Lake Charles Personal Injury Law Blog

Why do stillbirths occur?

On behalf of Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., LLC posted in Medical Malpractice on Sunday, February 17, 2019.

According to the CDC, stillbirths affect approximately one percent of pregnancies each year. That amounts to roughly 24,000 babies that do not get the opportunity to take their first breath. More than 10 times the number of infants die from stillbirth than those that die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Despite the many advances in medical technology, healthcare professionals are still unsure about what causes stillbirths. Because of this, many families are left grieving and without answers to their most pressing questions, the biggest of which is If you are like many women who lost babies in Louisiana, you may blame yourself. Do not do this, as stillbirths are rarely the result of something a woman did or did not do.

Though the healthcare field does not fully understand the true causes behind stillbirths, it has identified contributing factors. Those contributing factors fall into three categories: problems with the baby, health conditions within the mother and issues with the umbilical cord or placenta. Doctors categorize those that fall outside of these three categories as "unexplained stillbirths." Unexplained stillbirths are more likely to occur further along in a woman's pregnancy.

Animals and motor vehicle collisions

On behalf of Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., LLC posted in Car Accidents on Saturday, February 16, 2019.

From bad weather to inexperience, distractions and fatigue, motor vehicle crashes have many causes. Some risk factors are overlooked because they are less common, however. For example, there are different ways in which animals (both wild and domesticated) can play a role in collisions. Someone who drives around with their dog may be distracted by the animal, interfering with their driving abilities. Or, someone may be surprised by a wild animal such as a deer that darts across the road, causing them to swerve into oncoming traffic.

These are some examples of how animals can play a key role in motor vehicle crashes. Sadly, these accidents not only leave many animals hurt or killed but humans may face serious consequences as well. For example, if someone allowed their dogs to run loose in front of their house, and this led to a motor vehicle collision that left you or someone you love hurt, you may need to consider moving forward with a lawsuit.

These driving distractions can impact any driver

On behalf of Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., LLC on Tuesday, February 12, 2019.

Even if you know how important it is to remain alert when driving, there's a lot going on around you. This could result in some form of distraction taking your attention away from the road, thus increasing the risk of an accident.

While your personal approach to driving is more important than anything else, you must also keep a close eye on other drivers. You can be as safe as you want, but if another driver makes a mistake, such as taking their eyes off the road, you could be part of an accident.

What should you know about 2017 truck accidents?

On behalf of Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., LLC posted in Truck Accidents on Friday, February 8, 2019.

When you read the paper or watch the news, you may notice that many truck accidents take place on the roads of Lousiana. You may be interested in the crash statistics from 2017 and what they reveal about trends in truck accidents.

You may think that truck collisions are the most common kind of accident that happens on Louisiana roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, trucks played a role in 9.6 percent of the fatal collisions that took place in Louisiana in 2017. These crashes resulted in the deaths of 30 people. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of people killed in truck accidents across the country increased. While truck accidents caused the deaths of 4,369 people in 2016, they resulted in the deaths of 4,761 people in 2017.

Do doctors take invisible illnesses seriously?

On behalf of Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., LLC posted in Medical Malpractice on Sunday, February 3, 2019.

Any chronic illness can be difficult to cope with. When your condition is largely misunderstood or minimized by the medical community and others, life can be especially challenging. Louisiana residents with so-called “invisible” illnesses may feel as if their concerns and struggles are also invisible.

An invisible illness, as Everyday Health explains, is a medical condition that can’t be easily seen or recognized. You may look perfectly healthy to other people as you suffer from chronic pain or while your health deteriorates. Invisible illnesses can encompass a wide range of maladies, including fibromyalgia, Lyme disease and brain trauma, as well as psychological illnesses like depression and PTSD.

Keep children safe with the right car seat

On behalf of Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., LLC posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, January 24, 2019.

When Louisiana parents put their child in the car, their top priority is their child's safety. If a young child is not in the proper safety seat, though, it is more likely that he or she will incur an injury in a car accident. It is important for parents to make sure their children sit in a car seat that will protect them in a collision.

Many parents may not consider what might happen if their family is in a car accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that for children under the age of 13, motor vehicle collisions are a primary cause of death. Parents can help protect their children by making sure young kids sit in a car seat. In 2016, car seats saved the lives of 328 children younger than 5. However, it is important for parents to make sure their child has the right car seat.

Wrongful death lawsuits can be complicated

On behalf of Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., LLC posted in Wrongful Death on Monday, January 21, 2019.

Grieving family members who are left behind after a fatal tragedy can consider filing a wrongful death lawsuit under certain circumstances, as previous posts in this blog have pointed out. However, such litigation can be especially complex, as the opposing side will fight strongly to avoid being held responsible for someone’s death. Louisiana residents should understand that there are many elements to a wrongful death lawsuit, including witness testimony and the examination of evidence.

A wrongful death lawsuit can be drawn-out and complex, as a recent case involving the death of a Shreveport man has shown. According to KTBS News, two married couples went out for a birthday celebration last summer and returned to the home of one couple after a night of drinking. Reportedly, one of the men ended up in the swimming pool for several hours, and he died when the others failed to notice him unresponsive in the water. Authorities claimed the drowning was accidental, but the man’s widow has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the other couple, claiming her husband would have survived if they had not taken a long time to rescue him from the water after noticing him, and if he had not been allowed in the pool while highly intoxicated. Video surveillance of the incident is being considered as evidence for the lawsuit, although it is unclear which side the evidence will support.

Take these steps to document a car accident

On behalf of Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., LLC on Monday, January 14, 2019.

Even a minor car accident has the potential to result in a serious injury. Furthermore, it can cost you quite a bit of time and money, especially if you don't know which steps to take.

One of the most important things you can do following a car accident is begin the documentation process. Don't assume that you'll have time in the future to collect everything you need. Not only can this complicate things regarding your insurance claim, but it does the same if you want to file a lawsuit in an attempt to collect compensation from the negligent driver.

Disney World trip results in tragedy for 5 Louisiana kids

On behalf of Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., LLC posted in Truck Accidents on Tuesday, January 8, 2019.

A trip that was supposed to take a group of Pentecostal church members from Louisiana to the purported "happiest place on Earth" ended in tragedy when a semi truck collided head-on with their church van, as well as another big truck, killing five children in the group and injuring others, including a pregnant woman. Two truck drivers, including the one who allegedly caused the accident, also lost their lives in the fiery crash that closed part of Interstate 75 in north Florida in both directions.

The five children killed in the crash ranged in age from nine to 14. A volunteer at the church reacted to news of the tragedy by saying that the crash claimed the lives of "half of our babies" in the congregation. Though not present in the vehicle, the pastor of the church lost his granddaughter, and his wife, who was along for the trip, sustained bruises and multiple broken bones. Hospitals in the area treated at least eight people injured in the crash, one of whom is a pregnant woman whose unborn baby should suffer no ill effects, according to reports.

These commonly misdiagnosed conditions can cause big trouble

On behalf of Lee M. Schwalben, M.D., J.D., LLC on Friday, January 4, 2019.

You rely on your medical team to diagnose any concerns in a timely and accurate manner. When this happens, you give yourself the opportunity to make a fast and full recovery.

Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen. There are many commonly misdiagnosed conditions, all of which can lead to big trouble.