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Do Clinics Have the Highest Rate of Medical Malpractice in Virginia?
A patient will understandably be anxious about an upcoming surgery. The risks while undergoing a major procedure are worrying, to say the least.
But would you be just as worried about a routine trip to the gynecologist, or an outpatient procedure?
According to a recent study, you should be. Findings in the latest issue of Journal of the American Medical Association strongly suggest that medical malpractice claims are filed just as often in outpatient or ambulatory care settings as they are in surgical ones-and it's a cause for concern.
The authors indicate that top three areas of clinical medicine with the highest risk of malpractice in Virginia are:
- Obstetrics / Gynecology
- Anesthesia
- Outpatient surgery
As experienced Fairfax medical malpractice lawyers, we know that clinic malpractice can cause just as much injury as inpatient mistakes. The authors recognize this as well, adding that clinic malpractice has additional drawbacks: large indemnity payments, high-profile legal cases, and negative media attention for the institution responsible.
Why do so many wrong-site surgeries keep happening in Virginia?
It sounds like an urban legend: a patient is wheeled into surgery to have his arm amputated. When he wakes up, he is told the operation was a success-but when the blanket is lifted, he discovers the wrong one was removed.
It is hard to believe that surgeons could make such a basic mistake in the operating room. But it gets worse: a new study estimates that wrong-site surgical errors occur roughly 40 times a week nationwide.
Reasons For Wrong-site Surgical Errors
In a close study of 8 healthcare facilities, the biggest reasons these errors occurred were:
- Problems with scheduling, preoperative or holding processes. Basically, paperwork issues. The study found that verifying documentation in the pre-op stages decreased surgical error rates by half.
- Ineffective communication. The person handling the intake is different than the person prepping, who is again different from the surgical team-and any one mistake will continue down the line.
- Improper marking. Surgeons may mark the site to be operated on with a single dot, rather than a large, unmistakable X.
Is Virginia’s No Texting While Driving Law Effective In Fairfax County
It is illegal to text and drive in Virginia. However, it turns out that the technicalities of the distracted driving law make it difficult for police to prevent distracted driving accidents. For example, texting while driving is a secondary offense in Virginia. That means that the driver must have committed another (primary) offense before being pulled over and ticketed.How Successful Has the No Texting While Driving Law Been So Far?In the first eight months of 2010, Fairfax County officials ticketed 16 people for texting while driving. Yet police are still cracking down on Fairfax County texting and driving. They are simply using an older law that allows them to ticket a driver who fails to pay full time and attention to driving. It doesn't matter if the driver is texting, talking on a cell phone, or simply otherwise distracted for this law to be enforced.Stepped Up Enforcement May Still be UsefulWhile there are significant loopholes in the texting while driving law, the law aims to prevent serious and fatal Virginia distracted driving accidents. To that end, Fairfax County is conducting a media campaign to raise awareness of the law and to attempt to protect people from the dangers of distracted driving.
Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation in Washington D.C.
Brain injuries can happen out of nowhere. One minute you're perfectly fine, enjoying a drink at the Argonaut, the next minute you're on your way to the hospital.
These injuries cannot be planned for, saved up for, or predicted. As a result, not only do you have to undergo possible surgeries and years of rehabilitation and treatment, but you also need to pay for it all.
That shouldn't be a problem if you have insurance, right? Wrong. Unfortunately, most insurance companies are highly motivated to contest brain injury claims, causing you to have to pay out-of-pocket for months or even years until your case is settled. That's why it is extremely important to have a knowledgeable lawyer on your side to get you the treatment you're entitled to.
D.C. insurance companies depend on the various causes of brain injuries-as well as the various degrees of injury-to attempt to deny or adjust your claim. All types of injuries that affect your brain are serious, but the level of trauma and its effects can vary drastically. They can range from trivial to life-changing, such as:
Two Semis Collide, One Truck Driver Killed In I-95 Accident
All lanes on northbound Interstate 95 were shut down after a two-semi accident in Virginia resulted in the death of a truck driver.Around 2:00 a.m. on August 8, a produce truck was traveling down I-95 when it collided with a Virginia Department of Transportation vehicle near Lorton Road. As the trucker hit the VDOT's "cushion" truck, the fuel tank ruptured, causing his tractor-trailer to catch fire.At least one of the construction crewmembers leapt over the Jersey Wall, barely avoiding injury in the crash. The produce truck driver, unable to escape the flames, died at the scene. Virginia State Police, who have not yet identified the driver, transported his body to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Manassas.All traffic lanes on I-95 were completely restored by 8:25 a.m.
Read More About Two Semis Collide, One Truck Driver Killed in I-95 Accident…
Waking Into a Nightmare: Anesthesia Awareness in Virginia
A person goes in for surgery. They black out as the procedure starts, but then they wake up…during the surgery. They can't move, can't speak, but they can feel and hear everything that's happening. You may have seen horror movies with this scenario, or heard some form of it as an "urban legend." But this is exactly what happened to Virginia resident Carol Weiher in 1998.When Weiher went in for eye removal surgery, she was awake for much of the five-hour procedure, but unable to move or talk-a condition that happens to as many as two patients per thousand.While many patients report anesthesia error in Virginia, not all are as painful as Weiher's account. Due to varying levels of medication in the body, anesthesia awareness can take many forms, including:
- A patient is awake, but cannot feel pain. These patients have adequate painkilling medication, but there is too little anesthesia, causing the patient to regain consciousness.
- A patient is awake, can move, but cannot feel pain. There is enough painkiller in these patients, but too little of the anesthesia and paralytics.
How likely am I to get an infection from a hospital in Virginia?
Pretty likely, according to the Center for Disease Control. By their estimates, 1.7 million people will experience hospital-acquired infections every year-many of them resulting in death.
Order our FREE book to learn more about your DC hospital negligence case: Do I Have A Case? A Patient's Guide to Virginia Medical Negligence Law.
Recovering damages for your hospital infection in Virginia requires proving that your infection was a result of hospital negligence. Infections happen a number of ways, but are most commonly due to:
- Hand-washing. Not only do some hospital employees neglect to wash their hands, but studies suggest that even those who do wash their hands are not doing it effectively enough to prevent bacterial transmission.
- Sanitation. Gowns, bed sheets, pillows, breathing tubes, medical machines-even the furniture in the room can carry bacteria. If the hospital staff has been reusing items or not cleaning its equipment regularly, they may be liable for your infection.
New Sponges May Reduce The Number Of Retained Objects From Surgery
Innovative use of wireless technology may reduce the amount of retained sponges during surgery in DC.Sponges are the most common foreign objects left inside patients. In emergency situations, doctors and nurses may lose count of the sponges if they are needed quickly-and once they have been used to staunch blood flow, they are often confused with the tissues of the body.ClearCount Medical Solutions believes that its SmartSponge System-which comes with radio frequency-enabled sponges, a wireless detection device and a collection bucket which keeps accurate count of the sponges placed inside it-will enable surgical teams to keep an accurate count of sponges during procedures.The key to the system is in the sponges themselves, which are encoded with serial numbers that can be read wirelessly using the SmartWand detector. Using radio waves, the SmartWand can detect sponges both outside and deep inside of a human body, ensuring all sponges are removed before a wound is closed.Several failsafe procedures are recommended when using the SmartSponges: The package is first scanned with the ID reader, and the sponges are then read and listed by serial number. As the discard sponges are placed in the SmartBucket, the container reads the sponge count again.Even if the numbers match, surgeons can still use the SmartWand to scan the patient as a final precaution before they leave the operating room.
What can I do if my stroke was misdiagnosed by a Virginia doctor?
Imagine that you're feeling a little dizzy. You think you might have food poisoning, but then your arm goes numb. Your vision is a little blurry, and your head starts to hurt. As you grow increasingly faint, a friend suggests you go to the emergency room-where you are told you are having a migraine and sent home with a prescription.But it turns out your doctor was wrong. Because you are under the age of 50, he didn't even consider your symptoms to be warning signs of a stroke-and now you may suffer permanently for his mistake.
Order our FREE book for more information on your DC stroke misdiagnosis:Do I Have A Case? A Patient's Guide to Virginia Medical Negligence Law
A recent study found that many stroke victims are misdiagnosed by physicians in Virginia, making it much more likely that they will suffer lifelong injuries as a result.A stroke is an interruption of blood flow to the brain that causes the brain to lose oxygen. If not treated quickly, brain cells begin to die-resulting in a number of life-altering injuries, including:
Think Fast! What to Do if Your Car Crashes into Water in Virginia
It's the stuff of nightmares: after swerving to avoid an obstacle, your car has landed in a body of water. You've survived the impact, but you can feel the car sinking and the water is starting to leak in. What do you do?
Thinking Fast and Smart Is Critical
First: take three breaths to focus your mind. Then, follow these steps:
- Open the window. If your window is manual, roll it down as soon as you can. If the electric window fails to respond or only rolls partway, you may have to break it using the hammer in your car's emergency kit. If you have no other heavy objects, brace yourself and kick out the front windshield.
- Wait for the car to submerge. This may be the scariest part of a water landing. It is vital that you wait for the car to submerge, as opening the door may be impossible due to the force of water pressure. When the car is nearly filled, take a deep breath.
- Unbuckle your seat belt. Just before you open the door, remember to unbuckle your seat belt. After you've gotten free of the car, swim to the surface and flag down a passing vehicle to call 911.
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.
