Columbus Legal Blog

Your doctor is accountable for his or her medical diagnosis

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Thursday, November 8, 2018.

Even if you have some type of medical background, there is no expectation you will be able to properly diagnose yourself. That is part of a licensed medical doctor's job. When you seek medical examination because you are not feeling well, it is reasonable that you expect your doctor to be able to figure out the underlying cause of your ill health.

If, for some reason, your doctor feels that your condition is beyond his or her scope of ability, he or she may be able to recommend another means of medical support to help you obtain a correct diagnosis. What happens, however, if your doctor makes a diagnosis and it winds up being wrong? What if you suffer worse health because of it? Sadly, some Ohio medical patients have died when their doctors failed to properly diagnose their conditions.

Ohio surgeon mistakes: Leaving foreign objects in patient bodies

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Thursday, October 25, 2018.

If you're like most Ohio residents, at some point in your life, you've probably experienced a stomach ache. Perhaps you became bloated and were unsure what was causing your discomfort. Was it something you ate, or did you have an underlying health condition that was presenting adverse symptoms?

One of the last things you might expect to find regarding causes of stomach pain is a retained surgical object, forgotten inside your body. Sadly, this is one of the most common surgical errors in Ohio hospitals and others throughout the nation. You may have had surgery months (or more than a year) ago. However, if you have unexplained tummy discomfort, the two issues might be related.

Understanding common medical mistakes could protect you from harm

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Tuesday, October 9, 2018.

When you seek medical treatment in Ohio, you no doubt hope and expect that doctors will be able to correctly diagnose your condition and recommend and implement appropriate treatment to obtain as full a recovery as possible. Sometimes, medication is all that's needed to fight an infection, while other times, conditions may warrant surgery.

In either case, you entrust your health to licensed professionals and assume they will perform their duties according to the utmost level of accepted safety standards. What if that doesn't happen? Sadly, thousands of people suffer injury every year because of surgical errors and other medical negligence.

LV Obtains Largest Personal Injury Verdict in Ohio History

By Leeseberg & Valentine posted in Firm News on Wednesday, October 3, 2018.

On September 28, 2018, Gerald Leeseberg and the trial team at Leeseberg & Valentine obtained a $44.5 million verdict on behalf of Bradley Metts and his family. It is believed to be the largest verdict in Ohio history compensating an individual for injuries caused by negligent conduct. Bradley, who is now 14 years old, was injured when Athens Medical Lab failed to timely return stat laboratory blood tests causing a delay in diagnosis, which allowed a rare infection to progress from his ear to his brain. This infection caused significant pressure to build up in his head and resulted in a catastrophic brain injury. While Bradley is still cognitively intact and able to communicate, he is completely paralyzed and has no voluntary movements of any muscles other than those in his face and eyes - a condition known as "locked-in syndrome". Bradley requires 24/7/365 nursing care and this verdict will go a long way in helping him obtain the care he needs to keep him safe and thrive.

Diagnosing sepsis in pregnant or post-partum women is a challenge

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Friday, September 28, 2018.

Pregnancy and childbirth cause a vast amount of changes in a woman's body. Many of those changes can mimic the symptoms of medical conditions such as sepsis. This makes getting to the appropriate diagnosis in a timely manner a challenge for doctors.

Sepsis results from infections that cause the body to attack itself. If sepsis goes untreated, it could lead to death or serious health consequences for a survivor. Prior to giving birth, a pregnant woman's risk of contracting sepsis increases if she suffers from diabetes, invasive testing during pregnancy or invasive testing in order to get pregnant. However, those aren't the only risks.

Did your surgeon make a preventable error during your operation?

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Friday, September 14, 2018.

Going to the doctor may not be on your list of favorite pastimes, but it is something that you might find necessary at some point in your life. Especially if you, your spouse or one of your children are experiencing an ongoing health problem that requires specialized care. Perhaps a doctor has scheduled you to have, or you have recently undergone, surgery.

As a medical patient, you can reasonably expect that those to whom you entrust your care will act according to the highest level of accepted safety standards. The fact that many Ohio hospitals have understaffed, fatigued workers is an issue that may negatively affect your care, although it shouldn't. Such situations often lead to medical negligence, however, including surgical errors.

Was your hospital stay extended due to MRSA?

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Thursday, August 23, 2018.

You may have heard that there seems to be an epidemic of hospital-acquired infections in medical facilities across the country, including some here in Ohio. Perhaps you figured that since hospitals were aware of the problem, that automatically reduces your chances of contracting one of these superbug infections.

After finding yourself hospitalized after a surgery or due to some other health concern, you began feeling worse. By the time doctors diagnosed your condition, you required aggressive treatment for what most people know as MRSA.

Woman in Cleveland Dies While Riding Electric Scooter

By Leeseberg & Valentine posted in Injuries on Monday, August 20, 2018.

There is a reason so many ads are out there telling people to "Look Twice for Motorcycles". They are exposed and do not have all the safety features of a car. There are no airbags or seatbelts. If a motorcyclist is involved in an accident, the odds of it being serious are great. This same principle applies to the electric scooters popping up in cities across the country. These scooters, while a fun and convenient way to travel short distances, can be very dangerous - especially when sharing the road with other automobiles. Over the weekend, a young woman in Cleveland was struck and killed while operating one of these scooters. The crash happened around 10 p.m. on East 9th Street near St. Clair Avenue.

The most common cause of a perforated bowel is surgery

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Thursday, August 9, 2018.

One of the primary risks in any surgical procedure is that the surgeon will make a mistake. The mistake doesn't have to be big in order to put your life in jeopardy or leave you with permanent or debilitating injuries.

Something as simple as a surgeon nicking a portion of your bowel during an abdominal procedure could have devastating consequences to your health.

Bird, Lime deploy electric motorized scooters in Columbus

By Leeseberg & Valentine posted in Injuries on Wednesday, August 8, 2018.

Don't you know about the bird? No, we are not referring to the hit single by The Trashmen - we are talking about the new electric scooter craze popping up on city streets and sidewalks. This new mode of transportation is designed to provide another "last-mile" transportation option for those traveling short distances around the city. The scooters can be unlocked through a smartphone app for just $1 and an additional 15 cents per minute while riding. However, the costs of using these scooters can be much more severe if riders are not careful.