blog | Lane Brown, LLC

We found this video on a hospital website. We thought it was well done and will be adding it to our website. Considering that strokes kill almost 130,000 Americans a year (1 in every 19 deaths) and that strokes affect 795,000 people in the US every year….we thought it would be worthy of sharing. Not only will it be informative for the lay person, but it has a catchy tune.

If you or a family member suffers stroke-like symptoms….Remember to act FAST!

If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries as a result of an improperly managed stroke, we may be able to help. Contact the attorneys at Lane Brown, LLC now.

Can you imagine taking a trip to the emergency room to have some tingling in your arm or leg checked out and leaving several days later after having that limb amputated? Now, imagine that this sudden amputation was due to your birth control pill. Medical evidence shows the popular birth control pills Yaz, Yasmin, Ocella, and Beyaz have been linked to severe blood clots, which can have devastating effects on the body.

Patients who suffered injuries due to their birth control medication reported feeling extreme pain in affected limbs as well as a barely-detectable pulse. In some circumstances, very little can be done to save the affected limb once symptoms progress to a noticeable stage. A Chicago injury lawyer shares some of the dangerous side effects of Yaz, Yasmin, and other birth control pills:

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) – A blood clot that forms in the veins deep within the body-typically within the legs
Limb Ischaemia– A sudden lack of blood flow to a limb, which gradually causes limb death
Stroke – A rapid loss of brain function due to disruption of the blood supply to the brain
Pulmonary Embolism (PE) – A blood clot in the lungs, commonly resulting from DVT in the legs or pelvis
Heart Attack – Occurs when a section of the heart muscle doesn’t receive the proper blood supply due to blockage
Leg Ulcers – May occur as a result of limb ischaemia and become severely infected or gangrenous

All of these birth control pill complications can be potentially deadly—especially because typical birth control users have no reason to suspect these injuries might occur. If you have suffered an injury due to birth control pills, a medical error, or some other serious accident, a Chicago medical malpractice attorney at Lane Brown can help. Our compassionate and skilled attorneys will take the time to understand your injury, answer your questions, and advise you on your next legal steps—all during a free case consultation. Contact our office today at 312-332-1400. Our attorneys are standing by to help.

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A Chicago medical malpractice lawyer recently learned of a cross infection scare at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, dental office. Cross infection, the transfer of infection from one patient to another, can occur when healthcare workers fail to follow proper sanitation procedures. The attorneys at Lane Brown wanted to offer some tips to help you avoid contracting an infection the next time you go to the dentist.

As patients, we know very little about what goes on behind the scenes at our dentist’s office. After all, we cannot see much aside from the waiting room, the exam room, and the path between the two. The issue of cross-contamination is an invisible risk—your safety is entirely up to the dental professionals that you choose to trust. However, you are not powerless. You can help prevent a Chicago Dental Office Injury from happening to you. Following are five tips to help you discover just how clean your dentist’s office is:

Look around the office – Is it clean and organized? A cluttered and disorganized office could be an indication of the dentist’s sanitation practices.
Watch for gloves – Gloves are the first defense against infection. Every dentist and hygienist should wear them, changing gloves between each patient. Were the gloves taken from a dispenser? What surfaces did they touch prior to your mouth?
Check out the dental instruments – Instruments should be sterilized before use. Were they taken from sealed bags, evidence of sterilization in an autoclave? Were they sitting on a sterile tray or a dirty countertop? Do not be afraid to ask about the sterilization process.
Ask about autoclave validation report –Periodically, a third party sends the dental practice a batch of difficult-to-kill bacteria. The dental staff sterilizes the bacteria in the autoclave and sends the sample back to the third party to verify that the autoclave is working properly. A good dentist should be willing to show you the test results.
Ask questions – Dentists with strong infection control protocols should be more than willing to answer any questions you have about their procedures.

If you contracted a serious infection or suffered some other injury after a visit to the dentist, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. An experienced Chicago medical malpractice attorney at Lane Brown will examine the facts of your case, answer your questions, and help you to understand your legal options. Give us a call today at 312-332-1400 to schedule your free consultation. We are standing by to help.

Recent research conducted by the Erie Insurance Group shows that drivers who are “lost in thought” are more dangerous than those talking or texting on their cell phones. In fact, drivers who daydream while behind the wheel are reportedly five times more likely to be involved in a fatal car crash than those distracted by cell phones and other electronic devices.

The study results were based on the 65,000 fatal vehicle accidents that occurred over the past two years. Distracted driving was the cause of approximately ten percent (6,500) of these deadly accidents.

According to reports filed by law enforcement officials concerning these fatal crashes, daydreaming was the primary factor behind 62 percent of these accidents, as compared to the 12 percent caused by cell phone use.

Following are some of the dangers of daydreaming while driving:

Running stop signs, yield signs, and red lights
Swerving between lanes
Failing to recognize sharp turns in the road
Being unprepared to suddenly stop when a car in front abruptly brakes

We have all been behind the wheel, thinking about responsibilities at home, work, or school. These distractions take our minds away from the road and other drivers, and put everyone at risk of serious injury or death. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a car crash due to the negligence of another driver, a Chicago car wreck lawyer at Lane Brown, LLC may be able to help. Our skilled and compassionate attorneys will take the time to review your case, answer all of your questions, and help you to understand your legal options. Give us a call today at 312-332-1400 to schedule your free consultation. We will work tirelessly to help you obtain the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

Stories of so-called “Patient Dumping” have been in the news lately. Over the last year, several Chicago hospitals have been in the spotlight for alleged patient dumping schemes. Patient dumping is the practice of transporting patients to another facility without first providing adequate medical treatment or medical screening. Following are some of the things you need to know about patient dumping:

Hospitals that are fully capable of providing medical treatment to patients are turning patients away or simply transferring them to other medical care facilities.
Often, high medical care costs and a patient’s perceived inability to pay are the primary contributing factors to patient dumping. Hospitals face significant loss when they care for uninsured or underinsured patients. In anticipation of these costs, patients may be denied treatment or prematurely discharged from the hospital.
Patients with mental illness are frequently transported to other facilities like psychiatric centers, other hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, or even jails.
Hospitals that knowingly, willingly, or negligently fail to comply with legislation against this practice face penalties and the possible suspension of their Medicare Provider agreements.

Patient dumping is not only discriminatory toward the patients in need of medical care, but it is also extremely dangerous. Patients have suffered severe injuries and even death due to the practice.

If you have suffered a severe injury due to patient dumping or a medical error, contact a Chicago medical malpractice lawyer at Lane Brown for help. Our knowledgeable and compassionate attorneys will fight to obtain the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Contact our office today at 312-332-1400 to schedule your free consultation. We are standing by to help.

The National Transportation Safety Board voted to recommend to states that they lower the blood-alcohol content that constitutes drunk driving.

Currently, all 50 states have set a BAC level of .08, reflecting the percentage of alcohol, by volume, in the blood. If a driver is found to have a BAC level of .08 or above, he or she is subject to arrest and prosecution.

The NTSB recommends dropping that to a BAC level of .05.

Each year, nearly 10,000 people die in alcohol-related traffic accidents and 170,000 are injured, according to the NTSB. While that’s a big improvement from the 20,000 who died in alcohol-related accidents 30 years ago, it remains a consistent threat to public safety. Studies show that each year, roughly 4 million people admit to driving while under the influence of alcohol.

The recommendation prompted immediate criticism from restaurant trade groups. “This recommendation is ludicrous,” said Sarah Longwell, managing director of American Beverage Institute. “Moving from 0.08 to 0.05 would criminalize perfectly responsible behavior. Other comments included: “Further restricting the moderate consumption of alcohol by responsible adults prior to driving does nothing to stop hardcore drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel.”

The United States, Canada and Iraq are among a small handful of countries that have set the BAC level at .08. Most countries in Europe, including Russia, most of South America and Australia, have set BAC levels at .05 to constitute drunken driving. The lowering of blood-alcohol levels to .05 has worked where it’s been tried. When Australia dropped its BAC level from .08 to .05, provinces reported a 5-18 percent drop in traffic fatalities.

Even the lowered levels have been shown to cause drivers’ impairment. The NTSB reports that at .05 BAC, some drivers begin having difficulties with depth perception and other visual functions. At .07, cognitive abilities become impaired. At .05 BAC, the risk of having an accident increases by 39 percent. At .08 BAC, the risk of having an accident increases by more than 100 percent.

The NTSB believes that if all 50 states changed their standard to .05, nearly 1,000 lives could be saved each year. It is also considering other steps to help bring down the death rates on America’s roads.

The NTSB is an investigative agency that advocates on behalf of safety issues. It has no legal authority to order any change to state or federal law. It would be up to individual states whether to accept the NTSB’s recommendation, and up to the Department of Transportation whether to endorse the recommendations.

The last move from .10 to .08 BAC levels took 21 years for each state to implement.

If you or someone you know was injured in an alcohol or drug-related accident, the lawyers at Lane Brown, LLC will work with you as a team help you recover. Please contact us by calling Lane Brown at 312-332-1400, or on our website, at lanebrownlaw.com. We can help!