Hospital errors come in various forms, including misdiagnosis
The U.S. is a society driven by media. Gruesome often brings in viewers and readers. Medical malpractice stories involving surgery on the wrong body part or leaving behind a tool in a patient are undoubtedly horrifying. Maybe that is why the public tends to think of such cases when presented...
Most Pennsylvania employers see worker’s comp rates fall
Pennsylvania has just reduced the rate that employers are required to pay for worker’s compensation. The rate decreased by 4.01 percent, effective beginning April 1. It is good news for employers in the state. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance, employers will save an estimated $110 million in annual...
Hospitals paid more for patients who suffer surgical errors
Having to put trust in other individuals – particularly when it relates to your health – can be an unnerving and challenging proposition. Unfortunately, in some cases, especially when serious medical intervention is necessary, there may be no other choice. For people who must undergo a surgical operation, a recent...
Pennsylvania school intersection endangering pedestrians?
If a trend of danger is evident, a community might want to do something to fix that danger, right? The community of and around the University of Pennsylvania is looking at a busy intersection near the school and asking whether safety improvements are needed, maybe even past-due. Yesterday, a student...
Man responsible for killing 2 motorcyclists fights punishment
Motorcyclists are in danger when they take to the roads. It is generally not the fault of their own; rather, it is the fault of the many drivers who are reckless behind the wheel. Even a sober driver often endangers motorcyclists. Add alcohol to the equation, and a motorcyclist is...
Fracking jobs may increase lung cancer risk
People in Pennsylvania have been hearing about the environmental dangers of fracking for some time, but few realize that the danger for workers is not limited to eco-damage. A dangerous type of workplace injury in fracking operations is the penetration of lung tissue by fine sand particles called silica. This...
Aging, surviving population impacts need for disability payments
The public certainly tends to make Social Security and disability benefits a heated political issue. Rather than argue any side of the argument, this blog post is merely meant to provide some information and encourage thought about disability claims in the U.S. CNN Money reports that there are various reasons...
Could closed medical malpractice cases prevent more malpractice?
Learning from our mistakes is sometimes easier said than done. A medical malpractice lawyer out of another state wants all health professionals to learn from other medical professionals’ mistakes. Is it doable? It seems like an obvious solution. If hospitals want to avoid cases of negligence on their floors, they...
Fracking industry brings silicone exposure to the forefront
One workplace safety expert recently observed fracking in person and saw huge amounts of silica dust swirling in the air around workers. The silica is a result of workers drilling into the rock with a combination of water, chemicals and sand to extract oil and gas. Sand and silica have...
Pennsylvania driving laws working to prevent teen deaths
Teens and driving bring to mind a time in most adults lives when they felt like they were invincible, that they were finally growing up. Getting one’s license to drive as a teenager really is a step toward adulthood. A license is more than just the ability to drive. It’s...
Will 2013 be safer on Pennsylvania roads than 2012?
Traffic safety advocates follow trends on the roads, always with the hope that fewer people were hurt or killed than in years before. Unfortunately, last year was not a major safety improvement for Pennsylvania motorists. More people were lost to fatal crashes than in 2011. Being that we are already...
Employer faces charges over disputed Social Security funds
The 53-year-old owner of a business headquartered in Pennsylvania faces allegations of failing to provide worker’s compensation insurance for employees after a 57-year-old employee had a finger cut off on the job. When he tried to have worker’s compensation pay for his medical expenses, he discovered that the company no...
Are shorter hospital shifts safer shifts? Part 2
The previous post began a discussion about how the change in shift durations has impacted patient safety. Though the goal behind requiring medical residents to work shorter shifts was to reduce incidents of hospital errors, research suggests that no such improvement has taken place. According to a study published in...