Legal news analysts have been assessing the case of Thomas Eric Duncan, the deceased Dallas Ebola patient. Texas Presbyterian Hospital has admitted that Duncan should have been tested for Ebola upon his first visit to the emergency room, but ER staff mistakenly turned him away. However, most legal analysts agree that his family will not be able to sue the hospital for their mistake.

In 2003, the state of Texas instituted medical malpractice reforms that included tougher standards for suing ER doctors. Those harmed by the actions of ER physicians in Texas have to prove that the doctors knowingly caused harm. It’s a high standard, and one unlike the standards for any other type of medical malpractice in Texas.

At the time, proponents of the reform touted lower healthcare costs for all as a principal benefit of reform. But a major study from the New England Journal of Medicine, which looked specifically at the effects of medical malpractice reform on emergency room care in Texas, Georgia and South Carolina, said that after 10 years, those cost benefits were not realized.

According to the study, medical malpractice reform has not reduced the cost of ER care, nor has it lessened the use of unnecessary tests. In trying to explain why medical malpractice reform has had little or no effect on medical care, the authors of the study suggest that ER physicians may not be as influenced in their actions by the fear of lawsuits as they claim to be.

The study did reveal that the most likely beneficiary of tort reform is insurance companies. While healthcare costs for patients have not dropped as promised, insurance companies are keeping more money in their pockets, with fewer legal medical malpractice actions and fewer payouts to injured and ill patients who have suffered harm in the ER.

By Richard LaGarde

Many Americans associate death by drug overdose with cocaine, heroine and other street drugs, but medical drugs can be just as lethal. Opioids, once only used for cancer patients, are now used in mainstream medicine for chronic pain control.

Opiods are effective and highly addictive. As such, they are in high demand on the black market. Statistically speaking. these drugs account for up to 15,000 deaths per year and at least 500,000 trips to the ER annually.

The face of drug addiction is changing. The users’ population now includes injured veterans, those in middle age, seniors and young adults. The most commonly abused drugs are oxymorphone, oxycodone and hydrocodone.

At one time, car accidents were the leading cause of injury death in the United States. As of 2012, death by drug overdose has replaced it.

Every state has its own laws relating to prescription drug abuse. The penalties vary. In some locations, doctors are held criminally liable for their actions, and their licenses are revoked if their painkillers are found for sale on the street.

In some states, pain clinic owners must be medical professionals. Some states mandate that drugstores restrict dispensing and reduce supplies; others implement patient registries of those who use controlled substance prescriptions.

The cycle of prescription drug addiction and overdose can begin subtly. A patient gets painkillers for an injury and uses them as necessary. Perhaps he or she continues taking them when they are no longer needed, noticing their still-positive impact. Sometimes, leftover or unused drugs sit in a cabinet at home, and someone begins to help themselves in pursuit of a high.

When the approved medical supply route dries up, addicts turn to sourcing pain pills on the street. Floridians can also visit a pill mill, staffed by medical doctors who write prescriptions without spending much time examining the patient. Drug dealers may frequent these same clinics, sourcing a supply for their street business – a lucrative one, as pain pills often sell for up to 10 times their usual price at a drugstore.

In Florida, pill mills are an epidemic. Local and state governments have cracked down relentlessly, with some effect. While there has been a marked decline in drug abuse, it remains a significant problem. Nationwide, at least 1.7 percent of the population abuses painkillers without having a clear medical reason to do so.

Thomas C .Grajek is a criminal defense lawyer in Tampa, Lakeland, and Polk County Florida. To contact a Lakeland criminal defense lawyer or to learn more, visit http://www.flcrimedefense.com/ or call 863-688-4606.

A man (I’ll call him “Jeff” for this post) arrived at the ER with severe neck pain and numbness in his arms and legs. A doctor diagnosed his condition as neck strain and released him from the hospital. A few hours later, Jeff became completely paralyzed from the chest down. He returned to the hospital where he was left untreated for almost two more hours. It was later determined that Jeff suffered from a herniated disk that was compressing his spinal cord and causing progressive neurological injury. Now, he will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair; he is unable to walk, run, run a bike, or work. Jeff filed a medical malpractice lawsuit alleging negligence. After a 3 year legal battle, the jury awarded him $3.5 million.

This case shows what happens when doctors are negligent when it comes to patient care. It also shows how long medical malpractices case can take to settle. The emotional, mental and physical stress was enough to deal with; the last thing he needed to worry about was how to pay the bills. That’s where Litigation Funding Corporation was able to help. We provide lawsuit funding to help plaintiffs withstand the litigation process and still be able to pay the bills. It did not matter that Jeff could not work; we only care about the strength of the case. After completing an online application, one of our professional staff members obtained case documentation from Jeff’s attorney and within 24 hours, we were able to approve him from a $5,000 cash advance. He owed us absolutely nothing until his case settled at which time we were repaid from the proceeds of the case. Had Jeff lost his case, he would have owed us absolutely nothing; the cash advance was provided totally risk-free.

If you are the victim of medical malpractice, have filed a lawsuit, and need assistance paying your bills, contact Litigation Funding Corporation. We may have the mechanism you need to pay your bills, keep your credit standing, and fight for your rights.

Upon her arrival at the hospital, ER doctors gave her pain medications. Suddenly, she became unresponsive and slipped into respiratory distress. It is alleged she was given an overdose of medication.

The woman was rushed to the critical care unit after the attending doctor gave her an injection of a different medication to reverse the effects of the first drug. The second injection did not rectify the situation.

After returning home, the woman and her spouse filed a medical negligence lawsuit seeking compensation for medical malpractice, loss of companionship, hospital bills and court costs.

Medical malpractice lawsuits take a long time to resolve, and they usually involve medical expert witnesses. These witnesses are a necessity, but they can be very expensive to work with. Any family would find it difficult to keep up with all of their bills while attempting to pay new medical bills. One solution might be to apply for a lawsuit loan from a litigation funding company.

Application for pre-settlement funding requires a plaintiff to be working with a lawyer on a case that has a good chance of winning in court. The applicant does not need a credit check and does not need to be working at the time of applying for litigation funding. Once the case has been assessed, funds are wired directly to the plaintiff’s bank account within 24–48-hours. Pre-settlement funding is intended for immediate use to pay medical bills and remain current with other important expenses. However, lawsuit loans are not for everyone, so discuss your needs with a litigation-funding representative.

Daren Monroe writes for Litigation Funding Corp. To learn more, visit http://www.litigationfundingcorp.com/.

The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation recently featured a study arguing that the homeless who suffer TBI have a strong, negative impact on public expenses. Homeless and unsafely housed individuals who have suffered damaging blows to the head are more likely to frequent ER departments for health care, to fall victim to assaults, to have done jail time and to have been arrested.

The Canadian article argued that traumatic brain injuries, such as concussions, are approximately seven times more common among the homeless. TBIs may manifest themselves in mental health issues, in alcohol or drug abuse and in physical symptoms, including seizures.

The study stretched over four years, and 61 percent of its participants reported having sustained a TBI in survey. The figures were roughly consistent across Canada. Homeless individuals with a history of TBI were 1.5 times more likely to attend an ER due to the long-term side effects of their brain injury.

These individuals were also almost twice as likely to have spent time in jail or to have been arrested by police within the previous year — usually as a result of personality disturbances or impaired mental abilities as a result of a TBI. The homeless with brain injuries were almost three times more likely to be assaulted than other, similarly situated individuals.

Increased screening and condition-management assistance could help control the higher level of health care required for homeless TBI victims. Unfortunately, prospects for this kind of action remain weak in the face of more dominant health care priorities.

Perlmutter & Schuelke, LLP is one of the premier trial firms in Austin Texas. Contact a personal injury attorney by calling 512-476-4944 or learn more at http://www.civtrial.com/.

This case already extends over four years, and the suit was just filed. What if it takes longer than expected to resolve? What if the couple can’t get a quick trial date or an early, satisfactory settlement offer? Accepting a permanent disability certainly is not easy especially when it could have been avoided. The emotional, mental and physical stress is enough to deal with; the last thing this man and his wife need is to worry about is how to keep up with the financial obligations. Although I don’t know the financial status of this couple, this case is a perfect example where lawsuit funding could help avoid the pressure of accepting an early settlement that offers too little.

Lawsuit funding helps plaintiffs who are struggling to make ends meet without sufficient funds to handle unexpected medical bills and ordinary living expenses. When applying for a lawsuit cash advance, employment and good credit do not matter; only the strength of the case is important. After completing an online application, a professional staff member will request case documentation from the plaintiff’s attorney. If approved, funds can be available within 24-48 hours. Repayment is contingent on the outcome of the lawsuit, meaning if the plaintiff loses the case, the repayment is completely waived.

If you are the victim of medical malpractice, have filed a lawsuit, and need assistance paying your bills, contact us today. Why struggle any longer when we may have the mechanism you need to pay your bills, keep your credit standing, and fight for your rights. For further information on our unique legal funding programs, call us toll-free at 1.866.548.3863, or visit us online.

It’s a well-known fact that ER rooms at hospitals are overcrowded and the waiting times are ridiculous and some… http://p.ost.im/dGfuWm

If poorer people had access to health care, it would keep them from having to use hospital emergency rooms. That would free up the health care system to do what it was originally meant to do – take care of life’s catastrophes like broken legs and heart attacks. The waiting time would drop and the expenses for the health system would begin to drop. That would be a good start.

Get a health insurance quote and visit http://www.benepath.com

Medicaid expansion will hopefully lower the cost of health premiums and decrease the number of ER visits.

Gov, Rick Snyder believes that the proposed Medicaid expansion will a have a greater impact that just low-income residents.

(Related: Pending Benefits Legislation, Part 1)

“We’re talking about helping Michiganders. We’re talking about people with a real need,” he said. “We’re also talking about ourselves. What’s the problem? Today we have a broken system.”

Snyder engaged an audience of mostly doctors and nurses Livonia, urging them to contact their senators and support Medicaid expansion. It was one of the many stops Snyder made at health care facilities in the last week to garner support for the bill, which was stopped in the Senate.

(Related: Pending Benefits Legislation, Part 2)

“This is something that I thought was critical enough to get out on the road and engage the general public,” he said. “Too often, we can let a few people dominate a discussion. The issue we have in front of us is we have a problem with politics.”

Part of the Affordable Care Act, the expansion allows states to expand Medicaid to 133 percent of poverty starting in 2014. It would make available full federal financing for those eligible for Medicaid starting in 2014 through 2016, and would go down in financing until 2020, where 90 percent of financing will continue from the federal government.

(Related: Caregiver Burnout)

The expansion was approved by the House last month, 76-31, with both Democrats and Republicans voting “yes.” However, the Senate did not take up the bill before the summer recess, which Snyder criticized.

A work group of six senators will meet sometime this summer to discuss the legislation. In a release, Richardville said he does not consider the issue dead and plans to review it.

“A comprehensive plan for a healthy Michigan is critical to the well-being of our population and our state,” he said. “I look forward to reviewing their suggestions and sharing that information with my fellow legislators, the Governor and the Speaker (Jase Bolger, R-Marshall).”

Snyder believes approving the expansion in Michigan is imperative to help save money for hospitals, doctors and patients.

He said a number of people who cannot afford health care will go to a hospital emergency room, which isn’t the proper place for people with the common cold or other treatable ailments.

“Does anyone know anyone that likes going to the emergency room? The answer is no,” he said. “We like the people that are working there because they’re angels, they’re taking care of us.

“It’s a really important place, but it’s not a place for primary care.”

Snyder has toured several hospitals in the state, including Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. An online forum on the issue was scheduled to be broadcast Monday evening at Schoolcraft College.

David Spivey, CEO of St. Mary Mercy Hospital, said the hospital, as well as the St. Joseph Mercy Health System and Trinity Health all support the expansion.

“Medicaid expansion is really about three things in the state: to expand access to over 500,000 Michigan residents, the slow increase in health care premiums for employers, as well as to really steward our state resources and our tax dollars,” he said.

Read more: http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20130701/NEWS10/307010032/Snyder-Medicaid-expansion-bill-will-benefit-all-state

Christopher J. Berry is an elder law attorney Dedicated to helping seniors, veterans and their families navigate the long-term care maze. To learn more visit http://www.michiganelderlawattorney.com/ or call 248.481.4000

Statistically speaking most people, at some point in their life, will be the victim of at least one medication error a day if they are in the hospital. The facts are that medication errors do occur in other health care settings like doctor’s offices, ER settings, at pharmacies and in long-term care. Believe it or not, every year there are close to 1.5 million preventable injuries that would have been avoided by taking more care. E-prescribing may reduce the number of medication errors.

To read more and get a health insurance quote, visit http://www.benepath.com

This is a scenario faced by a lot of Americans today, and there really is no solution to their dilemma. If they had health insurance, they would be covered for all or part of the ER bill. Without that coverage, they have to find the funds on their own. Many can’t do that. Many are in hock to the hospital for years and some may even declare bankruptcy. Set aside what money you can to handle things like this, as the alternative is unthinkable. Better yet, get health insurance, no matter how much you need to scrimp.

To learn more and get a health insurance quote, visit http://www.benepath.com

Most Americans would say no to that, largely because these days, who has extra cash on hand? Most of the money they make goes to food and housing. The thing is this, if you don’t have health insurance to defray medical expenses when you need it, you won’t have the house for much longer. This isn’t to scare you. This is the reality of living in a bad economy in the 21st century. You need health insurance or you face the real specter of going bankrupt.

To learn more and get a health insurance quote, visit http://www.benepath.com