FBI Investigates Alleged Fraud against Surgeon
A federal investigation of Dr. Aria Sabit of Detroit has turned up intense suspicion that Sabit has defrauded the Medicare system for millions of dollars. A complaint opened in federal court referenced five former patients, four of whom received spinal fusion surgeries that were unnecessary. Insurance companies were billed and Sabit’s practice received payments from… Read more »
Posted in Medical Malpractice, Surgical Errors
Am I Receiving Just Compensation for Malpractice?
Victims of medical malpractice are receiving less and less compensation for their troubles. Since 1992, every state has experienced a massive dropoff in the amount of claims that physicians have paid. Nationally, doctors have paid malpractice victims 57 percent less than they used to. The average number of claims against physicians has fallen, as well…. Read more »
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Are My Upcoming Medical Procedures Necessary?
A total of 28 lawsuits have been filed against Community Hospital of Lake County, Indiana for medical malpractice, including three wrongful death lawsuits. The lawsuits allege severe misconduct by Dr. Arvind Gandhi, Dr. Satyaprakash Makam and Dr. Wail Asfour, all Cardiology Associates with Community Hospital. The hospital has been quiet about the accusations, inviting speculation… Read more »
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Why Did California’s Proposition 46 Fail?
In 1975, California created a cap for payouts in medical malpractice cases at $250,000, which has not been adjusted since. Proposition 46 was an answer to this. It would raise the cap to $1.1 million and index it to the rate of inflation. When proposed, the bill garnered huge support. Early polls indicated 58 percent… Read more »
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Are Cruise Lines Accountable for the Actions of Doctors Onboard?
Striking down the precedents set by the 1988 decision of Barbetta v. S/S Bermuda Star, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has opened up the possibility of suing a cruise line for medical malpractice committed by doctors aboard their ships. The “Barbetta rule,” as it came to be known, was created in a time when… Read more »
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Will Reforming Our Malpractice Systems Lead To a Reduction in Health Care Spending?
Proponents of malpractice reform say that changes will reduce the cost of healthcare, but an evidence-based viewpoint shows that this way of thinking is limited in scope and fails to address several key points in the debate about reform. The basis of the pro-reform argument is the notion of “defensive medicine,” which suggests that doctors,… Read more »
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Florida Cracking Down on “Pill Mills”
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi made it a priority to get rid of the state’s “pill mills”, or clinics that provide excess amounts of medication to patients. While the state has made remarkable progress in shutting down clinics that break the law, her work is far from over. As the St. Augustine Record points out,… Read more »
Posted in Medication Errors
What Caused Joan Rivers’ Death?
Joan Rivers died on September 4, 2014. At the time, coroners claimed that complications during surgery caused the 81-year-old comedian’s passing. Now, more reports are emerging about potential malpractice that occurred before her death. How Did Joan Rivers Die? Rivers initially underwent a minor vocal cord operation. As reports from the Department of Health and… Read more »
Posted in Medical Malpractice, Surgical Errors
Could CMV Have Caused Your Baby’s Hearing Loss?
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common non-inherited cause of deafness in children. A new study shows that more than 10 percent of babies who contract CMV will suffer permanent hearing loss. How Do Babies Get CMV? Studies have shown that mothers contract the virus from toddlers and pass it along to their fetuses. Women can… Read more »
Posted in Birth Injury, Misdiagnosis
Which Florida Hospitals Are the Safest?
The Leapfrog Group, a business-backed information group focused on patient safety, released a new analysis for Florida hospitals. Their report rated almost half of them an A on error prevention. Brandon Regional Medical Center is Leapfrog’s most-improved hospital, jumping from a D to an A in just six months. The suburban Tampa facility is part… Read more »
Posted in Medical Malpractice, Medical Negligence, Medication Errors, Misdiagnosis, Surgical Errors
