The America College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Urogynecologic Society have issued a joint Committee Opinion stating that there is an "urgent need" for the development of a national registry to track outcomes for all current and future patients who receive vaginal mesh implants. There have been serious concerns regarding the safety and efficacy of these synthetic mesh products that are placed vaginally to treat a condition known as pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Given the horrific side effects thousands of women are experiencing as a result of receiving these transvaginal mesh implants, these groups now recommend that use of these mesh implants should only be reserved for high-risk women "for whom the benefit may justify the risk."

Pelvic Organ Prolapse

What is pelvic organ prolapse? When the organs in the pelvis such as the uterus, bladder, urethra, small intestine and rectum, drop down and bulge into the vagina, that condition is known as a pelvic organ prolapse. POP can be caused by several factors including menopause, aging, intense physical activity, obesity, prior pelvic surgery, chronic coughing, and straining to have bowel movements. According to the American Urogynecologic Society, more than 350,000 women undergo surgery for this condition in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration first approved the mesh implants for use in 2001.

Nightmarish Symptoms

However, the mesh implants led to a number of complications among the women who received them. Instead of improving women's lives, many women experienced horrendous symptoms including excruciating pain. In some women, the mesh cut into the vaginal lining causing infections and even nerve damage. Others could not sit down or urinate without a catheter. Some patients even had to be hospitalized or stop sexual intercourse because the symptoms had become so painful and unbearable. In July 2011, the FDA issued a safety alert warning consumers about the possible risks these defective products pose.

Recommendations by Professionals

The professional group's other recommendations include continuing the audit and review of outcomes, and establishing a registry for all current and future vaginal mesh implants; surgeon training for vaginal mesh placement specific to each device; patient counseling with regard to alternative options, risks and benefits of mesh implant surgery; and adopting new mesh products and devices only after they have been properly tested and their safety and efficacy have been established.

Seeking Compensation

If you or a loved one has suffered complications as a result of vaginal mesh implants, please contact a reputed California personal injury lawyer who has experience handling similar cases. You can seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.

Professional Groups Issue Recommendations for Use of Vaginal Mesh is a post from: BestAttorney.com - BISNAR | CHASE California Personal Injury Lawyers

During a recent 60 Minutes investigative report, GlaxoSmithKline, a major worldwide provider of prescription drugs, was exposed for their cover up in the early 2000s of mixing up drugs at a Puerto Rico plant, and whistleblower Cheryl Eckard was awarded a sum of $96 million of the total amount of $750 million due to the pharmaceutical litigation and financial settlement.

The plant was mixing up drugs, putting different dosage sizes and different medications together in mislabeled bottles, and shipping them all over the world, including the United States. A grandmother of an 8-year-old boy found that the pills of Paxil that her grandson had been taking the entire month were 25mg pills, not the regular 10mg pills he'd been previously taking. The child was very sick from taking the pills, which had been colored pink instead of the regular, yellow-colored pills.

GSK Denies, Denies, and Denies

When Eckard brought this to the attention of quality control, they all but ignored her and told her it wasn't really happening. She wrote up report after report, but her warnings were falling on deaf ears. She even suggested shutting down the plant completely, but to the executives at GSK, that wasn't financially possible, and simply sweeping it under the rug was a better option in their minds.

Drugs such as Paxil and Avandia were regularly being interchanged as were diabetes medications and anti-depressants. After bringing these issues to GSK's attention, she was promptly "downsized" and was out of a job.

The Outcome and Ensuing Lawsuit

Eckard eventually brought a lawsuit against GSK and the criminal charges were settled for a whopping $750 million. For her part, Eckard received $96 million. The question had to eventually come up that she only did it for the money and she didn't really care about anybody, but this absolutely not true if you watched the video. She seemed to generally care about the welfare of others and the money was simply the punishment that GSK had to go through to correct their ways.

Call your best friends in the legal industry if you've had problems with personal medications. Call 800-561-4887. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.

Call a BISNAR | CHASE product liability attorney for a free professional evaluation of your case by attorneys who have represented over 6,000 clients since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a friendly law firm in a comfortable environment.

GlaxoSmithKline is Exposed For Poor Quality Standards is a post from: BestAttorney.com - BISNAR | CHASE California Personal Injury Lawyers

The California personal injury lawyers at BISNAR | CHASE are extremely concerned about this news report that 10 stroke patients were overexposed to radiation when they got CT scans at Glendale Adventist Medical Center. According to an article in the Glendale News Press, the patients received three to four times the normal dose of radiation during a triple imaging brain exam using a General Electric manufactured CT scan machine.

Radiation Overexposure Affects 10 Patients

The problem was discovered by California Department of Public Health officials who were auditing the hospital's CT scan protocols. Recently, state health officials also found that about 260 patients suffered from overexposure to radiation at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The hospital is continuing to use the machine because of the need to perform important brain scans, but have discontinued using the triple imaging scans, which apparently caused the overexposure. Hospital spokespersons said they have notified the 10 patients who were overexposed. One of the patients apparently died in October. Hospital officials are saying that the death was caused by an "unrelated illness." But state officials are not saying whether that death is being investigated in connection with the radiation overdoses.

The new protocols, which led to the overexposure in 10 patients, were implemented in January and basically combine three types of brain imaging procedures for simultaneous scan. The rationale behind using these new protocols was that it would make the diagnostic process much quicker for stroke patients for whom timing is critical.

Radiation Exposure Can Have Long-Term Effects

Radiation overdoses during CT scans and other types of diagnostic medical procedures have been an area of increasing concern for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. According to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine, younger individuals are also at increased risk of developing deadly cancers as an effect of undergoing such medical imaging procedures. Also, an FDA alert states that if patients receive doses of radiation higher than an expected level but not high enough to show obvious signs of a radiation injury, the problem may go undetected and increase patients' risk for long-term radiation effects such as cancer.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of radiation overexposure either as a result of a defective product or hospital error or negligence, please consult with an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, who will be able to advise you about your legal rights and options. If the overexposure results in death, families of deceased victims may be able to file a wrongful death claim against the negligent parties to seek damages.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

Los Angeles Hospital Overexposed Patients to Radiation is a post from: BestAttorney.com - BISNAR | CHASE California Personal Injury Lawyers

The California personal injury attorneys of BISNAR | CHASE recently prevailed in a jury trial against Lynch Ambulance, convincing a Los Angeles jury that a negligent ambulance driver and the company that employed him were liable for serious personal injuries sustained by two passengers –Tracy Mucklevane and Shawna Alonzo. Mucklevane's case had already been settled. Jurors awarded Shawna Alonzo, who was then a respiratory therapist at Children's Hospital of Orange County, $164,000 for her serious injuries.

Alonzo and Mucklevane, a pediatric nurse at CHOC, were passengers in an ambulance driven by Lynch employee Casey Brennan on October 17, 2006. Alonzo was sitting in the back with a lap belt to restrain her. Brennan fell asleep at the wheel. The front wheel of the ambulance hit the curb, causing the tires to separate from the wheels. Alonzo was jerked violently and struck her head on a metal gurney. Mucklevane also suffered injuries.

Car Accident Causes Serious Injuries

Alonzo sustained severe neck and upper back injuries in this Los Angeles car accident, which caused her to go on disability leave for four weeks. She had to undergo additional physical therapy and suffered severe symptoms such as frequent headaches, dizziness, depression, fatigue, insomnia, sciatic pain and neck pain, which radiated to her left arm.

Alonzo has struggled to care for her child, who has cerebral palsy. She was not only affected physically, but also psychologically and emotionally. She was unable to go back to work full-time. She had a fear of being in cars. Alonzo sought damages for her injuries, on-going treatment costs and loss of earnings as a result of the injuries.

Fair Compensation for Injuries and Loss

This case was rewarding for BISNAR | CHASE because the defendants, Lynch Ambulance, did not make a pre-trial offer and the jury's verdict was substantially more than what was initially demanded in the settlement. Personal injury lawyer, Scott Ritsema, who was part of our legal team rightly points out that it was an "excellent result for the client."

In this particular case, the jury saw, as we did, that ambulance driver Casey Brennan was at fault and this accident would not have occurred if not for his negligence. He was working in his capacity as a driver for the ambulance company, which made his employer liable for Alonzo and Mucklevan's injuries. The jury apparently also saw Alonzo's pain, suffering, distress and financial loss as a result of this accident and the injuries suffered. We are extremely pleased that we were able to secure the best possible result in this case for our client. For California car accident victims, the money is a tremendous help to pay off pending medical bills, pay costs of continuing treatment and therapy and to help offset wage losses, especially in this tough economy. We wish Shawna Alonzo and her family the very best. We will continue to pray for her complete recovery.

Jury Awards $164,000 to Los Angeles Car Accident Victim is a post from: BestAttorney.com - BISNAR | CHASE California Personal Injury Lawyers

The nursing home abuse and negligence attorneys at BISNAR | CHASE have been constantly concerned about the poor oversight of California nursing homes. Earlier this year we noted that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger cut funding significantly for nursing home ombudsman programs across California. These programs consist of volunteers who may go into nursing homes and conduct sudden inspections or follow up on complaints from families of nursing home residents relating to abuse, negligence or fraud.

However, a San Francisco area woman, Angel Carter, found out the tough way that these ombudsman programs are utterly inefficient and unresponsive now because they simply do not have the staff or manpower to follow up on complaints. According to a news report in the Contra Costa Times, Carter first had a problem with Eden Manor in Oakland after she found her elderly mother in a wheelchair soaked in urine because the staff had not changed her in more than 24 hours.

Lack of Oversight

When she complained to the California Department of Social Services, things changed. A year later, Carter complained, this time to the ombudsman program, after clothing belonging to her 89-year-old legally blind mother, Naomi Kees, went missing and the nursing home staff did not appear to recognize that the woman had suffered a stroke in September for which she was hospitalized. California law requires nursing home neglect and abuse to be reported. But increasingly, consumers such as Carter, are finding out that their complaints will get no prompt response or help.

There is no question that the system is overwhelmed and needs a complete overhaul. For example the Oakland ombudsman program's funding got cut from $360,000 to $160,000 as part of the state budget cuts. They now have one person to log complaints flowing in from 400 nursing homes in the area. This is ridiculous! Nursing home oversight should be a top priority given the fact that more and more seniors are going into these facilities and will continue to, in the coming years.

An Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

Civil remedies are available for victims of nursing home abuse and negligence by contacting an experienced California personal injury lawyer. However, it is always good for families to look for warning signs and to do their research before entrusting their loved ones to a facility. One of the most important steps you can take before selecting a caregiver is to thoroughly inspect the home. Advocates also caution families against relying on rating systems such as Medicare's nursing home comparison Web site, which may not tell the whole story. You can also ask if the facility does confidential customer and resident satisfaction surveys and ask to see the results. Another good question to ask is about employee turnover and how long the administrator has been on board. For more information, please visit the California Department of Public Health Web site.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

California Nursing Home Abuse and Negligence Continue to be a Problem is a post from: BestAttorney.com - BISNAR | CHASE California Personal Injury Lawyers

The Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) has launched a fresh attack on California's 34-year-old cap on noneconomic damages in California medical malpractice cases urging that a state court of appeal strike down those unjust limits. CAOC is basically challenging the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act of 1975 (MICRA), which was enacted in California to provide affordable medical malpractice insurance for physicians. MICRA limits jury awards in medical malpractice cases to $250,000 for pain and suffering and allows awards of $50,000 or more for future medical expenses and wage loss to be paid at regular intervals over the life of an injured plaintiff.

Jurors in medical malpractice cases can award damages to plaintiffs for past and future pain and suffering, physical impairment or disfigurement. These are known as noneconomic damages. The MICRA codified Civil Code section 3333.2 limits noneconomic damages to $250,000.

The most recent MICRA challenge came when attorney Robert S. Peck asked the California District Court of Appeal for the 5th District in Fresno to strike down the $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages. Like Peck and the CAOC, I believe that this cap violates the "inviolate right" to a jury trial and equal protection. It is, without doubt, an unconstitutional infringement by the Legislature on the judiciary. Peck appeared before the three-justice panel on behalf of CAOC and the American Association for Justice (AAJ).

The sad fact of medical malpractice lawsuits is that the people, who bring them, have often suffered catastrophic injuries. These are personal injuries that you cannot put a price on -- let alone a cap. For example, this particular case began when a local telephone company employee underwent surgery for a perianal abscess. The surgeon ended up severing a muscle during surgery causing the patient to suffer from permanent incontinence. A jury awarded him $2.5 million, but a judge reduced it to $250,000, the maximum authorized by MICRA.

There is no question that MICRA denies the common man access to the courts and justice. In almost all medical malpractice cases, the courts are the victims' last resort and only means to get justice. CAOC has formed a new committee to review, coordinate and assist the individual CAOC Member State challenges to MICRA caps. The committee is also actively looking for additional cases that would present good opportunities to challenge the cap. Bisnar | Chase medical malpractice attorneys wholeheartedly supports the CAOC and the AAJ in their efforts to get rid of the medical malpractice caps on noneconomic damages in California. This is not about money, but justice for consumers who have been neglected and wronged.

California Medical Malpractice Caps -- Our Battle Wages On is a post from: BestAttorney.com - BISNAR | CHASE California Personal Injury Lawyers