Mansfield Personal Injury Blog

Is an erroneous cancer diagnosis medical malpractice?

On Behalf of The Heck Law Offices, Ltd. | Sunday Sep 5, 2021 | Medical Malpractice

You don’t feel well, so you go to a doctor in Ohio. The diagnosis comes back grim – the physician you saw tells you that you have cancer. You are reeling from denial and fear. Your mind is racing from one scary possibility to another, such as surgery, chemotherapy and perhaps a reduced life span. You can’t even begin to imagine conveying this unsettling information to your family. That scenario happens all the time. But what if, for a variety of reasons, the diagnosis you received was not correct? According to the National Law Review, “a shocking number of Americans” are informed that they...

2 serious injuries people can suffer after a slip-and-fall

On Behalf of The Heck Law Offices, Ltd. | Saturday Aug 21, 2021 | Premises Liability

Of all the kinds of accidents you can suffer, a slip-and-fall may be the most misunderstood. People slipping and falling has long been a visual punch line in television and films, so a surprising number of people don't understand that slip-and-falls can result in severe, even life-altering injuries. Every year, millions of Americans slip on dirty or wet floors and fall. A portion of those people will suffer serious injuries. What are two of the more common serious injuries people can suffer if they slip and fall? Fractured or broken bones Broken bones or fractures are a risk any time someone...

Negligent or inadequate security can lead to an injury

On Behalf of The Heck Law Offices, Ltd. | Wednesday Aug 11, 2021 | Premises Liability

When people think about premises liability, they often envision someone slipping on a patch of water or falling down some stairs. While these are two examples of possible premises liability, they are not the only way preventable property injuries occur. Public locations such as hospitals, hotels and college campuses often have unforeseen security hazards that could injure residents of Mansfield, Ohio. Learning about these possible hazards may help you avoid an injury in dangerous situations. What are some examples of negligent security? When a premise has proper security measures in place,...

A car accident could leave your child with life-long disabilities

On Behalf of The Heck Law Offices, Ltd. | Tuesday Aug 3, 2021 | Car Accidents

As a parent, how often do you think about the safety of your child? Odds are that your answer is something along the lines of “all the time” or “constantly.” It’s natural to worry about your child’s safety and do everything you can to protect them. This is something you especially need to think about when you get in the car. Remember, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for most children and even young adults. Older adults face higher risks from things like cancer and heart disease, which are tied to age and take time to develop, but accidents are exceedingly problematic for...

Does your car’s size affect your crash survivability?

On Behalf of The Heck Law Offices, Ltd. | Thursday Jul 29, 2021 | Car Accidents

The demand for trendy vehicles varies according to many different factors. But one factor that dictates which autos will be in high demand is their crash safety ratings. Many car owners have flocked to buying sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in recent years because they believe that their size and how high they sit above the ground improves their safety. Does it, though? If you're wondering if a car's design affects your crash survivability, there is data that suggests that it might. Are smaller cars less safe than larger vehicles? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) compiled...

Smartwatches are becoming an increasing hazard for drivers

On Behalf of The Heck Law Offices, Ltd. | Monday Jul 12, 2021 | Distracted Driving

Millions of people have smartwatches in this country, and that number is expected to continue to rise. What many people don’t realize is that these are quickly becoming a bigger distraction for drivers than even smartphones. Many states don’t have laws that specifically address smartwatches, so it’s often up to police officers to interpret what’s going on and how the law applies. One thing’s for certain – distracted driving is dangerous driving. Because of this, all drivers should avoid distractions. What’s so dangerous about smartwatches? One study compared how drivers handled alerts from a...

How can doctors and hospitals reduce misdiagnoses?

On Behalf of The Heck Law Offices, Ltd. | Wednesday Jun 30, 2021 | Medical Malpractice

If a medical doctor misdiagnoses your condition, you lose what may be a critical window of opportunity for treatment. Even if they later correct their error, the delay may have allowed your condition to worsen, perhaps irrevocably. Therefore doctors must get diagnoses right the first time. Sadly, doctors make many misdiagnoses, estimated to affect around 12 million patients and kill between 40,000 to 80,000 each year. Doctors need to collaborate to ensure an accurate diagnosis A doctor has plenty of people they can turn to when making a diagnosis. They can ask the patient and the patient’s...

Traumatic brain injuries can stem from car crashes

On Behalf of The Heck Law Offices, Ltd. | Tuesday Jun 15, 2021 | Catastrophic Injuries

Brain injuries can produce life-altering changes that make it difficult for a person to perform their activities of daily life (ADL). These injuries can require lifelong medical care, which can be costly. There are two common types of brain injuries that can occur when the victim is involved in a car crash – penetrating and non-penetrating. How do penetrating and non-penetrating injuries differ? A penetrating injury occurs when something pierces the skin and skull and infiltrates the brain. In a car wreck, there are many things that can penetrate the skull, e.g., metal components of the...

Teenage drivers: Thousands on the roads put others at risk

On Behalf of The Heck Law Offices, Ltd. | Thursday Jun 3, 2021 | Car Accidents

If you’ve ever been on the road when school lets out in the afternoon or during the summer break, you may have noticed that there are more teen drivers. Younger drivers may make simple traffic mistakes that cause near-misses and crashes, which may make it frustrating to be on the roads with them. Teens are learning, so it does make sense that they make mistakes. Unfortunately, those mistakes can sometimes be deadly. If you’re hit by one, then it is your right to pursue a claim against them for causing injuries or fatalities. Did you know that 7% of all drivers in Ohio are under the age of...

What your family situation means for wrongful death claims

On Behalf of The Heck Law Offices, Ltd. | Friday May 28, 2021 | Wrongful Death

Accidental death is a common cause of fatalities in Ohio. People die in household accidents, incidents on the job and also car crashes. All are examples of accidental death. However, just because a death is accidental doesn't mean it was unavoidable or that no one is responsible. When someone causes the death of another person through their actions or by default or neglect, the situation may be a case of wrongful death. In a wrongful death scenario, the representative of the decedent's estate brings a claim against the person or entity responsible for their loss of life. The family...