Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald, P.C.

A New York taxicab driver  struck and injured an 83-year-old female pedestrian tapping her underneath the vehicle. However, two construction workers had witnessed the accident, persuading the cab driver not to move the vehicle, the two bystanders lifted the 3,300-pound vehicle’s front end and gently moved her to safety.

A fiery automobile crash on Grand Central Parkway in Queens took the life of a 50-year-old Yonkers man, according to police reports. Dale Tulloch was a back-seat passenger in an SUV when the vehicle erupted in flames, trapping him inside. Two other passengers, a 26-year-old male and a 25-year-old female, managed to exit the burning car and are in stable condition at a local hospital.

A recent report by the New York Public Interest Research Group or NYPIRG has concluded that more than 77 percent of doctors sanctioned for negligence in New York State are allowed to continue practicing medicine, and that patients are not properly informed if their doctor is among these numbers.

Three young men were injured but survived a terrible car crash that left the vehicle wrapped around a Brooklyn tree, according to recent reports. The driver was apparently heading north on Ocean Parkway in Midwood, between Avenue O and Avenue P, when he lost control of his vehicle for unknown reasons.

None of the names of the victims have been released. The 21-year-old passenger was listed in critical condition at Kings County Hospital while the 20-year-old passenger and 24-year-old driver were listed in stable condition at Lutheran Hospital. Firefighters on the scene used equipment including the Jaws of Life to pry open the wreckage and extract the victims.

At this point, at least seven people have been killed, at least three dozen people have been injured and several more remain missing after two buildings collapsed in an explosion last Wednesday in New York. The explosion is believed to have been caused by an underground gas leak, as at least one phone call was made by someone approximately 15 minutes before the blast reporting the smell of gas. Clearly, the priority now is to find anyone who may still be trapped in the rubble in hopes of rescuing them, but a complete investigation into what caused this tragedy is sure to begin almost immediately.

Birth is a complicated process, and even though it’s been happening since before history was even recorded the fact of the matter is that a lot can go wrong during the delivery of any newborn. As such, it is always a minor miracle when a baby emerges from its mother happy and healthy and with no complications or problems. Many deliveries go terribly wrong for many reasons, and many of these births involve complications that simply cannot be avoided despite the best efforts of the medical professionals overseeing these births.

For centuries, women gave birth to babies without the help of any type of medication. Any mother will tell you that there simply is no pain that’s on the level of giving birth, and in modern times medications were introduced that were designed to make delivering mothers more comfortable. The thinking behind this approach was that the mother would be more relaxed and therefore the child would face less risk of something going wrong. The epidural, as it’s come to be called, is extremely popular in the United States and in other parts of the world.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the CDC, cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability in childhood. Approximately 1 out of every 323 children in the United States has some form of cerebral palsy, as this is a condition that appears in different forms and that also varies in severity of symptoms. Much has been learned about cerebral palsy in recent years given its prevalence in the United States, but unfortunately to date there is no cure for this condition. Those who are diagnosed with it must simply learn to live with the challenges that it brings to daily life.

The Cesarean birth, more commonly known as the C-section, is obviously not a new procedure. Legend dates it back to the days of Julius Caesar, although in reality this procedure has been used for centuries and all over the world. The C-section was historically used when the mother of a child was dying, and it was a last resort attempt to save the child. In modern times, the C-section has become extremely common, and it’s even been used by choice in many births. As a result, the number of C-sections performed in the United States has jumped significantly in recent years.

Anyone who has ever been pregnant understands that there are several restrictions that need to be adhered to in order to make sure that the unborn child is kept as safe as possible.  Many doctors will tell expecting mothers to avoid sushi or raw fish while others will tell them to avoid using aspirin or other pain medications that could harm the development of the fetus.  For years, many medical professionals have advised expecting mothers to use pain medications that contain acetaminophen if they needed that type of temporary pain relief.  Of course, this has led many pregnant women to use Tylenol.

Birth is obviously a complicated process. The fact that medical science has advanced at a remarkable pace over time does not remove the risks that are faced by mothers before, during and after they deliver a child. While many potential complications relating to birth tend to affect the newborn, the mother also needs to be wary and watchful for anything that could go wrong. That same duty applies to the doctors of mothers who are assisting them through the delivery process. Until now, one risk was thought to only be relatively high for a period of several weeks.

Over time and as the world of science advances, we tend to discover that certain substances that were once thought of as safe and effective are actually extremely dangerous if people are exposed to them.  Asbestos is one example, as this flame-retardant substance was once used in buildings all over the United States until it was discovered that exposure to it can lead to terminal diseases. The attorneys at Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald have defended the rights of countless children over the past four-plus decades who were severely harmed by exposure to lead paint.

Medical malpractice lawsuits have been an issue discussed and argued over by politicians all over the country for many years. On one side of the argument is the group that believes that medical malpractice lawsuits are a scourge on the profession and that they are negatively affecting costs and the quality of care. The other side of the issue is the group that believes that doctors and other medical professionals should be held accountable for the harm that they inflict on patients based on their negligence. This argument seems unlikely to die down anytime soon.

No parent wants to ever have to think about their child, let alone their newborn, suffering extreme and permanent harm.  That’s why most parents simply do not spend much time learning about the possible problems that could arise as a result of complications that occur during the birthing process.  This is supposed to be a happy and exciting time, and many people think that maintaining a positive mindset is important for the successful delivery of a child.  In addition, doctors are supposed to be the ones who spot these problems and react to them immediately.