New York — Police officials report that three accident victims were injured during a motor vehicle crash involving a Fire Department of New York ambulance and a car. The car crash occurred in Queens when the ambulance workers were responding to a serious call involving an unconscious person. The car and ambulance collided in an intersection and then the ambulance slammed through a fence and into the wall of a house. Investigators noted that the cause of the accident is still being determined. It is still unclear who had the right-of-way and if either of the drivers were driving recklessly or being negligent. The emergency medical personnel who were injured while working will likely be treated by a team of worker’s compensation doctors, according to an accident lawyer in New York City. The driver of the car was also injured and taken to the emergency room of a local hospital. In similar news, another emergency responder was injured at work in New York this past weekend. A firefighter was hit by a car while he was working at a fire scene according to reports. That fireman was taken to the hospital by ambulance for evaluation as well since he was thrown off the hood of the car and landed several feet away on the road. According to the latest reports, that crash victim was released from the hospital with unknown injuries. In both crashes, similar injuries can be expected, according to trauma doctors. These injuries can include a broken bone, spinal injury and head injury. A pedestrian accident is more likely to cause more serious injuries than a car accident involving all victims contained in their vehicles. However, accident specialists say that the ambulance accident involved a vehicle that is much larger than a car, the size of a heavy mid-sized truck. They explain that a truck accident can sometimes cause more severe injuries due to the size and forces involved. You can catch more up-to-date details about the ambulance accident here.

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A research report on anesthesiology medical malpractice was presented to doctors at their recent professional society conference. The published study results show that the injuries caused by the anesthesia doctors during surgery are too often easily preventable, if only the doctors were to follow manufacturer instructions and safety guidelines. Malpractice insurance company data and clinical facts were analyzed to determine the cause of injury to the patient and look into ways of preventing future injuries. The researchers noted that although there has been a continuing decline in patients being injured by an anesthesiologist during an operation from the 1970s until 2010, the injuries that still occur appear to be regularly caused by the doctor ignoring directions. For example, the report shows that some doctors are negligent in properly checking their equipment prior to the surgery. In addition, there are some physicians who bypass safety protocols by placing heating devices or hot IV bags directly on or too close to the victim’s skin. This can cause the victim to suffer with severe burns and can even cause a fire in the operating room. Patient safety advocates explain that the entire job of the anesthesiologist is to maintain the patient’s comfort while not compromising their safety during the surgery. When a doctor refuses to follow safety protocols, he or she may be placing the patient in greater danger than the patient’s disease. Public health administrators and safety advocates explain that it is important to use a checklist in order to avoid forgetting something important that can lead to injury or death in the operating room. Physician negligence while placing a specialized intravenous line, called a central line, can cause an air embolism, injury to blood vessels, brain damage and even death. The investigators noted that doctors who caused patient injury or death and were sued for malpractice had failed to use proper ultrasound technology in placing the catheter. Liability insurance companies and public health specialists continue to work on properly training physicians to follow safety procedures and avoid dangerous habits that can lead to injuring or killing a patient victim. Read more about this medical malpractice research here.

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New York — A ferry boat crashed this morning as it approached a Manhattan pier, filled with hundreds of passengers and workers. The boat struck the side of the pier after it apparently failed to slow down in order to dock safely. Accident victims reported that the ship left its New Jersey port and sailed smoothly to the other side of the Hudson River. Witnesses say that the trouble began just as the ferry was about to dock at Pier 11 on the New York City side of the river. Some believe that the captain steering the boat was distracted and that is why he didn’t slow down as they approached the city. Emergency personnel responded to the scene of the accident and rushed as many as 57 injured victims to hospitals and trauma centers in lower Manhattan. Reports show that the types of wounds ranged from cuts and bruises to neck and back injuries and even head injury. There are at least two critically injured commuters from the crash that have been hospitalized according to hospital officials. Investigators from the New York Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard and federal investigators are looking into the possible causes of the ferry accident. They explain that many possibilities are being looked at, including driving or operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs, mechanical failure or negligent maintenance of the ship, distraction due to a cell phone call or texting. An accident specialist notes that sometimes an accident like this can occur simply because the driver or captain was inexperienced or wasn’t following proper safety protocols. As of now, officials say that they do not believe weather had anything to do with the crash because the weather was clear for sailing. Keep up-to-date on this accident investigation here.

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Over the past several years, one of the largest car manufacturers, Toyota, has faced several lawsuits claiming that manufacturing defects in their cars have caused injury and death. Some car accident victims contend that the car company was negligent and produced dangerous cars that were prone to crash. The plaintiffs explain that the car crashes were caused by problems that were well-known to Toyota and should have been fixed. A personal injury law firm in New York City notes that the administration in charge of the car company may have been negligent in not reporting the hazardous condition to car owners, drivers and the government. Some insist that the cars should have been subject to an immediate dangerous product recall in order to prevent a car crash, accident injuries and wrongful death. An accident attorney warns that there are many types of hazardous product recalls every year that affect everything from a dangerous baby stroller and a deadly baby recliner to fish and other food recalls. The popular baby recliner that was recalled this past week was implicated in the deaths of several infants who fell out of them. The holiday season often sees product recalls of children’s toys that cause injury or pose a choking hazard for babies. Public safety experts say that the Toyota car recalls have involved many safety reasons, such as gas pedal acceleration issues and floor mats that dangerously slide around while driving. Find out more about the most recent car recall involving the steering shaft of a popular hybrid model here.

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Investigators published a research article this month that analyzed the occurrence of surgical errors in United States hospitals. The doctors estimate that dozens of medical mistakes occur every week during surgery. For example, surgery tools or other objects may be left inside of a patient nearly 40 times every week according to the study. Surgeons operate on the wrong patient and/or the wrong part of a patient another 40 times each week. A top medical malpractice lawyer in New York with expertise in the field of surgical mistakes notes that this is likely an underestimate. Advocates for patient safety explain that many hospital errors are not even reported and are just covered up. The recent research article based its statistics on cases of surgical error that led to a medical malpractice lawsuit. The cases studied showed that a very high percentage of the medical malpractice victims either died or suffered permanent injuries due to the errors. Some doctors and nurses complain that the systems currently in place in many hospitals create a culture that allows for medical mistakes. They feel that no one cares enough to correct the dangerous situation in order to improve patient safety. Many nurses report being afraid to report doctor mistakes or situations that could lead to patient injuries. Hospital administrators often do not encourage reporting of patient errors unless they are likely to end in a medical malpractice case against the hospital. Hospital safety advocates say that they will continue to work on the problems in order to prevent the errors, injuries and wrongful deaths. Find out more about surgery errors and how to prevent them here.

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The New York Times reports that the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is finally investigating the deaths of patients that get caught in dangerous hospital bed rails. Officials explain that elderly and confused patients apparently become trapped between the bed rail and mattress, causing them to choke to death. They say that a hospital bed is not just used in the hospital but also in a nursing home setting and sometimes even in someone’s private home. Public safety advocates say that there is an inherent product design flaw that creates the hazardous condition for unsuspecting victims. They note that the injuries and deaths caused by getting trapped in the bed rail are simply because there are large openings or gaps between the rails and mattress or within the bedrail itself. These gaping holes allow someone who rolls over while sleeping or is disoriented to easily get crushed or stuck, causing the victim serious injury or death. This most often affects older patients but can also affect anyone who is confined to a hospital bed after illness or an injury. According to reports, this dangerous condition has been well-known to the medical community as well as the FDA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Patient advocates complain that the 2 agencies have tried to avoid truly dealing with the faulty products, both claiming that the problem does not fall under their jurisdiction. One side says that the bedrails are a consumer product and the other side notes that it is a medical device. In the meantime, patient victims suffer according to a top New York City attorney who specializes in accidental death lawsuits. Some warn that if the problem is not dealt with soon, not only will the manufacturers be held liable but possibly also officials from the governmental agencies may face personal injury lawsuits or wrongful death cases against them for inaction. An accident lawyer explains that anyone who has a duty to act to prevent injury or death but does not can face a civil lawsuit and possibly even criminal charges. Many advocates insist that a product recall should be instituted and the dangerous products should be fixed in order to prevent more injuries and untold pain. Interestingly, the entire point of the bedrails in nursing homes and hospitals is to prevent the patient from falling or rolling out of bed, causing more serious hospital injury. However, if the design creates a faulty product, then the safety purpose of the bedrails becomes questionable. Read more about the dangers of the bed rails and their recommended use here.

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