How To Know If You Have A Medical Malpractice Case

People who have been injured in a medical malpractice case are often unaware that they were the victim of a medical malpractice case. Sometimes, the injury appears so minor that no one would question whether or not it was related to a medical malpractice case. Other times, the damage may be so traumatic that no one understands why they are having such difficulty coping and healing from it. You may be suffering from a medical malpractice incident if you recognize any of these scenarios.

The Prescribed Treatment Isn’t Helping You

To determine whether or not negligence was involved in your case, you will need to know exactly what treatment was prescribed. You should also note any medication prescribed for you, along with the dosage of the medication.

You Suspect Surgical Errors

When it comes to surgical errors, the problem is not always only with the surgery's staff. A different doctor or surgeon may have botched the procedure itself. If this was the case, you would need to consult with as many other surgeons and doctors as possible to gather all the necessary information to determine whether or not negligence was involved in your case.

The Doctor Doesn’t Follow Up With Your Concerns

When a patient is concerned about the care they receive from their doctor or doctor's office, they should address this concern immediately. You must express your concerns to your doctor as soon as possible if you feel like the care provided to you by them may have been substandard.

They Made Anesthesia Mistakes

When an anesthesia mistake occurs during surgery, the patient will often experience memory loss or impaired cognitive ability. This can be attributed to the fact that anesthesia causes the brain to be in a state of sleep. Memory and cognitive abilities are vital to patients after surgery, as they can view what is happening and react accordingly. Thus, if anesthesia mistakes cause any damage, it can greatly affect your quality of life and ability to function normally.

There Was A Lack Of Informed Consent

In most cases, the doctor is required to give you informed consent before he or she performs medical procedures on your body. The doctor should be meticulous in their records and ensure they have included their reasoning for performing any particular procedure. Suppose the doctor is not thorough in keeping an accurate record of your medical treatments. In that case, this could point to negligence on the part of the physician and may indicate that you are justified in filing a medical malpractice claim.

The Facility Is Understaffed

In many medical malpractice cases, doctors are forced to overwork themselves to keep up with the demand of their patients. Understaffing may be why you were not treated as well as you should have been while seeking treatment with your doctor. Unfortunately, many time-crunched doctors will cut corners to get through their day; when they do this, it is often at the expense of their patients.

You Have New Symptoms

If you have developed new or strange symptoms after the treatment that you received from your doctor, then you will want to contact a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible. This is because many patients in medical malpractice cases only develop symptoms later on, making it difficult to determine whether or not negligence occurred during their treatment. If your doctor's negligence causes your new symptoms, then you should never hesitate to speak with a medical malpractice lawyer.

You should consult a medical malpractice lawyer if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. A medical malpractice lawyer from the Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff, LLP team will be able to advise you on how to proceed with a medical malpractice case as well as how much compensation is likely to be required to cover your damages. They can identify the issues in your case and help determine whether or not negligence was involved in your case. In many cases, the physician did not follow established standards when dealing with your case.

In conclusion, there are many factors that you need to consider when it comes to medical malpractice cases. If a physician or a hospital has injured you, then you may be able to seek compensation for your damages. Understanding exactly why you are having difficulty coping with your injuries will help make it easier for your medical malpractice lawyer to prove that negligence was involved in your case.

This is a guest blog entry. 

7 Practical Tips To Help You Maintain Sobriety

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With each passing year, more research on the long-term impacts of alcohol consumption is released. The data paints an unpleasant picture for long-term health and wellness with excessive alcohol use. Yet, this information often seems distant and doesn't address the nuances of addiction and change psychology.

Overcoming alcohol misuse and maintaining sobriety requires an ongoing effort. Here are seven practical tips that can help you maintain your sobriety and change the course of your life.

Use Stress Management Techniques

Stress is a significant trigger for alcohol misuse. Learning stress management techniques is a powerful way to mitigate the risk of relapse during sobriety. These skills can also help you cope with alcohol withdrawal and navigate triggering situations.

Cognitive-behavioral therapists teach several stress management techniques that have notable physiological results. Working with a professional can help you find the approach that's best for you. A few methods and strategies include:

• Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) - intentional tightening and releasing of muscles to relieve tension and redirect focus.
• Box breathing - slow and controlled breathing that uses timed inhales, exhales, and holds.
• Visualization - closing one's eyes and envisioning positive results or a peaceful environment.
• Reframing - identifying negative thoughts and processing them into positive thoughts. 

Alternative practices like meditation and forest bathing also offer benefits for stress management. Try some different approaches to find what works best for you.

Connect With a Group

While getting support from family and friends is essential for sobriety, it can be limiting. If they haven't had similar experiences with alcohol misuse (or aren't ready to address that part of their lives), you may feel unheard or misunderstood. 

Reaching out to a group of peers who also struggle with a substance use disorder can be comforting and validating. There's power in the recognition from others in a similar situation. The sense of community and understanding can give you the purpose and drive you need to stay the course.

Hollywood depictions of AA meetings aren't all-encompassing. While you can attend group meetings like that, there are many different types of group support. You can also find meetings catered to your specific religion, sexual orientation, gender, etc.

Seek Professional Support

Having a professional by your side as you navigate sobriety is worth its weight in gold. In addition to helping you with stress management and coping skills, professional therapists can help you unlock the roots of your disorder. 

There's a strong relationship between mental health disorders, trauma, and substance use disorders. Understanding the roots of your challenges and learning to process your experiences can help you let go and move forward in your sober journey. Work with a trauma-informed therapist who has experience in substance misuse and recovery.

Find a New Passion

Behavioral psychologists often talk about something called a flow state. It's a state in which you're so engaged in an activity that you tune out the world around you. The key to finding your flow state is identifying an activity that brings you joy, but also offers enough of a challenge to keep you engaged.

In other words: find a new passion.

Explore some new hobbies and activities that aren't centered around alcohol consumption. Try things that get your mind or body working. Many people going through recovery engage in physical exercise, learning how to run or lift weights. Others learn how to paint and engage in art therapy as a part of their treatment plan.

Don't be afraid to try new things until you find something that resonates with you.

Set Positive Goals

While it may seem simple, having things to work toward can make all the difference in maintaining sobriety. It's helpful to have a combination of small, daily goals and longer-term life goals. 

Small daily goals can focus on actions and behaviors. Many people set goals around self-care, such as exercising, nutrition, hydration, and stress management. This is also an opportunity to rebuild relationships, connect with friends, and engage in new skills.

Longer-term goals pertain to how you want your sober life to look. These goals could be financial, career-related, travel-related, etc. Take some time to reflect and identify what you're working toward. 

Create Routines and Structure

Consistency is synonymous with success. Creating consistency in your life will help you stay the course, avoid triggers, and find your flow. Experts often highlight the importance of structure and routine in recovery, regardless of the individual or substance in question.

Use your goals, passions, and responsibilities to create a daily and weekly routine. Consider outlining it on paper for a visual reference. Remember that this is just a starting point; you can adjust as needed. 

Know Your Warning Signs

Sobriety isn't always linear; relapses happen. Yet, they're rarely unpredictable. Everyone has triggers and warning signs when at risk for a relapse. Take the time to understand yours and share them with the people around you. 

Many people in recovery are triggered by stressful situations or exposure to alcohol. You may also experience a potential relapse when exposed to people or places from your past. While avoiding triggers and managing stress is essential for success, it's not always possible.

Put a clear plan in place for impending relapses. Have a list of people to call and exercises to work through. Work with your support team— professional and otherwise— to navigate the difficult days and find the best path forward.

Maintaining sobriety isn't always easy, but it's worth it. Use the helpful tips in this guide to support your recovery journey. 

This is a guest blog entry.

Six Things to Consider When Deciding to Age at Home

More and more Americans are choosing to age at home every day. According to 2021 AARP "Home and Community Preferences Survey", 77% of adults 50 and older want to remain in their homes for a long term. Although this widespread retirement trend has been increasingly rising, there are still concerns and precautions that need to take place in order to proficiently and safely age in the comfort of one’s home.

The decision to spend the later years in one’s life at home should be discussed with physicians, loved ones and family members.

Many may feel like the decision should be solely up to them since it is their life; however, there are precautions and plans that should be addressed to ensure the most adequate care can take place. Aging at home is a huge decision that needs to be taken into serious consideration and there are a few methods that can be done to help you make a healthy and smart decision as well as steps that can be taken to ensure safety and health measures are all met.

• Make a list about pros and cons in regards to staying home, don’t forget to include health factors, and try to include friends, family, and health care providers. They can help you address many issues you may not take into consideration or find to be relevant.

• Find the appropriate assisted care tools and or devices to accommodate concerns associated with aging at home; the Care Connect device is a perfect example of an assisted living device that can make aging at home far more plausible and safe. Ask your children to look into latest devices designed for health monitoring and available on the market. Consider buying PEMF therapy devices approved for home use. 

• Consider the proximity of healthcare facilities to help determine methods of transportation and what other options that may be available to ensure medical appointments and/or any type of emergency circumstance will be accessible. This will also allow you to arrange for future transportation if and when you may no longer be able to drive.

• Organize support systems with family members and friends to ensure that social interactions can and will be established.

• Look into living assistance for home maintenance, meals, medical needs, or even general homemaking requirements and/or needs.

• Visit independent living facilities near your area to get a feel of the amenities that are provided to be able to establish a well-balanced decision.

The general rule of thumb when determining how and where one will spend their retirement years comes down to planning, gaining information, health, and overall goals. It is your future you are determining, there is no better time than the present to properly prepare and plan as much as you possibly can.

And while many people’s stereotypical perception of retirement homes is housing sickly old people who engage in slow paced or no games at all.

This is not true. On the contrary, there are men and women in these facilities who are healthy and can get around easily without help. Today, most retirement homes or communities have residents who are more active than ever before. Today’s retirees are enjoying their golden years with more fun and vigor.

Retirement facilities are otherwise known as active adult homes are condos, apartments, mobile houses or single family houses. The facilities usually have leisure amenities and recreational centers, offer meal services, housekeeping, and brain-stimulating activities. This is a lot like a 55+ resort.

Come to think of it, seniors are not as old as many people think. There are definitely people who are incapacitated, but more and more people of a certain age are healthy and active. These seniors can still swim or play a few rounds of golf before going to the spa, walk a few meters to the café and grab lunch, participate in adventure exercises or educational workshops in groups, watch a movie at the theater and surf the net before going to bed – all these in one place-the active adult community.

Winning never gets old. For those looking to win custom awards or custom trophies, planning active activities for a retirement home to keep the residents healthy, happy and busy is a good idea. You must come up with activities that stimulate the retirees’ minds while keeping them happy.

Fill Up the Schedule

Offering a large range of sports, games and outings allows people the freedom of choice to do what they want. When you’re talking entertainment, that’s important at any age.

So, fine art or photo exhibitions organized by the residents would be a great way to see the artistic side of people. It’s surprising what people are modest about, especially if it’s something they just do for fun. 

There’s also:

• Sporting activities such as fitness centers, tennis, swimming pools, golf courts, etc.

• Board games and card games like chess, Sudoku, brain teasers, crossword puzzles, etc.

• Dance classes including ballroom dances, classical dances, etc. Make sure you hire trained instructors for dance classes.

• Beauty therapy activities including manicure, pedicure, facial therapy and so on.

• Entertainment activities such as videos, TV, concerts, movie theaters and others.

• Social events like luncheons, dinners, cocktails, etc.

• Internet lounges and libraries for online scavenger hunts – well, and other things, more useful.

• Trips to the museum, classical music concert, zoo, shopping mall, or anywhere interesting for residents.

While creating and offering these activities, be sure to also provide the necessary materials where needed. For example, knitting needles for women who like to sew, sporting equipment, fine art equipment, etc.

In retirement homes, people come and live as they please. Your objective should be to create engaging activities to provide residents with the opportunity to test their skills, be active and even feel young again. With the flexibility to do whatever they wish.

This is a guest blog entry.