Posts by Jonathan Petty
The “Other” Type of Fatal Brain Injury
A recent article in CNN calls attention to a pair of elite athletes who never met, but who had a lot in common – Catlin, a champion US cyclist, and Ellie, an up-and-coming British snowboarder. Catlin was 23 and Ellie was 18, both were young women, and both suffered serious head injuries during their short…
Read MoreMisdiagnosis Mistakes in Emergency Rooms Happen All Too Often
Patients in Richmond have a right to trust that if they need to go to their nearest emergency room, the ER doctors will make the correct diagnosis and provide appropriate treatment. A misdiagnosis can cause a patient to suffer until the accurate diagnosis is made. A misdiagnosis can also mean that opportunity for necessary treatment…
Read MoreNursing Homes and Medicare: Higher Needs Equals Higher Reimbursement
Much discussion in the health care and elder care industry lately revolves around the subject of nursing homes, private equity companies, and Medicare. More specifically, this talk involves the relationship between private equity companies potentially taking advantage of Medicare in order to turn a bigger profit after acquiring a nursing home. Although this is only…
Read MorePrivate Equity, Nursing Homes, and Decline in Care: The Connection
The stated goal of nursing home and long-term care facilities is to provide attentive care for our senior loved ones and provide them a comfortable place to live in their elder years. Many nursing homes have wonderful reputation for providing this expert care. However, in recent years, as more and more private equity companies acquire…
Read MoreFires Are a Real and Present Danger in the Operating Room
Fires that occur in the operating room are among the most terrifying and dramatic disasters that can happen during a surgery. Though they are relatively uncommon, there are an average of 650 operating room fires in the U.S. annually, which often cause serious injuries and even death to the helpless patient. Operating fires are preventable…
Read MoreMedical Malpractice Claims and the Matter of Intent to Harm
In a recent criminal case out of Ohio, a former physician was acquitted of 14 counts of murder after allegedly causing the deaths of his patients by ordering excessive amounts of fentanyl. The case was followed with interest by medical experts, legal professionals, doctors and nurses across the country, as the case raised significant questions…
Read MoreWhat Is a Never Event?
Unless you are a medical professional, you are likely unaware of the term “never event.” Never events in healthcare are exactly what they sound like – events that should never occur; egregious and catastrophic incidents during medical treatment that typically leave a patient permanently injured or disabled, or result in death. Ken Kizer, MD first…
Read MoreWhen a Failure to Communicate Leads to Catastrophic Injury
When you go to the doctor, you expect to receive proper and necessary treatment, including the correct medication, surgery, doctor, and care. Nobody assumes they will lose a limb because the doctor does not speak their language. However, this is exactly what happened to a patient in Knoxville, Tennessee. A recently-filed lawsuit alleges that a…
Read MorePhelan Petty Secures $3 Million Jury Verdict for Fetal Death
Phelan Petty partners Jonathan M. Petty and Brielle M. Hunt were recognized by Virginia Lawyers Media for securing one of the top verdicts in Virginia for 2021. Their $3 million jury verdict in a fetal death case in Henrico County was listed as #3 for the year. This verdict was the first plaintiff’s verdict in…
Read MoreWhat Are Traumatic Amputations?
Losing a limb is difficult regardless of the circumstances, but especially when the loss is the result of a traumatic amputation. Unlike an amputation that occurs in a planned surgery, a traumatic amputation is the separation of a body part such as a finger, toe, hand, foot, arm, or leg due to an accident or…
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