World Hepatitis Day
August 4, 2011
July 28, 2011 was designated as the first World Hepatitis Day by the World Health Organization. Viral hepatitis affects more than 500 million people worldwide, millions more are infected every year, and more than 1 million people die from hepatitis each year. Hepatitis can cause premature death due[...]
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Heat-Related Illnesses
August 3, 2011
In light of the oppressive heat wave now blanketing most of the continental United States, with temperatures in many areas in the upper 90s or over 100 degrees, we thought it would be timely to address statistics regarding heat-related visits to the emergency departments of hospitals. Many people w[...]
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Study Finds No Risk Of Cancer For Children Using Cellphones
August 2, 2011
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization warned that cellphone use by adults could possibly increase the risk of brain cancer in adults. However, no studies have found evidence that use of cellphones is a cause of cancer (one of the limitations with the studies is that cellphone use is a[...]
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150th Consecutive Daily Blog (And Counting)
August 1, 2011
Today’s blog represents the 150th consecutive daily entry appearing in this blog. Over 500 hours have been devoted to researching and writing the blogs that have appeared here. We have addressed the official statistics regarding medical malpractice claims in the U.S. (March 5) as well as i[...]
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Tylenol (Acetaminophen) Maximum Dosing Recommendations Changed
July 31, 2011
The main ingredient in Tylenol, which is manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, is acetaminophen. Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in other medications including the prescription medications Percocet and Vicodin, as well as over-the-counter medications NyQuil and some Sudafed products. Acet[...]
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In West Virginia, Your Life Is Worth Less Than In Texas
July 30, 2011
In a case decided by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia on June 22, 2011 (James D. MacDonald and Debbie MacDonald, his wife v. City Hospital, Inc. and Sayeed Ahmed, M.D.), the Court held that West Virginia Code Section 55-7B-8, which provides a $250,000.00 limit (cap) on the amount reco[...]
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Texas Continues To Injure The Injured
July 29, 2011
Texas Medical Malpractice Tort Reform Legislation That Passed In 2003 In 2003, Texas passed one of the most restrictive medical malpractice reform laws that limited the amount that victims could recover from any one negligent health care provider to $250,000.00. Texas tort reform advocates argued [...]
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North Carolina Decides Its Citizens’ Lives Are Worth Less
July 27, 2011
On July 25, 2011, the North Carolina House of Representatives voted to override Governor Beverly Perdue’s veto of a medical malpractice bill that limits noneconomic damages (pain, suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement) to $500,000.00 in most cases, thereby devaluing the lives of the cit[...]
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The Economic And Noneconomic Costs Of Chronic Diseases
July 26, 2011
Chronic diseases include heart disease, cancer, hypertension (high blood pressure), stroke, and diabetes. The economic cost of chronic diseases represents 75% of all health care costs. Chronic diseases are involved in 80% of the deaths in the United States. As of 2005, 44% of Americans were suffer[...]
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“Gang of Six” Budget Proposals Attack Victims Rights
July 25, 2011
The so-called “Gang of Six” are currently getting much press coverage for their wide-ranging and broadly-defined proposals that are suggested by some to be the panacea for all of our nation’s deficit and debt problems. While our nation’s Democratic Party leaders and Repub[...]
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Tort Reformers Want YOU To Pay For Medical Mistakes
July 24, 2011
Those who advocate for so-called “tort reform” want to limit the amount of legitimate past, present, and future medical expenses that can be recovered from negligent medical providers. They do so by arguing that there needs to be “caps”(maximum amounts) that people can reco[...]
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