Recent Articles

Prescription Medication May Cause Birth Defects

Angelo Patane
October 15, 2009 19:37

Certain drugs taken by pregnant women are known to increase the danger of birth defects. In a closely watched case, a Philadelphia jury found that the anti-anxiety/anti-depressant drug Paxil, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, and taken by a pregnant woman, was the cause of her newborn’s heart...

How can I ensure that my child with a birth injury is cared for after I can no longer can provide care?

Angelo Patane
October 09, 2009 00:36

I recently received a phone call from a mother whose son suffered a severe birth injury. She wanted to know how she could be sure that her son would be cared for after she no longer could take care of him. This question is one which many parents will ultimately face. Assuming that malpractice can...

Shouldn't a premature baby have a chance to live?

Angelo Patane
October 07, 2009 22:58

I am helping a mother whose baby boy died just after being born.  He was just over 6 months gestation and premature by about 3 months.  Due to complications during labor, his mother was sedated.  When she woke up, she was told that her baby had died. It turns out that the...

Why shouldn't the medical profession be responsible for its errors?

Angelo Patane
October 06, 2009 22:43

If you or I rearend someone in a car accident, and we injure somebody, we are going to be held accountable for the injuries we cause. Yet many don’t want medical professionals to be held responsible for injuries they cause. Does that seem right? A recent study claims that about 250,000...

Does Arizona have caps on medical malpractice cases?

Angelo Patane
October 05, 2009 22:30

With all the talk lately about "tort reform", healthcare reform, and the problems of too many lawsuits against hospitals and doctors, this is a good time to address some of the questions I frequently receive on these issues. A number of states have enacted laws capping damages in medical...

My child has cerebral palsy. How do I know if this is natural or due to a doctor's mistake?

Angelo Patane
October 04, 2009 22:28

The answer is not simple. A conservative estimate says cerebral palsy is diagnosed in 2 to 2.5 out of 1,000 people. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year 10,000 new born babies will eventually be diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Currently, the United Cerebral Palsy...

What is a brachial plexus injury? What is Erb's Palsy?

Angelo Patane
October 02, 2009 22:18

Most people have never heard of the brachial plexus or Erb’s Palsy. If you are reading this, you may have a reason to know, and you would probably like to know more about whether medical malpractice might be the cause. Babies or children who have weak, uncontrollable, or paralyzed arms,...

Product Liability May Be Altered in Pharmaceutical Drug Cases

Angelo Patane
October 13, 2008 22:37

The Supreme Court is currently reviewing a case called Wyeth vs. Levine to determine whether or not individuals can sue for drugs that  cause them serious side effects.  The Court has agreed to decide whether a musician who lost her arm after receiving an anti-nausea drug via an off-label...

California Rail Crash That Killed 26 May Test $200 Million Damage Cap

Angelo Patane
September 18, 2008 17:36

With 26 dead and over 130 injured, the law capping cumulative passenger claims from a single railroad accident at $200 million may come into play.   The $200 million cap includes punitive damages as well, thus gross negligence and evil conduct can not exceed the cap either.  On...

Motorcycle Deaths Down In Arizona

Angelo Patane
June 23, 2008 18:12

On Sunday June 22, 2008 the Scottsdale Tribune reported on a recent study of motorcycle deaths in Arizona.  According to the Tribune, "in 2006, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 4,810 motorcyclists and their passengers were killed in crashes across...