Dallas Fort Worth Injury Lawyer Blog

September 11, 2008

Spinal Cord Injury Information

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, as many as 450,000 people in the United States are living with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Every year, an estimated 11,000 SCIs occur in the United States. Most of these are caused by trauma to the vertebral column, thereby affecting the spinal cord’s ability to send and receive messages from the brain to the body’s systems that control sensory, motor and autonomic function below the level of injury.

According to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), SCI costs the nation an estimated $9.7 billion each year. Pressure sores alone, a common secondary condition among people with SCI, cost an estimated $1.2 billion.

September 10, 2008

Texas Medical Board Disciplines 48 Doctors and Issues 700 Physician Licenses

by Dr. Shezad Malik

At its August 27-29 meeting, the Texas Medical Board took disciplinary action against 48 licensed physicians.

The actions included 12 violations based on quality of care; six actions based on unprofessional conduct; three actions based on violation of probation or prior board order; nine actions based on inadequate medical records violations; five actions based on impairment due to alcohol or drugs or mental/physical condition; one action based on non-therapeutic prescribing; one action based on failure to properly supervise or delegate; five voluntary surrenders; one order modification; two temporary suspensions and three administrative orders based on minimal statutory violations. In addition, the board issued two cease and desist orders against unlicensed physicians. At its meeting July 25, the Texas Physician Assistant Board took action against two physician assistants.

At its August 27-29 meeting, the Texas Medical Board issued 700 physician licenses, for a total of 3,621 physician licenses issued in Fiscal Year 2008. (See previous release at http://www.tmb.state.tx.us/news/press/2008/090808a.php )

September 10, 2008

DART Commuter Train Crashed Into Car

by Dr. Shezad Malik

DART trains were back on schedule after a Trinity Railway Express train crashed with a car and killed a Fort Worth woman.

DART officials noted that the westbound commuter train crashed into the passenger side of a car at a rail crossing just before 5 p.m. Tuesday near the Richland Hills station. The car apparently drove in front of the train.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. None of the passengers on the train were reported injured.

September 9, 2008

NHTSA Warns Ford Owners

by Dr. Shezad Malik

NHTSA are warning owners of 5 million recalled Ford Motor Co. vehicles to go to dealerships to repair a cruise-control switch system that has been linked to engine fires.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently issued a second consumer advisory to owners of certain unrepaired Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles that have not responded to previous recalls.

September 8, 2008

Texas Hospitals Reap Benefits of Tort Reform

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Texas Legislature passed major medical liability tort reform in 2003, and a new study released by the Texas Hospital Association shows the state’s hospitals continue to see their liability costs drop.

According to the study, 85 percent of hospitals are finding it easier to recruit specialists and subspecialists because of the reduced threat of a major medical malpractice lawsuit. Further, 69 percent of institutions say they have been able to expand services because of declining liability costs.

September 7, 2008

Texas Nurse Licenses-No More Paper

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Austin, Texas:The Board of Nursing (BON) will discontinue issuing wallet-sized paper licenses for nurses renewing their licenses beginning September 1, 2008. The BON will continue to issue paper license certificates for:

* Graduate nurses who pass the NCLEX® exam and obtain their initial nurse license in Texas;
* Nurses who hold licenses in other states and are obtaining a Texas nurse
license for the first time; and
* Nurses who receive full authorization to practice as advanced practice nurses.

September 6, 2008

FDA Reports Potential Problem Drugs

by Dr. Shezad Malik

The FDA in an effort to improve communication with doctors and patients on prescription drug safety, began posting a list of medications under investigation for potential problems.

The list is a compilation naming 20 medications and the potential safety issue for each drug. The listings will be updated for each calendar quarter.

Drugs will be placed on the list based on reports the FDA receives and if FDA safety reviewers determine that a reported problem with a particular drug deserves a closer look, that medication will be on the list.

September 5, 2008

Woman files HRT suit in Marshall Texas

by Dr. Shezad Malik

MARSHALL TEXAS– California resident Canstanza Raspa claims that her development of breast cancer, resulting surgery and mastectomy are the result of 10 years of hormone replacement therapy.

Raspa filed a product liability suit against hormone replacement manufacturers Wyeth, Pfizer, Pharmacia and Upjohn Inc. on Sept 3, in the Marshall Division of the Eastern District of Texas.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants are liable for claims of fraudulent concealment, negligence, strict products liability, defective marketing, in adequate warnings, negligent misrepresentations, fraud, and breach of express warranty.

September 4, 2008

Doctors Sued for causing Painkiller Crash

by Dr. Shezad Malik

A 77 year old Boston woman crashed her car leading to the death of a bystander. Now the dead man’s widow is suing the doctors, alleging that they should have warned the negligent driver not to drive while taking the prescribed pain medicines.

Jane Berghold, the driver, crashed it through a hospital entrance last year killing two people. She plead guilty to criminal charges, and settled a civil lawsuit.

September 1, 2008

Medical Malpractice Jury Blames Hospital for Wrongful Death

by Dr. Shezad Malik

Plaintiff attorneys are seeking a new trial in a medical malpractice case in which a jury found a hospital negligent in a patient’s death but awarded $0 survival damages because the jury said “no amount of damages will adequately punish” the hospital.

A 24 year old man died after his brain abscess was not timely treated by the Pittsburgh hospital staff. The jury found that the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center at Shadyside’s care of the patient fell below the standard of medical care and was a factual cause of harm to the plaintiff. The jury awarded $2.5 million in Wrongful Death Act damages, but awarded zero dollars in Survival Act damages.