One of the things that a resident of the Albuquerque area probably dreads is seeing the baby that they had been longing for over the months or even years be delivered with a significant birth injury. While in some cases these injuries really are unfortunate accidents, in other cases, they are in fact the result of medical malpractice.
In the latter case, New Mexico parents can hold the doctor and other responsible parties accountable via the filing of a lawsuit.
Bicycling is a popular activity among many in New Mexico, young and old. However, some bicyclists may be more vulnerable than others. A recent study that has been reported in the major national news media indicates that, on average, 600 children, between the ages of 5 and 17, get significantly hurt in bicycle accidents every day. This number was derived from the fact that, between 2006 through 2015, 2.2 million patients in this age group had to visit an emergency room because of a bicycle accident.
Thankfully, the fact that a child had to visit an emergency room did not always mean an injury was permanent or required long-term rehabilitation. However, in some cases, just over 1 in 10, the child suffered a traumatic brain injury of some sort. Even minor traumatic brain injuries can have lasting consequences for a victim.
A previous post on this blog talked about the various causes of falls at nursing homes in New Mexico and across the nation. As that post discussed, many of these falls are preventable so long as the patient is getting proper care. In other words, whenever a fall happens at a nursing home, it is appropriate for the family to ask questions and, depending on the answers, hold the nursing home and its staff accountable for the injury.
Falls are a serious concern. In addition to many of them causing serious injuries to patients, they are also often a contributing factor to a patient's premature death. Our law firm understands how serious falling accidents at nursing homes are, and we are dedicated to holding negligent staff accountable should it turn out that that the fall was preventable.
There are many people who ride bicycles in New Mexico for fun, for exercise or for other reasons like trying to do their part to help the environment or because it is the most reliable transportation a person has to get to and from where they need to go. However, bicycling carries with it some risks for those who choose to take this mode of transportation.
Bicycles are smaller than other vehicles, which can make them harder for other motorists to see. Moreover, even when they are wearing appropriate safety gear, bicyclists just don't have the same amount of protection in the event of an accident. Finally, some motorists just do not have the regard or respect for bicyclists.
An accident in Santa Fe killed one man and left another one with serious injuries. The injured man was taken to a nearby hospital, but the details of his condition were not disclosed. According to reports, the two victims of the accident, both men, were in all likelihood relatives.
Authorities are looking for a driver of a white pickup truck, which was involved in the accident. Police indicate that this driver left the scene of the accident before officers could identify him or her.
The good news is that, in 2017, the number of motorcyclists nationwide who died on the roads in accidents dropped by well over 5 percent. Preliminary statistics suggest that 4,990 people died in 2017 because of motorcycle accidents, which is a drop from 5,286 in 2016.
Unfortunately, New Mexico's numbers were not nearly as good as those on the national scale. With 49 deaths reported in 2017, New Mexico experienced four additional motorcycle fatalities over the 45 deaths reported in 2016.
Falls among the elderly in New Mexico, including those staying in nursing homes and other retirement facilities, are very serious affairs. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hundreds of people die from complications due to falls every year. Moreover, up to 1 in 5 of those who fall suffer what are described as serious injuries, with a handful of these injuries being broken bones.
Falling is a problem that is particularly pronounced in nursing homes. In fact, well over half of those who stay in nursing homes have fallen at least once, with patients on average falling at least twice each year.
A previous post on this blog talked about Erb's palsy and its causes. To review, this condition, in its most severe forms, can leave a newborn unable to move his or her arm fully for the rest of his or her life, even with corrective surgery and treatment. The biggest problem with this condition, though, is that it can be prevented with the proper care and caution from the baby's labor and delivery team.
Parents may not know exactly what do or where to turn after this type of birth injury. While money cannot ever fully remedy the situation, it is important for parents who have to care for an infant with Erb's palsy to know that they have legal options.
This blog has previously discussed the various types of birth injuries parents in the Albuquerque area may have to deal with after labor and delivery. Any type of birth injury is a traumatic affair for New Mexico parents who were probably hoping for and expecting a healthy child at the end of their pregnancy.
Erb's palsy can be a particularly difficult injury for parents to handle, especially on an emotional level. This is because the most common symptom of this condition is the loss of some motion in the newborn's arm. In many cases, the baby will not be able to move the arm at all, and it may seem limp or otherwise like a dead weight on the baby's body.
Most people in New Mexico can point to at least one road in their area that is in poor shape. A previous post on this blog talked about how a family sued a branch of government in the State of New Mexico following a fatal accident that, at least initially, was thought to have been caused by potholes in the road.
While it might come as a bit of a surprise to Albuquerque residents, the law of the state specifically allows Albuquerque residents and other citizens of this state to sue the state for negligent road maintenance if the road was the responsibility of state employees. The state has allowed such suits as an exception to the general rule that state governments cannot be sued.
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The Jaffe Law Firm
1001 Gold Ave SW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 242-9311 [phone]
(505) 242-6225 [fax]
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