South Carolina Medical Malpractice Blog

Why nurses distributing medications pose a risk to their patients

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Friday, July 17, 2020.

When you or someone you love has to have an inpatient stay at a hospital, you probably assume that the medical professionals providing care during that stay won't make mistakes. People expect to receive excellent care and around-the-clock monitoring while staying in a hospital.

However, people in the hospital can find themselves in a variety of dangerous or unpleasant scenarios, often resulting from mistakes made by medical professionals. For example, staff members who don't engage in proper sanitation protocol could bring an illness from one patient into someone else's room and possibly infect them.

Why lung cancer is commonly misdiagnosed

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Wednesday, July 8, 2020.

If you have been suffering from pain in your chest and issues with your breathing, you've probably done the sensible thing and sought the advice of your doctor. Your doctor should pay close attention to the specific symptoms that you describe, and they may also want to take into account factors such as a family history of the disease, as well as your lifestyle.

It is your medical provider's responsibility to conduct the appropriate tests and to diagnose you so that treatment can begin. If they fail to successfully diagnose you, this is likely to mean that your condition will worsen. Often the worst thing that can happen is being misdiagnosed. Misdiagnosis is dangerous because it means that you're being treated for a condition that you do not have, while your disease is progressing.

Nursing home residents have a right to care

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Thursday, June 18, 2020.

Residents in nursing homes are some of the most vulnerable people in society. Not only do they often suffer from physical health issues, but they also are likely to have mental illnesses such as dementia that affect their ability to remember things both in the short and long term. This makes them particularly vulnerable to abuse.

While the majority of nursing homes can provide safe and loving environments for their residents, some people in these homes do experience abuse and neglect. If you have a loved one who resides in a nursing home and you are worried about whether they are being adequately cared for, you should first take the time to understand their right to care.

What does it take to cause a bedsore?

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Wednesday, May 20, 2020.

When you place a loved one with limited mobility into a nursing home, you expect that they will receive the care they need to stay moving. You want them to go through physical therapy and to receive support moving throughout the day, because you know that lying in one position for hours isn't comfortable.

Though your loved one can move around a little, you've found that their mobility is not good enough to allow them to sit up on their own or to roll over. As a result, they need to be able to get immediate support to move when they need to.

Who is liable when a victim develops Mesothelioma?

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Thursday, May 14, 2020.

Mesothelioma is a relatively rare and often fatal condition, often found in individuals who suffered exposure to dangerous substances like asbestos. When an individual develops mesothelioma, it is important for them to understand as much as they can about the causes of their disease and who may hold liability for it.

In many instances, mesothelioma victims develop the disease because they worked in unsafe conditions that contain asbestos, or regularly interacted with someone else exposed to asbestos. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, they may suffer painful physical symptoms and ultimately lose their life. In some cases, victims with mesothelioma do not receive the care they need because their medical care provider does not properly diagnose the disease, costing them precious time to receive treatment.

Hospital infections can lead to injury claims

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.

When we go to a hospital, we expect to receive proper care from trained, qualified doctors and personnel, not to suffer even more harm. Unfortunately, many hospital stays lead to additional illnesses because of poor hygiene practices and other complications.

If you recently developed an infection during your stay at a hospital, you may have grounds to file an injury claim. In general, hospitals must maintain acceptable standards of cleanliness and use safe practices during patient interactions. Failing to do so may qualify as medical malpractice. Building an injury claim based on medical malpractice takes time, so it is important to begin building your legal strategy soon to keep your rights secure while you fight for a fair outcome.

How do you know if you're a victim of medical malpractice?

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

It takes time to comb through a case and determine if there is a potential for malpractice claim. However, three of the things that will show that you could have a case include that:

Your injury was caused by negligence
Your injury caused significant damages
A violation of the recognized standard of care occurred

Here's an example. If you go to the emergency room and complain that your head is hurting, the nurses may place you into a triage. When you're seen by a doctor, the doctor should take reasonable steps to determine the cause of this headache. Some things they might do include a physical exam, taking a history and checking your vital signs for unusual changes.

Be aware of the rights of nursing home residents

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Thursday, March 19, 2020.

If you have an elderly or infirm friend or relative in a nursing home, it is wise to keep a close watch on them to make sure that they are being well-treated and that their needs are being met. After all, some nursing home patients are no longer capable of advocating for themselves. It may be up to others to intervene when there are problems.

It's easy to assume that patients who reside in nursing homes are totally dependent on their caretakers for all decisions, but in truth, these residents still retain a good bit of their autonomy. Also, they have many rights under both South Carolina and federal laws which may not be abridged by the nursing home administrators or staff.

Do you know about these risks of chiropractic care?

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Wednesday, February 19, 2020.

Chiropractic treatments are typically thought of as safe alternatives to medications. Even when a person is taking medication for a condition, they might use the chiropractor to help them feel even better and as part of a long-term treatment plan.

Even though people can certainly benefit from going to the chiropractor, these visits aren't risk-proof. You should understand the risks and the contraindications for chiropractic care so you can determine how to proceed.

What are the potential physical signs of nursing home abuse?

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Tuesday, January 21, 2020.

Moving a loved one into a nursing home is a big decision on many fronts, as it will change the both of your lives. While you need to do what's best for them from a health and care perspective, don't lose sight of the fact that no two nursing facilities provide the same experience.

Nursing home abuse remains a major problem, with many residents falling victim every year. As a concerned family member, it's critical to keep your eyes open for any potential physical signs of nursing home abuse. And if you have concerns, contact the facility immediately to better understand what's happening and to decide if you need to take action.