Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog

April 13, 2014

New Guidelines for Identifying Causes of Newborn Brain Injury

Newborn brain injuries typically occur because the infant experiences trauma to the brain during birth or because the infant’s brain is deprived of oxygen and cell death occurs. While birth defects or injury in the womb can be a cause of newborn brain injuries, many problems occur during overly prolonged labors or when doctors make medical errors and cause a child to suffer harm.

Now, there are new guidelines designed to help doctors identify causes of newborn brain injury so that they can develop appropriate preventative strategies to protect children from risk. Physicians need to review the guidelines released by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Physicians. If a medical care provider falls short of taking reasonable steps to prevent newborn brain injury, that physician can be held legally liable for medical malpractice with the help of a Boston birth injury lawyer.
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April 9, 2014

Leading Causes of Preventable Child Death by Age

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Whether you are a new parent, you have teenagers, or you are a grandparent, it is important to understand the risks to children at every age. The rate of injury and fatality from infants through age 17 varies. Understanding the risks can help you to be prepared and to prevent accident and injury. Parents as well as caretakers should be aware of the potential household hazards and other lurking dangers that could cause an injury, or even a fatal accident.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, accidents are the leading cause of death for all children aged 1-14. Our Boston personal injury attorneys are dedicated to raising awareness to increase child safety and to prevent accidents that result in serious injury or fatality. In addition to working to prevent injuries, we are also committed to taking legal action on behalf of families who have lost a child in a preventable accident.

The following is a list of common injuries and risks by age group:
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April 7, 2014

Head Injuries Can Double the Risk of Death Within 15 Years

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Head injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have lingering effects long after an initial impact. According to a new UK study, individuals who have been hospitalized for a mild head injury have nearly double the risk of dying within the next 15 years. This indicates that an injury can have an even more serious and deadly impact that first believed. The research, as published in The Guardian, indicates that individuals who suffered even a mild head injury were at a significantly higher risk of death than those with no history of head injury.

There may be a number of contributing factors to the results and researchers are not clear about exactly what links head injury to the increased risk of death. It is possible that the lingering impact of a head injury creates additional risk, rather than simply lifestyle before or after an injury. Our Boston personal injury attorneys are dedicated to helping clients protect their rights and recover maximum compensation after an injury. With significant experience handling complex brain injury cases, we understand the importance of a thorough review and medico-legal analysis in every case. We also are committed to staying abreast of research and trends in this complex and evolving medical field.
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April 3, 2014

GM Misled Families on Fatal Ignition Defect

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

In May 2009, engineers at GM learned that black box evidence obtained from Chevrolet Cobalts confirmed that hundreds of thousands of cars had fatal defects. The evidence showed that if the vehicle was bumped or weighed down, the engine’s power could shut down and deactivate airbags. Despite this knowledge, along with additional documents and studies that confirmed the report, GM told families of accident victims that it did not have enough evidence to confirm the defect. After years of denial, GM finally recalled 1.6 million Cobalts and other vehicles that could also be affected by the defect.

When a defective or dangerous product causes harm to a consumer, the company must be held liable. While many corporations may fight allegations on other grounds, this is a case of egregious deceit in an attempt to deny victims their rightful recovery. Failure to admit the fatal defects has also put hundreds of thousands of additional motorists and their passengers in danger. Our Boston personal injury attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of accident victims.
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April 1, 2014

Most Nursing Home Injuries Are Preventable

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Nursing home patients that require a number of treatments and care are at risk of serious injury or fatality when not properly attended. In any nursing home, patient care is critical to the health and well-being of patients. Medication errors, improper nutrition, dehydration, infection, or other harm related to treatment can be devastating. According to a February 2014 government report, 59% of injuries that occurred in nursing homes were preventable. This leaves patients vulnerable to errors and injuries that could ultimately be catastrophic or fatal.

The United States has a widespread problem involving the potential for patient injury. For-profit nursing homes nationwide are known to cut costs and corners that can cause serious accidents, injuries, and wrongful death. Our Boston nursing home injury attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of victims and their families. We are also committed to raising awareness to prevent future patient injuries and to improve nursing home care. Nursing home care injuries may involve medication errors, infection, failed treatments, or other issues involving neglect.
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March 30, 2014

EPA Cracking Down on New England Companies That Failed in Chemical Safety

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Five companies in New England faced legal trouble when they were found to be in violation of federal regulations designed to prevent the occurrence of chemical accidents. The companies have now settled with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As part of the settlement, the companies will need to be more careful about the way in which they deal with chemicals and the risks of exposure.

Unfortunately, two of the companies that endangered the public were located within the state of Massachusetts.
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March 27, 2014

Gas Explosion Illustrates Dangers Presented by Aging Infrastructure

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Eight people were killed and dozens injured recently when gas explosion leveled two five-story buildings. The specific cause of the explosion is still under investigation, but the National Transportation Safety Board believes that a natural gas leak was the reason for the blast. A crack in an eight-inch gas pipeline that runs next to one of the two demolished apartments may have been the source of the leak.

This incident occurred in East Harlem, but the reality is that it could happen anywhere as the gas pipe was part of a system that is over 100 years old and which spreads throughout the United States. Boston premises liability lawyers can represent victims who sustain injuries if a similar gas leak explosion occurs in the Massachusetts area, which is an unfortunate possibility due to the fact that the state has some of the oldest and most dangerous pipes in the nation.
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March 25, 2014

Learn the Signs of TBI During Brain Injury Awareness Month

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and it is the ideal time to learn the signs that you or someone you love is suffering from this condition. As the U.S. Army indicates, a brain injury is a “multi-system dysfunction that also affects the family.” Prompt treatment is essential for a TBI, but people do not always recognize the symptoms and aren’t always aware that even a seemingly minor bump to the head can have a lasting impact.

A Boston brain injury lawyer can help clients who are suffering from the effects of brain injury to take legal action against those who are responsible for injury.
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March 22, 2014

Massachusetts Gets a B- for Quality of Medical Care

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The American College of Emergency Physicians has released its annual report card on the emergency care environment across the United States. Massachusetts did relatively well on some aspects of the report, but there were some significant problems within the state as well, including a low grade for disaster preparedness and a recommendation that Massachusetts work to increase its hospital capacity.

Patients need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the Massachusetts medical care system so they can protect themselves when seeking treatment. In any situation where a patient receives substandard care, he or she should also speak with a Boston medical malpractice lawyer for help pursuing a claim for damages caused by medical negligence.
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March 19, 2014

Nursing Home Neglect: Patients Victimized by Medication Errors

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Elderly patients, especially those who require nursing home care, are likely to depend on one or more drug prescriptions. Medication errors have been recognized as a common and growing problem in nursing home care that can result in serious injury or wrongful death. Nursing home facilities must have effective procedures and policies to ensure that every patient is given the proper medication and dosage.

Preventable medication errors are tragic and preventable. Responsible individuals or entities should be held accountable. Our Boston nursing home injury lawyers are committed to protecting the rights of our clients and in raising awareness to reduce the number of medication errors in Massachusetts and nationwide. In addition to helping victims report negligence and nursing home injury, we will provide strategic counsel and advocacy in any case involving medication error and injury or wrongful death.
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