The Best Carolina Medical Malpractice Attorney Resource Page

Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

Information about Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

If you or a loved one was hurt due to the negligence or a doctor or surgeon in North Carolina and have questions...

First, read our frequently asked questions:

My doctor performed a routine surgery on me and during the procedure, he nicked my bowel. Do I have a medical malpractice case?
What questions should I ask when selecting a doctor or surgeon?
Is there a medical malpractice "damage cap" in North Carolina?
What is the North Carolina (NC) statute of limitations for a personal injury in a medical malpractice case?

Second, read our medical malpractice consumer guides:

(1) Top Ten Tips from an Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyers

(2) Surgeries Gone Wrong: The Top 5 Surgical Errors and How Not to Become a Victim

Third, review our case results:

Retained Surgical Sponge and Subsequent Complications Awarded: $425,000.00

$2.3 Million Jury Verdict for Child Birth Injury Awarded: $2.3 Million

Failed Back Surgery Awarded: The case was settled before the trial for 1.25 million dollars.

Failure to Diagnose/ER Doctor/vascular incident (aortic aneurysim) Awarded: $700,000.00

Misdiagnosis Results in $650,000.00 Settlement Awarded: $650,000.00

We've also handled multiple cut/nicked ureter/bowel cases. Here is an example - we settled a cut ureter injury case for $400,000.00

After you've had a chance to review this information, please consider giving our firm a call at 1-800-752-0042 so you can have a confidential intitial consultation with an actual lawyer for free. Or, take a moment to fill out our quick contact form on the right side of this page and we'll give you a call ASAP.

Rest assured, the information we provide here is based on decades of legal experience. We understand the complexities of medical malpractice law and common defense lawyer tactics.

We've handled numerous cases involving...
•Surgical errors - This includes anesthesia mistakes, improper sterilization, technical errors, nerve damage, unnecessary surgery, surgery on the wrong part of the body, foreign objects left in the body, and organ puncture.

• Wrong diagnosis and misdiagnosis - This includes misread x-rays, misread test results, failure to order common diagnostic tests, and ignored or missed symptoms. Commonly missed diagnoses include heart attacks, cancer, hypertension, clogged arteries, and infections.

• Negligent care - This includes the improper use of restraints, the improper administration of medication or wrong medication, hospital abuse, or lack of sufficient staff.

• Birth injury - These incidents happen during the baby’s delivery or shortly afterward. These injuries due to hospital errors may involve cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, or brain damage. The mistake may be the obstetrician's, nurses' or other treater in the maternity ward, but the common feature of these claims is the permanent, catastrophic injury to the mother or baby.

We Also Handle Nursing Home Abuse And Nursing Home Neglect Cases
When we place our loved ones into an adult care or elder care facility, we do so with the utmost love and respect, and with the assumption that they will receive sufficient care, attention, and medical support. Yet, according to CBS News, nursing home abuse is on the rise and roughly 30% of adult care facilities have been cited for abuse incidents.

Nursing home abuse can take many forms, including elder physical abuse, elder emotional abuse, elder neglect, elder verbal abuse, and elder sexual abuse. Some nursing home residents may be improperly restrained, some might be given the wrong medications or over medicated, some may suffer from bedsores, infections, and unclean environments, and some may suffer daily emotional abuse from staff members.

These abuses can lead to poor quality of life, medical issues, mental issues, depression, infections, slips and falls, broken bones, and even death.

Here are the most common signs of elder neglect and abuse:
• Bruises, cuts, frozen joints, sudden weight loss or bedsores on the body.
• Soiled sheets, insects, or other signs of neglect.
• The nurse or attendant does not leave the room when you visit.
• You are sometimes unable to see your loved one when you visit.
• Your loved one seems over-medicated or withdrawn.
• Sudden changes in behavior.
• Staff inattention
• Overuse of restraints

If you see the signs of abuse or neglect in your loved one, act. We will seek justice for your elder loved one, try to prevent further abuse, and pursue the compensation you deserve.

Blog for Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

Cerebral Palsy Blamed on Botched Ultrasound Leads to $78.5M Jury Award for Family
Description: The single mother from Pennsylvania (PA) is set to receive $1.5 million for emotional distress, with the remainder being placed in a trust for the child.
Wrongful Death Following Surgery Results in $2.4M Medical Malpractice Award in South Carolina
Description: A jury in Pickens County, SC, found that surgeons with an OB/GYN practice failed to detect and properly treat a woman's perforated bowel.
Debilitating Stroke Following Surgery Brings $178M Malpractice Judgment Against Hospital
Description: Surgeons, doctors and nurses at the Florida health care facility failed to diagnose or treat the patient's internal bleeding.
North Carolina Nursing Home Residents Fall Ill With Virus
Description: Patients at two Forsyth County, NC, long-term care facilities have become infected with norovirus.
Continuing Medical Education Is Disciplinary Tool for Doctor Errors
Description: Contact our Carolina personal injury law firm if you would like a free evaluation of your potential medical malpractice claim.
Admitting Medical Mistakes Can Improve Patient Safety
Description: If you would like a free evaluation of your potential medical malpractice claim, contact our North Carolina law firm.
Allegedly Aggressive Security Contributed to Death of Cape Fear Valley Medical Center Patient
Description: Contact a personal injury lawyer for a free consultation if security at a medical facility has caused you or a loved one injuries.
North Carolina's New Caps on Medical Malpractice Awards Explained
Description: "Tort reform" laws hurt victims while also increasing insurance companies' profits. Contact us if you would like an evaluation of a malpractice claim.
Malpractice Claims Could Arise From the Failure to Share Diagnostic Test Results
Description: Contact a personal injury lawyer at our firm for a free consultation if a doctor's poor communication skills have made your health worse.
$2M Surgical Error Verdicts for Man With Perforated Colon
Description: Mistakes by two different doctors caused the man to suffer the same preventable injury twice.
North Carolina Hospital Hit With $25 Million Verdict in Abuse Case
Description: Cape Fear Valley Health System has been ordered by a jury to make a $25 million payment to a family in a medical malpractice suit.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Following Anesthesia Error
Description: The family of a California (CA) woman who died while having a Lap-Band surgically implanted has sued the surgeon, anesthesiologist and 1-800-GET-THIN.
North Carolina Caps Noneconomic Damage Awards in Some Medical Malpractice Cases
Description: SB 33, made law when members of the NC General Assembly overrode a vet by the governor, also requires a separate trial to prove liability in most cases.
Wrong-Site Surgeries Happen as Many as 40 Times a Day Despite Efforts to Reduce Surgical Errors
Description: Improper patient identification, inexact surgery site marking and poor checklist and communication procedures are cited for causing ongoing malpractice.
NC Law Would Prevent Patients From Suing ERs
Description: A North Carolina (NC) bill would prevent injured people from collecting on medical malpractice claims in against negligent emergency room doctors and nurses.
Mistakes During Post-Operative Care Leave Florida Woman With Permanent Brain Damage
Description: If you've suffered infections or lasting complications due to apparent mistakes or negligence by doctors, nurses or surgeons, you need to speak with a lawyer to discuss what happened. That's why you should give our office a call. We're an ethical, results-oriented firm, and we would love to talk to you. Our first conversation is free -- guaranteed -- and no pressure. Our number is (800) 752-0042.
Three Wrong-Site Back Surgeries Draw Fine for Massachusetts (MA) Hospital
Description: If you or a family member is suffering because of a failed back surgery or other possible surgical error, call us at (800) 752-0042 for a free consultation.
Stroke Misdiagnosis and Lack of Cancer Treatment Left Man Blind, Unable to Walk
Description: If you or a family member has suffered or lost his or her life due to a suspected mistake by a doctor, nurse or other health care provider, you need a lawyer to ensure you receive fair compensation. That's why you should give our office a call to discuss what happened. We're an ethical, results-oriented firm, and we would love to talk to you. Our first conversation is free -- guaranteed -- and no pressure. Our number is (800) 752-0042.
Failure Rate for DePuy ASR Hip Replacement Devices Is So High That Recall Was Issued
Description: Close to 100,000 people who had hip replacement surgery may have to go under the knife again to replace a defective DePuy ASR hip replacement device. Reports indicate the DePuy hip replacement devices have a failure rate that is twice the industry standard. To learn more, read this blog.
Steps to Choosing a Nursing Home and How to Spot Nursing Home Abuse
Description: Looking for information about how to best choose a nursing home? If so, check out this article. It also contains information about what to look for so your loved one does not become the victim of nursing home abuse.

Library for Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes:

US Government: Hospitals Need More Quality And Safety Control
Description: Part of the new health care bill involves greater responsibility for hospitals - and asks hospitals to lower preventable medical errors, hospital re-admissions, and other safety hazards. While hospitals worry that their revenue may be lowered, patients and health care consumers should benefit from these changes.
Carolina Medical Error: Cancerous Organ Transplants
Description: A man recently received a cancerous kidney in a transplant at Duke University. How often do cancerous organs get transplanted into patients, and why isn't the problem being stopped? Learn more about cancerous organ transplants and Carolina medical malpractice.
Carolina Medical Malpractice: A Focus On Nerve Damage
Description: Perhaps one of the most devastating surgical mistakes leaves patients with serious nerve damage - a condition that can lead to years of pain, numbness, and disability. Learn more about nerve damage symptoms and about occurrences of nerve damage medical malpractice in the Carolinas.
When Carolina Doctors Commit Sexual Misconduct
Description: When North Carolina pediatrician Melvin Levine was accused of sexual abuse by dozens of former patients, many across the state began to wonder about the prevalence of sexual misconduct among physicians. Learn more about what is and is not appropriate behavior for your NC doctor and other medical professionals.
Anesthesia Errors And North Carolina Medical Malpractice
Description: One of the most common types of surgical errors have nothing to do with the surgeon and everything to do with the Anesthesiologist. Learn more about examples of anesthesia errors, why anesthesia errors occur, and how they can be prevented.
What Is The Role Of A North Carolina Medical Expert Witness?
Description: What is the role of a North Carolina medical malpractice expert witness? Learn more about why a medical expert is vital for a winning medical malpractice case and how medical experts can help juries better understand NC med mal lawsuits.
Does Your North Carolina Doctor Have A History Of Medical Malpractice?
Description: North Carolina lawmakers have recently decided to create a searchable online database of medical malpractice information for all NC doctors. This new database of medical malpractice information can help potential patients pick health professionals with stellar records.
Medical Malpractice Statistics | North Carolina Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Description: Do you know how many people each year die because of medical malpractice? Or how many serious medication mistakes are made each year in the United States? Or what percentage of doctors are sued at some point during their careers? Learn some shocking medical malpractice statistics.
North Carolina Statute Of Limitations And Medical Malpractice | North Carolina Medical Malpractice Attorney
Description: When you suffer from medical malpractice in North Carolina, you only have a small window of time to consult a lawyer and file a medical malpractice lawsuit. Learn more about the North Carolina medical malpractice statute of limitations in this legal article.
Medication Mistakes In North Carolina Nursing Homes | Nursing Home Neglect Attorney
Description: Medication mistakes are all too common in North Carolina nursing homes. Whether nursing home workers are forgetting medications, over-medicating, or stealing medications, your loved one's health could be seriously harmed by nursing home medication errors.
Stories of Wrong Side Surgery: A Terrifying Medical Error | Carolina Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Description: Imagine going in for a surgery only to wake up and find the operation was done on the wrong part of your body. Perhaps the wrong knee was operated on - or your healthy kidney was removed instead of the diseased one. Unfortunately, wrong side surgery happens far too often for no good reason.
The Frustrations of Dealing with Medicare
Description: If you're looking for a qualified attorney to handle your case, you've arrived at the right place. Our firm features attorneys with over 100 years of combined legal experience and a reputation for successful verdicts. Take a moment to review our videos and articles. You'll see why we're a top-notch injury law firm that's ready to work for you. Give us a call at 1-800-752-0042 for a FREE consultation.
North Carolina Wrong Diagnosis: NC Medical Malpractice | NC & SC Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Description: Did you know that misdiagnosed conditions lead to 40,000 to 80,000 deaths in our hospitals each year? Being diagnosed quickly and accurately is a large part of regaining your health, and a failure to diagnose can be harmful or deadly. Learn more about delayed diagnosis, wrong diagnosis, misdiagnosis, and failure to diagnose in North Carolina.
Four Common Reasons For Surgical Errors In The Carolinas
Description: Surgical errors can result in complications, infection, unnecessary surgery, and even death. Learn about the most common types of surgical errors, including equipment defects, equipment problems, wrong surgery, wrong side surgery, miscommunication, and wrong medication.
Cerebral Palsy, Birth Injuries, And Medical Malpractice
Description: Cerebral palsy has a number of causes, but a number of babies suffer from cerebral palsy after a doctor, nurse, or other health professional makes a mistake during the birthing process. Learn more about cerebral palsy and its causes and symptoms as well as the connection between some cases of cerebral palsy and medical malpractice.
Bedsores and Carolina Nursing Home Neglect
Description: Very simply, bedsores are a red flag for nursing home abuse and adult care abuse. Bedsores are extremely painful and can lead to infection, discomfort, and even death. Learn more about the cause of bedsores, bedsore treatment, bedsore symptoms, and what you should do if your elder loved one is suffering from bedsores in North Carolina (NC) or South Carolina (SC).
North Carolina Family Settles Case of Death Due to Negligence by Nursing Home
Description: A settlement was reached for $380,000 recently in a North Carolina (NC) case of wrongful death due to nursing negligence. The victim was admitted to a nursing home because she was battling Parkinson’s disease. While in the nursing home, she developed a Stage III “sacral decubitus ulcer”, which lead to her death.
“Complaints” Used to Pressure Medical Experts Away from Helping Lawyers for Injured Patients
Description: Experts in the medical field have complained about the intimidation dealing with the “ethical issues” of their testimony against other doctors in malpractice suits. A number of medical groups are creating a procedure of ethic complaints in order to set a standard and unbiased way of sharing expert testimony in court.
Carolina Nursing Home Abuse Information
Description: Nursing home abuse and neglect is all too common - and often hard to detect. Learn more about the different types of nursing home abuse and nursing home neglects as well as the red flags of nursing home elder abuse.
Creating Standards for Monitoring the Fetus to Prevent Obstetrical Malpractice
Description: Parents who are expecting a newborn often experience a number of worries with the birth of a child. A lot is going on at the hospital at the end of the pregnancy and at the time of delivery. In preparing the mother for birth, appropriate measures are also taken to protect the unborn child. It is important for parents to know that the right procedures are being taken for their baby’s health and that unnecessary injuries are being avoided.

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Frequent Questions for Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes:

Videos about Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes:

Medical Malpractice Lawyer in North Carolina Talks About Hypoxia

Medical Malpractice Attorney in North Carolina Talks about Birth Injuries

Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Greenville Talks About Missed Cancer Diagnosis

Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Elizabeth City, North Carolina

North Carolina Medical Malpractice Lawyer Talks About Laparoscopic Injuries

Medical Malpractice Lawyer in North Carolina Discusses Gallbladder Surgery Injuries

North Carolina Medical Malpractice Injury Lawyer Discusses Hysterectomies

Statute of Limitations for Medical Malpractice Claims in NC

Child Birth Shoulder Injury (aka Shoulder Dystocia)

Abdominal Surgery Mistake Can Lead to Ureteral Injury

Medical Malpractice Attorney's In Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Washington D.C.

Elizabeth City Injury Lawyer Says Medical Personnel Should Be Held Responsible For Their Mistakes- Foster Vid

Rocky Mount Injury Lawyer Specializes in Medical Malpractice and Aviation Cases- Foster Vid

Web Resources for Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes:

Virginia Beach Board of Medicine
Description: Practitioner information.

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About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and have extensive experience handling medical malpractice cases. Please take a few moments to review our medical malpractice case results. We serve every area of North Carolina, including the Outer Banks, Nags Head and the western mountains, as well as all the cities and counties in between. In South Carolina, we cover the state from Myrtle Beach and Charleston to Orangeburg, Columbia, Florence, Rock Hill, Darlington, Aiken, Anderson, Greenville and Spartanburg.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been included among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008 and we have been named one of the Best Injury Law Firms in North Carolina for personal injury law since 2010 by U.S. News & World Report. In addition, we have been listed in the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009 and our firm has the highest rating of AV from national lawyer ranking organization Martindale-Hubbell. That means we have a reputation for demonstrating preeminent legal skill.

We offer free special reports on the Top 10 Tips From Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyers and the Top 5 Surgical Errors You Must Know About.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer a free, initial confidential injury case consultation, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail and so we can return your call promptly.