Ohio Personal Injury Law Blog

Justice Department files federal charges over defective product

On behalf of Colley Shroyer Abraham posted in Products Liability on Thursday, April 18, 2019.

When the average consumer purchases a product, they do so with the expectation that the item will perform in the manner described. Unfortunately, there have been many cases when a purchase resulted in significant damages or physical injury when the item malfunctioned. Currently, there are ongoing recalls for a defective product that could be in use in homes in Ohio.

Recently, the U.S. Justice Department filed federal charges against two company executives who are purportedly responsible for allowing the sale of Gree dehumidifiers that have been implicated in causes fires. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is urging consumers to check their devices against the recall lists in order to prevent further damages. There have been an estimated 500 fires that were caused by a dehumidifier overheating. It is estimated that these fires have resulted in more than $25 million in damages and the death of one family pet so far.

Serious medical mistake has tragic consequences

On behalf of Colley Shroyer Abraham posted in Medical Malpractice on Tuesday, April 9, 2019.

People in Ohio and around the nation tend to trust their doctors to deliver accurate medical information and certainly accurate test results. A diagnosis of cancer, while not always the death sentence it once was, is still frightening. In a recent case in another state a man received a cancer diagnosis and had surgery as a result of the diagnosis, only to then find out that he did not have cancer at all. A serious medical mistake led to the mishap.

The man went to the doctor with symptoms that could indicate prostate cancer, and so a biopsy was done. The man and his wife were told that he did have prostate cancer and the best option was to remove the prostate. The surgery was completed but not without complications. The man was left impotent and incontinent following the procedure. It was then discovered that his test results had been confused with another man's and the surgery had been completely unnecessary.

Lack of communication can be a factor in a medical mistake

On behalf of Colley Shroyer Abraham posted in Medical Malpractice on Thursday, April 4, 2019.

Humans are, by their nature, flawed beings. No one is perfect, and this extends to the medical community. Doctors make mistakes as they are only human. Sadly, in too many cases, a medical mistake can have serious or catastrophic consequences. A recent study showed that a disproportionate number of mistakes in Ohio and around the country involved children.

The study revealed that communication, or lack of clear communication, contributed to many of the cases. This included communication between doctors, specialists and lab personnel as well as between doctors and parents. Failure to communicate test results and inadequate communication between doctors and parents regarding post-traumatic home care both contributed to patient misdiagnoses, which then resulted in medical claims.

Impaired driving may have contributed to interstate crash

On behalf of Colley Shroyer Abraham posted in Drunk Driving Accidents on Thursday, March 28, 2019.

The interstate highway system exists in part to move a large amount of traffic in one direction fairly quickly. Wrong-way and do-not-enter signs are posted on interstate exit ramps in an attempt to prevent cars from entering an interstate while moving in the wrong direction. Sadly, cars still end up on the wrong side of the interstate, driving against traffic and sometimes with tragic results. One such crash, that may have involved impaired driving, happened recently in Ohio.

A family of three was recently traveling south on I-75 near Moraine when they encountered a vehicle traveling north. The northbound vehicle struck the southbound vehicle head-on. The force of the impact caused fatal injuries to all three of the occupants of the southbound vehicle, one of whom was a 10-year-old-girl.

Excessive dose of painkillers leads to a medical malpractice case

On behalf of Colley Shroyer Abraham posted in Medical Malpractice on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

Physical pain is hard to live with and can be severely debilitating. It can interfere with one's ability to work and live on a day-to-day basis. Combating pain is a major focus of modern medicine. While a doctor's mission is to help heal and relieve pain, a doctor also takes an oath to cause no harm. A doctor in Ohio is being sued for medical malpractice related to pain medication.

The doctor had prescribed pain medication for a 64-year-old woman in his care in a Columbus hospital. The woman allegedly died as a result of an excessive dose of painkillers. The doctor in question is accused of ordering large doses of pain medication for dozens of patients under his care.

Slowing down can reduce the chance of a car accident

On behalf of Colley Shroyer Abraham posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, March 14, 2019.

The hurried pace at which so many people live their lives never seems to slow down. With children's schedules, work days that never end due to constant availability, and the rush to get from point A to point B, drivers are becoming more and more impatient and hurried in Ohio. This can increase the likelihood of being involved in a car accident.

In a recent crash in Hancock County, three people were killed and two injured in a head-on crash. One of the injured was a 1-year-old girl. The accident happened when a vehicle lost control rounding a curve and drifted into the oncoming lane, causing the car to collide with a pickup truck coming from the opposite direction. The people who died were all pronounced dead at the scene. The injured, a woman and the 1-year-old girl, were transported to Blanchard Valley Hospital with their conditions unknown.

Medical mistake in nursing home may end in civil suit

On behalf of Colley Shroyer Abraham posted in Medical Malpractice on Thursday, March 7, 2019.

Entrusting one's loved ones to the care of a nursing home can be a gut wrenching decision. When older parents or relatives can no longer be successfully cared for at home in Ohio it can seem to be the best choice. One trusts the nursing home staff to take care of the person and administer medical care or assistance as needed. When this does not happen, it can lead to a potential medical mistake that may have a tragic outcome.

In a recent case in an Ohio nursing home, nurses are facing multiple charges, including patient neglect, manslaughter and falsifying patient records. The charges are in connection with the care and severe illness of two patients who were under the nurse's care. One of the patients subsequently died.

Winter weather can contribute to the cause of a car accident

On behalf of Colley Shroyer Abraham posted in Car Accidents on Monday, February 25, 2019.

Winter weather driving can be hazardous. This is particularly true in places such as Ohio where weather can change quickly and is somewhat unpredictable. The chance of a car accident occurring in such conditions is an ever-present danger. Most drivers are aware of this and exercise appropriate caution when driving in the snow. However, sometimes, the other driver is not as cautious, and a car crash can result.

A crash occurred in Stark County recently that is believed to have been weather related. It happened about 10:00 a.m. on a recent morning. According to police reports, a car was driving west on when a vehicle travelling east lost control and crossed over into the oncoming lane. The road was partially snow covered at the time.

Medical mistake may have contributed to patient's death

On behalf of Colley Shroyer Abraham posted in Medical Malpractice on Tuesday, February 19, 2019.

Americans are living longer and more productive lives than their ancestors. Ailments and disease that may have led to death in the past are now successfully treated and often cured. As a result, people are living longer, but not necessarily better. The body can begin to fail and require round the clock care that causes a person to be admitted to a nursing home. While many such facilities in Ohio and around the country offer excellent levels of care, some do fall short, and a medical mistake in one such facility may have contributed to the death of a patient.

A man was admitted to the facility, and his medical history showed that he was prone to bed sores. He did not have any sores at the time of his admission to the facility. Bed sores can be prevented by ensuring the patient does not remain in one position for too long and also by keeping skin clean and dry.

Defective product responsible for dog illnesses and deaths

On behalf of Colley Shroyer Abraham posted in Products Liability on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

Dogs are considered man's best friend. Most dog owners consider their pets to be part of the family in Ohio. Hundreds of families around the state and around the country have been mourning the loss of a canine family member in recent days. The cause is believed to have come from a defective product that owners were feeding their pets.

Science Diet dog food is a brand familiar to many pet owners and frequently recommended by veterinarians. A pet owner in Lakewood gave her dog Science Diet after her vet recommended it after the dog developed an illness a couple of years ago. The canine had done well on the food until recently, but then he began losing weight, developed an unquenchable thirst and had trouble walking. The symptoms corresponded to those associated with vitamin D poisoning, and the dog died as a result of the symptoms he experienced. The food maker's Facebook page had hundreds of stories posted that were similar to this one.