Mother injured while giving birth wins $12M settlement

It took eight years and $600,000 in expenses, but a legal team finally won a court-approved $12 million settlement for an Illinois woman who was left severely brain-damaged during labor. The medical malpractice occurred at Provena Covenant Medical Center while Tim Ravanh was in labor with her son her son who was later born by cesarean section. Ravanh was given an epidural injection that sent her

Worker blows the whistle on safety problems

A Michigan City, Indiana, public sanitary worker was fired from his government job after he reported worker safety violations and also told authorities about unreported cases of overflowing sewers. So Ron Meer went to the state attorney general and the Indiana labor commissioner to complain about his firing. They in turn sued the city for violating the state whistleblower law. Said Indiana

Bad diagnoses result in many fatal medical mistakes

A study estimates that between 40,000 and 80,000 people are killed each year due to diagnostic errors by doctors. The study, which included analysis of autopsies over the past four decades, found that such errors in diagnosing patient symptoms was also the leading cause of medical malpractice lawsuits, accounting for as many as 40 percent of all cases. In a news report, Peter Pronovost, a

Lowe's recalls about 5 million roll-up blinds due to strangulation hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Lowe's Home Centers, Inc., Roman shades and about 5 million roll-up blinds (strangulation risk - 6 million) General Wax & Candle Company, Silver and Gold Metallic Taper Candle (fire hazard - 33,000) Meijer, Touch Point Oscillating Ceramic Heaters (fire hazard - 6,700) MTD

Philadelphia medical malpractice verdict reached

A Philadelphia jury has handed down a verdict for a 72-year-old woman who died in the hospital after doctors failed to treat an internal bleed until it was too late. The recent award was for nearly $5.2 million for Sandra Sacks, who suffered retroperitoneal bleeding following an elective cardiac catheterization performed in October 2007. Sacks had complained of abdominal and groin pain after

Surgeon admits wrong kidney was removed

A slip of a pen resulted in a surgeon removing the wrong kidney during an operation on a young boy in Ireland. The surgery proceeded on the wrong kidney despite concern voiced before the procedure by the child's parents. The doctor, Martin Corbally from Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Dublin, admitted his error after the wrong-site surgery was performed and apologized to the family. He said he

Bassett Furniture recalls drop-side crips due to entrapment hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc., Bassettbaby drop-side cribs with external plastic hardware (entrapment hazard - 90,000) J & H International, Carafes (burn hazard - 36,000) L.L.Bean, Folding Camp Rockers (fall hazard - 2,300) Robert Bosch Tool Corporation, Bosch hammer

City to pay millions to hurt handicapped man

The City of Roseville, CA, and the bus company it contracts will have to pay a heavy price for a tragedy that befell a man who had already suffered one bad accident. It happened to 38-year-old Thomas Avery, of Del Paso Heights, who has been a quadriplegic since a 1989 traffic accident. Nine years later, Avery was in Roseville and powered his motorized wheelchair onto the lift of a Roseville

Army pays big to settle birth injury case

An Army medical center based in Hawaii has agreed to an $11 million settlement in a birth injury case involving several medical errors and serious brain injury to a newborn. The incident occurred in 2005 at Tripler Army Medical Center, the largest military hospital in the Pacific which serves tens of thousands of service members, veterans and their families. In the birth injury case, Kayla McCraw

Haier America Trading Chest Freezers recalled due to fire hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Haier America Trading LLC, Chest Freezers (fire hazard - 67,500) Hunter Safety System of Carabiners (fall hazard - 16,000) Britax Child Safety Inc., Chaperone Infant car seats (choking hazard - 23,000) Rollerblade USA, pairs Spark, Spitfire Inline Skates (fall hazard -

Whistleblower catches Medicaid cheating, reaps reward

An accountant is expected to reap a large reward for blowing the whistle on a company that provided prescription drugs for thousands of Medicaid patients in Michigan nursing homes and other assisted-living facilities. According to authorities in that state, Specialized Pharmacy Services, owned by Omnicare, was charging patients covered by Medicaid more than those who had private health insurance

Doctor hurt at hospital, premises liability found

In an odd twist, it was doctor checking on a patient who suffered a debilitating injury while in the hospital. As neurosurgeon David J. Sedor was looking at a patient's chart, he was clipped in the leg by a hospital bed being pushed down a hallway. Although the 2005 incident does not sound serious, the doctor is diabetic and the trauma from his injury led to an infection and, ultimately, the

34,000 bathtub toys recalled due to lacteration hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products: Munchkin Inc, Bathtub Toys (laceration hazard - 34,000)Dollar Tree Stores Inc., Wolverine, Spider-Man and Iron Man 2 Projector Flashlights (fire and burn hazards - 275,000)Lollytogs Ltd., Infant's Overalls (choking hazard - 8,300)Graco Children’s Products Inc., Graco

Novartis whistleblowers get big reward

Two former salesmen with Novartis will share $20.2 million. The huge sum is not a commission or bonus for their work on behalf of Novartis but for blowing the whistle on the drug company's improper practices, specifically for its marketing of the anti-epilepsy drug Trileptal for unapproved "off-label" uses. Novartis recently agreed to plead guilty and pay $422.5 million in fines and penalties,

Whistleblower to reap $96M reward

A former employee who blew the whistle on GlaxoSmithKline will get a $96 million reward for exposing the company's sales of contaminated products. Cheryl Eckard was once Glaxo's quality manager, but she was fired after warning superiors of problems with various products. Eckard filed a whistleblower suit in 2004 against Glaxo, accusing the drug firm of selling tainted products under false

Lackawanna birth injury verdict upheld

Pennsylvania Superior Court has upheld one of the largest medical malpractice awards ever in Northeast Pennsylvania. The $20.5 million verdict against a Lackawanna County obstetrician and OB/GYN Consultants Ltd. dated back to a 2001 birth injury case. Daniel and Laura White, of Jermyn, PA, filed suit after their son suffered cerebral palsy and near blindness caused by medical mistakes. Before

Slip and fall mishap nets settlement for city worker

A simple slip and fall accident resulted in years of pain and struggle for a civilian employee of the Coral Springs Police Department. Lisa Freed suffered a severe back injury when she slipped while hosing down equipment in 2006. She was diagnosed with a lumbar injury and doctors recommended physical therapy. But that course of treatment failed and Freed eventually was forced to undergo surgery,

Accident victim sues government, wins $4.25M settlement

After a Seattle-area woman was struck by a car and seriously injured, she did what few car accident victims even think to do -- she sued the government, specifically the state Department of Corrections. That was because Kathie Larson was struck by a stolen car driven by a convicted criminal who was supposed to have been monitored by state correctional officials. The 52-year-old Larson suffered

More Roman Shades recalled due to strangulation hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Oxmoor House, Home Improvement Books (incorrectly install or repair electrical wiring, posing an electrical shock or fire hazard - 540,000) Eastern America Trio Products Inc., Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (fire hazard - 124,000) Fire-Lite Alarms of Northford, Fire Alarm

Secondary asbestos exposure verdict upheld

A New Jersey appeals court has upheld a $7 million verdict in a case of secondary exposure to asbestos. The verdict went to a woman who claimed she contracted mesothelioma from washing her husband's asbestos-laden clothing when he returned from work at an Exxon Mobil facility. The appellate court upheld the award for Bonnie Anderson, of Berkeley Heights. According to a news report of the case,

Fisher Price announces recall of millions of products

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products: Fisher-Price Inc., Fisher Price Trikes and Tough Trikes toddler tricycles child can strike, sit or fall on the protruding plastic ignition key resulting in serious injury, including genital bleeding. (risk of serious injury from striking, falling or sitting on ignition key

Medical malpractice settlement over sponge left in judge

A recent report estimates that roughly 1,500 hospital patients in the United States each year have surgery only to find later that a foreign object was left behind -- inside them. The most common item left in patients' bodies are sponges. But very few are as large as the sponge left inside 67-year-old Floridian Nelson E. Bailey, who five months after surgery for a digestive disease -- and

Siemens and Murray Circuit Breakers, Load Center and Meter Combos recalled due to fire hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Siemens Industry Inc., Siemens and Murray Circuit Breakers , Load Centers and Meter Combos (fire hazard - 2.2 million) Molenaar LLC, Electroluminescent night lights (fire or shock hazard 315,000) D&D Distributing-Wholesale Inc., (19,000 Mood Rings and 4,000 Necklaces - high

Baseball player's estate settles auto accident case

Ford Motor Co. has settled a defective seat belt lawsuit with the estate of a former New York Mets minor league baseball player who was ejected from his Ford Explorer in a 2001 auto accident. The settlement came recently just after a jury in Mississippi had handed down a $131 million verdict in the case and was about to consider additional punitive damages. Brian Cole, 27, was killed while he was

Klick Klick Balls and BoBo Balls recalled due to choking hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:CEC Entertainment, Inc., 1,100,000 Light-up Rings and 120,000 Star Glasses (ingestion hazard) Sky City Holdings International LTD, Coleman WaterBeam 4D Water-Activated Floating Spotlights (risk of impact injuries - 50,000) Fun Stuff Inc., 14,400 Click Armband Bracelets,

Knee replacement results in medical malpractice verdict

What was supposed to have been a routine knee replacement surgery resulted in a botch job and months of agony for an Ohio patient. Sandra Banfield went for the operation in 2004, but when a doctor removed her knee and went to implant an artificial titanium joint, he noticed it was too small and he could not make it fit. So the surgeon instead inserted cement spacers and closed the wound with

192,000 Black & Decker Orbit Sanders recalled due to laceration hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products: Innovage LLC, FIXIT One Million Candlepower Rechargeable Spotlights (burn hazard - 1.4 Million) Black & Decker Black & Decker Random Orbit Sanders (laceration hazard - 192,000) Step2 Company, Sand & Water Transportation Station Toys (choking hazard 56,000) Simms Fishing

Cancer misdiagnosis brings $13M in damages

Instances abound of doctors missing cancer diagnoses, but there are also cases of the opposite occurring -- cancer diagnosed when it doesn't exist. Such was the case with a Connecticut woman who was told she had cancer and needed to have a hysterectomy or she would die. Michelle DiLieto underwent the procedure in 1995 only to find out later that she never had cancer. She sued her gynecologist and

37,000 Double strollers recalled due to collapse hazard.

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:• Lan Enterprises LLC., Zooper Tango double strollers (collapse hazard - 3,700)• White Tiger Traders Co. Ltd, Folding wooden chairs (fall hazard - 7,000)• Williams-Sonoma Inc., Beaba Express Steam Bottle Warmers (burn hazard 11,000)• MamaLittleHelper LLC, Infant and Toddler

NY prosecutor victim of medical malpractice

A former county prosecutor was steps from the state capital in New York when he suffered a fatal heart attack. The cause, a jury found, was in part his doctor, who had previously improperly interpreted a stress echocardiogram that had been performed on George Dentes, the popular former Tompkins County district attorney. The jury awarded his widow $1.4 million in a medical malpractice suit. It

Asurion is recalling 98,000 Counterfeit BlackBerrym branded cell phone batteries due to burn and fire hazards

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Bosch Thermotechnology Service kit for gas-fired boilers (fire or explosion hazard - 1,500)LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co., dehumidifiers (fire and burn hazards - 98,000) Asurion, Counterfeit BlackBerrym branded cell phone batteries (burn and fire hazards - 470,000) P.

Truck accident brings $5M settlement

A crash with a kosher-meat delivery truck resulted in a $5 million settlement for an upstate New York Hasidic woman recently. The auto accident occurred in 2007 when the Brooklyn truck collided with the livery cab in which Eva Bickel was a passenger. The 50-year-old woman suffered a brain injury and broken bones. According to a news report of the case, the delivery truck crossed yellow lines on a

NYC hospital program: Admit errors quickly

Five hospitals in New York City have come up with a novel way to try to cut medical malpractice costs -- admit when they make mistakes. The hospitals recently announced a pilot program in which they will divulge medical errors early and quickly offer payments to settle the cases. They program includes special state courts in which judges will try to help negotiate settlements to avoid taking

Forceps delivery results in birth injury, huge verdict

A jury in Milwaukee handed down a $23.3 million award for a brain-damaged baby and his mother in a medical malpractice case. The large verdict resulted from a 2005 case in which Kishia Lee had gone into prolonged labor and was experiencing other signs of trouble that should have signaled a need for a Cesarean delivery, according to a news account of the case. But instead, the doctor at a regional

30,000 Nap Nanny portable baby recliners recalled due to entrapment, suffocation and fall hazards

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Smith+Noble, Roman and Roller shades (strangulation risk - 1.3 million)Atico International USA Inc., Bamboo Torches (laceration hazard - 324,000) Miami Breaker Inc.Counterfeit "Square D" Circuit Breakers (fire hazard - 43,600) Baby Matters LLC, Nap Nanny portable baby

Botched artery procedure leaves woman paraplegic

Victoria Little entered a Maryland hospital for surgery for blocked arteries to prevent a major future ailment. But a botched procedure instead left the 53-year-old woman a paraplegic, with some feeling in her legs but in constant pain and unable to walk. Two surgeons in the case said that what occurred was an unpreventable complication, but Little hired an attorney who investigated and claimed

Smoker lawsuit nets verdict against cigarette maker

Barbara Izzarelli started smoking cigarettes when she was 12 years old. After about 25 years, she developed cancer that necessitated the removal of her larynx, leaving her to breathe through a hole in her throat and with no sense of smell and able to eat only soft foods. The Connecticut woman, now 49, sued the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., claiming that its Salem cigarettes were made with the intent

Whistleblower lawsuit nets $2.4M civilian reward

Allen Davis was working as a quality assurance manager at Northrop Grumman Corp. in Salt Lake City when he noticed what he thought was neglect in testing certain electronic parts used in navigation systems for U.S. military planes, helicopters and spacecraft. He blew the whistle on the company. In 2006 he filed a lawsuit on the government's behalf as allowed under the federal False Claims Act.

Baja Motorsports, Mini Bikes and Go-Carts recalled do to fire and burn hazards

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Baja Motorsports, Mini Bikes and Go-Carts (Fire and Burn Hazards - 308,000)Tots , Portable Playard Tent by in (Strangulation Hazard – 20,000) Pottery Barn Kids, Drop-Side Cribs (Entrapment, Suffocation and Fall Hazards - 82,000) Muddy Outdoors Recalls Climbing Sticks (Fall

Toy recalled after two deaths

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has gotten 1.8 million Auto Fire Target Set toys off the market following the asphyxiation deaths of two boys. A 10-year-old boy from Milwaukee and a 9-year-old Chicago child died after they chewed on darts and the one-inch piece of plastic slipped into their throats. Their breathing was cut off by the dart's suction cup. The toys were sold at Family Dollar

Wilton Industries recalls 7,300 tiara's due to high levels of lead

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Wilton Industries Inc., children's tiaras (high levels of lead - 7,300. The tiara) Simmons Juvenile Products, Simmons drop-side cribs (strangulation or suffocation hazard - 50,000) Bexco Enterprises, Inc., d.b.a. Million Dollar Baby, Drop-Side cribs (strangulation or

Medical malpractice found in kidney stone case

The doctors got the diagnosis right but the treatment wrong. When Kelly Fay went to a North Carolina hospital complaining of pain in her stomach and lower back, emergency room physicians correctly saw the problem as kidney stones. But rather than providing immediate treatment, they prescribed pain medication and sent her home, scheduling an appointment for two days later. She didn't last that

PA high court won’t hear case, cancer verdict stands

In a case that reached the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, a $2.6 million judgment was allowed to stand against a doctor and St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network in the Lehigh Valley for failure to diagnose cancer in a 55-year-old woman. The court's decision not to hear the case will severely limit any further options for appeal, said the attorney for the estate of Barbara Glasow, of Effort, PA, who

Hoover WindTunnel T-Series Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner recalled due to fire and shock hazards

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Brunswick Bowling & Billiards Corp., Voltaire Swivel Chairs (fall hazard - 750)Cummins Power Generation portable generators (fire hazard - 550)Hind Fashions, boys' Hooded Jackets (strangulation hazard - 200)Colleen Karis Designs LLC, All-Star Basketball Chair and Ottoman

Pennsylvania jury finds ER medical malpractice

A jury in Scranton, PA, has awarded $1.2 million to the widow of a man who died as a result of emergency room medical malpractice. The jury found recently that Tyler Memorial Hospital and two doctors were negligent in the death of Michael Scarpa, 55, a retired railroad worker who died in 1999 two days after he was sent home from the emergency room. Scarpa had complained of chest pains and had

Dollar Store recalls toy dart gun sets due to asphyxiation hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Dollar Stores Inc., toy dart gun sets (asphyxiation hazard - 1.8 million)Walmart Stores Inc., General Electric-branded 12-cup digital coffee makers burn hazards - 900,000)MOA Entertainment Co. LLC, Sandy the Squirrel Plush Toys (choking hazard – 1200) Rashti & Rashti,

Georgia court strikes medical malpractice award cap

Georgia has become the latest state to see its highest court strike down a limit on medical malpractice damage awards. The state's Supreme Court recently found a cap on such verdicts unconstitutional, saying it violated the separation of court and legislature and that it takes away a jury's fundamental role in determining damages. Thirty states have placed caps on medical malpractice awards for

New Jersey court upholds big asbestos verdict

An appeals court in New Jersey has upheld a $30.3 million verdict for the family of an employee who died as a result of asbestos exposure. Mark Buttitta worked part-time at an auto parts warehouse in Englewood where brakes and clutches containing asbestos were stored. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2001 and died a year later at the age of 50. General Motors, which operated the warehouse,

People Are Still Dying from Fentanyl Pain Patch Overdoses

Sadly, people are still overdosing and dying from Fentanyl Pain Patches. Our office is currently Investgating 2 death cases. One out of California and one out of Australia. Consumers do not realize just how strong this drug is and that it should only be used in certain limited circumstances such as extremely severe chronic pain and for relief from the ravages of end stage cancer.

American Electric Lighting, Outdoor Lighting Fixtures recalled due to shock hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products: LELE & Company Inc., Children's hooded sweatshirt sets with drawstrings (strangulation hazard - 2,700)American Electric Lighting, Outdoor Lighting Fixtures (shock hazard – 900) Chandigarh Fashion Inc., Children's Bangles (high levels of lead - 1,200)Ten West Apparel, Boys’

Georgia court strikes down medical malpractice cap

The Georgia Supreme Court has ruled that a 2005 state law limiting the amount of money awarded in medical malpractice practice cases violates victims' right to trial by jury. The ruling struck down the law, which had been championed by state Republicans, that capped jury awards at $350,000 for pain and suffering. The state's highest court held that the cap improperly removed a jury's fundamental

Telebrands Corp., Therma Scarf scarves recalled due to fire and burn hazards

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products: Regaliti Inc., Girl’s Hooded Jackets with Drawstrings (strangulation hazard - 3,600)Telebrands Corp., Therma Scarf scarves (fire and burn hazard - 98,500) Brand Evolution, Locks All Over Boys’ Hoodies and Rock Mask Boy’s Hoodies (strangulation hazard – 2800) Gerber

Road markers can cause auto accidents

Reflective pavement markers are intended to make highways safer. But officials in Nebraska and some other states are finding just the opposite is true. The markers provide better visibility in wet weather, but they can also come loose over time and create hazards. Such was the case in October 2007 when a loose marker flew through the windshield of electrician Tom Wolfe's work van. The Nebraska

Tumi, Mobile Power Packs recalled due to fire hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products: Graco Children's Products Inc., Graco Harmony High Chairs (fall hazard 1.2 million)Haselson International Children’s Hooded Sweatshirts with Drawstrings (strangulation hazard - 23,000) Tumi, Mobile Power Packs (fire hazard - 5,000) Dimplex North America, Remote Control Kits

Jury finds for woman with botched breast implants

The surgeon told his patient she would "look beautiful" after a breast implant. But what resulted left Maria Alaimo scarred both physically and psychologically. Her doctor had said, according to news reports, that he at first planned to perform a Level II breast lift procedure on the 40-year-old mother of two, but he shifted to a different procedure while Alaimo was on the operating table,

1,000 Do It Best Bicycle Bells recalled due to excessive lead levels

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:S&S Worldwide Inc., bags of Flower and Insect Painted Wooden Beads (excessive levels of lead 1,000) Simpson Dura-Vent Company Inc DuraTech Anchor Plates with Damper and DuraChimney II Anchor Plates with Damper (carbon monoxide poisoning - 500) BikeMine, Quality Bicycle Parts

Judge, not jury, awards $22.6M in birth injury case

Birth Injuries - A judge in Illinois has ruled that two doctors failed to meet the standard of care when they did not administer a pregnant woman or her unborn child antibiotics after her water broke. As a result, an infection traveled to Christian Arroyo’s brain and caused permanent damage. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the child suffered cerebral palsy and as a result of the 2003 medical

5,600 Blair LLC, Roman Shades recalled due to strangulation hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products: Blair LLC, Roman Shades (Strangulations hazard - 5,600)Rome Snowboards Co., Snowboard Boot Bindings (fall hazard - 2,900)JD Fine & Company, Children's Hooded Velour Sweatshirts (strangulation hazard - 1,700 with Drawstrings)Specialized Bicycle Components Inc., 2010 26" Epic

Pfizer lab worker wins $1.37 M in whistleblower lawsuit

Ever see photos of lab technicians working with bacteria and viruses and wonder if they ever get exposed? It happened several years ago to Becky McClain, who worked for Pfizer in Connecticut. She claimed that a genetically engineered AIDS-like virus had infected her after a co-worker failed to use proper containment, adversely affecting her health. McClain refused to return to work and was fired

Drop-Side Cribs recalled due to entrapment, stangle and fall hazards

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Klean Kanteen Inc., Sport Cap 2.0 water bottle spouts (laceration and choking hazard - 1.2 million)Step2 Company, Push Around and Whisper Ride Buggies (fall injury - 2.5 million) Conair Corp., Compact hair dryers (laceration hazard - 291,000) C&T International/Sorelle,

Syracuse to pay for auto accident injuries

Tragedy can strike anytime and anywhere. Tatalisha Mack was walking to the grocery store on a Saturday morning in Syracuse, NY, a few summers ago when she was struck by a city pickup truck driven by a public works employee. Mack was dragged 30 feet and suffered a number of injuries, including the loss of one leg below the knee. But even worse injuries befell her unborn baby, who had to be

Lexus SUVs recalled over rollover problems

Virtually lost amid the massive Toyota/Lexus recalls over sticking gas pedals in recent months was another, smaller recall by Toyota Motors. This one came in late April as Toyota rushed to recall 9,400 Lexus SUVs, specifically GX 460 models that went on sale in December. The latest recall was over concerns the vehicle was prone to rollover accidents. Toyota has a fix for the problem: an update

Man hurt after he was left unattended four days

An Alabama man who has cerebral palsy was left stranded in his bed for four days by a home healthcare service. Nathan Ballard, 55, was supposed to have received regular assistance from Gentiva Health Services USA, which was paid through a government program. But, according to a news report of the 2005 incident, nobody came to see him and he was unable to get of bed on his own. He finally made

Woman sent home by ER dies next day

An overweight, middle-aged woman went to a hospital emergency room in Texas complaining of chest pain, tightness and discomfort in her chest -- apparent symptoms of a heart attack. But triage nurses at Christus St. Mary Hospital in Port Arthur designated Stacy Meaux as a Level 3 patient and a doctor treated her for irregular breathing and discharged the patient. The next day Meaux died of a heart

Tanning beds can cause skin cancers

Beware of tanning beds. The Federal Trade Commission recently issued an alert that indoor tanning devices can be hazardous to your health and took the additional step of charging the trade group that promotes sunless rays, the Indoor Tanning Association, with making false health and safety claims. The FTC said in a complaint against the association that it launched an advertising campaign in 2008

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Copco, Copco and Wild Leaf Tea Co. Bristol model and Martha Stewart Collection Enameled Steel Tea Kettles (burn hazard - 132,000) Scotsman Group LLC, Scotsman Commercial Modular Cube Ice Machines (fire hazard - 43,000) Howard Berger Co. Inc., Indoor and Outdoor Extension

Hospital infections kill 48,000 yearly

A new study has found pneumonia and blood-borne infections contracted in hospitals in the United States led to 48,000 patient deaths. The study, reported in a recent edition of Archives of Internal Medicine was sponsored by a think tank called Resources for the Future and estimated patient deaths due to infections for the year 2006. One in every five of the deaths was caused by sepsis in patients

Long wait for care leaves man paraplegic

Yet another news report about a patient waiting a long time to receive hospital treatment … but the California case of Trent Hughes truly stretched the limits. Hughes fractured his spine while doing off-road driving. Emergency help rushed to the scene and he was airlifted to the Desert Regional Medical Center -- where the rush apparently ended. Hughes wasn't seen until the following day,

Woman given wrong prescription, developed illness

An Alabama woman dropped off a prescription for a painkiller at her local Rite Aid pharmacy and instead got a high dosage prescription of steroids. Not only was the medication wrong, the steroid dexamethasone is often used to treat cancer and can have severe side effects. The patient, arthritis sufferer Reva Tosh, also was given more than seven times the usual dose of the drug, which she

Dr. who removed wrong lung practicing again

The doctor who caused the death of a patient at the Meadowlands Hospital in Secaucus, NJ, by removing the wrong lung some 10 years ago -- and then tried to cover it up -- is practicing surgery again, according to news accounts. The Jersey Journal reports that the physician, Dr. Santusht Perera, was practicing this time at Hoboken University Medical Center following a six-month "active" suspension

Woman with head injury waited hours in ER

Stories abound of long waits in hospital emergency rooms and ensuing tragedy. Among the latest is a California case in which a woman waited in an ER for hours with a pellet from an air rifle in her brain before being transferred to another hospital for surgery. The result: Jessica Ramirez remains in a vegetative state in a North Hollywood nursing home. Ramirez would have been fine, her attorney

43,000 Roman Shades by Lutron Shading Solutions recalled due to strangulation hazard

Among the latest product recalls announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are the following products:Chandigarh Fashion Inc., Children's Bangles (high levels of lead - 1,200) Ten West Apparel Boys' Hooded Jackets (strangulation hazard – 75)Meijer Innovations and "At Home with Meijer" Roman Shades and Roll-Up Blinds. Roll-up Blinds (strangulation hazard – 240,000) Lutron