companies to give 6 months notice of impending shortages or discontinuation of critical or essential drugs. Unfortunately, this may not be enough to safeguard against a drug shortage that could affect people’s health.

Causes contributing to drug shortages are:

• Raw materials not available-lack of substances used to make a drug, or contamination occurring during the process
• Business decisions and mergers
• Constraints on the pharmaceutical company from federal regulations
• Labor issues
• Increased demand

Drug Substitutes Can Be Damaging to Patients

Often, when there is a shortage of a specific drug, hospitals, pharmacists and physicians find ways to alleviate this issue by substituting an alternate drug that may be prescribed for a specific treatment. This action can be very harmful to the patient.

The risks of substitution are:

• Less effective treatments
• Other side effects that can be life threatening
• Delay of medical treatment and procedures
• Wrong drug choice – medication error

Experts believe that the negative effects of drug shortages are multifaceted and continue to grow. If a patient is dependent on a specific drug that is not available, this situation can be life threatening, or irreversible harm can occur. The medical repercussions from a drug shortage can be fatal for that patient.

New Jersey Medical Malpractice Law Firm of Legome & Associates Fights for Victims of Malpractice

If you or someone you know has been a victim of medical errors or delayed treatment due to a drug shortage or mishap or any other type of medical malpractice, the experienced New Jersey medical malpractice attorneys at Legome & Associates can assist you. We are conveniently located in Haddonfield and represent clients throughout the state including Camden County, Burlington County, Salem County, Atlantic County, Cape May County, Gloucester County, Cumberland County, Cherry Hill, Marlton, Voorhees, Atlantic City, Princeton and Newark, as well as the Philadelphia region in Pennsylvania. Call us today at 856-582-3284 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

As Americans age, mental and physical decline can cause mobility and cognitive deficits.  Elderly pedestrians have been fatally injured by drivers who don’t obey local traffic laws and fail to yield stop signs and traffic lights.  Because of decreased reaction times and mobility, older pedestrians cannot avoid being struck by distracted drivers.  When they are struck, their age makes it difficult to recover from broken bones, brain injuries, and internal damage.

Prevention Key to Reducing Pedestrian Accident Fatalities

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that prevention is the key to reducing the number of pedestrian accident fatalities that occur each year.  In analyzing the data collected over the past decade, the CDC reported 47,000 fatal pedestrian accidents.  Pedestrian fatalities are estimated to be over 4,000 each year in the United States alone.  Approximately 75% of these fatalities are reported to occur in U.S. urban cities.

Preventive safety measures to reduce pedestrian accident fatalities would be easy to implement, and can greatly reduce the number of deaths that occur each year.  Installation of speed bumps on roadways and increasing the number of traffic lights at busy pedestrian intersections would help ensure that drivers obey local speed laws.  Walkways and pedestrian lanes in high traffic areas would give walkers a place to travel free of traffic.  One of the most important preventive measures that would reduce the number of fatal pedestrian and automobile accidents for all ages is the strict enforcement of distracted driving laws.  Drivers who text, talk on the phone, or read their GPS while driving increase their risk of a fatal accident for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.

New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyers at Legome & Associates: Helping Victims of Pedestrian Accidents Seek Justice Fair Compensation for Their Personal Injuries

The New Jersey personal injury lawyers of Legome & Associates have helped victims of pedestrian and automobile accidents seek justice and claim compensation for over two decades.  When you are injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident, you have the right to seek recovery when the accident results from the negligence of another.  Call us today at  856-528-3284 or contact us online to discuss the details of your case. Located in Haddonfield, New Jersey, Legome & Associates serve clients throughout the state of New Jersey, including Atlantic City, Princeton, Mount Holly, Marlton, Mt. Laurel, Cherry Hill, Moorestown, Voorhees and Berlin as well as all communities in Burlington County, Camden County, Salem County, Atlantic County, Cumberland and Gloucester County.

Failure to Diagnose Breast Cancer Frequent Cause of Malpractice Suits

Breast cancer is the most frequently missed diagnosis, followed by nonvertebral fractures and spinal fractures, according to a recent study published in the medical journal, Radiology, linking radiologists to a high rate of missed diagnosis claims. According to the study, mistakes in diagnosis are, by far, the most common cause of medical malpractice suits against radiologists. Nearly a third of radiologists in the U.S. face a minimum of one medical malpractice claim during the span of their careers.

According to Dr. Steven Baker, chair of the Department of Radiology and one of the researchers conducting the study coming from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), a key responsibility of radiologists is to interpret and communicate results of imaging studies to the referring clinician. Dr. Baker noted that most of the suits against radiologists for failure to diagnose breast cancer result from the lack of detection or recommendation for biopsy of a lesion that turns out to be cancer.

New Jersey Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Legome & Associates Advocate for Victims of Missed Diagnosis

Patients whose breast cancer diagnosis was missed or delayed should consult with an accomplished medical malpractice attorney. Even though it is sometimes difficult to prove that a misdiagnosis resulted in advancing disease, it is always advisable to speak with a skilled attorney regarding the matter. The New Jersey medical malpractice attorneys of Legome & Associates are extremely experienced and skilled in these types of medical malpractice claims.

With offices conveniently located in Haddonfield, NJ, we represent clients throughout New Jersey including areas such as Princeton, Mount Holly, Cherry Hill, Moorestown, Voorhees and Berlin as well as all communities in Burlington County, Camden County, Salem County, Atlantic County, Cumberland and Gloucester County.  We also represent clients in Pennsylvania throughout the Philadelphia region. Our professional, experienced staff will help you get the compensation you deserve for lost wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.  Call our knowledgeable and compassionate New Jersey medical malpractice lawyers today at 856-528-3284 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

The dentist has been practicing dentistry and oral surgery since the 1970s and was known to treat a high-risk patient population that was already infected with HIV and hepatitis.  All potential known victims were notified by mail from the Tulsa Health Department regarding their risk of transmission and the necessary tests that were being provided free of charge.

Dental Office in Violation of Numerous Health and Safety Infractions

Health care officials with the Oklahoma State Department of Health along with the Tulsa County Health Department began their investigation after one of the dentist’s patients who had no known risk factors tested positive for hepatitis C. Officials found rusty instruments, medications that expired over 20 years ago, contaminated drug vials and sterilization equipment that had not undergone the required monthly tests.  The Oklahoma Board of Dentistry has filed a formal complaint with multiple allegations, accusing the dentist improperly sterilizing his dental instruments, reusing needles and vials, leaving drug cabinets unlocked and unsupervised, failing to keep proper drug inventory logs and allowing unlicensed personnel to administer intravenous sedation medications during procedures.

Legome & Associates:  Dedicated Medical Malpractice Attorneys Committed to Helping Victims Injured by Dental Malpractice & Other Healthcare Negligence

Most people believe that they will walk into their health care providers’ office and receive a specific standard of care.  Clearly, as evidenced by this most recent event, this does not always happen.  If you or someone you love has suffered injuries or harm due to the carelessness or negligence of a physician, dentist or other health care provider, we encourage you to contact one of the experienced and knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyers at the reputable law firm of Legome & Associates in Haddonfield, New Jersey.  We have established a reputation for successfully litigated all types of medical malpractice claims, including those in which patient have unsuspectingly developed an infection.  Our team of malpractice attorneys is committed to providing superior representation, protecting the rights of medical malpractice victims and securing them the proper compensation that they rightfully deserve.  We represent clients throughout New Jersey as well as the Philadelphia region.  To schedule a free and confidential consultation with one of Legome & Associates‘ New Jersey medical malpractice lawyers, call us today at 856-528-3284 or submit a free online contact form.

While receiving medical treatment at Boston Medical Center, five patients were unknowingly subjected to a potential hepatitis exposure.  These patients apparently received dialysis treatments on equipment that was not properly cleaned or sterilized.  Hospital officials have notified all of the at risk patients.  The hospital has stated that they are currently testing and monitoring the patients who may have been inadvertently exposed.  In addition, the hospital has indicated that the proper safety measures have been implemented to ensure the well being of all their patients and to prevent any further exposures.

Hepatitis B Virus Can Lead to Severe Health Consequences

Hepatitis B is a virus that targets the liver.  There are two types of hepatitis B, acute or chronic.  Acute hepatitis B is a short-lived infection that usually surfaces within six months of the initial exposure.  Some patients with an acute infection may not even experience any symptoms at all.  An acute hepatitis infection can lead to chronic hepatitis B, which essentially means that the virus remains in a person’s body for the duration of their life.  This is a more serious form of the disease that can lead to serious life long health issues, the need for a life saving liver transplant or even death.  The general public needs to be educated that the most effective way to prevent one from getting this serious disease is to get vaccinated against it.

Symptoms associated with hepatitis include a mild fever, headache, fatigue, nausea, muscle aches and joint pain.  When the hepatitis becomes a chronic infection, it can cause inflammation in the liver that can lead to extensive scarring known as cirrhosis.  The liver’s ability to function properly can be compromised and patients may need to undergo a liver transplant to survive.  Patients with chronic hepatitis B are also at an increased risk of developing liver cancer as well as kidney problems that can lead to kidney failure.  When an individual is infected with the hepatitis virus, they can spread it to other people through contact with body fluids even if they are not experiencing any symptoms.  Some examples include contact with an infected person’s blood, sexual contact, blood transfusions, shared needles, shared personal items including razors and toothbrushes, and unclean needles or other medical instruments.  Children can also be infected during childbirth.

Protect Yourself from an Inadvertent Hepatitis Exposure:  Get Vaccinated

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are up to 1.4 million people currently infected with the hepatitis virus.  Many people do not even know that they have the disease.  Sadly, each year between 2,000 and 4,000 people fall victim to liver complications caused by the disease.  The malpractice lawyers at Legome & Associates encourage everyone to protect him or herself against this ailment by speaking with their physicians about hepatitis prevention and the prospect of receiving the hepatitis vaccination.  Getting the vaccination protects individuals from medical malpractice or hospital negligence when visiting a doctor’s office or local hospital.

Patient Exposures to Hepatitis are Often the Result of Medical Malpractice

Exposure to the hepatitis virus is often the result of medical malpractice or hospital negligence.  Health care professionals may fail to provide the expected standard of care, or medical centers may not have the appropriate safety procedures in place to properly sterilize medical equipment or staff members may not obey them.  In these incidents, the patients may be entitled to file a medical malpractice claim in order to receive compensation from the negligent parties to cover the expenses of their ongoing medical treatments, lost wages, and their pain and suffering.  Patients have the greatest chance of achieving justice if they seek legal guidance and support from an experienced and skilled medical malpractice lawyer.

Legome & Associates:  New Jersey Medical Malpractice Attorneys Committed to Helping Patients Harmed by Negligent Health Care Providers

The New Jersey medical malpractice lawyers at Legome & Associates believe that all patients deserve to receive quality care when seeking medical care and treatment at any health care facility.  Medical providers, who fail to provide the required standard of care, need to be held legally responsible for any injuries, harm or even deaths that they inflict upon unsuspecting patients.  We have witnessed first hand the devastating consequences that such actions can have on these medical malpractice victims and their families.  Therefore, we have chosen to dedicate a key area of our practice to helping and supporting them through such terrible circumstances.

If you or someone you love has suffered at the hands of a health care providers medical malpractice, contact Legome & Associates as soon as possible to discuss your legal options with a qualified New Jersey medical malpractice lawyer and to initiate a medical malpractice lawsuit if indicated.  We will protect your rights and aggressively fight for the proper compensation to which you are entitled.  We represent clients throughout New Jersey, including the South Jersey communities in Atlantic County, Burlington County, Camden County, Cumberland County, Gloucester County and Salem County.  Call our Haddonfield, New Jersey office today at 856-528-3284 to schedule an appointment for a free consultation with a highly skilled and experienced New Jersey medical malpractice attorney or submit a free online inquiry.

Factors Contributing to Pedestrian Accidents

The NHTSA study found that pedestrian accidents are more common in certain age groups than others. Research compiled in the study compares various age demographics and their respective likelihood to be involved in a pedestrian accident.  Elderly pedestrians comprise close to 20% of pedestrian fatalities and an estimated 11% of all pedestrian injuries from auto accidents in 2010. Children also form a large segment of pedestrian injuries with 23% of all injuries affecting children fifteen years old and younger.

The study also presents findings relating gender to pedestrian injury rates. Auto accidents, in 2010, led to a fatality rate of 1.94 and .85 for males and females respectively. Researchers did not speculate as to why the rate of male pedestrians being involved in fatal auto accidents is more than double that of females.

Another important factor analyzed in the study is time of day and how it relates to both pedestrian and auto accidents. Nearly half of all pedestrian fatalities occurred on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, while an astonishing 30% took place between 8 p.m. and 11:59p.m.

Perhaps the most unfortunate factor in auto accidents today is alcohol involvement. Alcohol, whether consumed by the driver or pedestrian, was linked to 47% of auto accidents resulting in pedestrian fatalities. BAC, or blood alcohol content, is a key factor in pedestrian accident rates, as 33% of pedestrians involved in crashes have BAC levels of .08 or higher.

As a reminder to drivers and pedestrians, we urge that you keep yourself safe by following a few rules of thumb. First, pedestrians should wear retro-reflective clothing and carry a flashlight whenever travelling at night. Additionally, when one must enter the street, it is safest to use designated crosswalks and walk facing traffic. For drivers, it is the law to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing streets whether the crosswalk is marked or unmarked in most situations.

Trust the Right Personal Injury Lawyers for your Accident Case – Call the New Jersey Auto Accident Attorneys at Legome & Associations

The New Jersey auto accident lawyers of Legome & Associates are fully prepared to ensure that your legal rights are protected. We have years of experience in pedestrian accident claims and work diligently to ensure your case receives the highest level of legal counsel. If you have been involved in a pedestrian accident, we will take action on your behalf, such as interviewing witnesses, collecting records, conferring with skilled consultants, planning the legal strategy of your claim, and negotiating with insurance companies and opposing counsel. If necessary, our skilled personal injury litigators will fight in court seeking the most successful outcome possible for you. For a free consultation to discuss your pedestrian accident case, call our Haddonfield, NJ office at 856-528-3284 or contact us online.

According to a recent study that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), 50,000 or more cases per year are misdiagnosed by primary care physicians. Combined with estimates of misdiagnosis at U.S. hospitals, this study estimates more than 150,000 patients may be misdiagnosed each year. This study focused on 190 instances of diagnostic error during a nine-month period.  The information was obtained from electronic patient records from two separate medical facilities – a large urban hospital and a private care health system. The records were chosen for review based on the patterns of patient’s unexpected return visits after the initial visit to the physician’s office. Of these cases, the study indicated a diagnostic error is statistically more likely to occur during the initial physician-patient encounter, and most missed diagnoses involved common diseases.

Factors Contributing to Misdiagnosis

Some factor that contribute to misdiagnosis by a primary care physician include:

• Physician has limited time to perform a thorough history and physical exam.
• Medication side effects can be overlooked during initial exam.
• Appropriate blood work, x-rays and special studies were not ordered.
• Misinterpretation of the results of these studies.
• A mix-up involving the wrong patient results.
• Treating a patient for a condition that is beyond their level of expertise.
• Failure in referring a patient to a specialist.

Many Common Conditions are Misdiagnosed in the Initial Visit

It is not uncommon for a patient to present to his or her doctor with vague complaints of fatigue, sleeplessness, general irritability and an insidious onset of malaise. These symptoms are often attributed to stress by the primary care physician .The physician may neglect to further work up the patient to rule out other significant disorders, which can result in a misdiagnosis.

The most common diseases or illnesses that are misdiagnosed by primary care doctors are:

• Pneumonia
• Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)
• Sleep Apnea
• Congestive Heart Disease
• Thyroid disorders
• Heart Disease
• Cancer

Heart disease and thyroid disorders are two common diseases that are frequently misdiagnosed in the female population. Cancer of the prostate and colon are often misdiagnosed in men.

Legome & Associates: New Jersey Medical Malpractice Lawyers Advocating for Victims of Misdiagnosis

When a misdiagnosis occurs, severe harm to the patient can result. A misdiagnosis can leave permanent injury and, in some cases,  can be fatal.  If you or someone you know has been misdiagnosed or has suffered from other medical negligence, you need to contact an experienced medical malpractice lawyer to discuss your rights to seek compensation for your injuries and other losses resulting from the negligence.

The New Jersey medical malpractice lawyers at Legome & Associates are dedicated to helping victims of misdiagnosis. Please call us for a free consultation at 856-528-3284 or contact us online. Legome & Associates are conveniently located Haddonfield, Camden County and we represent clients throughout the state, including Burlington County, Salem County, Mercer County, Ocean County, Cumberland County, Gloucester County, Atlantic County, Cape May County, Atlantic City, Princeton, Trenton and Newark.

• Surgical
• Product/device
• Patient protection
• Care management
• Environmental
• Radiology
• Criminal

Never events were the subject of a recently published Johns Hopkins study which found that at least 4,000 of these events occur in the United States each year. The research pointed out that a surgeon in the United States leaves a foreign object in a patient after an operation approximately thirty nine times a week, performs the wrong procedure on a patient twenty times a week, and operates on the wrong body site twenty times a week. These are the most common types of never events, and all of them have serious consequences for the patient.

Marty Makary, MD., M.P.H, the research study lead and associate professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, states that these never events are totally preventable. He goes on to add that the study highlights that efforts to prevent these never events is lacking and that attention to needs to be paid to prevent careless surgical mistakes.

The Johns Hopkins researchers collected data from the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB). From this federal database the researchers identified over 9,000 paid medical malpractice claims between 1990-2010 with payments made totaling over 1.3 billion dollars. The researchers say that documenting the magnitude of the never events is key to developing better systems so that these events can be prevented.

Dr. Makary goes on to say that medical centers have patient-safety procedures that have long been in place to prevent never events, but most of their efforts are not foolproof. The researchers also note that many hospitals are taking steps to achieve more precise measures to prevent human error along with putting better reporting systems into place. It is believed that increased public reporting and documentation will put hospitals under scrutiny to make things safer.

New Jersey Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Legome & Associates Help Victims of Never Events

If you have suffered an injury that may be caused by medical malpractice in New Jersey or the Philadelphia region, you should speak with an experienced New Jersey medical malpractice lawyer at the personal injury law firm of Legome & Associates. Our attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of clients affected by a never event or other medical malpractice. Our knowledgeable professionals will help you get the compensation you deserve. Our law offices are located in Haddonfield, New Jersey, and we represent clients throughout New Jersey including areas such as Princeton, Mount Holly, Cherry Hill, Moorestown, Voorhees and Berlin as well as all communities in Burlington County, Camden County, Salem County, Atlantic County, Cumberland and Gloucester County.  Call us today at 856-528-3284 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

Many of these mega commuters are traveling out of state to get to work.  In 2011, the Census found that New Jersey had the highest number of residents working out of state, primarily in New York and Pennsylvania.  A total of 396,520 workers were traveling to New York for work in 2011, more than three times the number of New Yorkers who commuted to New Jersey.  The exchange rate between New Jersey and Pennsylvania was relatively similar, with 123,650 New Jersey residents traveling to Pennsylvania and 121,698 workers making the opposite trip.

Long Commutes Can Lead to Auto Accidents

A report published in New Jersey Monthly attributes these high numbers to New Jersey’s proximity to the large metro areas of Philadelphia and New York.  New Jersey is unique in that it is nestled directly between these two major cities, but neither of them is in the state.  While residential communities around these areas spread out into New Jersey, high numbers of jobs are located in these cities.  Not all residential areas are accessible by public transportation; so many commuters are spending an hour or more on the road every morning and evening.

With this many cars on the road during peak traffic times, auto accidents are bound to happen. Long drives and heavy traffic can be stressful for drivers, even commuters who are used to making the trip.  During the early morning hours, drivers may be drowsy and lose focus.  Additionally, many drivers are distracted by last minute tasks on their commute, such as drinking coffee, sending emails, applying make-up, or even shaving.  Any time a driver takes their focus off the road, they endanger the other drivers around them.

New Jersey Automobile Accident Attorneys at Legome and Associates Help Victims Get the Compensation They Deserve

The New Jersey automobile accident attorneys at Legome and Associates are here to help if you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident.  We have decades of years of experience representing victims of driver negligence. Our law offices are located in Haddonfield, New Jersey and we represent clients throughout New Jersey including areas such as Princeton, Mount Holly, Cherry Hill, Moorestown, Voorhees and Berlin as well as all communities in Burlington County, Camden County, Salem County, Atlantic County, Cumberland County and Gloucester County.  Call our knowledgeable and compassionate automobile accident lawyers today at 856-528-3284 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.