North Haven CT Legal Blog

How often do cancer misdiagnoses occur?

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Medical Malpractice on Friday, September 21, 2018.

Symptoms rarely are unique to a single medical condition, but instead can be associated with a variety of illnesses. Unless a doctor asks enough probing questions in an attempt to distinguish between whether a patient is suffering from one condition or another, then it's possible that they'll assign the wrong diagnosis. This can result in the wrong tests being ordered or harmful medications being prescribed.

According to a study published by the Institute of Medicine in September 2015, as many as one in every 20 adults may receive a missed, wrong or delayed diagnosis. The report's authors also argued that as much as 10 percent of patient fatalities are caused by diagnostic errors. The conditions most apt to be improperly diagnosed include pulmonary embolisms, heart attacks, strokes and cancer.

When dogs attack children, the pain and fear can last a long time

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC on Monday, September 17, 2018.

Small children may assume that any animal is probably their friend. A dog in the park or even an animal at a house you are visiting could present an invitation to play. Children are often eager to pet and get to know dogs of all sizes and breeds.

Unfortunately, the dogs do not always share that sentiment. Some dogs can be downright vicious toward children, while others may become aggressive when a child unintentionally provokes them by touching a favorite toy or approaching their food dish.

Dynamite explodes in a home injuring a Bridgeport woman

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Premises Liability on Friday, September 14, 2018.

A 30-year-old Bridgeport woman suffered severe injuries to both her hands and face after she lit a stick of dynamite that she'd mistook for a candle on the evening of Thursday, September 6.

The woman, her two kids and her husband had apparently traveled from their Lindsey Street home to a local Home Depot that evening at 9:20 p.m. shortly before the incident occurred. A thunderstorm earlier in the evening had caused the power to go out. They hoped that the store would be open so they could buy emergency lighting to help them with visibility that evening. The store had already closed for the night though.

Common types of car accidents and what to do about yours

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC on Thursday, September 13, 2018.

Since no two motor vehicle accidents are the same, it's hard to be aware of everything that could go wrong on the road.

With knowledge of car accident basics, you can adjust your driving style with the goal of avoiding trouble. If an accident does happen, you can be prepared.

Reporting a drunk driver in Connecticut

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, September 7, 2018.

Coming in contact with a suspected drunk driver in Connecticut can be overwhelming, stressful and downright frightening. You are likely worried about how you can protect yourself and those in your vehicle. One of the most important things to note is to never attempt to pull the vehicle over. This could lead to an incident of road rage. Here's some important information on how to report a drunk driver.

Make sure you have as complete of a description of the vehicle in question as possible. This will go a long way in helping the police track down the driver and get them off the road. The description should include any of the following information:

Color
Make
Model
License plate number
Description of the driver
Identifying marks on the vehicle (bumper stickers, marks, odd paint)

Tips for living with a brain injury that causes memory issues

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, August 31, 2018.

You get in a serious car accident when another driver drifts over the middle of the road and hits you head-on. That person was texting and driving. You wind up in the hospital with a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

As you recover, you start having problems with your memory. Doctors warn you that brain injuries heal differently for everyone, so you may have to deal with these problems for the rest of your life. What are some things you can do to make it easier? Here are a few helpful tips:

Write out anything important and keep it in your wallet. This cheat sheet could include things like your address, your phone number and other identifying information.
Keep a journal at home to help you out. If you need to remember to do things at specific times -- turning in an assignment at work, for example -- hang up a calendar and jot notes for every important date.
Learn to love routines. Plan out your days, keep things -- like your keys -- in the same place at all times and take medications at the same time every day.
Don't be afraid to ask. Accept that this is something you need to deal with. Being open and honest with other people, and asking questions when you can't remember something, is the best way to move forward.
Work with medical professionals to find out what you can do to improve your memory and promote brain healing.

Dog attacks can have long-term effects on small children

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC on Wednesday, August 29, 2018.

Experiencing a dog bite can be traumatic for anyone, especially a child. Young kids are more vulnerable to potential dog attacks: They are smaller, which means that dogs can damage more delicate parts of their body, including their faces and throats. Children of a certain age are too young to understand how to read a dog's body language or noises properly.

Kids who simply hope to play with what they perceive as a friendly dog could end up permanently disfigured or psychologically damaged in a matter of seconds. As a parent of an injured child, you should take the time to educate yourself about how the animal attack could affect your child and what your rights are under Connecticut law.

Car crash victims can claim compensation for pain and suffering

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, August 24, 2018.

If you've been involved in a serious car crash, then you likely have some serious medical bills and have lost some wages. While it's nice knowing that many of these bills can be covered by the responsible party's insurance, you're probably wondering whether you're eligible for any compensation for all that discomfort you've had to endure. In most jurisdictions, you can recover damages for this, too.

What is key is that you document those days that you weren't able to go golfing with your buddies on a Saturday morning or didn't feel up to taking the kids to the park to play. If you do this, then you may qualify to receive compensation for pain and suffering and other related damages.

Radiologists often misdiagnose 4 types of cancers

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Medical Malpractice on Friday, August 17, 2018.

Convergys, a Boston based provider of medical malpractice insurance, released a report this month in which they content that as much as 15 percent of all negligence claims may be related to radiology errors. They also highlighted how the most common condition misdiagnosed because of these errors is cancer.

Researchers with the liability insurance provider combed the records of nearly 600 claims closed during the four years between 2013 and 2017. At least 80 percent of the claims filed against radiologists occurred because of suspected misdiagnoses and most often ones for cancer.

Beware of dangerous school supplies on the market

On behalf of Williams, Walsh & O'Connor, LLC posted in Products Liability on Friday, August 10, 2018.

It's that time of year again. Soon kids across Connecticut will be sent out to the store by their teachers or school administrators to pick up a laundry list of school supplies that they'll need during the year.

While you may expect those products that are marketed for kids to be safe, they're often not. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group Fun, Inc. just recently published a report of some different types of products you want to steer clear of while shopping.