Columbus Legal Blog

Driver negligence plus collision may equal neck or spine injuries

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Friday, August 30, 2019.

While it wouldn't be technically correct to say other drivers are responsible for your safety when you travel Ohio roadways, it's a fact that every licensed driver is legally obligated to adhere to traffic laws and safety regulations. Therefore, if a nearby driver is negligent, it places you and all others in the vicinity at risk for serious injury.

Many Ohio motor vehicle accidents result in neck or spinal injuries. Traumatic cervical syndrome (TCS) is a neck injury-induced biological and neurological problem. It doesn't necessarily require severe neck trauma to occur, and also doesn't mean that the sudden impact of a particular collision had to cause a whipping motion of the neck. If you're involved in a collision, it's critical that you know where to seek support, especially if you're experiencing TCS symptoms.

Preparing for surgery in an Ohio hospital?

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Friday, August 16, 2019.

You only get one life and that's why staying as healthy as possible is so important. Most Ohio residents can relate to minor health problems from time to time. You might get a bad cold or even suffer from the flu or another illness or infection. Some situations may prompt a need for surgery. If you've never had surgery, it's understandable that you might feel worried and concerned about the surgeon and medical team to whom you will be entrusting your care.

In a perfect world, you'd schedule your surgery, have the procedure and enjoy a swift and full recovery. In reality, medical negligence is a serious problem in Ohio and most other states. If your surgeon or other care provider is negligent, you might suffer severe, even debilitating injuries. In worst cases, fatalities occur.

When should you consult an Ohio doctor for a second opinion?

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Friday, August 2, 2019.

Any number of issues may prompt you to seek medical examination at an Ohio doctor's office. Whether you're acting on your own behalf or as a parent of a minor child, you can expect that the doctor in question will make a correct diagnosis or will let you know if he or she is having trouble determining an underlying cause of your or your child's condition.

In certain circumstances, you may not feel comfortable with what a doctor has told you. Perhaps he or she has said there's nothing medically wrong with you, but you are convinced that there is because you're not feeling well. This would be one of many instances that warrant a second opinion. If the average doctor would likely be able to diagnosis a particular condition and your doctor fails in this duty, it may result in a medical negligence injury.

Your doctor should be looking out for your infant's safety

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Friday, July 19, 2019.

When you entrust your health to a licensed Ohio obstetrician, you can reasonably expect him or her to carefully monitor your pregnancy and to make educated decisions to help keep you and your baby as safe as possible all the way through labor and delivery, as well as post-natal care. You will likely encounter numerous challenges during pregnancy; however, many issues are quite common, such as nausea, weight gain, fatigue and emotional fragility.

Even if you think you're experiencing a common side effect of pregnancy, it's always best to share information with your OB so he or she can confirm that you and your baby are in good health. On the other hand, if you share a concern and your doctor thinks there might be a problem, he or she can determine a best course of action to rectify the situation. Sadly, not all doctors do their jobs well; serious birth injuries can occur because of medical negligence.

Ohio roadways can be dangerous: Beware of distracted drivers

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Friday, July 5, 2019.

You might be one of many people in Columbus or surrounding Ohio regions who drive a car to and from work each day. Even if that's not the case, if you're a licensed driver, you no doubt get behind the wheel at least several times per week. Long ago, many people enjoyed driving; in fact, it was common to take leisurely drives for no particular reason.

Nowadays, the risk for collision is so much higher that driving can make you feel like you're placing your life at stake, and in some situations, you might actually be. Do you know how to recognize signs of potential danger on the road, such as if a distracted driver is traveling near you? It's easy to become distracted while driving. If you know what to watch out for, you increase your chances of avoiding collision.

LV Attorneys and Clients Featured in Recent 10TV Piece

By Leeseberg & Valentine posted in Firm News on Friday, June 28, 2019.

Earlier this week, 10TV reporter Bennett Haeberle and the 10 Investigates Team published "Deadly Dosage: The Doctor Husel Chronicles," which provides a fantastic overview of what we know about the Mount Carmel cases thus far. The videos feature LV attorneys Gerry Leeseberg and Craig Tuttle, as well as several of our clients.

Substandard care might cause you or your child to suffer injury

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Thursday, June 20, 2019.

Having a baby in an Ohio hospital can be both exciting and stressful. If this is your first go-around, you might be reading all you can get your hands on about what to expect in pregnancy, labor and delivery. Then again, you might be one of those people who think you're better off not knowing too much, else you might worry over every little issue.

That's where your medical team comes in. Their job is to keep a close watch on you and your baby to keep you both as safe as possible. If an issue raises concern , your doctor and other medical team members will know what to do to help you overcome the problem, perhaps through specialized treatment or an urgent decision, such as doing a C-section delivery. If your doctor, nurse or other staff member is negligent, you or your child might suffer serious injury.

Medical malpractice: Did your surgeon fail in his or her duty?

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Friday, June 7, 2019.

No one in Ohio or elsewhere likes to think about needing surgery. If you're preparing for an upcoming procedure or are still recovering from a recent operation, such thoughts are likely front and center in your mind. Perhaps you're the parent of a child who needs or has undergone a recent surgery. In either case, while an entire medical team works together to tend to patient needs, the surgeon is head of operations.

Sadly, many surgeons fail in their duties to protect patients from injury. Medical neglect is problematic in this state and across the country. It's important to understand the role your surgeon plays in making sure you stay safe before, during and after surgery. Patients who suffer injury or illness because their surgeons did not fulfill fiduciary duties may have grounds to seek monetary judgments against those deemed responsible for damages.

Former Client Featured in USA Today to Promote Maternal Safety

By Leeseberg & Valentine posted in Birth injuries on Wednesday, May 22, 2019.

USA Today recently published an article featuring a former client as part of their "Deadly Deliveries" series detailing their investigation into maternal safety and childbirth complications in the United States. Leeseberg & Valentine represented Emilee Strezinski after she suffered complications while delivering her daughter at Community Memorial Hospital in Hicksville, Ohio. During her delivery, her doctor decided to do an episiotomy, a surgical cut to the vagina during childbirth, that resulted in severe lacerations to her rectum, anus, and sphincter and caused significant pain, leakage, constipation, and incontinence. Emilee alleged her physician was negligent in performing the episitomy and Leeseberg & Valentine was ultimately able to secure a significant settlement on her behalf.

Are you at risk for a medication error in an Ohio hospital?

On behalf of Leeseberg & Valentine on Wednesday, May 22, 2019.

Having to stay in the hospital, even for one day, can be stressful and upsetting. If you're scheduled for surgery in an Ohio hospital or you wound up in admittance because of an urgent circumstance such as a car accident injury, you will no doubt be depending on an entire team of licensed medical professionals to help you get well.

While not every person in the hospital has surgery, most people receive some type of care from nurses while they are patients. Regardless of the details that landed you in a hospital bed, if you receive medication while you're there, you're at risk for injury. Although accepted safety standards and regulations help keep you safe, nurses often make medication errors. Knowing where to seek support if a problem arises is a high priority for all hospital patients.