A new scientific study, analyzing the existence and severity of carcinogenic properties in glyphosate herbicides, has returned some damning results. These pesticides, which account for the majority of weed killer products worldwide, were associated with a 41% increase in the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The authors of the research said the evidence “supports a compelling link” between exposure to this particular group of pesticides and a marked increase in the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. However, they sounded a more cautious note regarding the specific numbers. The 41% figure is unlikely to be exactly right; the actual answer is likely slightly larger or smaller.
Medical Documents Required for a Successful Personal Injury Claim
You never know when life can entangle you in a personal injury suit. It is here that you should take help from a skilled and experienced personal injury attorney to find out what medical documents you need to file at the time for the suit so that you can claim the compensation you deserve in a competent court of law.
How can medical documentation increase the success rates of a personal injury case?
In order to be successful in a personal injury suit, you have to prove to the court of law the cause, severity and the presence of the injuries caused to the victim. If you have been involved in any car accident recently and want compensation for the injuries suffered, you should produce adequate medical documentation to the court that will help the judge determine whether you deserve compensation or not. A demand letter needs to be served legally to the defendant. You need to be very careful about the medical documentation you submit as this can either make or break the case.
[Read more…]Personal Injury: Make Them Pay
Have you ever been hurt because someone else was careless? Have you ever been hurt intentionally? If so, know that there are legal methods to make your aggressors pay (quite literally) for what they did. You just need to find the law firm with the right attorney to help you! The lawyer you are looking for is someone who specializes in personal injury law (also known as tort law). This should not be a daunting task because all lawyers would have studied this their torts class back in law school!
However, what exactly would count as personal injury? For example, if you slip and fall down your apartment’s slippery staircase, would that count as personal injury? Or just plain clumsiness? What if you were busy playing video games on your desktop and the pc catches fire? Can that be considered personal injury because of the negligence in the pc production? Or are you just unlucky? We compiled a few cases that can help you clear that up a little bit:
Alzheimer’s Patients and Health Care Decision-Making in Pennsylvania
By Martin J. Hagan
People are living longer, and with longevity comes the risk of dementia that as it progresses will render its victims incapable of making their own health care decisions. Alzheimer’s disease is estimated to be the cause of at least half of all dementia cases.
The progression of Alzheimer’s disease from mild to severe stages is irreversible, at least with present treatment options. The only realistic hope is to slow and perhaps stop the progression of the disease, but not to cure it or reverse its effects.
When discussing health care decision-making concerns with individuals who are exhibiting signs of Alzheimer’s disease, the first response should be to assure them that they can continue making their own treatment decisions for as long as they are able.
But since the progressive nature of Alzheimer’s disease makes their ongoing ability to make such decisions unpredictable, it is also essential they have legally effective documents that will keep their voice alive regarding their medical treatment choices, and appoint persons of their own choosing to be their advocates. [Read more…]
Is Your Pennsylvania Trauma Facility Being Short-Changed By Workers’ Compensation Insurers?
By Sean Audley
If you are a Pennsylvania Certified Trauma facility, you are invariably familiar with the significant difference in reimbursement for non-trauma workers’ compensation cases versus trauma cases. The Pennsylvania State Workers’ Compensation fee schedule carves out an exemption for treatment provided to seriously injured workers at hospitals with certified level I or II Trauma Centers or American Burn Association certified Burn Units. The workers’ compensation exemption states that in such matters hospitals are to be paid its “usual and customary charge”. For more than 22 years, this meant that the hospital was paid its full billed charges. That may be changing and it is important for trauma and burn unit hospitals to be prepared to react to the changing rules regarding such payments.
In 2015, one of Pennsylvania’s largest providers of workers’ compensation coverage began to pay trauma claims at less than the provider’s billed charges. Using a Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) “Statement of Policy” on a wholly unrelated matter, they determined that trauma and burn claims should only be paid in accordance with a usual and customary fee schedule put out by Fair Health, a New York based non-profit that studies medical payments. Where applied, this database has resulted in payments on trauma and burn claims being reduced by 25 to 33 %.
Several cases challenging this made it to the Commonwealth Court in 2016. In the initial decisions, involving challenges brought by Geisinger Medical Center, the Court questioned the use of the Fair Health Database but affirmed the reduced payment. [Read more…]