One of the most common causes for truck crashes in Connecticut and across the country is overweight truck loads. Many commercial tractor trailers haul loads which exceed the state’s maximum allowed limit of 80,000 pounds. Ignoring the law, however, can have tragic consequences. If an event occurs that causes a truck driver to lose control of the vehicle, serious—and often fatal—accidents can result.

Additionally, when a tractor trailer transports more weight than it is built for, it can cause serious mechanical issues such as tire blowouts and steering difficulties. The overweight loads can also hamper a truck’s ability to slow down and stop, therefore making it particularly dangerous for overweight trucks when traveling downhill.

Overloaded tractor trailers are also more easily prone to truck rollovers, as a recent fatal truck accident demonstrated. The driver lost control of the truck while attempting to maneuver in heavy traffic and flipped over onto a car. Both the car and truck burst into flames. The truck driver was able to get out of his vehicle and was uninjured. The driver and passenger in the car, however, were trapped and crushed under the burning truck, and were pronounced dead at the scene.

According to statistics from the National Highway Safety Administration (NHSA), there are more than 300,000 truck accidents in this country each year, which kill about 4,000 people. Another 105,000 people are seriously injured in these crashes. For victims who do survive, their injuries are often more severe and long-term than injuries suffered by victims of car accidents because of the size and weight impact of the tractor trailer involved in the accident. Often, their quality of life is significantly lowered by the accident.

If you were injured in a serious truck accident, please contact a dedicated Westport personal injury attorney today at 203-226-6168 to find out what legal compensation you may be entitled to for your pain and loss.

Routine Surgery Results in Severe Medical Trauma

Earlier this year, a Connecticut woman was awarded $12 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit after her colon was punctured during a routine hernia surgery. The error led to a massive abdominal infection. Additionally, the woman went into septic shock and suffered a heart attack and organ failure. The woman then fell into a month-long coma, had to have a large part of her large intestine removed, and also sustained permanent injuries.

Common Surgical Errors

According to CNN News, medical errors, such as the one noted above, kill more than 200,000 people every year in the United States. Medical professionals estimate that these serious types of medical errors are the third-leading cause of death in the U.S.

One of the most common types of medical errors is the accidental puncturing of an organ. In fact, a report from the National Institute of Health (NIH) states that laparoscopic surgery carries severe risk of puncturing an organ and is by far the most common type of operation for women addressing gynecological issues. WebMD notes that more than 4,000 preventable mistakes—such as the puncturing of an organ, operating on the wrong body part, or performing an incorrect procedure—occur annually and result in an impressive $1.3 billion in medical malpractice payouts every year.

Contact a Connecticut Medical Malpractice Attorney

Having surgery can be frightening—especially when considering the risks and the potential for human error. If you recently underwent surgery and experienced a resulting injury, severe medical trauma, or were not made sufficiently aware of the surgical risks, you may be eligible for compensation. The most important step to determine if this is the case is to seek the counsel of a legal professional. You do not have to go through it alone. Contact a dedicated Westport medical malpractice attorney today to discuss your case. Call 203-226-6168.

Once a year, the majority of people visit their primary care physician for an annual medical exam. This exam is commonly referred to as a “check-up,” and the goal is to do just that—check to make sure a person is medically heathy and to provide an early diagnosis of any health issues in which a person may not even be aware.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the top three diseases which kill more people each year are cardiovascular diseases, cancers and diabetes. However, early diagnosis and treatment for these diseases can greatly increase the chances of a person’s long-term survival.

A new study, however, shows that almost 80 percent of people in this country who suffer from undiagnosed diabetes are actually seeing their physicians on a regular basis—often at least two to three times a year. Yet, doctors are not recognizing symptoms and treating patients for the disease. This leaves about eight million people totally unaware they are suffering from diabetes.

The study reviewed over 30,000 medical patients from around the country and discovered that three in every 10 patients were suffering from diabetes, but their doctors had failed to diagnose it. Almost 85 percent of those patients had a primary care physician whom they saw at least once a year, and almost 70 percent of those patients reported seeing their physician at least twice during the preceding 12 months.

Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure, blindness in adults, and limb amputation. When a person is suffering from diabetes, his or her body is not using insulin correctly. Insulin is a hormone that is used by the body to process sugar that comes from food. Insulin turns that sugar into fuel, which the body’s cells need for energy. People suffering from diabetes often experience fatigue, slow healing times for scrapes and cuts, and blurred vision.

A doctor’s failure to diagnose diabetes, or any other disease, can cause a patient to suffer serious illness. If you suspect you are a victim of a doctor’s failure to diagnose, please contact an experienced Westport medical malpractice attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have for your pain and suffering.