Surgeons and other medical professionals are required to provide a standard of care that – in accordance with professional standards and expectations – helps to ensure patient safety and well-being. Nevertheless, negligence in the operating room can lead to...
New Jersey Medical Malpractice Law Blog
Erb’s palsy: 2 times when it’s your doctor’s fault
Erb's Palsy, also known as brachial plexus palsy, occurs when the brachial plexus – a network of nerves near the neck – is damaged during childbirth, whether through stretching, compression or tearing. This injury can lead to varying degrees of impairment in a child’s...
Inadequate hospital cybersecurity can prove fatal to patients
Cyberattacks, also known as ransomware attacks, are disrupting operations in all kinds of businesses and other organizations. Hackers can demand hundreds of thousands of dollars and more in “ransom” to give these organizations back access to, and control over, their...
What if a medication error causes a dangerous drug interaction?
Medications subject to controlled substances laws can pose a risk to human health. They are only available when recommended by a prescribing physician and administered by licensed medical professionals, such as pharmacists or nurses at a care facility. Those...
What exactly does “patient safety” mean?
Patient safety is a concept that aims to prevent and minimize risks of harm that occur to patients as they’re receiving medical care. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines patient safety as “the absence of preventable harm to a patient and reduction of risk of...
Premature discharge and medical malpractice
A hospital discharge is a process a patient goes through when leaving a hospital after treatment. It involves several steps to ensure a patient is discharged safely. These include a healthcare provider confirming the patient no longer needs to be in the hospital to...
What is healthcare cognitive bias and why does it matter?
Healthcare cognitive bias refers to the systematic ways in which the thinking and judgment of healthcare professionals can be influenced, leading to deviations from good decision-making or best practices. Put another way, it’s a phenomenon in which a healthcare...
The chameleon cancers: When patient symptoms disguise the truth
The word “cancer” usually conjures images of telltale signs – lump formations, persistent coughs or unrelenting pain. But what if the enemy wore a mask, its true nature hid behind the guise of a seemingly harmless ailment? Welcome to the world of frequently...
IV drug administration is a leading cause of medication errors
Mistakes during drug administration can cause a host of medical challenges. Someone who receives the wrong drug might have an allergic reaction. The wrong dose could potentially lead to severe consequences, including an overdose. Timing errors could decrease the...
Can pharmaceutical companies be charged with medical malpractice?
We live in an era where advanced medicine is helping people live longer, healthier lives. Diseases that at one time would have meant certain death, can be managed with a daily pill. We look to our physicians to recommend pharmaceuticals that have been thoroughly...