Year: 2016

Pharmaceutical Company Dramatically Increases Price of Important Drug To Treat Lead Poisoning

Posted on by YostLaw

Valeant Pharmaceuticals has increased the price of a drug used to treat lead poisoning known as Calcium EDTA by more than 2,700% since 2014. Doctors have depended on Calcium EDTA for decades to treat cases of severe lead poisoning. Doctors, medical professionals and poison control specialists are alarmed about this price increase. The greed of the pharmaceutical company could eliminate this drug as a treatment for many patients.

Click here to read more about this disturbing story.

Lead poisoning is a serious public health issue that contributes to developmental brain injuries and poor school performance in young children. Lead poisoning impacts children of all races but is more often seen in groups living in older affordable housing. Baltimore City has a large stock of older homes that were built before lead-based paint was outlawed by the federal government in 1970’s.

Lead exposure and lead poisoning can cause permanent and severe medical problems in children including:

  • Delayed developmental growth
  • Aggressive and/or antisocial behavior
  • Learning disabilities
  • ADD or ADHD
  • Brain Swelling (encephalitis)
  • Convulsions
  • Coma
  • Death

Thousands of Baltimore children have been exposed to dangerous amounts of lead in their homes and communities. If your child was exposed to lead paint or if your child exhibits any of the symptoms listed above, call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE consultation.

The attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim. When you call, we will help you determine if you were exposed to lead and will be able to make a financial recovery for the harms and losses caused by lead exposure. If we take tour case, we will handle it on a no win/no fee or expense basis.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Colonoscopies Help Millions of People Annually, But What Can Go Wrong?

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There are over 14 million colonoscopies performed annually. This can be a life-saving procedure for many individuals. Colonoscopy exams allow doctors to go inside the large intestine and the colon with flexible tubing attached to a small video recorder. The purpose is usually to use the video image from the recorder to identify polyps, ulcers, cancer or pre-cancerous growths. Tissue samples can also be collected and polyps can be removed during a colonoscopy.

Each year, colonoscopies are responsible for discovering about half of all diagnosed colon cancer, allowing them to save lives. Unfortunately colonoscopies can also do damage if the doctor performing the colonoscopy is unskilled, under-trained or negligent.

Injuries that can occur from colonoscopies include:

  • Hemorrhaging
  • Bowel Perforation
  • Splenic Tear or Rupture
  • Peritonitis
  • Sepsis

Up to 2.5% of colonoscopies involve serious injuries, with 0.03%-0.7% being colon perforation (CP). CP is widely recognized as one of the most serious complications following a colonoscopy. A perforated colon can occur during colonoscopy if too much force is used to advance the scope, creating a puncture or tear in the wall of the intestine. Perforation can also occur if the biopsy forceps cut a hole completely through the wall of the intestine. If perforation occurs, causing air and bacteria to leak into the abdomen, it is a medical emergency.

Symptoms of a perforated colon or large intestine may include:

  • Severe abdominal pain and tenderness
  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Nausea and vomiting

Most patients notice these side effects within 24-48 hours after the colonoscopy takes place. If the perforation goes untreated the patient can become septic. Sepsis occurs when the body has an extreme reaction to bacteria or germs. Symptoms of peritonitis and sepsis include:

  • Fever
  • Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
  • Rapid respiratory rate (tachypnea)
  • Confusion.

People who have CP almost always need emergency surgery to repair the hole, either by closing it or by removing the torn or punctured section of intestine. However, occasionally the hole may close on its own, allowing the individual to only need antibiotics and very careful monitoring, with x-rays and CT scans to confirm the hole remains closed and no abdominal infection or abscess develops. Failure to recognize and treat perforation due to colonoscopy is medical negligence.

Complications due to the perforation during colonoscopy are the cause of preventable injury and death. Our experienced attorneys fight for individuals who have been negatively impacted by the negligence of others.

If you would like to discuss a potential claim arising from an intestinal perforation during colonoscopy, the attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. For a free consultation, please call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529.)

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

National Teen Driver Safety Week Starts This Weekend

Posted on by YostLaw

According to the most recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death of young people between the ages of 15-19. It is extremely important to speak with young people in our community about the importance of practicing safe driving behavior at all times, and National Teen Driver Safety Week is the perfect time to start the conversation.

National Teen Driver Safety Week started in 2007 following a series of tragic car accidents involving young drivers. For nearly a decade, Teen Driver Safety Week has been held during the third week in October with the goal of raising awareness of safe driving behavior among teenagers, and reducing number of tragic and preventable car accidents.

Teenagers face serious risks every time they go out on the road due to a number of factors:

  • Teenage drivers are inexperienced: It takes time and practice to fully learn the rules of the road and to be able to react quickly in dangerous situations. Many young drivers that only have their driver’s license for a few months or a year are not yet aware of how and when to react to certain situations on the road.
  • The teenage brain is still developing: Research shows that our brains do not fully develop until we reach our early 20’s. That means that teenagers are operating motor vehicles while the parts of their brains that influence reflexes, impulse control, and decision making, are not fully formed. This can lead to poor decisions, unsafe behavior, and an inability to react to danger in time.
  • Teenagers face more distractions than ever before: Whether teenage motorists are talking with passengers, adjusting the radio, sending text messages or posting to social media, there is a lot of temptation to become distracted behind the wheel. Any one of these behaviors can distract a driver and keep their eyes, and mind, off of the task of driving. When drivers are distracted, even for a moment, the results can be devastating.
  • Risk-taking behaviors: All young people have a lot of lessons to learn about the consequences of their decisions. Due to a combination of youth, inexperience, and biological factors, teenage motorists are more likely to engage in risky behaviors while driving. This could include speeding, disobeying posted stop lights or stop signs, driving while intoxicated, or not wearing a seatbelt. All of these behaviors increase their risk of being involved in a serious traffic accident.

At the Yost Legal Group, we want to do our part to make sure that every driver, regardless of age, reaches their destination safely. For parents, this is a very important time to speak with the young drivers in your family about how important it is for them to drive defensively and protect themselves at all times when out on the road.

Click here for resources that can help parents discuss safe driving with your teenager.

If you or a loved one are involved in any type of traffic accident that not your fault, the Yost Legal Group may be able to help. Call us today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential consultation. When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Car Accident attorney at no cost to you.

At the Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front, and we don’t get paid unless we recover for you.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Maryland Elementary School Students Exposed to Lead Due to Contaminated Water Pipes

Posted on by YostLaw

Lead contamination and lead poisoning continue to be major health and safety issues impacting children and families throughout Baltimore and the state of Maryland. Recently, an elementary school in Landover Hills, Maryland was forced to hand out bottled water to students following the discovery of dangerous levels of lead in many of the water fountains and sinks at Glenridge Elementary School. Parents are worried that their children may have unknowingly been exposed to and ingested lead.

Click here to read more about this case of lead contamination.

Lead is an extremely toxic metal, and when young children are exposed to even a small amount of lead, the consequences can be devastating and permanent. Lead poisoning can cause symptoms including:

  • Delayed developmental growth
  • Aggressive and/or antisocial behavior
  • Learning disabilities
  • ADD or ADHD

In more extreme cases, lead poisoning can also cause more acute and potentially deadly medical problems such as brain swelling (encephalitis), convulsions and coma.

Earlier this year it was estimated that as many as 56,000 children in Baltimore City could be at risk of lead poisoning due to hazardous, decaying lead paint found on the interiors and exteriors of many old homes in low-income neighborhoods.  Whether children are exposed to lead in their drinking water, in the soil, or even in their own homes, it can cause a lifetime of serious health issues.

The attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination.  If your child was exposed to lead paint or any other environmental source of lead, call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE consultation.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

NHTSA Reports a Sharp Increase in the Number of Traffic Fatalities in 2015

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Traffic fatalities continue to be a widespread public safety issue across the U.S., causing thousands of preventable deaths each year. In the first half of 2016 alone, traffic-related fatalities rose by 10.4% compared to last year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).

To read more about these shocking statistics, click here.

The 2015 Motor Vehicle Crash Report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides an annual overview of traffic accidents throughout the U.S. This year, the report indicated that traffic-related fatalities increased by 7.2% from 2014 to 2015. This means that over 35,000 more people were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2015 compared to 2014.

Together, these reports point to a disturbing trend regarding driver safety.

Here at The Yost Legal Group, we want to do our part to help reduce fatalities related to motor vehicle accidents. We remind all motorists to:

  • Drive attentively at all times.
  • Never get behind the wheel if you are drowsy
  • Never drive after consuming alcoholic beverages.
  • Never text and drive, this is deadly!
  • Follow the speed limit signs.
  • Always wear a seat belt.
  • Make sure your child is safety and correctly safe in a car seat.
  • Watch out for motorcyclists and bicyclists on the road.

If you or a loved one is injured in any type of motor vehicle accident that was not your fault, call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential consultation.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

High Lead Concentration in Soil Leaves Thousands of Indiana Children at Risk for Lead Poisoning

Posted on by YostLaw

Thousands of Indiana residents living near an old lead smelting plant are being forced out of their homes due to widespread environmental contamination. For more than 30 years, emissions from a now defunct lead refinery have seeped into the region’s soil and water, creating a dangerous and potentially hazardous situation for nearby communities. Children in these areas are undergoing testing to determine if they have been exposed to dangerous levels of lead.

Unfortunately, the residents in this region were not made aware until very recently that their air, soil and water could pose a serious health risk. Back in 2011, the Centers for Disease Control released a report stating that the soil, air and drinking water near this former smelting plant posed no potential harm to children or families. However, a recent investigation by Reuters has found that this 2011 report was misleading and was created using incomplete data.

This situation is extremely dangerous because local residents were never warned to take precautions in order to avoid exposure to harmful levels of lead. In fact, the investigation revealed that nearly 22% of children in this region of Indiana tested positive for elevated blood levels.

Click here to read more about this investigation from Reuters.

When young children are exposed to high levels of lead, it can lead to a lifetime of devastating health problems. Exposure to lower amounts of lead:

  • Can slow a child’s development
  • May cause symptoms such as aggression, ADD and ADHD
  • Can cause learning difficulties
  • Antisocial behavior and more.

In more extreme cases of lead poisoning, children may be at risk for serious brain-related medical problems including brain swelling (encephalitis), convulsions, coma, or even death.

If your child has been exposed to lead due to old lead paint, environmental contamination, or any other factor, contact The Yost Legal Group right away at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential consultation. The Yost Legal Group is made up of experienced Baltimore Lead Poisoning attorneys that will fight hard to protect your rights and secure the justice you deserve.

When you call The Yost Legal Group, we will investigate every detail of your situation at no cost to you. You will never pay an attorney’s fee up front, and there is never a fee until we recover for you.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Misuse of Pitocin Can Cause Birth Injury and Uterine Rupture

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Not every woman’s labor is ideal. Some women need medication to help start (induce) labor or manage the length of time the woman is in labor. It is relatively common for pregnant women to be administered Pitocin (or its generic, oxytocin) to manage labor. Pitocin stimulates the uterus, helping to produce contractions. The problem is that Pitocin can take up to 40 minutes to fully kick in.

Contractions during labor occur in a “squeeze and release” pattern of uterine muscle tightening followed by uterine muscle relaxation. Ideally, Pitocin helps establish and maintain a healthy pattern of uterine contractions during labor but, if the wrong amount of Pitocin is delivered, or this medication is introduced too quickly, it can overstimulate the uterus and cause dangerous contractions harmful to both the baby and the mother.

If the mother is experiencing too many contractions or those contractions are too strong or last too long, the baby’s oxygen supply could be interrupted, causing fetal distress. If a shortage of oxygen (hypoxia) also causes the fetal heart rate to slow (ischemia) the infant has suffered a hypoxic-ischemic episode. If the oxygen and blood flow to the baby’s brain are interrupted during labor and delivery, even if the interruption is only for a short time, the baby may suffer a type of permanent brain damage called hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE.

Hypoxic birth injuries can cause:

  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Cognitive Disabilities
  • Severe Seizures
  • Behavioral Disorders

Less often, the over stimulation of the uterus with Pitocin, or Oxycontin, can cause a uterine rupture, endangering bot the mother and the baby and requiring emergency c-section to immediately deliver the baby and repair or remove (hysterectomy) the mother’s ruptured uterus.

Complications due to the administration of Pitocin during childbirth are the cause of preventable injury and death. Our experienced attorneys fight for individuals who have been negatively impacted by the negligence of others. If you would like to discuss a potential claim arising from a birth or birth-related injury, the attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. For a free consultation, please call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529.)

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

People Are Injured Every Day Due to Distracted Driving Across Maryland

Posted on by YostLaw

Distracted driving is a selfish decision that thousands of Americans make every day. When drivers choose to be distracted on their phone instead of concentrating on the road, they are not only putting their own lives on the line, but also the innocent lives of motorists and pedestrians around them.

Looking at Maryland specifically, it was found that 80 people are injured everyday due to distracted drivers. Not to mention there are 53,000 distracted driving crashes in Maryland every year that result in 28,874 injuries. These alarming numbers shed light on how serious distracted driving can be and the deadly consequences associated with it.

Texting used to be the culprit behind distracted driving, but it has now expanded to social apps such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Google Maps and Spotify to name a few. Below are some shocking statistics that expose the dangers associated with distracted driving:

  • 9 people are killed every day by distracted driving across the U.S
  • 70% of teens admit to using mobile apps while driving
  • 48% of adults admit to texting and driving even though they know it is unsafe
  • The risk of being in an auto accident is increased 4x when you pick up your mobile device

To read more about distracted driving in Maryland, click here.

At The Yost Legal Group, we want all Maryland motorists to drive as safe as possible. That means never using your mobile device while operating a vehicle. It is that simple.

The Governor’s Highway Safety Association advises these following tips to keep yourself and others safe on the road:

  • Turn off your phone. Turn off your phone or put it in silent mode before you get in the car, then stow it away out of your reach.
  • Pull over. If you ever need to make a call or send a text, reduce your risk of getting in an accident by pulling to a safe spot on the side of the road.
  • Use passengers. Ask a passenger in your vehicle to make a call for you or shoot a text, as well as navigate directions for you if needed.
  • Refrain from eating, drinking, reading, grooming and smoking. These activities distract you from the road and increase your odds of being in an accident.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a distracted driver or in any type of motor vehicle accident that was not your fault, call The Yost Legal Group for help and guidance. We have years of experience dealing with all types of Auto Accident and Injury cases, and we promise to represent your rights to the fullest.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) to speak with an experienced, dedicated and compassionate car accident attorney about your case. You will receive a FREE, confidential consultation with a Baltimore Auto Accident attorney. If you’ve been injured, don’t wait. Call today.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Lawyers Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights.

Sleep Apnea Sufferers Have a Higher Risk of Hypoxia During Surgery

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Sleep apnea is a disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts while the individual is asleep. Since it is a disruption to REM sleep, those affected often feel fatigued during the day or wake up with headaches and have difficulty with irritability and paying attention. It is also uncontrollable, which can make it potentially dangerous to those who suffer from it.

Sleep apnea can cause complications when a patient is put under anesthesia for surgery. Anesthesia is a temporary state of unconsciousness. It slows down heart rate and relaxes the patient, which can then cause more intense breathing issues for those with sleep apnea.

Patients who have sleep apnea have an increased chance of complications during anesthesia including:

  • Hypoxia
  • Pneumonia
  • Difficult Intubation
  • Heart Attack (MI)
  • Pulmonary Embolism (PE)

When undergoing surgery it is important to inform your doctor if you have sleep apnea. However, most individuals who have sleep apnea are unaware that they even suffer from it. Before surgery takes place, it is the responsibility of your doctor to conduct a thorough preoperative assessment to ensure that the patient will be safe once in surgery.

Post-operative patients should also be closely monitored for hypoxia or other complications. Hypoxia is a life-threatening condition that occurs when a person is not receiving enough oxygen, such as when the airway is blocked, or breathing is too shallow, too slow, or breathing stops altogether. Hypoxic injuries include tissue and organ damage, heart attacks, brain injury and even death.

Symptoms of hypoxia include:

  • Skin, lips and nail beds turning blue (cyanosis)
  • Fast heart rate (tachycardia)
  • Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
  • Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
  • Coughing
  • Confusion or loss of consciousness.

When any of these symptoms occur the most important thing is to get oxygen back into the body. Hospital professionals may do this by delivering oxygen through at tube into the nose or mouth, or a breathing machine may be used for more severe cases.

If you or a loved one experienced hypoxia or any other complication after surgery because a health care professional failed to take the necessary precautions to ensure your safety, call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a free consultation. Our experienced attorneys at Yost Legal Group fight hard for individuals who have been negatively impacted by the negligence of others and are always ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Happy Labor Day from The Yost Legal Group!

Posted on by YostLaw

The attorneys and staff at the Yost Legal Group wish you and your family a safe and happy Labor Day Weekend! Please enjoy your holiday weekend responsibly.

Labor Day is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. More cars and vehicles on the road means that drivers face an increased risk of being involved in traffic accidents. During the long weekend, it is extremely important to be aware of your surroundings on the road at all times and drive defensively.

Here at The Yost Legal Group, we encourage you to:

-Keep your phone stored in your pocket, purse or glove compartment and always have your eyes on the road. Distracted driving is a careless and negligent act  that could lead to a fatal car accident.
-Wear your seat belt during every trip. Seat belts save lives, and police officers will be on the lookout for those who are not buckled up.
-NEVER get behind the wheel if you have been drinking. If you are going out, designate a sober driver or call an Uber, Lyft or taxi before you leave for the night. Drinking and driving jeopardizes the safety of you, your passengers, and those around you.

Please keep these tips in mind and have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend!

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

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