Can Dental Surgery Lead To A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit?

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“Dental Fear” or fear of dentists seems to be one of the most prevalent phobias in society aside from fear of heights, bugs, and snakes. In fact there are people who will avoid the dentist at the detriment of their own health and appearance in order to quell their fear. It stems from the fact that teeth are so sensitive and the pain to teeth can be intense. Add the sounds of the drilling and the scraping and it’s enough to cause anyone to have a few butterflies in their stomach.

Unfortunately, missing teeth and bad teeth can keep a person from gainful employment or finding a serious relationship. But perhaps what ultimately drives people to the dentist is the pain of avoiding them in the first place as teeth rot and gums recede. Studies have also shown that dental health is also directly linked to a person’s overall health. However, just like any other medical procedure, there are serious problems that can arise.

Dental Surgery Complications

Medical malpractice lawsuits in Washington State are commonly brought against the doctors and staff of the hundreds of hospitals and clinics across the state for everything from medication errors to surgical errors that either lead to medical injures or wrongful death. However, very few people who are injured or die while getting surgery in a dentist’s chair know that the options for medical malpractice extend to dentists.

Some of the complications that lead to medical malpractice lawsuits are:

Anesthesia – Sedation using gas or other methods are needed to avoid pain, but can also be deadly, especially to children, the elderly, and people with other medical conditions. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that three staff members are present when deep sedation occurs in a dental office. The anesthesia provider should be a licensed medical or dental practitioner with certification for providing anesthesia; he should monitor the patient’s vital signs, airway patency, cardiovascular and neurological status and adequacy of ventilation.

AAPD also says the operating dentist and clinical staff need to maintain current expertise in basic life support in case something goes wrong. Deaths can also occur with local anesthesia. As of Oct. 2008, RDH Magazine reported it was legal in 43 states for dental hygienists to administer local anesthesia and 26 allow them to administer nitrous oxide.

Nerve Damage – The most common complication with dental surgery is permanent nerve damage, which causes numbness of the tongue, lips or cheeks. More than 11,000 people in the United States are effected annually, according to a 2007 report in the American Journal of Public Health. This can seriously effect the person’s diet, quality of life, and even the way they look as they can often loose muscle control in their face causing it to droop.

Emergency Services – In the 2001 book, Forensic Pathology by Vincent J.M. DiMaio says stress, fear and pain coupled with anesthesia can precipitate a heart attack. One of the most common causes of death in a dental chair is an overdose of a general anesthesia that causes unconsciousness. Further, other experts have found that some people can stop breathing in the dentist chair and staff members are not properly trained to revive them or keep them alive until the ambulance arrives.

Defibrillators – These life saving devices that administer an electric jolt to the heart when it stops due to heart attack or stroke while in the hospital are now becoming much more common in dentist offices due to changes in AAPD recommendations. Unfortunately, several problems have been identified in dental death cases surrounding the use of defibrillators. Despite AAPD guidelines, dentists’ offices may not have working defibrillators, furthermore, dental personnel may not be trained in life support.

Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are located on each side of the back of the bridge of teeth, both upper and lower. They are generally the last to come in, developing in teenage years to early 20’s, but some people later in life. Experts hypothesize that they are a later evolutionary development in humans in order to break down meat further.

Now, wisdom teeth are considered not needed and the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons strongly recommends that young adults have their wisdom teeth removed to “prevent future problems and to ensure optimal healing.” However, some in the dentistry community contend that the science supporting prophylactic extraction is not substantial enough to support a sweeping policy across the dental community.

American dentists and oral surgeons pull 10 million wisdom teeth each year costing patients and insurance companies more than $3 billion annually. It is the profitability of the procedure that mitigates a sweeping policy that could be potentially deadly. Wisdom tooth surgery has been linked to jaw and tooth fractures, brain tissue infections, life-threatening bleeding and hypoxia. But studies suggest no more than 12% of impactions lead to infections or damage to adjacent teeth — roughly the same incidence as appendicitis. No medical associations recommend prophylactic appendectomy.

Medical Malpractice Attorney

Dentistry is a highly trained and specialized medical field that is essential to society. It is also a multibillion dollar industry that can have serious consequences on patients if not done correctly by a doctor and staff that constantly updates themselves on the latest procedures. Dentists not taking the proper steps to protect patients resulting in medical injuries or wrongful death can be construed at medical malpractice and there are ways for patients to seek justice through compensation.

If you or a loved one have been severely injured or killed by suspected medical malpractice then it is important that you find experienced council that can clearly explain your rights and represent you in your fight to protect those rights. Call Phillips Law Firm for a consultation on your legal options.

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Are The Crosswalks Near My Child’s School Safe?

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Many municipalities and schools around the state like to say that they are extremely concerned about the welfare of children as they walk to and from school. These sentiments are sincere and shared by all caring individuals in a community. This is why school zones are established, crossing guards are hired or volunteer, conduct while crossing the street is taught to the kids, and speed limits are strictly enforced.

However, as we monitor the news, we find that a child is hit by a car, and personally injured or killed everyday somewhere in the United States. There are tons of reasons why this happens, but many times the culprit lies in the fact that school traffic is only monitored to a certain point and in many cases these zones flow into residential areas that have no speed bumps, crosswalks, or sidewalks for that matter.

However, dangerous routes and intersections can be identified and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) has created a program that could help make them safer.

Identifying Problem Areas

Some parents choose where they are going to live and raise their children specifically around the quality and proximity to schools. Even with that, one thing that makes any parents extremely nervous is setting their elementary school aged kids loose to travel to and from school.

Some parents choose to forgo the stress it causes by adjusting their schedules around the school schedule in order to pick up their kids, however, some parents don’t have this option because either their work is too much of commute to accommodate that schedule or their job doesn’t allow flexibility. Regardless, there are ways to make the route a little safer.

Identifying Dangerous Intersections

Walk the route to school alone searching for the safest route that feature:

  • Side walks
  • Crosswalks
  • Lights
  • Light traffic
  • Other kids
  • Direct the route toward crossing guards

Walk or ride you bike along the route to school with your kids several times:

  • Point out dangerous places to avoid.
  • Show them the correct way to cross as each crosswalk.
  • Show them the correct side of the street to walk/ride on.
  • Show them good habits.
  • Show them what to do, where to go if they feel in danger.
  • Time the route and set an after school schedule.

Create a Safe Network:

  • Get to know other parents who allow their kids to walk/ride to school and create a walking/riding group.
  • Find out if there is a parent or friend that live along the route that the child can go to if they run into danger while on the way home.
  • Meet the crossing guards.
  • Know who at the school is in charge of the safety of the walking/riding children.
  • Ask local law enforcement about problem intersections and pedestrian accident reports.

Changing Routes To Make Them Safer

Children will cut corners where they can. Young children will generally stay within designated routes, but as they get older and more independent, parents find that their kids will cut through fields, cut through alleys, and even yards in order cut mere seconds off of their route to school. In doing this, these short cuts could lead to dangerous intersections. That’s why the WTSC has put aside some money to help parents change things in their community.

School Zone Flashing Lights Grant – After identifying an intersection (or even a non-intersection), go to your school official and ask them to review and endorse your intent to place a flashing warning light. Then contact WTSC, fill out the proper forms, have the official sign them, and apply for the grant.

Mini-Grants Under $500- WTSC will set up equipment (vests, flags, etc), a set of rules, and training if you want to create, update, or expand a crossing guard program. You just need to find an advocate at the school, fill out the proper forms from WTSC, and have that official sign them. Note: this is only in school zones

Law Enforcement Equipment Grants – WTSC will also provide more radar guns and rain jackets for law enforcement that patrol school zones. This will make local law enforcement happy and may inspire an extra patrol here and there along common school routes.

Seattle Pedestrian Accident Attorney

Phillips Law Firm represents families of victims who have been injured or died in car accidents in Washington state. They are skilled attorneys in wrongful death lawsuits and personal injury lawsuits with years of experience that they will use to assure the you get the compensation you deserve. Call today for a free consultation.

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Can Spinal Cord Compression Suffered In A Car Accident Effect Brain Function?

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Spinal cord injuries suffered in car accidents are incredibly common and sometimes they can turn out to be far worse than Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) or emergency room doctors may have diagnosed at the scene of the accident or immediately after. This can be due to swelling, adrenaline masking pain, and more serious injuries taking priority causing medical staff to miss other injuries that they consider minor at the time.

Spinal cord compression is one of those accidents that can be overlooked, but research has shown can have serious consequences on the victim that last far into the future. It can happen in many different ways in a car accident, but essentially is caused by pressure on the spine. The vertebrae compress together, which can cause a myriad of problems such as herniated disks and spinal cord swelling, but worse, may seriously effect the nerves.

Symptoms of Spinal Cord Compression

These spinal cord injuries can be masked initially by pain medications and if left untreated or not adequately treated, according to some new research, can lead to some serious motor control issues and problems with brain function. But how do you know they’re happening?

Symptoms of spinal cord compression:

Bowel and Bladder Issues – Several victims of spinal cord compression have found that their injury effects their bowel and bladder function. These issues range from constipation to incontinence. Victims with more severe spinal cord compression may require the use of a catheter to empty their bladder or a suppository to empty their bowels.

Pain – Spinal cord compression pain ranges from minor discomfort to severe radiating pain, depending on the degree of nerve damage or disruption. It may be localized (close to the site of injury), or it may radiate down a nerve or nerves to other areas of the body.

Muscle Weakness – When spinal cord compression involves motor nerves (the nerves that supply the muscles), muscles may be weak or incapacitated. How this weakness is manifested depends on the location of the compression. High cervical spinal cord compression might make it hard to lift the arms, whereas a lower cervical compression may cause a weaker grip. More serious spinal cord compression can effect the muscles in the lower body.

Muscle Spasms – When spinal cord nerves are compressed, they may cause certain muscles to flex or tighten. These spastic muscles may remain “frozen” in a certain position or may simply take longer than usual to relax. Muscle spasms may also occur. Depending on the degree of cervical spinal cord compression as well as the level of the injury, spasticity may affect the muscles of the arms, legs or both.

Sensory Changes – The cervical spine contains nerves that detect sensations in the upper extremities and pressure due to a spinal cord compression injury can change the way the brain interprets how things feel. Victims have reported a tingling, pins and needles, or numbness in their shoulders, arms or hands. In cases of severe cervical spinal cord compression, a person may suffer paralysis.

Spinal Cord Compression Research

Spinal cord compression can lead to spinal cord degeneration, which can either be treated by physical therapy or surgery. Medical professionals are still trying to understand the relationship between the spinal cord and the brain. Thus, this makes many in the medical establishment reluctant to turn to surgery on either the brain or spinal cord without more of an understanding of this relationship.

Thus the research study just conducted by Dr. Duggal, an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Dr. Bartha, an imaging scientist with Schulich’s Robarts Research Institute and an associate professor in the Department of Medical Biophysics, and Kowalczyk, a PhD candidate.

“When patients undergo surgery for spinal cord compression, some improve, some stay static and some continue to get worse. We’re trying to understand which patients we can actually help and which patients will have limited benefit from surgery,” Dr. Duggal said.

They studied 11 healthy “control” patients and 24 patients with reversible spinal cord compression. Researchers had the study participants do a simple motor task, tapping their fingers, while undergoing a 3 Tesla functional MRI scan. This test identified the parts of the brain that were involved in performing this movement, which is often impaired in patients with spinal cord compression. According to this study, the patients with spinal cord compressions also had changes in the motor cortex of the brain.

“We’re looking not only at the mechanisms of the spinal cord, but also, what’s happening in the brain and how it responds to injury in the spinal cord, and whether there is any plasticity or ability in the brain to compensate for injury,” the study said.

Once researchers had localized the area, they examined it using proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy to look at a range of different chemicals or metabolites such as neurotransmitters and amino acids. The goal was to determine whether the levels of these chemicals were any different in the subjects with spinal cord compression.

“Surprisingly, we saw a 15% decrease in the level of N-acetylaspartate to creatine in those with spinal cord compression. And this is really interesting because N-acetylaspartate is an amino acid that goes down when you have neuronal injury or when neurons are dying,” said Dr. Bartha. “I wasn’t expecting to see such a large change in the brain from spinal cord compression.”

The researchers are still trying to untangle whether this change is something that occurs over time, with the injury from the spinal cord propagating back into the brain. This finding has implications for whether or not the condition is reversible, and who may benefit from surgical procedures. The next step, currently underway, is to study whether metabolic levels in the brain change after surgery.

Washington Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

As you can see, compression injuries in a car accident can result in long term consequences that could keep the victim from being able to retain their same level of employment and could seriously effect their quality of life. Victims with suppressed motor and brain function could find themselves eventually not being able to conduct normal tasks and could require expensive help to retain some semblance of a normal life. This requires ample compensation for the negligent parties that caused the car accident.

Phillips Law Firm is a full service law firm with a substantial track record of success Personal Injury Litigation. We take the time to fully assess the injured party’s case in order to assure that the victim receives the compensation they deserve. Call our Personal Injury Attorneys today for a free consultation.

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Can I File A Defective Drug Lawsuit Against A Generic Drug Manufacturer?

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Most people have never heard of the Mensing Decision that was passed down by the US Supreme Court just this past June. That is unless they have filed or are about to file a defective drug lawsuit. All of a sudden victims of a defective drug are fully aware of Mensing and its consequences, particularly if they are trying to hold a generic drug manufacturer accountable for their actions. However, there has been some good news.

What is a Defective Drug?

This is a drug whose devastating side effects outweigh the drug’s approved benefits. These side effects could result in the serious medical injury or wrongful death of the patient. In some cases victims have found that the drug is not only harmful, but the manufacturer may have been found to have known about the side effect and not properly informed the public of the effects.

This is the point that the victim or their loved ones seek justice through compensation. The Mensing Decision seriously effected the victim’s ability to even bring their case to court against generic drug manufacturers.

What is a generic drug?

To understand a generic drug and the Mensing Decision, one must first have an idea of what it takes to produce a pharmaceutical and take it to market. You see, the global pharmaceutical industry is a multi-billion dollar industry that rivals or eclipses some of the largest industries in the world such as oil, weapons, food, and illegal drugs.

Bringing a pharmaceutical to market:

  • Research and development discovers a drug benefit – This is the very early stages of discovery and has not been fully tested.
  • A drug patent is applied for and received – This is a 20 year patent intended to protect research and guarantees exclusive rights to a single company. The race taking the drug to market begins.
  • Animal testing begins – This process is needed to test whether the drug will be deadly to humans.
  • Human clinical trials begin – This process allows researchers to log results and find out side effects.
  • Results are vetted – In case after case, drug manufacturers have been found to pick and choose results from clinical trials and only present the most favorable for approval to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
  • Results are submitted to FDA for approval – The FDA reviews all research and approves drugs for sale in the US market. It’s approvals are also the catalyst for other countries to approve the drugs for sale in their markets. Around 80% of the FDA’s funding comes from drug manufacturers. This leaves them horridly underfunded and over extended, thus unable to determine biased research.
  • Labels and warnings are established – The FDA assigns directions for use, limitations, and warnings based on the research provided to them by the manufacturer.
  • The drug is taken to market – This involves aggressive marketing campaigns and pushing the drug on doctors to prescribe to their patients using the same biased research used for approval.

A Generic Drug is a drug that is produced after that 20 year patent expires and the drug is able to be produced by any company willing to produce it under FDA regulations and standards. They are required to use the same labeling and warnings as the previous patent holder.

What happens when a drug goes generic?

Often it takes years for a group of people fall victim to a defective drug while it is still under patent. At that point a study must be conducted to establish causal evidence to determine the legitimacy of their claims. The FDA might also conduct an independent review. Often, this whole process lasts so long that the drug becomes eligible to be manufactured in a generic version.

When patent expires and the drug becomes generic, generally the original patent holder will:

  • Produce the generic version of the drug through a subsidiary
  • Make slight changes and patent the drug under a different brand
  • Make slight changes and patent the drug as “extra strength”
  • Sell the brand to be produced by a generic manufacturer, retain the rights

When a drug goes generic the price immediately plummets because, beyond what major drug companies will tell the public, drugs are incredibly cheap and easy to produce, generally costing pennies. It becomes even cheaper when they are produced in foreign labor markets.

The benefit is that it allows millions to have access to the drug, however, this also creates a massive sample group that reveals the full devastating effects of a defective drug. However, even though the generic manufacturers are enjoying the profit of these millions of new customers, the Mensing Decision released them of liability.

What is the Mensing Decision?

In PLIVIA Inc. v. Mensing, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that generic drug makers couldn’t be sued for allegedly inadequate warnings on their labels because they’re required by law to use the same warning label language that’s used for the equivalent brand name drug.

Of course, as would be expected, generic drug manufacturers and their legal teams took this to the extreme claiming that the decision exonerates them of any and all liability for any injury or death resulting of the taking of the drug. Generic manufacturers such as Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. and Sandoz Inc. in October, took it as far as to say that, under Mensing, all generic suits should be dismissed. This move proved to be the decision’s undoing.

Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Sandra Mazer Moss sided with plaintiffs who argued that Mensing only preempted claims targeting the warning labels on the drugs. Judge Moss’s ruling marks a significant set-back for the generics, which have sought to use their Supreme Court win to escape mass torts actions plaguing them in other state courts. The generics have filed similar motions to dismiss in New Jersey and California state courts.

Defective Drug Attorneys

This certainly isn’t over by a long shot. The profit is far to high for drug companies to give up and settle at this point. However, it seems that the victims are now being empowered and able to once again seek justice.

Can I File A Defective Drug Lawsuit Against A Generic Drug Manufacturer? Yes you can, and the experienced legal team at Phillips Law Firm will fight hard for you to get you the justice and compensation you deserve.

Phillips Law Firm is a team of experienced defective drug attorneys with a proven track record of successful defective drug litigation. If you or a loved one have experienced serious injuries or death due to the side effects of a generic drug call us today for a free consultation and to find out your legal rights.

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Do Paxil and Zoloft Have a Risk of Suicidality?

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Antidepressants such as Zoloft and Paxil have been a popular treatment for many patients with various psychological, hormonal, and emotional issues that may not have been construed as depressed a couple of decades ago. As psychologists and scientists alike become more aware of how the human brain and body works, it’s not surprising.

For some who live daily with these issues that they may not understand, drugs that treat depression such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) like Paxil and Zoloft are a revelation. However, side effects strike every patient differently and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found that Zoloft and Paxil have a side effect that is common to younger people called “suicidality.”

What is Suicidality?

Depression has many signs such as feelings of sadness, loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities, reduced sex drive, sleep issues, changes in appetite, agitation, slowed thinking, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and crying spells for no apparent reason. However, if these traits aren’t enough, depressed people start being a worry to professionals in the psychological community when the patient begins to have frequent thoughts of death, dying or suicide.

That’s exactly what the FDA defines as Suicidality, “an increased risks of suicidal thinking and behavior.” Yet, for SSRIs, this has become a normal side effect, which has horrible repercussions for the patient. So much so that the FDA took measures to help protect the most vulnerable antidepressant patients.

What Has The FDA Done?

In 2005, the FDA opened a study of 295 individual antidepressant trials that included over 77,000 adult patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders, to examine the risk of suicidality in adults who are prescribed antidepressants.

As a result the FDA took measures of protecting adults 18 years of age to 24-years-old by making label changes in 2007. The label stated that there is an increased risk of suicidality in this high risk group. However, these changes include language stating that scientific data did not show this increased risk in adults older than 24, and that adults ages 65 and older taking antidepressants have a decreased risk of suicidality.

“Depression and other psychiatric disorders can have significant consequences if not appropriately treated. Antidepressant medications benefit many patients, but it is important that doctors and patients are aware of the risks,” said Steven Galson, M.D., MPH, director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The FDA asked manufacturers to add a black box warning to the labeling of all antidepressants to describe this risk and to emphasize the need for appropriate monitoring and close observation, particularly for younger patients taking these medications.

In addition, FDA directed manufacturers to develop Medication Guides, FDA-approved user-friendly information for patients, families and caregivers, that could help improve monitoring. Medication Guides are intended to be distributed at the pharmacy with each prescription or refill of a medication.

The problem is that the issue of suicidality has been seemingly left on the back burner since 2007, however, a black box warning does not allow the FDA to wipe their hands and walk away. Suicidality research keeps on going, particularly from disturbing reports of patients taking attempts on their lives that could put others in serious danger. Not only that, the traits of suicidality have been showing up in a much older group than the FDAs finding may have indicated.

Suicidality and Cardio Vascular Disease

There have also been some other findings that suggest suicide attempts in young adults substantially increases their risk of dying from heart disease or cardiovascular disease (CVD). The study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry this month further found that the risks are particularly marked for women.

The researchers conducted a population based study of over 7,600 people aged 17-39 found and, after adjusting for health and lifestyle factors such as smoking or poor diet, found the risk of fatal CVD was more than double for people with depression than those without.

They also found that more than triple for those with past suicide attempts. Death from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was nearly four times greater for those with depression, and more than seven times greater for people who had attempted suicide.

Women had triple the risk of fatal IHD, and a fourteen-fold greater risk for CVD. The figures for men were lower, with a 2.4 times greater risk for IHD and 3.5 times greater risk for CVD.

The authors noted that their study was the first population-based study to examine clinical diagnosis of depression and mortality due to CVD and IHD in young adults. Previous studies had shown a link, but because they included middle-aged and elderly people, they noted that the dramatic impact of depression and suicidality on IHD mortality in younger individuals has gone unrecognized.”

“Our data suggest that more research should take a life-course approach to identify risk factors for IHD early in life,” they concluded.

Defective Drug Attorneys

Losing a friend or family member to depression can be a dismaying and frustrating experience as they lock themselves away from society and their relationships with ever growing risk of suicide. Watching that decline can be painful and inspire both loved ones and medical professionals to seek medication that may help the person through the trying time in their lives. But as you can see, some of these medications can make things worse and may lower the patient’s life expectancy.

If your family has been stricken by the tragic consequences of suicidality it is important that you find experienced legal council that can help you seek justice through compensation.

Phillips Law Firm is a team of experienced defective drug attorneys with a proven track record of successful defective drug litigation. If you or a loved one have experienced a cardio-event while taking Celerite, call them today for a free consultation and to find out your legal rights.

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How Can A Lung Injury In A Car Accident Effect My Quality of Life?

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The lungs are incredibly fragile. Perhaps that’s why humans evolved a whole system of muscles and bone in order to protect them. This system did an excellent job of protecting their vital organs when we were running after herds of antelope a thousand years ago, but being slammed into by a two-ton hunk of speeding metal is a whole different deal.

There are multiple ways of suffering a personal injury to the lungs in a car accident. Of course the obvious way is a head-on accident, but side-impact accidents and rear end accidents can also do serious damage to one or both lungs. This is generally caused by compression due to seat belts. This is not to say seat belts are bad, everyone should wear them every time they drive.

Types of Lung Injuries

Lungs are not just open sacks that take in air, they are a complex system that separates CO2 and oxygen from air taken in so that the oxygen can be absorbed by the body for various functions, and then extract CO2. There are many components from the trachea to bronchus in separate lobes that can be damaged and can take a long time to heal.

When it comes to lung injuries in car accidents seat belts, steering wheels, and arm rests can have a major impact, and also chemicals and smoke. All of these can lead to different types of injuries.

Types of lung injuries:

Punctured Lung – Force from a car accident can be such that it breaks a rib and causes it to tear the lung deeply enough that it seeps air into the chest cavity putting painful pressure on the victim’s body.

Collapsed Lung – Once a lung has been punctured, it can result in a collapsed lung (pneumothorax). This happens when there’s a collection of air in the space around the lungs. This buildup of air puts pressure on the lung, so it cannot expand as much as it normally does when you take a breath and can cause suffocation if not treated right away.

Chemical Burn – Hundreds of different chemicals are used to create cars from the upholstery treatment to most of the components making up the engine. If the engine or consol catches fire, under the right circumstances the chemical fumes can burn the lungs before the smoke does. During a car accident that causes the air bags to deploy, the car can fill with a white powder. This powder is generally made up of either corn starch or talcum powder and is not usually detrimental, but can cause breathing problems for a few days if fully inhaled. However, it can last longer and have serious consequences for those with COPD and other lung function ailments.

Smoke Damage – Smoke is caused by burning material discharge and super heated particles that fill the air. During a car fire, some cars are better protected from burning the driver than others, but if the windows are rolled up, no car can remedy being filled with smoke surprisingly quick. If the victim in the car is rendered unconscious, even for a minute or two, they could suffocate. If they aren’t, even disorientation (which is common after a car accident) can cause serious smoke inhalation. A fire can produce compounds that do damage by interfering with the body’s oxygen use at a cellular level. The heat can also seriously burn the lungs causing internal scarring that could be permanent and inhibit breathing and activity level for the rest of the victim’s life.

Lung Injuries and Depression

Physical damage to the lungs is not the only damage that the victim can suffer. These injuries take a ton of time and effort to heal. Not being able to breath well can cause the patient to lower their activity level. This can result in not only prolonging the problem and weight gain, but also depression, researchers have found.

Joseph Bienvenu, MD, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University, and colleagues reported in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that about 40% of patients reported depressive symptoms and 66% reported impaired physical function during that time period.

“Incident depressive symptoms and incident impaired physical function are common and long-lasting during the first two years after acute lung injury,” they wrote.

This was a longitudinal cohort study (a study that collects the same set of data over long periods then comparatively studied) of 186 acute lung injury patients from 13 intensive care units at four hospitals between October 2004 and October 2007. They were all survivors of acute lung injury.

Of all of the patients studied, a total of 21% had baseline depression. Futher, 40% had baseline impaired physical function. Over two years of follow-up after acute lung injury, the incidence of depressive symptoms in 147 at-risk patients was 40%, and the cumulative incidence of impaired physical function in 112 patients at risk was 66%, they found.

“Depressive symptoms are not only relatively persistent in acute lung injury survivors; they are also an independent risk factor for subsequent impairment in physical function,” Bienvenu and colleagues wrote.

Depression triggers noted in the study:

  • Lowered activity
  • Financial stress
  • Job loss
  • Morbid thoughts
  • Higher medical comorbidities
  • Hospitalization for other illnesses
  • Lower blood glucose in the intensive care unit

The investigators concluded that depressive symptoms are a significant and potentially modifiable risk factor for late-onset physical impairment, and that clinicians should run interventions that target these in order to improve long-term outcomes in survivors.

“Early identification and treatment of depressive states should be evaluated as a potential intervention to minimize the suffering and impairment that affect so many of these patients,” they wrote.

Limitations of the study included self-report of depressive symptoms, use of medical records to identify baseline depression, and inability to account for interval treatment of either depression or physical function impairment.

Western Washington Personal Injury Attorneys

A lung injury suffered in a car accident can last or years, even a lifetime, causing the victim to not be able to enjoy the activities that enriched their lives prior to the injury. This is particularly true in the Northwest that is known for hiking, mountain climbing, biking, kayaking, skiing, and other strenuous activities that require full breath control.

But this can also extend to doing your job or simply playing with your children. Without these things it effects your life at the most basic needs level. To overcome these life altering experiences, a victim needs the resources to gain as much of their prior lung capacity as possible through physical therapy, psychological therapy, and training (both physical and occupational). This takes money that insurance may not cover.

Phillips Law Firm is a local law firm with a substantial track record of success Personal Injury Litigation. We take the time to fully assess the injured party’s case in order to assure that the victim receives the compensation they deserve. Call our Personal Injury Attorneys today for a free consultation.

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Do I Have A Washington State Propecia Lawsuit?

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Just like around the United States, men in Washington State are finding a dismaying side effect when they take the hair loss prevention drug Propecia, erectile dysfunction. This defective drug side effect has seriously lowered the quality of life for many male Propecia patients. This has led hundreds of men in Washington State and across the country to file Propecia lawsuits.

These men are suing global pharmaceutical conglomerate Merck & Co for what has been a billion dollar product for the company that has a history of producing defective drugs with little consideration for the consequences to their customers. The plaintiffs are accusing the drug manufacture of failing to adequately warn of the potential sexual side effects.

Sexual Side Effect Research

Propecia belongs to a class of drugs known as the 5-alpha-reductable inhibitors. The active ingredient is finasteride, which is linked to impotence, erectile dysfunction, depression, and a decrease in sexual desire. This may have been known by Merck when they were designing and testing the drug for market.

A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2011 affirms these concerns. Researchers found that drugs often prescribed to treat hair loss that contain finasteride causes sexual dysfunction.

Researchers conducted interviews with 71 otherwise healthy men aged 21-46 years who reported the new onset of sexual side effects associated with the temporal use of finasteride and found:

  • 94% developed low libido
  • 92% developed erectile dysfunction
  • 92% developed decreased arousal
  • 69% developed problems with orgasm

In another study published this year in the Journal of Sexual Medicine originated in the Boston University School of Medicine lead by Professor Abdulmaged M. Traish. He found in his study that some of the patients studied had long-term erectile dysfunction or even permanent impotence.

Traish’s research, like that of the other study cited above, found that nearly everyone who takes these drugs usually experience some of the side effects—although some people more severely than others—and in some cases the effects are permanent even after the men have stopped taking the medication. Traish infact refers to this outcome as a “life sentence.” This is from findings such as:

  • 8% of men who used the drugs experienced erectile dysfunction.
  • 4.2% said their libido was reduced.
  • Other side effects included depression, decreased semen volume, and reduced ejaculation.

Propecia Side Effects

Although these side effects discovered in the studies are not fatal, they can be physically and psychologically damaging. It is up to the company to properly disclose and inform the patients of the serious side effects associated with their drug. Certainly the patient’s physician could have a hand in informing them, but often the newest research regarding the drug has not been forwarded to medical professionals.

Side effects linked to Propecia:

  • Anxiety attacks
  • Amotivational syndrome
  • Bipolar mood disorder
  • Breast enlargement
  • Breathing problems
  • Cognitive dysfunction
  • Hypersensitivity
  • Hyper tension
  • Insomnia
  • Lethargy
  • Male breast cancer
  • Memory loss
  • Testicular pain

Propecia Lawsuits

Part of the whole point of preventing hair loss is to improve quality of life, however many of these men say they were not properly informed of the dangers of the drug and as a result have been put into a serious situation of facing a life long problem that could result on a life long need for other prescription drugs to retain normal sexual function.

Filing a lawsuit against Merck in order to hold them accountable is an important part of upholding much-needed standards on pharmaceuticals. Drug companies make billions of dollars every year off of these drugs, often knowing the detriment to those taking the drug, but choosing to keep it on the market.

These lawsuits are also important because they send a message to the under-funded, overworked, and bureaucratic Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is often the standard bearer for many countries around the world as to actions taken against drugs or the allowance of lawsuits. Many people in countries around the world don’t have the opportunity that Americans do to be able to seek justice for defective drugs.

National Propecia Lawyers

If you or a loved one are taking Propecia or any other derivative of Finasteride it is important that you contact legal council that has experience in protecting patients from giant pharmaceutical companies. Call Phillips Law Firm for a consultation on your legal options.

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Should A Ban On Distracted Driving With PEDs Become A National Law?

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In Washington State and across the nation, laws have begun to be ratified that levy heavy fines and other penalties on drivers that drive while texting or talking on the phone without using a headset. However, many safety advocates recommend that this be extended to other similar devices such as tablets (iPad, Kindle, etc.) and personal music devices (iPod, MP3 player, etc.). All of these fall under the category of Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs).

This trend and safety advocate concerns have not fallen on deaf ears. Ray LaHood, the Chairman of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has made many very public statements against the use of cell phones by both commercial drivers and the larger public. Not only that, there has been very large public committee meetings in both congress and senate concerning this issue.

All of this has led up to today, where the National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) called for a national ban on the use of PEDs, the first large government organization to make such a drastic move.

Distracted Driving Research

This decision comes after some pretty extensive research. Though car phones have been available for several decades, they were exclusively used by the wealthy. In the words of NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman, distracted driving has been a problem “since the Model T.” This changed in the early ninties, when low priced and free cell phones entered the market. Almost overnight it was apparent that there was a new danger on the road, but it took a decade for serious studies to begin regarding the concern.

Authorities say the danger become even more ubiquitous with the explosion in the number of portable smart phones. In the last two decades, there has been exponential growth in the use of cell-phone and personal electronic devices. Globally, there are 5.3 billion mobile phone subscribers or 77 percent of the world population. In the United States, that percentage is even higher – it exceeds 100 percent.

At any given moment during business hours, it is estimated that 13.5 million drivers are on hand-held phones, according to a study released last week by the NHTSA.

“Some 3,092 roadway fatalities last year involved distracted drivers, although the actual number may be far higher,” a NHTSA representative said. “However, because distracted drivers sometimes die during the crash or rarely fess up to their actions, determining whether distraction was a factor in an accident can be difficult.”

Serious Distracted Driving Events

The NTSB announcement was accompanied by a series of events that had been studied in order to come to the conclusion. They specifically cited a 2010 Missouri accident where a driver of a pickup sent 11 texts in the 11 minutes leading up to a chain reaction accident where he rear-ended a semi truck, then was rear-ended by a school bus, which was rear-ended by another school bus following it. All of this resulted in two deaths and 38 personal injuries.

An experienced motorcoach driver was distracted in 2004 by his hands-free cell phone, causing him to stay in the far right lane, failing to move to the center lane, causing the bus he was driving to strick the underside of an arched stone bridge on the George Washington Parkway in Alexandria, Virginia. Eleven of the 27 high school students were injured.

In the 2008 collision of a commuter train with a freight train in Chatsworth, California, the commuter train engineer, who had a history of using his cell phone for personal communications while on duty, ran a red signal while texting. That train collided head on with a freight train – killing 25 and injuring dozens.

In 2009, two airline pilots were out of radio communication with air traffic control for more than an hour because they were distracted by their personal laptops. They overflew their destination by more than 100 miles, only realizing their error when a flight attendant inquired about preparing for arrival.

In Philadelphia in 2010, a barge being towed by a tugboat ran over an amphibious “duck” boat in the Delaware River, killing two Hungarian tourists. The tugboat mate failed to maintain a proper lookout due to repeated use of a cell-phone and laptop computer.

In 2010, near Munfordville, Kentucky, a truck-tractor in combination with a 53-foot-long trailer, left its lane, crossed the median and collided with a 15-passenger van. The truck driver failed to maintain control of his vehicle because he was distracted by use of his cell-phone. The accident resulted in 11 fatalities.

Distracted Driving Laws

Making a law national is a big step, particularly when there is such a heavy sentiment surrounding states rights in the US. As you can see by the graph, there is still an uphill battle on defining what is and is not distracted driving and appropriate behavior when driving a car.

Types of PDEs:

Cell Phones – These can be used with a hands free earpiece or onboard speaker system, however, some studies that having both hands on the wheel or having one side of your face unobstructed has caused on change in the level of distraction. This has caused some experts to recommend ending all calls in the vehicle while it’s moving.

Texting – This activity while driving has proven to be akin to being equal to being over the legal drinking limit. In fact, some studies have suggested that texting drivers could be equal to twice the legal limit in ability and attention.

Tablets – These may not belong when driving, yet people use them while driving anyway, just like reading the newspaper or a book while driving. Instead, they’re surfing the internet, even more distracting.

On Board Systems – The computer systems with touch screens in the newest cars coming out are specific to vehicles, but are not a ton different from a tablet or home computer. They are able to retrieve GPS information just as easily as take a call or retrieve email. This is equal to, or possibly more, detrimental to drivers.

All of these systems can cause serious distractions. Should they become illegal to use while the vehicle is moving? Some suggest that technology could be the answer to a technology problem. There is software on the market now that causes any phone going faster than 15 mph to be rendered useless. Will new technology be able to compensate for passing a law? Perhaps it will be easier to require.

Puget Sound Auto Accident Lawyer

If you or someone you know has suffered a serious personal injury after getting into a car accident with a distracted driver, then you need skilled legal council to represent you to assure that you get the compensation you deserve. Call the Seattle car accident lawyers at Phillips Law Firm for a free consultation.

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What Are the Symptoms of Actos Bladder Cancer?

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Currently across the United States, hundreds of men and women are preparing for the fights of their lives, Actos bladder cancer. They are diabetes patients who were given Takeda Industries top selling drug Actos to control their insulin levels. This drug has yielded billions of dollars for Takeda, however, in recent years patients have found that the side effects are potentially far more deadly than their diabetes.

Bladder cancer is manifested in tumors that form on the bladder wall. The bladder carries urine after liquid has been processed through the digestive system. Once these tumors become “malignant” they begin attacking surrounding tissue with cancer cells and unless it is caught early, they can spread to other organs and infect the blood system.

Symptoms of Actos Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is one of those cancers that many catch early because it is easily detectable by paying attention to the symptoms. People with relatively normal diets, alcohol intake, and who aren’t prone to regular bladder infections become acutely aware of the problems early, making bladder cancer one of the most survivable amongst the many cancers.

Some of the symptoms are:

Abdominal pain – The lower abdomen right in the center above your genitals may begin to ache due to cell degeneration and inflammation. This can feel like a urinary infection and if you are an Actos patient, you should see the doctor and get a precautionary test right away.

Blood in the urine – This is a bad sign that can be a symptom of several problems. Any sign of blood in urine should inspire you to see a doctor right away and if you are there ask to be tested for bladder cancer regardless of what the doctor may diagnose in the office.

Bone pain or tenderness – This is a symptom of many cancers and may be a sign of a larger problem with later stage of the cancer.

Fatigue – Bladder pain and infection is a definite sign of illness that can cause fatigue. This is true with bladder cancer, however, fatigue could be a sign of a larger problem that should be checked out by a doctor.

Painful urination – This is a definite sign of bladder cancer and of other serious ailments, however, an Actos patient should be acutely aware of this symptom at all times.

Urinary frequency – This is one of the first signs of bladder cancer as the bladder has limited capacity and a tumor can lower that capacity. If you are urinating twice as much as usual with normal fluid intake you should see the doctor.

Urinary urgency – This is also associated with lower bladder capacity and could be a sign that there is a larger problem.

Urine leakage (incontinence) – This is a symptom of many problems and can also be associated with aging, but in younger Actos patients this could be a sign of a worse problem. All patients should check for bladder cancer in this instance.

Weight loss – Weight loss generally doesn’t come until the later stages of cancer and is preceded with most of the symptoms above.

Treatment For Actos Bladder Cancer

Cancer comes in five main stages with the fifth stage being untreatable. Survival from stage 0 to 2 when applied to bladder cancer is generally very good and is only followed by reoccurrence in a small percentage of patients, however, stage 3 and above can be a different story. As you can see from the graph and the descriptions below, it is very important to catch the symptoms early.

 

Stage 0 and 1 treatments:

Surgery – Surgeons remove the tumor, reseal the bladder, and monitor. Chemotherapy or immunotherapy – This is only recommended if surgery is less detrimental and only applied directly into the bladder.

Stage 2 and 3 treatments:

Partial removal surgery – Remove only part of the bladder, followed by radiation and chemotherapy Radical cystectomy – This is surgery to remove the entire bladder ()Chemotherapy – This is a chemical cocktail intended to shrink the tumor prior to surgery making it more successful.

Stage 4 treatments –

Chemotherapy – Most patients with stage IV tumors cannot be cured as the cancer has spread to different parts of the body and surgery is not appropriate. In these patients, chemotherapy is often considered.

National Actos Attorney

These different stages of Actos bladder cancer have different effects on different patients as well as how the symptoms are manifested. Regardless, the diagnosis of cancer is no different in any patient. It is a highly emotional experience and forces a person to face their mortality. It not only causes major disruptions to a person’s work life, personal life, and quality of life. That’s why victims and their families deserve fair compensation.

Phillips Law Firm is a full service law firm that is prepared to help the victims of Actos side effects. If you or a loved one has a heart attack or stroke while taking Actos it is important that you call Phillips Law Firm for a free consultation.

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Can A Personal Injury in a Car Accident Alter the Victim’s Immune System?

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People who are personally injured in a car accident know that one of the main procedures that emergency medical staff perform when treating victims throughout the process is preventing infection. This is particularly important for victims with open wounds and burns. However, medical experts have even found that patients without open wounds are in serious danger.

While victims are in the hospital it seems that they were still susceptible to infection and other illnesses regardless of the fact that the patient is in a sterile facility. Some assumed that the infections and other illnesses were due to proximity and environment (i.e lots of sick patients nearby), but new research suggests that a lowered immune response is caused by the personal injury itself.

These findings could potentially make the liability for an illness that might threaten the life of the victim suffered directly after an injury accident fall on the shoulders of the negligent party that caused the accident.

Post-Accident Genomic Immune System Research

The research was conducted by a collaborative program involving investigators from 20 academic research centers from around the United States, and appears in the December Journal of Experimental Medicine.This important study was supported by a grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the National Institutes of Health.

Researchers found that traumatic personal injuries and major burns, set off what they called a “genomic storm” in human immune cells. The trauma resulted in altering 80% of the cells’ normal gene expression patterns. This has a major effect on the immune system.

They discovered that the genomic response to personal injury was essentially the same regardless of the patient’s individual genetic background. The genomic response in the immune system was also present whether the injury was caused by major tr

auma or serious burns, or if recovery is rapid or complicated.

“When this project was organized more than a decade ago, the question was raised whether responses would differ so much from person to person that no patterns would appear,” said Ronald G. Tompkins, MD, ScD, director of the Sumner Redstone Burn Center at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and principal investigator of the study. “It is amazing how similar our responses to injuries like serious burns or trauma actually are.”

The Inflammation and Host Response to Injury Consortium was created in 2001 to study how our bodies react to personal injuries and burns and what factors set off excessive, uncontrolled inflammation that can lead to the overwhelming body-wide infection called sepsis or to multi-organ dysfunction syndrome, a life-threatening failure of vital systems.

Blood samples were taken from 167 patients being treated for severe trauma at seven U.S. hospitals within 12 hours of the injury and several times during the next 28 days after the injury. The research team analyzed whole-genome expression patterns in white blood cells. Gene expression pattern changes were tracked and compared with samples from 133 patients treated for serious burns, 37 healthy controls and four volunteers treated with a bacterial toxin that produces brief flu-like symptoms.

The genomic changes in almost all trauma and burn patients in the study began with inflammation and with the first-response innate immune system accompanied by simultaneous suppression of adaptive immune pathways. Through the 28 day study period, these patterns changed only by intensity and duration.

 

Potentially New Personal Injury Treatments

These findings fly in the face of widely accepted theories that the initial “pro-inflammatory” response in patient is soon followed by an “anti-inflammatory” response that opens the door to complications like sepsis and organ failure. Instead the only differences between patients with and without medical complications due to their personal injuries were in the levels of gene expression changes and the duration of those changes. Even the volunteers who received bacterial toxin, whose symptoms lasted for only 24 hours, had similar changes in 40% of the gene pathways that were altered in the seriously injured patients.

This expression could last longer in burn patients, who may take months to years to recover from their injuries. Trauma patients, on the other hand, usually recover a month or two. So researchers said that it was entirely unexpected that gene expression patterns in burns and trauma patients changed in exactly the same directions 91% of the time.

“If you consider two patients with identical injuries from a serious auto accident – a 20-year old who is ready to go home in a week and a 55-year-old who is still in the ICU and on a ventilator at the same point in time – it would be logical to think that the complications suffered by the older patient must have a genome-based difference,” Tompkins said. “But it turns out that the gene expression changes are the same and the only differences is how much they change and how soon they return to normal. There are no new genes or pathways recruited to deal with those serious complications beyond those already involved in the body’s basic response to serious injury.

This knowledge allows the medical community to begin to design therapies to promote improvement in patients who would otherwise have complicated recoveries. It would also researchers to determine whether measuring genomic changes soon after injury can help them predict which patients will recover well and which will need more intesive treatment delivered in ICUs. This extra treatment can sometimes be harmful to the patient and could now be avoided unless they truly need it.

“The scientists have now created a detailed picture of the genomic aspects of this response, and among their findings are some surprises about the role of inflammation that could point to new strategies for treatment,” said Scott Somers, PhD, of the NIGMS.

Washington Personal Injury Lawyer

This is exciting for patients because with this knowledge they have a whole new understanding of the effects of traumatic personal injuries and burns suffered in automobile accidents that will allow first responders and trauma care workers make proper recommendations for patient care.

Phillips Law Firm is a law firm with a substantial track record of success Personal Injury Litigation. We take the time to fully assess the injured party’s case in order to assure that the victim receives the compensation they deserve. Call our Personal Injury Attorneys today for a free consultation.

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