The documents below are available to the public so that they can gain a better understanding of the legal challenges facing them, and why an experienced attorney is so important for success.

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Medical Malpractice:

Medical Ghost Writing - Drug Companies and Medical Device Manufacturers hiring writers to submit articles to medical journals (articles singing the praises of whatever the companies are pushing) [PDF]
Description: Peer reviewed medical literature is routinely used as a basis for healthcare decisions, insurance company decisions to authorize diagnostic tests and treatment and in medical malpractice litigation. But many of the articles are ghost written - by writers hired by a drug company or medical device manufacturer that wants positive treatment for one of its products in the medical literature. Sen. Charles Grassley has issued a report "Ghostwriting in Medical Literature" that shows how widespread the practice is.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot forming in a large vein. It can lead to pulmonary embolism, a potentially fatal complication.
Description: According to the Centers for Disease Control, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), the formation of a blood clot, is a treatable, preventable disease process that is underdiagnosed. DVT can lead to pulmonary embolism (PE), a blood clot that breaks off and travels to the lung. Pulmonary embolism can be a fatal complication of DVT.
Radiologist diagnoses life threatening blood clots and calls the referring physician to communicate his diagnosis but hangs up after being put on hold. The patient dies a few days later without ever being treated. [PDF]
Description: A local radiologist diagnosed life threatening blood clots (deep vein thrombosis) in a 50 year old Fairfax, Va single mother. He called her referring physician to communicate the diagnosis. After being put on hold, waiting for the doctor to come to the phone, he hung up.

His patient died a few days later from a fatal pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that broke off and traveled to the lungs. She never knew she had been diagnosed with blood clots.

The treatment for blood clots is anti-coagulation, usually heparin. It is 90% effective. A pulmonologist testified this treatment would have saved the patient's life.

At trial, the radiologist blamed the referring physician, saying his office later faxed the radiology report to the referring doctor's office, where it was filed as routine correspondence.

The referring physician's employer settled with the family shortly before trial.

Following a verdict for the radiologist, the Supreme Court of Virginia reversed, holding the trial judge improperly instructed the jury on the issue of superseding, intervening cause.

Frank R. Kearney and co-counsel Benjamin W. Glass, III represent the patient's estate. Her survivors include a 12 year old son.
Medical information, tests and screening for men
Description: Cancer screening and prevention. Early detection and diagnosis of potentially fatal cancers. Preventing colon cancer, heart attacks and heart disease. These are a few of the topics the AHRQ advises men about their health and health care.
Cancer Awareness Newsletter [PDF]
Description: Cancer Awareness and Prevention is critical to your health. The misdiagnosis or late diagnosis of cancer can be fatal. Early diagnosis and detection of even the most aggressive cancer can improve a patient's outcome.

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Medical Malpractice

How do you evaluate a medical malpractice case against a hospital, HMO or doctor?

What role do expert witnesses have in a medical malpractice case?

My child was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. How can I tell whether it was caused by medical malpractice or if the hospital doctors did something wrong and that led to my child's cerebral palsy or brain injury?

How do you pick a jury in a medical malpractice case?

What is the standard of care in a medical malpractice case?