703-591-0067
Recent Blog Posts
When a never event happens during a surgery
Surgical procedures are sometimes necessary. People dealing with cardiac issues may require bypass procedures or an implanted device that could save their lives during cardiac arrest. Other times, surgery is the best treatment option available. Surgeries to address carpal tunnel and joint damage can have more of a positive impact than physical therapy or pain medication.
Whether a surgery is absolutely necessary or just the best option available, patients are at risk of adverse outcomes. After all, surgery is an inherently invasive medical process. Most surgeries are successful, and any issues that arise are minor.
However, major complications can occur during surgical procedures. Many of those issues are preventable. Patients might experience never events, which almost always lead to significant medical complications.
What is a never event?
Health care safety experts refer to errors that should never happen as never events. There are many different types of never events that can occur in a surgical theater, but three are particularly common.
Planning for the future after suffering a brain injury in a crash
Motor vehicle collisions can cause a variety of different devastating injuries. The violent force of a crash can easily damage the delicate human brain. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can cause permanent changes to the structure of the human brain. The injured party may experience symptoms that persist for the rest of their life. Those symptoms can range from changes in sensory perception and cognition to motor function challenges.
How can people adjusting to life with a TBI protect themselves and plan for the best future possible?
Connecting with appropriate resources
People adjusting to life with TBIs need a variety of different types of support. They usually require emergency trauma care immediately after they sustain the injury and also rehabilitation support as they learn to navigate the world with their new functional limitations.
They may also require counseling or therapy. People with TBIs are often acutely aware of how their cognition or motor function capabilities have changed. Their personalities and overall moods may change as well.
A car accident left me paralyzed: What are my legal rights and how do I move forward?
A car accident that results in paralysis is a life-altering event. In an instant, everything changes-your independence, your career, your relationships and your sense of control. The emotional shock can be overwhelming, and the physical challenges ahead may seem impossible.
These perceptions are valid, understandable and should be honored and grieved. Yet, if you or a loved one is facing this undeniably challenging situation, know that you are not alone. There are legal protections in place that can benefit you, and there is a path forward.
Approaching the future thoughtfully
The first priority after a crash that causes paralysis is getting the medical care and support you or a loved one need. That may include emergency surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation and long-term care planning. But as medical bills begin to accumulate and lost income becomes a growing concern, it's also important to understand your legal rights and options.
Addressing the aftermath of a crash with an Amazon driver
With the rise of online shopping, Amazon delivery vehicles have become a very common sight on roads across the country. While these deliveries are convenient for consumers, they also contribute to an increase in traffic and, unfortunately, accidents. It is now well known that the Amazon delivery driver program is not particularly safe, to say nothing of the fact that driving on U.S. roads is not a terribly safe endeavor to begin with.
Partially because Amazon is a massive company, when a crash involves an Amazon driver, the aftermath can be especially complicated. If you or a loved one has been injured in this kind of crash, know that understanding your rights and how to navigate the claims process successfully could make a big difference when it comes to achieving the end goal of receiving the maximum amount of compensation to which you are entitled.
Liability concerns and seeking fair compensation
How demanding schedules increase delivery vehicle crash risk
In some ways, delivery work can be very rewarding. Delivery drivers earn competitive wages and may receive comprehensive benefits packages. They get to witness recipients excitedly accepting their packages in some cases. They also get to work independently without the stress of constant micromanagement or interactions with coworkers.
Unfortunately, delivery work comes with very high-pressure work conditions. Many delivery drivers working for large companies hit the road each day with hundreds of packages to deliver. They may only have a few minutes to dedicate to each delivery. Many of them do not have time to take meal breaks or even bathroom breaks. Their demanding work schedules can potentially lead to delivery drivers causing preventable crashes.
Why do the demands of delivery work increase crash risk?
Compromising safe driving
Why large trucks tip over and who is to blame
large trucks tip or roll over, the consequences of that turn of events can be catastrophic. These accidents often result in serious injuries or fatalities, especially for drivers and passengers in smaller vehicles.
Occasionally, such crashes occur as a result of conditions that are nobody's fault. If a trucker swerves because lightning hits a tree that falls into the path of the vehicle, no one can reasonably be blamed if the truck tips as a result. But, most of the time, these crashes occur due to a failure to drive safely, ill-maintained roads and other preventable circumstances.
Causes, fault and liability
One of the primary reasons large trucks tip is their high center of gravity. When a truck is carrying a heavy or uneven load, even a slight miscalculation in speed or steering can cause a vehicle to become unstable. Taking a curve too quickly, swerving suddenly or encountering a strong crosswind can all lead to a rollover, particularly if the cargo shifts inside the trailer. Improperly secured loads increase the risk of such shifts, making it easier for the truck to become unbalanced. When improper loading leads to a tip-over that causes harm, those responsible for loading may potentially be held liable.
3 ways intense job schedules increase medical malpractice risks
Medical malpractice occurs when patients do not receive a professional standard of care and are harmed as a result. Many different factors can contribute to malpractice. Poor equipment maintenance could be a concern. Gaps in professional training can also contribute to malpractice.
In many cases, medical malpractice can result from an individual physician making questionable decisions. The circumstances in which that professional works can potentially contribute to the risk of patients experiencing serious malpractice in a hospital or similar setting.
Doctors receive competitive pay in most cases, but they have to deal with intense employer demands and challenging work schedules. The demands placed on physicians can contribute to the likelihood of malpractice occurring.
Inadequate time for charting
Medical charts play a crucial role in the current treatment and future diagnosis of a patient. The more information health care providers have, the easier it is for them to determine the underlying cause of certain symptoms. The high number of patients a doctor sees can make it difficult for them to include adequate details in every patient chart. Particularly when doctors rush from one patient room to the next, they might forget information that they likely need to include in medical records.
What are the most dangerous roads in the Fairfax, VA area?
Many different issues can lead to motor vehicle collisions. Most of the time, driver behaviors are the main underlying factor. People make poor choices, such as texting while driving or exceeding the speed limit.
Occasionally, road design and maintenance can contribute to crash risk by exacerbating other risk factors. There are some streets and intersections that are simply more dangerous than others. Drivers in the Fairfax area may need to know where their crash risk is higher. That way, they can bypass dangerous roads and intersections. If they do have to drive on streets known to be somewhat risky, they can put more of an emphasis on safety.
Where is crash risk the highest in the Fairfax area?
Some roads see more crashes and near misses
When evaluating crash risk, looking at reported incidents is a good way to determine what locations are the most dangerous. Certain streets and intersections see more crashes and near misses than many others.
Beulah Street is notorious for drivers who fail to yield or speed causing crashes. There were 17 reports of near misses on this road where drivers almost caused crashes or struck pedestrians. Fairfax County Parkway took a close second place with 16 reported near misses, while Blake Lane took third place on the list with 14 reported incidents.
Spinal cord injuries can cost people millions in lifetime losses
Spinal cord injuries are among the most catastrophic injuries individuals may ever experience. Spinal cord injuries tend to cause permanent functional limitations. Complete injuries result in paralysis and the loss of sensation. Incomplete injuries cause mobility challenges and other medical complications.
People who sustain spinal cord injuries in car crashes or collisions caused by semi-trucks might think that insurance can help them cover their losses. However, the reality is that insurance may fall short of the likely seven-figure financial impact of their injuries.
What makes a spinal cord injury so expensive?
Medical costs
Factors including the age of the injured person and the location of their spinal cord injury determine how much they may incur in medical expenses. While spinal cord injuries don't respond to treatment, they do require regular interventions to protect the health of the injured party. Even incomplete spinal cord injuries produce over $100,000 in medical expenses in just the first year and tens of thousands of dollars in additional medical costs every year for the rest of the injured person's life.
Too many doctors rush through the diagnostic process
Doctors are the gatekeepers for prescription medication. They also typically need to diagnose the patients they see. Diagnosis is arguably one of the most critical elements of successful medical treatment.
Doctors can only resolve significant medical issues when they know exactly what causes them. Physicians have powerful testing equipment at their disposal throughout the diagnostic process. Unfortunately, many licensed medical professionals fail to make full use of the systems in place for the protection of patients.
Many doctors rush through the diagnostic process by jumping to a conclusion instead of making use of the tools and tests at their disposal. A failure to diagnose a patient or diagnosing them with the wrong condition can have life-altering consequences for the affected patient. How can patients recognize when they are at risk of diagnostic mistakes because of a physician's behavior?
When doctors don't give them time
Adequate time discussing a situation with a patient is crucial for a physician trying to diagnose the underlying cause of their symptoms. Unfortunately, many doctors have significant pressure on their time because of their employment arrangements.
703-591-0067
10513 Judicial Drive, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030
703-591-0067
From our office in Fairfax, Shevlin Smith, P.C. serves clients throughout Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., including Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Ashburn, Burke, Centreville, Dale City, Fair Oaks, Leesburg, Manassas, McLean, Oakton, Reston, Springfield, and Woodbridge, as well as Fairfax County, Arlington County, Fauquier County, Loudoun County, and Prince William County.
Results listed are not a guarantee or indication of future case results.
