Recognizing Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

When our loved ones enter into a nursing home, we hope that they are taken care of in a way that we are not always able to provide for them. Nursing homes offer a variety of services depending on the location; providing medical attention, meals and additional care to elderly individuals that may not be able to care for themselves on their own. While there are many homes that offer a high standard of service to patients, there are still countless cases of abuse each year. Many incidents of nursing home abuse go unreported because no one speaks up for the victim and they may be unable to speak up for themselves. Sometimes the victims of abuse may fear that no one will believe them if they do make a report or they may be mentally unable to do so. That is why it is so important for others to take note of any signs that may be evidence of further issues.

Abuse can show itself in many forms; one of the most evident ways is through physical signs. This can be bruising, broken bones and other injuries which may be the result of more than just a fall. Types of physical abuse can include pushing, hitting, slapping or restraining. A worker may become agitated or overworked and can lash out at patients as a result. This behavior should never be tolerated and the elderly individuals should never be left as the victims. When you do observe any physical signs of abuse, it is important to inquire further and not assume that it was just an accident. The victim may be unwilling to present the information on their own but once they are asked about it they can become more willing to discuss it. Abuse can also be emotional and it is common for many nursing home residents to face treatment that causes internal scarring. This may be the result of yelling, insulting, embarrassment, threatening and blaming.  The elderly individual can be left feeling helpless and uncared for. Emotional damage may be noted by the victim become more excluded from others, more reserved, more aggressive, a change in eating behavior, changes in their personality and other abnormalities.

Abuse may also include neglect and passive behavior can be just as damaging as outward abuse. Neglect can include avoiding the day to day care of a patient. They may be left in their bed, unfed, not showered and not provided for medically. Not only can it leave them feeling forgotten, it can lead to serious health risks. Sexual abuse can also be recognized through emotional and physical signs as well. When you believe that a nursing home patient is dealing with abuse, it is often best to report the incident. It is estimated that around 1 out of every 14 elder abuse cases are reported to the authorities, while many of them go unaddressed. If you or a loved one has been a victim, turn to a caring Ft. Lauderdale personal injury attorney the Law Office of Jason T. Corsover, PA as an advocate.

Under the Influence Driver Injures an Officer and Kills a Motorcyclist

Steps are being taken forward in one case involving a 23 year old woman, BM. She was accused of driving under the influence and causing a vehicle accident as a result that left a sheriff’s deputy facing injuries and killed a motorcycle rider. The event took place in May of 2011. The suspect had originally been taken into custody by officers and was in the back seat of a the officers car when she worked her handcuffs off, slipped out of the car and got into her own vehicle, a Dodge Ram pickup. She started her car and took off, with officers trailing behind her. A deputy stood on the truck and attempted to grab the keys out of the ignition but was thrown from the vehicle instead, suffering a cuts on her arm, a concussion, the breaking of her left tibia and other injuries. When the case went to court, the officer stated that she was pushed from the truck, rather than simply falling. A tow truck driver that was a witness on the scene also stated that the officer said that she had been pushed from the car immediately after the incident.

The suspect claims that she was high on prescription drugs at the time and did not recognize that the officer was on the truck. While tests found that she did have drugs in her system, it is still being inspected of whether this was enough to cause her actions. She claims that her recollection of the whole event is not clear. The chase began in Pasco County and continued until Hernando County. They went for about eight miles and reached speeds as high as 100 mph. The chase ended when the suspect ran through a red light and his and killed the motorcyclist. BM has been sentenced with 15 years in prison for the chase, but is still awaiting the outcome of first degree felony murder charges for the death of the 67 year old victim.

While cases such as these may leave the perpetrator with a criminal charge, the victims and their families can still be left dealing with the ramifications such as medical costs and the emotional trauma. In a personal injury case, both the injured party and a family that has lost a loved one through death can potentially seek damages for the impact on their life. If it can be established that the person in question acted negligently or recklessly and it was these actions that led to an injury, then the court may choose to award compensation or an insurance company may agree to pay it. When involved in any type of accident that was the fault of another person, turn to The law Offices of Jason T. Corsover for a devoted attorney that will seek a successful outcome to the very end.

Degrees of a Burn Injury

Burn injuries can come in different degrees of seriousness. They are categorized according to the level of damage and the treatment that will need to be implemented. A first degree burn is the lowest level and this type may be possible to treat at home. After that, the severity will continue to climb and higher degrees will require mandatory and immediate medical attention. A first degree burn will mostly just affect the outer layer of the dermis. It is common for a reddening of the skin to occur, and it can be painful. It will typically not last long and can be expected to heal within a week’s time.

After this, is a second degree burn which can come in two stages. A superficial partial thickness second degree burn will involve those that go through the epidermis to the underlying superficial dermis level. This will be evidences by swelling, redness, blanching of the skin and blisters, along with a wet look to the skin. It will be between two to three weeks to heal this. A deep partial thickness second degree burn will go further to the reticular dermis, appearing red or white and having bloody blisters at the site. It will also be moist and painful, and has the potential to cause scarring. A third degree burn moves through the layer of fat below the dermis. This can damage nerves in the area, making this injury not as painful initially. Skin will often have the look of being leathery, waxy or generally stiff. The skin can be so damaged to the point that it is irreparable and will need excision.

A fourth degree burn is the most severe and this will without a doubt need emergency treatment. The harm can go through the skin, fat and to the muscle and bones below. It is likely for the damage to never be fully recovered from, rather a victim will have to learn how to live with the new change. In these situations it may be necessary for the area to be amputated completely. A fourth degree burn can also potentially lead to death. For lesser degree burns that do not heal on their own after a few weeks, medical attention should be sought, as well as if the symptoms worsen or new ones develop. There are many causes that can be the source of a burn, from radiation to electricity. For those that have been burned at the fault of another. There may be a right to compensation. You can have your case reviewed by an attorney from the Law Office of Jason T. Corsover to help asses if you have grounds for a personal injury case, and if so, how much you may be owed.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is a term used to describe a group of motor conditions. It is the location on the brain known as the cerebrum which is affected, though it is likely there are other connected areas in a disorder as well. This part of the brain relates to motor controls that a person will have over their body. Cerebral palsy is when damage occurs to this motor control center. It may happen while a mother is pregnant, during delivery or even a few years after the time the child is born. Known causes include asphyxia prior to birth, troubles during development in the womb, trauma during birth or hypoxia of the brain. For women that have had multiple births, there can be an increased risk of Cerebral Palsy. It is also more prevalent in premature children, and 40 to 50 percent of children born early will suffer with it.  There are some factors that cause this issue to arise in a child that have yet to be discovered.

It can be categorized into four areas; ataxic, spastic, athetoid/dyskinetic and mixed. The most common form is spastic and this is accountable for 80 percent of cases. It can be somewhat of an umbrella term for a range of issues, and there are many parts of a child’s functioning which can be altered. Some of the main factors that can be noted in a child with CP are abnormalities in reflexes, coordination, muscles and development of motor skills. Within this are more specific effects that can be noted depending on the form of defect that occurred. The outcomes can range and some children may appear clumsy, while others have notable deformities. In a newborn it can be observed through any irregular posture they have, which may be stiffness or floppiness. It may also come through in bone structure, such as having a smaller head or a curve in their spine.

Not all signs of CP will be observed immediately. In fact, many of them will only be evident or enhanced the older a child gets. It may be in how the child develops physically, along with other ways such as their speech. They may face learning disabilities, mental retardation, incontinence and event epilepsy or seizures. Some of these results can lead a child to experience pain, and sleeping disorders are also common. Cases of Cerebral Palsy need to be dealt with correctly. It is likely that those with it will deal with its effects for their life. There are ways to treat aspects of it and help make it more tolerable. There are also ways that a doctor can recognize it in earlier stages and try to prevent it from worsening. If your child has suffered the outcomes of this condition, contact my firm, the Law Office of Jason T. Corsover, PA immediately to determine if there is a liable party.

How Serious is a Spinal Cord Injury?

It is through the nervous system that the body as a whole and each separate area functions. The nervous system is a wide, intricate network that extends through all areas and is responsible for sending and receiving signals. Within this are two categories; the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system. The peripheral is made up mostly of nerves that extent out to every section of the body. These connect to the central nervous system, which can be viewed as the main control unit. This is made up of the brain and the spinal cord. These two work together to send off signals from the brain or receive signals that have come from an area of the body. This can be telling the hands and legs to move, or may be translating to the brain that there is danger, such as a fire, through the sensation of heat or pain.

The brain is the power house of this information and the spinal cord is its messenger. The nerves do not connect to the brain directly. The spinal cord is almost a mediator between the two and the nerves are connected to different sections of the spinal cord. Different parts of it will effect and control different aspects of the body. That means that when this area is injured, it is not only the spinal cord that will be harmed. Those areas that fall into that section can also experience functional problems or even be left unable to work at all. There are different ways that the spine can be harmed It may be a blow to it, leaving it bruised, it can be a piece of bone that becomes lodged in it, it may be pinched by the spine itself, it can be torn or it may even be completely severed. When the spine is severed, the part of the body that is controlled by that area of the spine will no longer be able to function. It is as if the message has been cut off and at this point medical treatment is more geared at learning to adapt, rather than being able to repair the damage. This can lead to paralysis of an injured person.

An injury in this area can range in degrees of severity. Some may be temporary and are easily recovered from, some will require longer treatment, such as physical therapy and others may never make a full recovery. Many people are able to learn how to adapt to these new changes, though the medical costs for a spinal cord injury can be incredibly high. Many of these cases will require surgery and they can continue to add on other costs. The Center for Disease Control has estimated that around $15,000 to $30,000 is spent each year by those with an injury, and the typical lifetime cost will range from $500,000 to over $3 million. These injuries are significantly more common in men; accounting for around 80% of all cases. Contact our firm if you are looking to be compensated for an injury that you suffered at the hands of another person.

Pedestrian Injured by Drunk Driver at Scene of Accident

Countless accidents happen on the roads every year in the U.S. Some of them are less serious and are never reported, while some of them can lead to catastrophic injuries, and even a death. One accident in Florida this past Saturday affected a few individuals. An accident had already occurred on the I-95, when one pedestrian was walking around the scene and observing damage. The incident took place at around 6 a.m. Police were on the scene of the accident, along with a pair of Road Ranger trucks, when one motorist came driving through.

TS was driving a 2006 Chrysler when she plowed through the flares and cones that were surrounding the accident, hitting a pedestrian near the accident that had already occurred. The pedestrian was taken to the hospital and was reportedly in serious condition. TS submitted to a blood test and was taken into custody after it was found that she was driving under the influence of alcohol. A car accident can lead to significant damage, and this can be increased when it involves a pedestrian that has little to no protection. Furthering the potential for harm in this incident was the impairment of the driver, having their judgment and reactions altered by the alcohol in their system.

A pedestrian that is injured by a driver can deal with expensive costs, on top of the pain they will already have to endure. Compensation may be sought and can be used to cover the cost of an initial hospital stay, medical bills after the fact, lost income and other monetary issues. Have you been involved in a car accident or other incident that may have been the direct cause of another person’s negligence? Call the Law Office of Jason T. Corsover to speak with a representative about scheduling a free consultation.

What to do After a Car Accident

You’re driving along, paying attention to the road, when out of nowhere a car strikes you from the side. While you were following all roadway regulations and keeping an eye out for other drivers, even your best efforts were not enough to avoid the negligence of another individual. It can be easy in these situations to panic but by being prepared beforehand you can save yourself some of the stress that comes along with an auto accident.

One of the first things that you should do is keep a few items on hand in your car so that you have them when you need them most. While they may seem simple, they can provide relief and assistance after a car wreck. It is smart to keep a camera on hand, such as a disposable or even the camera one on your phone if it can take a picture that is of high enough quality. You will want to photograph all damage done to your car and the car of the other driver. This can give the insurance companies a correct view of the damage done, as well as restraining the other driver from being able to claim more harm was done that what really was. It is also smart to take pictures of other areas of the car that have not been damaged in case they try to change the story of what happened.

It is useful to have a pen and paper so that you can take down the information of the other driver. You should write down anything that you can remember so that you do not forget it after the fact. You will want all of your information handy, such as a medical card, so that you are not scrambling to find it in the heat of the situation. It is also smart to have a flashlight on hand in case the incident takes place at night, as well as traffic cones or flares to warn oncoming traffic to move around. Safety is the main concern and if there are any injuries, those should be the first things addressed. If there are no serious injuries, all cars involved should pull to the side of the road so that they are out of the way of traffic. If cars are too damaged to move then the drivers and passengers should get back in and buckle up to wait for a tow truck to come.

It will be necessary to exchange information with the other driver, such as license numbers, phone numbers, insurance companies and policy numbers, as well as taking down the make and color of the car. At this point you should make the discussion strictly about exchanging the information and refrain from addressing whose fault it was.  An officer may be present on the scene; however, crashes with less amounts of damage or injury can often be handled without one. If there is no officer present to make a report, you can file one with the DMV or at the police station.

Prior to speaking with an insurance company, you should talk with your lawyer to see what they advise you to do. After your attorney gives you the ok, you may give a report to the insurance companies so that they have it for their records. Car accidents lead to thousands of injuries each year. After suffering any form of harm in a crash that was the fault of another driver, you may be able to retain compensation with the assistance of a Ft. Lauderdale injury attorney from the Law Offices of Jason T. Corsover.