Friday, July 13, 2007

Rare Skin - Muscle Disorder Caused by MRI Imaging Injection

Were the makers of a toxic MRI imaging injection aware how debilitating gadolinium is to people with kidney problems?

Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis also called Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy (NSF/NFD) is a rare disease. NSF didn’t exist until 1997 when gadolinium was first used to obtain a brighter image for MRIs and MRAs (magnetic imaging angiography) scans. Gadolinium is FDA approved for MRI but not MRA.

The only way you can get Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis is if you had kidney problems or kidney disease at the time you were injected with gadolinium. People who are not prone to kidney problems or kidney disease do not acquire Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis.

For a person with normally functioning kidneys, gadolinium is eliminated from the body in less than two hours. However, in people with kidney problems, it might take up to 36 hours to eliminate toxic gadolinium.

NSF symptoms include: Swelling and tightening of the skin, skin that inhibits flexibility, burning and itchy skin, skin lesions, muscle weakness, deep bone pain, and hypertension.

Symptoms can appear from one week to 18 months later. There is no successful treatment to improve the quality of life and NSF/NSD may lead to death caused by renal failure complications. However, by improving renal function, NSF is slowed or arrested and in many cases allows for gradual reversal of the process over time.

In June 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory about gadolinium injections for MRIs and how people with kidney problems and kidney disease are impacted by the debilitating Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis and Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy.

In May 2007, the FDA sent out a black box warning. What happened from June 2006 to May 2007? How many patients were negatively affected? Did MRI imaging companies adhere to testing kidney patients or providing backup dialysis after the gadolinium injections? NSF affects a small percentage of people but that percentage is growing especially since symptoms are not instant.

Gadolinium is a poison. It is also using in x-ray imaging, microwave applications, compact disks, and nuclear reactors. Manufacturers of gadolinium injects include General Electric, GE Healthcare, Bayer, Bayer Healthcare, Tyco Healthcare, and Bracco Diagnostics.

How can it be that the manufacturers of MRI imaging ingredients didn’t know how destructive gadolinium could be on compromised kidneys?

Michael Monheit, Esq. is a "Philadelphia Attorney" licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and Temple University Law School, he is the founder of Pennsylvania Law Firm - Monheit Law and a member of PA and NJ NSF Lawsutis Law Firm - Anapol Schwartz Weiss Cohan Feldman & Smalley Mr. Monheit's practice areas focus on mass tort pharmaceutical cases. He can be reached at michael @ monheit . com or toll free 866-761-1385 or from the firm's web site.Source: Anapol Schwartz law firm in Pennsylvania and New Jersey handling NSF Lawsuits

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Fort Lauderdale Attorneys Tell All - How To Win In A Medical Malpractice Case

No Holds Barred: An interview with a Fort Lauderdale Attorney about Medical Malpractice

Did he ever score a win? He smiled, with the knowing smile of Mona Lisa. Medical Malpractice cases have seen days in court and most of the victims have been rewarded relief, however no amount of financial reward can ever compensate for the loss of a future, atop an operating table.

Joshua, 19, lost not just a limb, but a life-long career; Daniel, the chance to see his son’s smile again.Medical malpractice cases have gripped the headlines in the past years; most recently, a plaintiff who was a promising football player, went to see a surgeon for his chronic back pain. When he woke up he can no longer play, nor walk ever again. $11.7 million was huge payback, when an Atlanta Circuit Court Judge ruled in his favor, but to be confined in a wheelchair for life was never a happy bargain. Nevertheless, Joshua was thankful that he now has money to bankroll a future, whatever is left of it, for him.

How difficult it is to win, or lose in a medical malpractice case?

A Fort Lauderdale Attorney, who has built an expertise on medical malpractice, came forth with some answers to most frequently-asked questions:

Q: What qualifies an act as a medical malpractice

A: When a negligent act, which causes injury to a patient receiving medical care is caused by a medical professional, such as a doctor, nurse, therapist, hospital technician, hospital worker, dentist or by anybody else in similar category, there is medical malpractice.For more details about medical malpractice, Fort Lauderdale Lawyers have the expertise.

Q: Is every negligent act committed by a medical practitioner, a medical malpractice A: For a negligent act to be considered a medical malpractice, three (3) requisites must concur:

1.) the medical professional has a duty to provide medical care to someone

2.) the negligent act caused the breach of duty

3.) an injury directly resulted from such breach. Fort Lauderdale Attorneys encourage those harmed by a medical malpractice to seek immediate legal intervention; filing of the case has specific time period, which varies from state to state.

Q: What is “standard care”?

A: “Standard care” is the yardstick used to determine if the negligent act committed by a medical professional is actionable or not. The negligent act should be established as a willful deviation from “standard care” that a prudent and reasonable medical professional would give to patients in his care, under similar circumstances.

Q: Define a “patient”?

A patient is one who receives medical attention, or under medical care.

Q: What is the first step that a plaintiff should undertake when filing legal action for medical malpractice?

A: Through his counsel, the plaintiff should file a “Certificate of Merit”. This is a document, which describes that before a medical malpractice case is pursued in court by the plaintiff, all his relevant records and information about the case underwent close scrutiny and evaluation by a medical expert; when evidence purports merit to file an action in court, lawyer for the plaintiff should file first a “certificate of merit”. Florida Malpractice Lawyers explain that “Certificate of Merit” is a pre-requisite to filing a medical malpractice case in court.

Q: Is there a prescribed period for filing a medical malpractice case?

A: When in Florida, Florida Injury Lawyers take on medical malpractice cases with sense of urgency. More than the financial reward that they could win in favor of their client, they also believe that a speedy dispensation of justice, appease the tragedy that falls upon every victim of medical malpractice. You should talk to your lawyer immediately, detailing to him relevant information regarding your association with the defendant before, during and after the incident. Specific periods for filing, varies from state to state.

Q: In a nose job, if the patient does not get the “ perfect” nose she wanted, can it give rise to a medical malpractice case?

A: No. For a medical malpractice case to prosper in court, there should be a deviation or breach of duty to render standard care upon the patient, and such breach caused an injury to the patient. A less-than-perfect nose job does not merit an actionable negligent act.

Q: Doctors make their patients sign a “consent form” before they perform a clinical procedure. In the event of medical malpractice, does the consent form affect the outcome of the legal action?

A : No, it does not prevent the aggrieved party from seeking relief for damages, provided the requisites for a medical malpractice case are met.

Q: Is medical malpractice a “winnable” case?

Again, that knowing smile.

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