What is Malpractice?
Malpractice is, “Any professional misconduct, unreasonable lack of skill or fidelity in professional or fiduciary duties, evil practice, or illegal or immoral conduct.” (Black’s Law Dictionary 1111. 4th Ed. Rev. 1968). It refers to negligence or misconduct by a professional that eventually leads to a client or patient being injured or damaged.
Malpractice is commonly referenced in the medical sense. However, malpractice exists in other professions such as accounting and law. Medical malpractice may involve a doctor giving the wrong diagnosis or botching a surgery, resulting in direct harm. Legal malpractice could involve a lawyer mishandling a case due to incompetence or neglect, resulting in their client losing out on financial gains or wrongfully spending time in prison.
Malpractice cases are usually resolved with legal proceedings where the plaintiff seeks monetary compensation from the accused professional. They depend on the proof that the plaintiff was not only harmed, but that the malpractice by the professional was the direct cause. This process is meant to hold professionals accountable for their actions, and protect innocent individuals from the consequences of negligence and misconduct. In cases where professionals are found to commit malpractice, such as Gregory v. McInnis et al, they are often restricted from practicing in that specific field again.
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PA Drivers Have Opportunity to Participate in PennDOT Survey
Our Pennsylvania car accident attorneys have continuously urged PA drivers to drive safely when on our highways. We also strive to present articles regarding safety initiatives and campaigns aimed at improving highway safety. Now, Pennsylvania residents have the opportunity to be heard regarding the efficacy of the state’s traffic safety enforcement and their peers’ driving behaviors.
PennDOT has published its Highway Safety Planning Survey online at www.JustDrivePA.com. The survey questions focus on several key safety initiatives: seat belt use, impaired driving, speeding, motorcycles, distracted driving. Each state is required to complete this survey by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Residents have until July 27 to complete their feedback. The survey is anonymous, although information is maintained on gender and zip code of residence.
Palmer-Forks Patch reports that more than 3,500 people responded to last year’s survey. […]
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Pennsylvania Fourth of July Car Accident Statistics Point to Risky Behavior
Pennsylvania State Police released the traffic accident statistics from the long Fourth of July weekend. Sadly, too many people lost their lives due to risky driving behaviors such as drunk driving and not buckling up.
According to the press release, nine people were killed and 312 people were injured in a total of 845 Pennsylvania car crashes during the Fourth of July holiday driving period. Seven of those killed were not wearing seat belts. 85 of the car crashes were alcohol-related, including four of the fatalities. During the same period, state troopers arrested 432 people for driving under the influence.
“I’m disappointed that so many drivers still get behind the wheel after drinking,” State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan said. And it’s clear that far too many people don’t buckle up when they travel. The numbers illustrate once again that risky behavior, […]
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The IIHS Suggests Toughening Up Pennsylvania’s Graduated License Program
Pennsylvania’s graduated licensing (GDL) program has been identified by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) as one of the best GDL programs in the nation. In a recent study, the IIHS honed in on five components of GDL’s that can improve safety among teen drivers. Although PA meets many of the requirements, there is still room for improvement.
In March, we offered detailed information about the GDL after the USA Today did a featured story on teen driving. In 2010, Governor Tom Corbett tightened the restrictions for teen drivers by enhancing the GDL. However, the IIHS believes that by adding even stricter requirements in Pennsylvania, the state could see a 27% reduction in teen accidents.
In 2010, there were 27,149 crashes involving drivers between the ages of 16 and 20. There were 57 car crash deaths in accidents in 2010 that involved a 16- or 17-year-old driver. […]
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Parents Urged to Keep Laundry Pods Away from Children
Once again, manufacturers of a product intended for use by adults have packaged a product in a way that appeals to children, leading to injury. We previously reported on Buckyballs, an adult stress-relieving toy that is made of small magnets, that appeals to young children who swallow the magnets, requiring surgery. Now, ABC News reports that children are mistaking the new single-dose laundry detergent packets, such as Tide Pods, for candy.
An 18-month-old child had to be rushed to the emergency room with severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea after he swallowed a pod believing it to be candy. Five months later, according to ABC News, nearly 1,200 children have been treated for swallowing laundry detergent, and eleven of them are critically ill on ventilators. The new laundry packets were first introduced in February.
The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) issued a warning on May 17 “urging the public, […]
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Pennsylvania Drivers Urged to Read DOT’s Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving
Our Pennsylvania truck accident attorneys have continually stressed the dangers and the tragedy of distracted driving. Just last month we presented information about a young teen who is now serving jail time due to a distracted driving accident that resulted in the death of a 55-year-old man. For some, unfortunately, a serious jolt such as an accident is what it takes to wake them up to the dangers of distracted driving.
However, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who has been steadfast in his battle to end distracted driving in the United States, hopes to end accidents caused by distracted drivers. Now, under his direction, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has launched its Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving.
The blueprint, according to LaHood’s blog, Fast Lane, “is putting critical safety information into the hands of those who can make the biggest difference. […]
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