Articles

A central line, also called a central venous catheter, is a flexible tube inserted into a large vein close to the heart. It is used to deliver nutrients, medicines or other fluids to a person over an extended period of time, sometimes after surgery. In two Oregon cases, however, the central line was mistakenly inserted…

For expecting parents, both in Oregon and around the world, nothing is more exciting than the birth of a child. While this is a joyful occasion for many Oregon parents each year, some experience a mix of emotions when their babies are injured during birth. Common injuries include: nerve damage, broken bones, cerebral palsy and…

Choosing whether to undergo back surgery is a major decision. Patients need to trust the treatment their doctors recommend is warranted and appropriate. Unfortunately, there seems to be a disturbing pattern among some physicians in which spinal fusion surgeries are encouraged when they are not medically necessary. What is Spinal Fusion Surgery? During spinal fusion…

David K. Miller, of the Oregon law firm Miller & Wagner, LLP, represented a Portland-area couple who was awarded almost $3 million last Friday in a “wrongful birth” case. The couple gave birth to a daughter with Down syndrome, even though the couple was previously told prenatal tests had “definitively” ruled out their child having…

Not too long ago, a Florida couple was eagerly awaiting the birth of their new baby. Like most couples, they were excited to bring their little bundle of joy into this world. The doctor and ultrasound technician who read the sonogram didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, so the couple anticipated a healthy bouncing…

Hospitals are required by law to make sure that their medical professionals are competent and properly credentialed by state licensing boards. Sometimes doctors and other medical providers lack appropriate credentials because of malpractice, disciplinary actions or failure to keep up with continuing education requirements. Patients harmed by unlicensed or incompetent hospital staff may be able…

As heart procedures go, stents are relatively simple. But increasingly, the news is full of reports of doctors committing medical malpractice by performing the procedure unnecessarily. In November of this year, a physician in Maryland was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for performing unnecessary stent operations. In 2009, a Louisiana doctor received a ten-year sentence…

In an effort to rein in the growing costs of health care, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are backing a bill known as the HEALTH Act. The legislation seeks to bring down health care costs by capping “non-economic” damages – these are damages awarded for injuries that are not easily quantifiable, such as…

Patients often take for granted the fact that whatever prescription drug they need is usually readily available. Recently, however, hospitals in the United States have been experiencing shortages of many vital drugs. These drug shortages are responsible for at least 15 fatalities over the past 15 months. The drugs in short-supply have primarily been common…

The birth of a child is one of the most fulfilling, joyful days of a parent’s life. Although many births go smoothly without complications, unfortunately some newborns suffer injuries during the birthing process. Birth injuries can range from mild to severe, with effects that can last days or cause permanent damage. Babies that are large or…