Georgia Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Abuses with Stents Rampant

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Stent are metal mesh devices implanted with catheters that open up clogged blood vessels, and they have been implanted into seven million patients in the last ten years, with researchers saying as many as 1/3 of those stents being unnecessary. Eleven hospitals across the US have now settled civil allegations of needless stenting and wrongdoing. Our Atlanta medical malpractice attorneys have been following this issue, and saw a case of a Georgia catheterization clinic, or “cath lab, that harmed and even caused the death of patients without the hospital taking any steps.

The instance in Georgia involved Judi Gary, who was a patient at Satilla Regional Medical Center in Waycross, Georgia, in 2005. Najam Azmat attempted to put a catheter in Ms. Gary to put in a stent in an artery which supplies blood to the pelvis and right leg. Nurses in the room, including Evan Gourley, saw blood on the x-ray monitor. When this was pointed out, Azmat claimed there was nothing wrong. Gourley left in disgust after the nurses requested a different vascular surgeon step in, which was refused. It turned out that Azmat had tore Ms. Gary’s aorta. Gourley went to the administrators of the hospital, who had apparently already received seven such reports about Azmat, but they continued to let Azmat work. And one of his later patients died.

Ruth Minter was at Satilla in January 2006 when Azmat attempted to put a stent in an artery near one of her kidneys. He punctured the wall of the kidney in the process and Ms. Minter died 17 days later after massive blood loss. Perhaps worst of all, in a review of the case it was found Ms. Minter didn’t even need the stent that, in addition to Azmat’s negligence, cost her her life. A surgeon who reviewed her case for a lawsuit filed by her family against Azmat and the hospital said, “People who should have and could have saved Mrs. Minter’s life were too interested in having Dr. Azmat continue to do procedures and make money for the hospital to do the right thing.Research into the Satilla Regional Medical Center show the efforts that hospital administrators went to to keep their cath lab open, even in the face of untold patient injuries.

What Victims of Drunk Driving Accidents Need To Know

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Drunk driving is illegal, and has serious consequences. A driver who is drunk could cause accidents to happen, injuring or killing himself or other innocent motorists on the road. If you are involved in an accident with a drunk driver, you need to know what happens in the crash aftermath. An Atlanta drunk driving accident lawyer can provide you with assistance in pursuing legal action to hold the intoxicated motorist responsible for the harm you have experienced.

What Happens After an Atlanta DUI Accident?

After an Atlanta DUI accident, the police should be called. A law enforcement officer can come to the scene of the collision. If the police believe that intoxication played a role in causing the collision to happen, or if the accident was a serious or fatal one, toxicology testing may be performed on the involved drivers. Police will follow Georgia laws on when a breathalyzer or other blood alcohol concentration test can be administered on motorists, so police may need to get a warrant depending upon the circumstances.

Augusta, Georgia Truck Accident Attorneys

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

An Augusta, Georgia Truck Accident can cause serious injuries or the death of a loved one. If you or someone in your family was hurt in a truck accident, you have legal rights under Georgia law. Contact the experienced Georgia Truck Accident Attorneys at Van Sant Law, LLC, today toll free at (855) 424-6587 for help making a case and recovering the compensation you deserve. While we are based in Atlanta, we handle cases throughout Georgia and have handled many in the Augusta CSRA area. Furthermore, if we determine that you have a viable truck accident case, we will come to you for a personal face to face meeting.

Augusta, GA Truck AccidentsAugusta, Georgia lies on the Georgia €“ South Carolina border and is located at the head of the navigable portion of the Savannah River. With an estimated population of 556,877 as of the 2010 census, Augusta is the third-largest city in Georgia and is the second largest metro area, following only Atlanta.

Because Augusta is such a large and bustling city, trucks come into the area to deliver goods and raw materials every day. When trucks travel on the roads of Augusta, there is a risk of a serious truck accident occurring if drivers are negligent or fail to properly maintain their tractor trailers.

Which Baby Products are Most Likely to Cause Injuries in Atlanta?

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Every eight minutes, a young baby under the age of three is involved in an accident as a result of an issue with a baby product, according to Scientific American. Each year, an estimated 66,000 kids get hurt due to some type of accident that occurs while a baby product is being used. This is a huge number of infants who may need expensive medical care and who could suffer permanent damage or even be killed as a result of injuries sustained in an accident.

Atlanta product defect lawyer Van Sant Law

Parents need to be aware of what the risks are, and also of how the law protects them and their children. If the accident which occurs is caused by a problem with the baby product, parents have legal options. A parent could pursue a claim on behalf of a child who was injured due to a defective baby product. This lawsuit could make it possible for parents to get the money they need to provide the best care for an injured baby. An Atlanta defective product lawyer can help parents to determine if they might have a case and can fight for parents to get full compensation if their son or daughter was hurt due to a product defect.

Which Baby Products Caused the Most Atlanta Injuries?

Atlanta, Georgia Workers' Compensation Attorneys – Spinal Cord Injuries

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

As Atlanta, Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorneys, we know that when involved in a workplace accident or injured at work, getting a diagnosis of a severe spinal cord injury can be devastating. Spinal cord injuries can often mean complete and total paralysis or partial paralysis, and there is no known cure for spinal cord injuries that will get you back on your feet. This means that when a spinal cord injury happens as a result of a work-related accident, the injury can change your whole life.

Because spinal cord injuries have such serious consequences, it is imperative you speak with an Atlanta, Georgia Workers’ Compensation Lawyer as soon as your doctor indicates that you may have suffered a severe spinal cord injury. Workers’ compensation benefits should be available to provide the medical care you need, as well as to provide income to help support you and your family if your disability prevents you from working. An experienced Atlanta, Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorney will help to make sure you get the full extent of the benefits available under Georgia workers’ compensation laws.

Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries in Workplace Accidents

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

As Atlanta, Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorneys, we have seen the devastating effects that Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) can have on our clients. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) are disorders of the nervous system that can cause significant pain and have a major impact on your work and your life. Unfortunately, both RSD and CRPS are progressive conditions that require prompt treatment and, unfortunately, it can be difficult to prove the severity of both conditions.

If you have developed either reflex sympathetic dystrophy or complex regional pain syndrome as a direct result of performance of work tasks, your employer is responsible for paying for your medical care through workers’ compensation. Atlanta, Georgia workers’ compensation should also provide you with lost wages as well as with disability benefits if your nervous-system disorder renders you unable to work.

Because of the importance of getting prompt treatment as well as the severity of both RSD and CRPS, it is imperative that you consult with an experienced Atlanta, Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorney as soon as possible if you are suffering from one of these conditions. The Atlanta, Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorneys at Van Sant Law, LLC have extensive experience representing victims or RSD and CRPS and helping them to obtain workers’ compensation benefits for their debilitating conditions.

Atlanta, Georgia Workers' Compensation Attorneys – Hip Injuries from Work Accidents

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

As Atlanta, Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorneys, we have seen first hand just how devastating a hip injury can be. Your hip, made up of the ilium, femoral head and neck, and femur, is one of the body’s most stable joints. The hip also bears more of your body’s weight than any of the other joint in your body. Because of the important role the hip plays in mobility, injuries to the hip can be especially devastating. They can also take a long time to heal and in some cases, depending on your age and the extent of the injury, they may never fully recover.

When a hip injury is sustained at work, you may be entitled to benefits through Atlanta, Georgia Workers’ Compensation. Workers’ Compensation is a comprehensive worker protection system in which employers purchase insurance on employees and workers’ comp insurers pay benefits when workers are injured. Workers’ Compensation is supposed to make sure you don’t suffer financial loss from a work-injury, but it doesn’t always work perfectly since problems can occur when filing a claim or employers and insurers can behave in a dishonest way.

If you have suffered a hip injury and want to make sure you get the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve, it is imperative you consult with an Atlanta, Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorney as soon as possible after your injury has occurred.

Atlanta, Georgia Workers' Compensation Attorneys – Hand, Wrist, Elbow and Arm Injuries

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

As Atlanta, Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorneys, we understand just how devastating a work injury to your hands, wrist, elbow or arm can be. Hand, wrist, elbow and arm injuries can be devastating because they impact not only your ability to work in almost any type of job but also your ability to do even the most basic of life tasks. Without your upper extremities, you cannot lift things, carry things, touch or pick up things. Injuries to the hand, wrist, elbow or arm can also be extremely painful, in addition to being disabling.

If you suffer injuries to the hands, wrist, elbow or arm as a result of performing your job, your employer may be responsible for paying for your costs. If your injury has caused you to be limited in the type of work that you do or unable to do any work at all, then your employer may also have to pay for lost wages and disability benefits. The compensation for work injuries is available through workers’ compensation programs.

If you have experienced any type of injury at work to your hand, wrist, elbow, arm or other body part, it is important to contact an Atlanta, Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorney as soon as possible. There are strict deadlines to follow when making work injury claims, and even when you do everything right, employers and insurers don’t always provide the full compensation they are supposed to. For all of these reasons, it pays to have an Atlanta, Georgia Workers’ Compensation Lawyer on your side.

Are Atlanta Patients at Risk of Injury in Stem Cell Clinics?

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Currently, there are around 570 clinics throughout the United States which promise patients they can reduce pain, improve healing, and high all sorts of serious medical conditions including serious illnesses such as Alzheimer's and muscular dystrophy. These clinics tell consumers they can fix their serious health issues through the use of stem cell therapy. According to Scientific American, around 351 U.S. companies are marketing these stem cell clinics directly to consumers. The problem is, their marketing materials may be dishonest, and the clinics themselves often cannot actually live up to the hype. In a worst-case scenario, the clinics actually cause harm instead of helping.

How can this happen? The issue is the stem cell clinics currently fall into a regulatory grey area and the federal government needs to do more to ensure these clinics are safe. The Food and Drug Administration has already issued draft guidance aimed at improving regulatory efforts, and there has been extensive demand by interested parties to provide comments on the FDA's proposal. It is not yet clear, though, if the FDA will actually be able to move forward with the new rules which would make reigning in stem cell clinics possible by giving the FDA authority to regulate them in a similar way to the FDA's regulation of biological drugs.

Regardless of what the FDA does or doesn't do, anyone who receives treatment at a stem cell clinic should know his or her rights in case a problem occurs. An Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer can provide assistance in pursuing a case to get compensation if something goes wrong and a stem cell therapy clinic causes harm.

Atlanta, Georgia Workers' Compensation Attorneys – Catastrophic Workplace Injury

Published on: March 20, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

As Atlanta, Georgia Workers' Compensation Attorneys, we understand that any workplace injury can be devastating. However, certain injuries are just more serious than others. For purposes of Atlanta, Georgia workers' compensation, injuries are divided into two types: catastrophic injuries and non-catastrophic injuries. Catastrophic injuries are permanent and life-changing and may cause death or render you unable to ever go back to your old work and your old life.

The workers' compensation benefits available to those who suffer a catastrophic injury differ than the benefits that workers' compensation provides to those with more minor injuries. Unfortunately, because the costs of paying benefits for catastrophic injuries is often very high, many employers will try to downplay the extent of the injury or even look for reasons to deny your claim or reduce your benefits.

With so much at stake in catastrophic injury situations, it is very important that you have a dedicated Atlanta, Georgia Workers' Compensation Attorney representing you and looking out for your interests.