Medical Malpractice Lawsuit : Fort Lauderdale : Anesthesiologist

Medical Malpractice in Fort Lauderdale – Know Your Anesthesiologist 

When a resident of Fort Lauderdale files a medical malpractice lawsuit involving a botched surgical procedure, the anesthesiologist is often named as well as the leading surgeon. Most people will thoroughly research the surgeon who is going to perform the operation but almost nobody researches the anesthesiologist.

The anesthesiologist is a key player in any surgery. He or she is responsible for not only the mixture of chemicals but monitoring fluids, breathing, airway management and responding to anesthesia emergencies. In other words, this health provider is responsible for keeping you alive while you are under.

A mistake made by an anesthesiologist can result in brain damage, heart attack, stroke or even death. If you are considering a surgical procedure we encourage you to investigate his or her reputation as thoroughly as you will the surgeon. It might come as a major surprise that your anesthesiologist isn't even an MD!

When Health Care Providers Care More About Their Bottom Line Than You

Some, not all, hospitals have cut costs by having nurse anesthesiologists handling the function with a qualified MD anesthesiologist "supervising" multiple nurses in different operating rooms simultaneously.

The American Medical Association estimates that an astounding 225,000 people die from medical malpractice each year. Mistakes made in anesthesia are the fourth leading cause of those deaths. 

Florida's malpractice laws are complicated and the sooner you engage a malpractice lawyer the better. At Martin, Lister & Alvarez we specialize in malpractice lawsuits and have the demonstrated experience and success to assure our clients of a vigorous effort to obtain a fair and just settlement or judgment for the injuries they have suffered.

If you feel you are the victim of malpractice, send us the details on your case and we will be happy to review them and offer our opinion on what your next step should be. Read more. 

Medical Malpractice Lawyer : Ft. Lauderdale : Cosmetic Surgery

Medical Malpractice in Fort Lauderdale – Cosmetic Surgery on the Cheap

Cosmetic surgery is becoming a more frequent cause of Ft. Lauderdale medical malpractice lawsuits thanks to changes in how medical professionals have decided to deliver the service. Generally cosmetic surgery is elective. That is to say the surgery is not required for health reasons but rather to satisfy the patient's desire to look better. Just because it is elective however, does not relieve the health provider from providing “that level of care, skill, and treatment which, in light of all relevant surrounding circumstances, is recognized as acceptable and appropriate by reasonably prudent similar health care providers.”

In other words, just because it's a nose job and not a bypass a doctor still has to follow the “prevailing professional standard of care.”

Dangerous Shortcuts You Need to Avoid

You trust your doctor and assume he believes in the "do no harm" portion of his oath. So when he suggests that a procedure that requires general anesthesia be done in his office rather than in a hospital you assume it is safe to do so.

Often times it is not.

Cosmetic surgery has become a very competitive field of medicine. Unfortunately, some physicians are more focused on reducing costs that providing adequate care. For example:

General anesthesia always comes with risks. Putting a patient under in a doctor's office may save the cost a hospital would charge but if something goes wrong it will be a hospital that is best equipped to handle the issue.

If you find yourself as a victim from this cost cutting you have a right to sue the health care provider for malpractice. In Florida it is a complicated process and you will most definitely want a law firm with extensive experience in the field and a demonstrated success.

In Ft. Lauderdale Martin, Lister & Alvarez is a leading malpractice law office. Please feel free to submit your case for review and we will give you our opinion on what your next move should be.  Read more. 

Traumatic Brain Injury : TBI : No-fault Insurance : Fort Lauderdale

Important Information for Fort Lauderdale No-Fault Insurance TBI Victims

March is national Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) month and as a leading Fort Lauderdale personal injury law firm we thought it was appropriate to share some of the problems that Floridians with TBI face.

The NIH estimates that there are 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries in the country each year having an economic cost of $56 billion. The bulk of these injuries are mild and temporary in nature (many concussions) but others can lead to permanent disabilities, coma or death.

While there have been significant advances in MRI tests, none of them are fast enough for Florida's new restrictions on collecting Personal Injury Protection from a victim's no-fault automobile insurance.

Recent Changes in Florida No-Fault Law Hurt TBI victims

Florida is one of a few states that have no-fault insurance. The idea behind this coverage is that a person collects directly from their own insurance company for injuries sustained in an auto accident regardless whose fault it is. Each person has to carry at least $10,000 in PIP coverage.

It's a great deal for insurance companies because it eliminates hundreds of expensive lawsuits each year. It's not such a great deal for the party who is injured as a result of somebody's negligence.

There is a provision that allows pressing a personal injury lawsuit to recover pain and suffering, future lost wages and medical expenses in cases where permanent injury can be proved. It's that "proving" part that can be a challenge in TBI cases and Florida has just made it even more difficult.

Today the law requires (and this is for anyone injured in a car accident) to seek medical attention within 14 days of the accident. TBI victims symptoms may not show up for days or even weeks after the event. Often victims will think that dizziness or weakness is natural after an accident and will disappear with time only to discover it isn't natural and can lead to a debilitating condition.

Don't Hesitate To Get Checked Out

Even if you think your head wasn't "hit" in the accident you could have suffered damage. Don't take a chance, get checked out.

If there is a possibility of a brain injury and you want advice on how to protect your rights, call us at Martin, Lister & Alvarez and we'll review your case. Read more:

Inadequate Security : Negligent Security : Premises Liability : Fort Lauderdale

How Inadequate Security Affects Your Premises Liability Suit

The good news is that violent crime is trending downward in Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, but there are still hundreds of victims whose injuries could have been prevented had adequate security been in place. Florida law requires that property owners have a legal duty to protect persons, legally on their property, from foreseeable criminal attacks. If they don't they can become the defendant in a premises liability lawsuit.

It's a pretty straight forward concept. If you are a property owner and you invite people to visit, then you have a duty to protect those guests from a number of hazards one of which is assault. Inadequate security or negligent security applies when a property owner does not take adequate steps to protect guests from threats that he or she can foresee or should have foreseen.

What is Inadequate Security?

What those "steps" should be and how "adequate" they are is often determined in settlement negotiations or in court. There is no standard amount of security that applies for every type of business. Adequate security for a grocery store located in a neighborhood with a low crime rate, no history of incidents, and regular business hours may require less security than a grocery store located in a high crime area that is open 24 hours per day.

That said, every business has to take the safety of their guests seriously regardless of where they are located or what their history with crime is.

If you are a victim of assault, robbery, battery or rape while on private property and you decide to pursue a premises liability lawsuit, you want to be certain to engage an attorney that has the experience and investigative resources to best represent you.

If you have further questions regarding inadequate security, feel free to contact us at Martin, Lister and Alvarez. Read more:

Personal Injury Lawyer: Fort Lauderdale : Personal Injury Law Firm : Lawsuit

Understanding What to Do in a Personal Injury Lawsuit

Everybody has a general idea of what the term "personal injury" refers to. You can't turn on the TV without see a Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer proclaiming he or she will "fight for you" but rarely will those ads describe just what you should do.

The Sooner You Engage a Proven and Experienced Personal Injury Attorney the Better

There are two types of injuries; those that are obvious at the time of the event and that need treatment and those that don't manifest themselves for days (concussions, blood clots etc.). Our advice is to err on the safe side and get checked out medically even if you believe you haven't been seriously hurt.

We also advise that you get as much documentation at the time of the accident as possible. Cell phone photos, names of witnesses may all prove invaluable to your case. Report the incident to the appropriate authorities or the representative of the property involved (premises liability).

Contact a personal liability law firm immediately for a case review.

If you are injured you will want to recover damages for medical costs, time off work, ongoing and future medical treatment and anxiety, your best bet to achieve this is to consult an experienced personal injury law firm like Martin, Lister & Alvarez, PLC. They can evaluate your case and advise you of the best course to take and give you an idea of what your case might be worth.

Personal injury cases can become very complicated. Work with a law firm that specializes in personal injury to level the judicial field. Read more:

Slip and fall lawyer Fort Lauderdale: Personal Injury : Premises Liability : Compensation

Time is Against you in a Slip and Fall Lawsuit in Fort Lauderdale

If you are involved in a slip and fall incident you may find yourself looking for a Fort Lauderdale lawyer who specializes in slip and fall accidents. Obviously not all falls require the services of a personal injury law firm but if you suffer injuries, and you may not discover that until days after the incident, an experienced premises liability attorney may become a necessity.

Prior to 2010 a premises liability lawsuit actually favored the plaintiff in that the burden of proof fell on the property owner to prove conditions on his premises did not cause an injury. However, in 2010 the Florida legislation changed the law shifting the burden of proof to the plaintiff (injured party). That significantly changed the way slip and fall attorneys had to pursue these cases.

Time is of the Essence

If you are hurt as a result of the fall with a limb broken your first concern is to get immediate medical attention. However, in many slip and fall accidents, symptoms may not show up for days after the event particularly if you hit your head.

We recommend you take a cell phone picture of what caused the fall and report it to a responsible representative of the property owner. Get that person's name and contact information but do not sign any release form.

If you are diagnosed with an injury that is the time you want to engage a proven personal liability law firm like Martin, Lister & Alvarez. Once you are represented the calls from the insurance company and their lawyers stop. Your attorney initiates an investigation and deals with the defendant's lawyer.

Your job is to get healed, your attorney's job is to represent your best interests and push for equitable compensation.

If you think you have a slip and fall lawsuit contact our office today for a free case review. Read More:

Car Accident Fort Lauderdale : Car Accident Attorney : No-Fault

How No-fault Insurance Works With Car Accidents in Fort Lauderdale

A car accident in Fort Lauderdale is at a minimum an inconvenience and could potentially be a life changing event if you are seriously injured. The automobile accident attorney firm of Martin, Lister & Alvarez want to share with you what your options may be if involved in a Fort Lauderdale car accident.

Florida is a no-fault insurance state which operates differently than the way insurance in most states does. If you are in an accident that only involves property damage then the at fault driver's insurance can be tapped to pay for the repairs to your vehicle much the same way that "at-fault" insurance works.

However, when it comes to injuries sustained in car accidents it's an entirely different story. In Florida car accident injuries are paid by your own insurance policy regardless of who was responsible.

Every motorist is required to carry $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection coverage. It is this coverage that pays 80% of your medical expenses and lost wages up to the policy limit.

While this law definitely simplifies the process it also denies injured parties from collecting pain and suffering and other non-measurable losses. In general, no fault is a good deal for the insurance companies and not so great for consumers.

When You Need a Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney

There is an exception to the rule of no-fault that allows you to sue the responsible party for personal injury. If you have sustained an injury that causes a permanent disability, permanent scarring or disfigurement or loss of a bodily function you can file a lawsuit to recover damages.

This is when you need a Fort Lauderdale car accident law firm like the experts at Martin, Lister & Alvarez.

If you need more information on this topic give us a call and we will be happy to share our opinion. Read More: