Georgia Injury Law Blog

Connecticut has just seen what’s being heralded as the largest medical malpractice verdict in state history, with the parents of 8-year-old Daniel D’Attilo being awarded $58 million on his behalf. As an Atlanta injury lawyer, I can tell you that although Georgia has seen substantial verdicts against doctors in these cases, I cannot recall a verdict of this size against a single physician. The damages stem from their obstetrician’s decision to delay their son’s delivery back in 2003. The young D’Attilo now suffers from cerebral palsy due to brain injuries sustained when the practitioner waited days after Cathy D’Attilo’s amniotic fluid dropped before performing a botched Caesarian section, claim attorneys for the family. Of the damages awarded, $8 million is designated to cover medical expenses, while the remainder was awarded to the family for pain and suffering.

In a statement to the Associated Press, the doctor’s attorney, James Rosenblum, indicated that the jury's decision was made more out of sympathy than evidence and suggested that his client would appeal what he called a “shocking verdict.” Other physicians have voiced concerns that this verdict will deter doctors from taking on high-risk cases like this one in the future.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, cerebral palsy is a lifelong disorder, often requiring long-term care. Although its causes are not always discernable, symptoms usually appear before a child turns 2 and, in rare cases, as early as 3 months. Cerebral palsy is caused by injuries or abnormalities of the brain and often manifests as impairment to nervous system functions such as movement, learning, hearing, seeing and thinking.

Most of these problems occur as the baby develops in the womb, but they can also happen at any time during the first 2 years of life and, in many cases, are not preventable. Sometimes, parts of the brain are injured due to a restricted flow of oxygen (hypoxia). While it is not known why this occurs, increased occurrences following childbirth are prompting calls for an increase in proper prenatal care.

As this verdict suggests, persons who have been the victim of medical malpractice are entitled to recover damages for past and future medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. Atlanta medical malpractice attorneys know that it is important to pursue such claims as soon as possible, due to the complexity of medical malpractice actions.

Posted By Robert Katz In Burn Injury , Medical Malpractice | 0 Comments Permalink

A worker at a wastewater treatment plant in Hall County has suffered serious burn injuries in an electrical accident this week. This type of accident generally results in a complex workers compensation claim. The workers compensation insurance company often launches an immediate investigation to determine if there is any basis to deny the claim. The insurance company will then work hard to direct the person’s care to limit their financial exposure in the matter. As Atlanta workers compensation attorneys are well aware, it is important for workers injured in severe accidents to obtain counsel as soon as reasonably possible.

Also, this type of accident often results in a personal injury claim against a third party. For instance, the injuries may have resulted from a defective product or the negligence of a third party who previously worked on the device. Accordingly, a worker should make certain that the incident is thoroughly investigated for any potential third party personal injury claim.

The man, an electrician, was apparently the employee of a subcontractor, and was working at the County- owned Spout Springs Water Reclamation Facility when the electrical panel he was working on, exploded. The man suffered serious burn injuries, and was rushed to the Grady Memorial Hospital, one of the premier burn treatment facilities in the country.

According to the Hall County Fire Department, the worker was trying to locate some blown fuses, when the electrical accident caused a flash fire. As a result of the flash fire, the worker sustained second-degree burns to his arms and hands. The man was an employee of MacArthur Electric.

Burn injuries are some of the most common injuries sustained in an electrical accident. Electrical burn injuries may have deeper surface penetration, and may be much more serious than other kinds of burns in the workplace. The risk of serious electrical accidents and burn injuries may exist everywhere-from the workplace to your home. Burns may be caused due to the use of defective electrical tools, appliances or other electrical products. If these products have exposed or loose wiring or malfunctioning components, a user may be at a high risk of an electrical shock. 

Burn injuries in the workplace typically involve workers who work in close proximity to power lines and sources of electricity, like electricians. Construction workers may also be at a high risk of electrical accidents, because of malfunctioning tools. Besides, crane operators may be at a high risk of electrocution from contact with high-voltage overhead power lines.

The Atlanta Workers Compensation lawyers at the Katz Law Firm represent victims injured in workplace accidents across Georgia.

Posted By Robert Katz In Burn Injury , Workers Compensation | 0 Comments Permalink

A team of doctors at a Massachusetts hospital announced that they had completed the country's first full face transplant. The recipient of the transplant was a 25-year-old construction worker, who had been left horribly injured and disfigured after an electrocution accident in 2008. With the surgery being declared a success, and the military investing millions of dollars in facial transplant research, Atlanta personal injury attorneys believe that this transplant signifies even greater possibilities for the treatment of victims of traumatic injury.

The construction worker had had his nose, lips and much of his face destroyed after the accident. He had been left disfigured and unrecognizable. After the family of a brain-dead young man came forward to donate his face, doctors decided to perform a transplant on the worker. The surgery took a total of 15 hours, and doctors worked to attach a nose, lips, skin, muscles and nerves on his face. The new face hasn't been revealed yet, but doctors have confirmed the success of the surgery.

The cost of the surgery was borne by the American military, which has pumped millions of dollars into face transplant research. The military is investing in possible treatment and rehabilitation options for soldiers who return from combat duty with horribly disfiguring injuries. 

As Atlanta personal injury lawyers however, we also believe that the transplant could be what victims of traumatic injury, including those who suffer through a ferocious dog bite, or suffer severe facial burn injuries, need. It's still too early to tell what kind of victims may be eligible for facial transplants like the one performed here, but the potential for a much better quality of life for traumatic injury victims is definitely encouraging.

Posted By Robert Katz In Burn Injury | 0 Comments Permalink

During some of the freezing winter days that Atlanta personal injury lawyers and residents suffered over the past few months, cars with seat heaters seemed akin to a blessing from above. However, there are serious burn injury risks linked to the car seat heaters found in many popular auto models. The burn injury risk is especially significant for the disabled and physically challenged persons. Car accidents may happen, but this is a preventable injury.

In fact, just about every other auto manufacturer has, at some point, recalled car seat heaters for malfunctioning. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has never found the need to act on incidents where the car seat heaters have heated to levels beyond human tolerance. Now, a group of safety advocates has asked the federal administration to look closer at defective and malfunctioning car seat heaters that have caused serious burn injuries.

The risk of burn injuries from defective car seat heaters is the highest among the disabled and physically challenged. These people may have limited or no sensation in their lower limbs, which means that when a car seat heater heats up to dangerously high levels, the person only finds out that he's being burnt when it is too late. Some of these people have ended up with third-degree burns.  Currently, there are no federal standards in place for car seat heaters, and that has meant consumers are using seat heaters that are not required to meet any safety standards.  Very often, car seat heaters do not come with a switch on/off mechanism that allows a person to switch off the heater when it is warming up to intolerable levels. 

Now, safety advocates have sent a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, calling on them to treat this issue with the seriousness it deserves. They are specifically calling on the AAM to establish a maximum temperature for car seat heaters, and install automatic timers that switch off the heater when it becomes too hot. 

Posted By Robert Katz In Burn Injury , Product Liability | 0 Comments Permalink

Last week, the American Burn Association commemorated National Burn Awareness Week, to highlight the dangers to children and adults from fire and burn hazards. Although the focus of the American Burn Association tends to be towards household burn hazards, Atlanta injury attorneys often come across victims who have suffered serious burn injuries in car accidents, truck accidents, and workplace accidents.

Burn injuries are easily some of the most traumatic injuries that a person can suffer. A burn injury victim can expect severe pain over the short-term, and scarring, paralysis and impaired nerve function over the long-term. The hours and days after a serious burn injury can be critical for a patient. In such cases, the skin may have been severely burned down to the deeper layers, and the patient may be at a high risk of infections.

Once the patient is discharged from the hospital, he or she could be looking at a long period of taking care of the injury and the wound site. The patient will have to be on medication for a few weeks, and will be asked to be on plenty of fluids. The injury site will be cleaned periodically, and, patients will have to take care to avoid contamination of the wound.

Patients may also need occupational and physical therapy, because of the risk of muscle weakness and joint stiffness after an injury. The return of normal function of the muscles and tendons may depend on what kind of burn injuries the person has suffered. Patients with severe burns may also require cosmetic surgery to restore the normal appearance of the skin.

Burn injuries can involve not just short term medical expenses, but also sustained therapy, rehabilitation, surgery and medication costs over the long term too. Your accident claim therefore should factor in these costs too.

Posted By Robert Katz In Burn Injury | 0 Comments Permalink