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Who Is Responsible When Nurse Malpractice Causes a Brain Injury?

You went in for a procedure, hospital stay, or even just routine medical care, but you left with a serious brain injury and suspect the nurse who cared for you might have made a mistake that caused it. Who is legally responsible for what happened to you?

While families can seek justice for medical mistakes or negligence on the part of a nurse or member of the team caring for their loved one, there is a complicated legal process involved—even before you’ve made any decisions about how to move forward. Before you start determining responsibility for a brain injury, you have to look at the basics. Unfortunately, state laws can vary, and it usually takes a skilled legal analysis to determine:

If the nurse made a mistake that is considered malpractice under the law
If you have grounds for a lawsuit.

Even if it is determined that your family has a potential case, there are a number of potential people who may hold the legal responsibility for a nurse’s mistake, including:

The nurse
The hospital or facility
The doctor or medical supervisor the nurse was working under at the time

Again, this process is confusing, and most patients struggle to make sense of it. Just remember that you can get specific answers about responsibility in a medical malpractice case by speaking directly with an experienced legal representative.

It’s normal to feel confused and overwhelmed after you have been hurt by a medical provider you trusted with your health, but you don’t have to keep wondering how to get help. Request a free copy of our eye-opening book, What to Do If You Have Been Injured by Your Doctors or Hospital, or contact our law firm right now by using the live-chat service on this page.

Truck Accident Victims Need to Collect Witness Information as Soon as Possible

Statements from witnesses to a truck accident can help victims establish what happened and why they were injured. Unfortunately, by the time most victims realize that it would be helpful to talk with witnesses, they’ve already disappeared and may be impossible to track down. While an attorney can help your family find witnesses to the truck accident that injured you and collect their statements, you can avoid a lot of complications by getting witness information at the scene, including:

Full names
Contact phone numbers
Mailing addresses and emails
When they arrived at the scene, where they were located, and what they were doing at the time
A short statement about what they saw before, during, and after the wreck

Depending on what is easiest for you or the family member helping you, you can ask witnesses to write this information down or even ask to record their information using your smartphone’s video capabilities. If you’re unable to talk to witnesses before the scene of the accident has been cleared, don’t lose hope. It may be possible to enlist an attorney’s help in locating important evidence, including potential witnesses who saw what happened.

If you have been involved in a serious truck accident, there’s only so much you can do to protect yourself and make sure you’re able to pursue the compensation your family deserves. Don’t wait any longer to talk with an experienced attorney who can help you understand your rights and take action against reckless truckers and negligent trucking companies.

Vision Zero Programs Around the World Aim to Eliminate Traffic Deaths

Vision Zero is a safety program that aims to reduce traffic deaths to zero. The program, which went into effect in Sweden in 1997, quickly started spreading to other countries and major cities around the world, including:

Netherlands
United Kingdom
New York
Boston
San Francisco

Multiple governments and organizations have increased efforts and produced long-term plans for reducing traffic deaths and injuries, and Vision Zero programs are currently at work right here in Chicago at the state and city levels.

Implementation of “Vision Zero” Values in Chicago

The basic idea of Vision Zero is that all traffic accidents are preventable if governments take responsibility for researching, assessing, educating, and acting out plans that make transportation of all kinds safer for residents. As a result, cities are urged to look at all the factors that contribute to traffic safety and make practical plans for funding and implementing changes. Here are two local efforts to make zero deaths a reality:

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) joined the Vision Zero movement in 2012. As a part of its commitment to eliminate traffic deaths by 2022, CDOT released a detailed action plan that included everything from better pedestrian signals to revitalizing medians. Research and planning has already begun, and residents have started to see parts of the plan implemented across the city.
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) also committed to creating safer transportation in the state with its “Driving Zero Fatalities to a Reality” program. It focuses on increased enforcement efforts, better communication with the public, and educational programs for motorists.

For more information about traffic safety and the legal rights of victims, join our legal team on Facebook or contact us directly.

Recognize the Warning Signs of an Inappropriate Relationship With a Coach

It’s not clear how many instances of child sex abuse by coaches and sports instructors go unreported, but it is clear that the abuse of youth athletes is more widespread than most people might believe. However, parents can protect their children by learning what signs to watch for—both in children and the adults they trust.

Potential Signs of Abuse in Young Athletes

It’s not always easy to recognize the signs of sexual abuse in a child, and some signs could have unrelated causes. However, children often exhibit one or more of the following signals when sexual abuse occurs:

Nightmares and sleep disturbance
Sudden changes in mood or behavior
Mood swings
Acting out adult sexual behaviors
Physical complaints, such as urinary tract infections, pain, or bruising

Potentially Suspicious Behavior by Coaches and Adults in Youth Sports Programs

Many sexual abusers don’t fit stereotypes, and it’s often hard for parents to believe that a respected coach or educator may be hurting children. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children recommends that parents pay attention to the following warning signs of an inappropriate relationship with a coach or instructor:

Makes an effort to schedule private practices or spend unsupervised time with children
Makes physical contact with children when not necessary for training
Gives special attention or gifts to a favorite child or children
Jokes about, talks about, or shares sexually explicit information with youth teams
Compliments or harasses children about appearance or sexual development

If you suspect your child has been sexually abused by a coach, you need personalized answers about your rights and what happens next. Reach out to our legal office today for a free and confidential meeting with our experienced attorneys.

Too Much or Not Enough: Your Medical Treatment Should Be “Just Right”

While doctors on television and in the movies may go to extremes in treating their patients, real doctors need to balance treatment with a patient’s needs and risks. If a doctor, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, or another medical provider goes to extremes in real life, there’s a real chance of serious injuries—or even the death of a patient. This includes both ends of the treatment spectrum, whether a care provider is:

Too aggressive. Whether you are coping with a chronic condition like diabetes or coming in with new concerns, you may appreciate that your doctor is doing everything possible to care for you. However, if a doctor is overly aggressive in treating you, it could mean that you’re taking too many medications, suffering through needless or risky tests and procedures, and damaging your health.
Not aggressive enough. On the other hand, a doctor who doesn’t follow up on your concerns and test results or doesn’t seem to hear your medical complaints may miss serious conditions until they cause major complications or become impossible to treat effectively.

It’s a physician’s duty to find the right balance for each patient’s care, and doctors need to have a good reason to stray from accepted medical protocols and treatment options. Although it may not be easy to find a “happy medium,” doctors need to take steps to make sure that they’re being proactive without being unnecessarily aggressive.

Do you have questions about a surgical injury or potential medical mistake? Get answers by reading our free book, What to Do If You Have Been Injured by Your Doctors or Hospital, or using the live-chat service on this page to connect with a member of our team.

Reports of Traffic Safety in Illinois for 2014 Show Mix of Tragedy and Hope

Eyes across the state of Illinois turned to traffic safety issues numerous times in 2014—sometimes with grief, but sometimes with hope for a better future. Here’s a summary of some of the biggest stories from last year and a little information about efforts toward changes that could support greater safety and fewer fatalities on our roads in 2015.

Cars and Trucks

While there was a decrease in fatal car accidents statewide in 2014, accidents around Chicago and across the state still took lives, caused injuries, and made headlines throughout the year. Prominent educational programs targeted Illinois drivers, and many agencies launched efforts against distraction, fatigue, and other dangerous or reckless driving behaviors. In light of the highly publicized truck wreck that injured actor Tracy Morgan and a tragic accident that took the life of a much-loved member of Chicago’s theatre community, truck accidents and trucking safety were especially under scrutiny last year.

Nationwide attention was also turned to potentially dangerous issues with vehicles and roadways that are beyond the driver’s control, including increased questions about potentially deadly Trinity guardrails and safety issues with Takata airbags.

Motorcycles

According to data from the Illinois Department of Transportation, motorcycle fatalities also decreased in 2014, dropping by nearly 30 percent compared to 2013 for the period between January and July. Although it’s been argued that the decrease might be partially due to having fewer registered motorcyclists on the road, some have pointed to a change in Illinois speed-limit laws last year that may make rural interstates safer for motorcycles.

Bikes and Pedestrians

The tragic number of bike and pedestrian deaths received a lot of attention in 2014—and with good reason. Illinois already ranks fifth in the nation for bicycle deaths, and reports showed an increase in pedestrian deaths compared to 2013. Multiple efforts are being made to reduce those numbers as we enter 2015, including:

Chicago’s Vision Zero program has committed to a goal to eliminate pedestrian traffic deaths by 2022, with a special focus on the risk of pedestrian fatalities when a driver is speeding.
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced a plan to study the safety of cyclists and pedestrians in District One, which includes Cook, DuPage, Lake, McHenry, Kane, and Will Counties. IDOT brought on Primera to help fill research gaps and look at a number of potential safety strategies, such as protected and buffered bike lanes, bike traffic signals, pedestrian scrambles, better crosswalk signals, high-tech pedestrian signals, and more.
The Illinois Bike Transportation Plan, released by IDOT, continued its efforts toward making safe biking a reality across the state and providing long-term planning to accommodate cyclists.

Bus and Rail Commuters

Although commuters using the CTA may be safer than drivers on Chicago’s roads, there were still a number of notable accidents and injuries involving mass transportation in 2014:

While formal investigations were launched into these mass-transit incidents, and some changes—like the planned rebuilding of Blue Line stations—were made, it could be a long wait for other rail-industry changes that might keep passengers safer.

What kinds of traffic and safety changes would you like to see in Illinois in the coming year? Share your comments with our team below, or connect with us on Facebook for regular updates throughout 2015.