Medical Malpractice

• Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Filed Against Carnival Cruise Line

  Michael Myers | September 27, 2007 4:11 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  A recently filed lawsuit in the Federal Court in Miami alleges that the medical staff aboard the Carnival Legend, a ship that is part of the Carnival Cruise Line, committed medical malpractice. On September 6, 2006 cruise passenger, Helen Kerr, 73, was reportedly misdiagnosed and mistreated while suffering from a fluid buildup in her lungs.According to the complaint, Ms. Kerr went to the...

• Mistakes in Surgeries

  Glenn Phillips | October 23, 2007 8:23 AM | 0 CommentsEverett, WA

  Over the past year, hospitals in Washington left "foreign objects" in 36 surgery patients. And 21 people got surgery on the wrong body parts. Hospitals have reported such "adverse events" to the state Department of Health since 2000, also including performing surgery on the wrong patient, and medication errors that can kill or seriously harm patients. But now the Washington State Hospital...

• Justin Lapham Recovering From Being Struck by Car After Game

  Ryan Nute | December 20, 2006 12:07 PM | 0 CommentsOlympia, WA

  12-year old Justin Lapham was struck by a car outside of Qwest Field in Seattle last Thursday. Fortunately, he appears to be on the mend.Justin was struck by a car going 35 mph. He landed on the windshield and hit his head on the road. Luckily the driver who hit Justin stopped and a police report is expected.While at Harborview Justin had the chance to share a room with San Francisco 49er's...

• Opening Medical Malpractice Cases to the Light of Day

  Ryan Nute | December 14, 2006 3:22 PM | 0 CommentsOlympia, WA

  Confidentiality in medical malpractice suits is an issue which is receiving increased scrutiny. Especially where the appropriate authorities are kept in the dark.As reported by the Seattle TImes, two lawsuits against a Seattle-area physician (Dr. James H. Greene) illustrate the current concern. Significant settlements were paid by the doctor's employer after he was accused of negligence. ...

• Increasing Concern Over Sealed Files

  Ryan Nute | December 18, 2006 9:33 AM | 0 CommentsTacoma, WA

  As you may know, the Seattle Times has been investigating a number of instances where it claims judges improperly sealed files in a number of medical malpractice and other court cases.There is often tension between litigants' desire to keep court records out of the public eye and the fact that our court system is the "third branch" of government whose records are public. Plaintiffs often face...

• Unusual Medical Malpractice Settlement Revealed

  Staff Writer | October 19, 2006 8:35 AM | 0 CommentsTacoma, WA

  The court file for an unusual medical malpractice lawsuit involving hereditary cancer was unsealed recently, revealing a $1.6 million settlement in 2001. The case involved the family of a University of Washington nurse who died of ovarian cancer, leaving behind a husband and daughter. The medical malpractice lawsuit said that doctors should have warned the woman that her ovaries should be...

• Court Imposes Stringent Disciplinary Standard

  Ryan Nute | December 15, 2006 12:28 PM | 0 CommentsOlympia, WA

  Medical malpractice cases sometimes involve related disciplinary proceedings against providers. In a recent ruling the Washington Supreme Court imposed a higher burden of proof in connection with disciplinary proceedings against nursing assistants.The Court ruled that "clear, cogent, and convincing proof" was required (rather than that the disciplinary allegations be proved by a "preponderance...

• The cost of health care and malpractice

  Don Jacobs | June 03, 2009 6:11 PM | 1 CommentVancouver, WA

  As we debate how to fix the health care mess, one thing is clear. America’s health care is far and above the most expensive care in the world. The debate in the nation’s capitol has two...

• Pharmacist Malpractice on the Rise

  Michael Myers | September 23, 2007 9:11 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  With our aging population more and more people are filling prescriptions. That's one of the reasons that incidents of pharmacy malpractice are on the rise. A recent decision in Florida, in a case involving pharmacy malpractice, is notable:It took just three hours of deliberation for a Florida jury to award $28.5 million to the family of a woman who suffered a suffered a massive cerebral...

• Malpractice rates drop in Oregon

  Don Jacobs | May 06, 2009 5:35 PM | 0 CommentsVancouver, WA

  Oregon public broadcasting recently announced that medical malpractice insurance rates are dropping in Oregon. Based upon statistics from the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services,...