Thursday, September 27, 2007

Play Yard recalls

Kolcraft Enterprises Inc. issued a recall of approximately 400,000 play yards following the death 10-month-old baby. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, http://www.cpsc.gov said that a 10 month old, boy was inside the company's sesame beginnings travel play yard when a restraint strap from an elevated changing table strangled the child in in the main play area.

The company is now recalling about 12 different products used as a play yard. Apparently, all have a similar restraint strap which has been found to be defective. The products have a design defect which poses a strangulation hazard. The products had a warning label on the changing table advising parents not place their children in the play area when the table was in use. The warning label was clearly insufficient.

The play yards was sold around January 2001 through September 2007. The company is offering a free replacement strap for the changing tables. You may call Kolcraft 888 -- 655 -- 8484

The company's website is http://www.kolcraft.com.

The recall involves the following products:

Carter's Lennon Travelin' Tot

Contours 3-in-1 Play Yard

Kolcraft Travelin' Tot

Kolcraft Travelin' Tot LTD

Kolcraft Travelin' Tot 3-in-1

Kolcraft Travelin' Tot 4-in-1

Jeep Sahara SE Play Yard

Jeep Sahara Limited Play Yard

Jeep Sahara XT Play Yard

Jeep Sahara Limited SE Play Yard

Jeep Sahara Limited XT Play Yard

"Sesame Beginnings" by Kolcraft Travel Play Yard

If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product in New York, please contact the Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens, Staten Island and Westchester County

This may be considered a legal advertisement.

Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Breast Cancer Report

The American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org recently released a report entitled Breast Cancer facts and figures 2007 -2008. The report indicates that the mortality rate associated with breast cancer continues to drop highlighting the benefits of early detection and advanced treatments.

The report raised some disturbing trends in medical care as it relates to breast cancer. There were about 178,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer in the year 2007. Another 62,000 cases of localized breast cancer occurred. 40,000 women are expected to die from for their breast cancer. Many if not all of these women are diagnosed in advanced stages of breast cancer.

The death rate among black and Hispanic women is significantly more than among white women. The rate of occurrence among Asians and American Indians remained static. The rate of occurrence among younger women has remained the same since 1986.

Breast cancer remains a life-threatening disease with potentially grim prospects. We rely on medical profession to keep us healthy and safe. Many times that failsafe system lets us down. Many of the cases that our office handles involve breast cancer were an x-ray is misread or a woman's complaints of a lump are not taken seriously. Unfortunately critical time is allowed to pass until a proper diagnosis is made. The defense of these cases often raises the nonsensical idea that an early diagnosis would've been of no value. Who among us would not want their cancer diagnosed six months, a year or longer. Sadly in some cases the jury believes this frivolous defense.

If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact the Malpractice Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens, Staten Island and Westchester County.

This may be considered a legal advertisement.


Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Monday, September 24, 2007

Fractured Hip

The New England Journal of Medicine, http://www.nejm.org released a study funded by Novartis about a drug called Reclast. The drug is used to treat osteoporosis.

Up until this time elderly patients lived in fear of falling and sustaining a hip fracture which ultimately resulted in death. The new drug is one that can be given once a year by infusion. This method of administration has as a benefit for convenience of not having to remember to take the medication. A once a year treatment is all that is required.

There are approximately 300,000 hip fractures each year. The fear of breaking one's hip in the elderly is real since approximately one person in five dies within one year of fracturing their hip statistically.

Previously patients were treated with Fosamax or other bisphosphonates. This class of drugs had to be taken on an empty stomach in the morning and eating was a delayed event. The drug was also associated with various side effects and other symptoms. Of course it had to be taken more than once a year.

The drug, Reclast was shown to reduce the incidence of new fractures and to reduce the number of deaths in patient's with broken hips. The standard of medical care has been altered . If there was any doubt about this class of drugs it is now resolved. Physicians must now treat broken hips with the drug Reclast. Failure to do so may result in the patient paying the ultimate price.

The management of a broken hip or osteoporosis has long been the basis of professional liability. The failure to properly manage these conditions is always a source of potential liability. That area of liability has now been expanded to include the use of Reclast.

If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact the Malpractice Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens,. Staten Island and Westchester County

This may be considered a legal advertisement.


Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Lead Poisoning

Lead poisoning

If you live in New York with small children and lived an apartment there is always a concern with lead poisoning coming from old paint. Thankfully, New York City as well as many other jurisdictions require that the trial be screened as part of their routine pediatric care for lead poisoning.

A simple blood test will reveal whether or not the child is suffering from lead poisoning. Changes in behavior patterns, intelligence and difficulty in paying attention are all signs of lead poisoning. Over the years blood levels of lead concentration have been steadily declining and what is regarded as toxic.

In 1971 they went from 60 to40 mcg per dl
in 1978 they went to 30 mcg per dl
in 1985 they went to 25 mcg per dl

subsequently the safe level has been reduced to 10 mcg per dl by the Center for disease control, www.cdc.gov and the world health organization, www.who.int . Research has raised numerous questions about the safety of even lower levels of lead in the blood.

Extremely low levels of lead have been associated with neurological deficits especially of the intellectual variety. The risk of lead exposure extends throughout the population. However, the ones who we end up representing are generally those between the years zero and two. These young children tend to eat peeling paint chips which tastes like candy and inhale paint dust from windows and doors. The take-home message is that there is no such thing as a safe lead level. You suspect that your child has been exposed to lead, report it to the Department of Health, your landlord and your pediatrician.

If your child has lead poisoning in New York, please contact the Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens,. Staten Island and Westchester County

This may be considered a legal advertisement.


Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Monday, September 17, 2007

American Cancer Society

Today the American Cancer Society, http://www.cancer.org Announced that it will be spending $15 million in advertising related to the issue of providing health insurance coverage to those who have no insurance or very little insurance. In the past the American Cancer Society focused on quitting smoking or getting a screening test such as chest x-rays or mammograms.

This marks a major change in the societies role in shaping health care policy. The society hopes to reduce the death rate by 50% from cancer and reduce the incidence of cancer to 25%. They feel that the lack of insurance is interfering with achieving this goal.

To achieve its goal, the cancer society will advertise on network and cable TV and place ads in magazines and on websites. Curiously no mention is made of reducing the incidence of malpractice which causes a delay in diagnosis and treatment. We've handled many cases in which there was such a delay in diagnosis and treatment all to the detriment of the patient and their families. It cannot be said often enough that an early diagnosis and treatment is key to a successful prognosis and cure.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer and have questions about the quality of the medical care you received please call Silberstein, Awad & Miklos' attorneys for answers. Together we will continue our fight against FRIVOLOUS DEFENSES and DECEPTIVE DEFENSES.
Call Toll-free 1- 877- ASK 4 SAM

Friday, September 14, 2007

Pot Luck

The American College of cardiology, http://www.acc.org/ recently released a study linking heart disease to a pot belly. It turns out that "hot bellies" have a large correlation with future heart disease.

The problem centers around the arteries and a buildup of plaque. Young people with a pot belly go on to develop plaque in their arteries. According to the American Heart Association almost 900,000 people die from heart disease each year. We have known that heart disease has been associated with obesity for many years. They've also know that approximately a third of Americans are clinically overweight.

The research from the University of Texas focused on about 3000 people and found that a waste of 32 inches for women and 37 inches for a man represents a significantly increased risk of heart disease. By adding a few inches to the waist the risk of damage from arteriosclerotic disease increased even if the overall body weight remained within normal. Those with large waist to hip ratios were almost twice as likely to have calcium deposits in the arteries of their heart. Those calcium deposits went on to form a arteriosclerotic heart disease.

Doctors need to take note of their patients' waist size early and often and advise weight reduction. Not only is weight reduction of importance but the size of a person's waist becomes important. Changes in lifestyle should be encouraged along with proper diet and exercise. Failure to properly advise a patient may become the basis for professional liability.

If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact the Malpractice Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens, Staten Island and Westchester County

This may be considered a legal advertisement.


Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Malignant melanoma

Malignant melanoma

Malignant melanoma is a form of skin cancer that is almost always fatal in delayed diagnosis situations. When the diagnosis has been delayed the outcome is negatively affected. The Nationall Cancer Institute estimates that more than a million new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer will be diagnosed in 2007 and that less than 2000 people will be die from it. The survival rate is extremely high. Melanoma on the other hand incidences about 60,000 new cases a year with about 8000 deaths associated with it. Every day of the late diagnosis matters.

According to the National Cancer Institute if you have an existing mole you should watch for
changes in the size of the mole
changes in the color of the mole
changes in the shape or feel and
areas of black or black blue pigment in the mole.

Melanoma is quite virulent and usually spreads to other parts of the body such as the liver, lungs or brain via the lymph system. Recent medical advances have made testing of the lymph nodes the standard of care and diagnosis and treatment of melanoma. Sentinel lymph node biopsies are used to check the spread of cancer. Generally, if the lymph nodes have been invaded the patient's prognosis is not favorable.

Our office has handled skin cancers cases of many types. In all they involve a delay in timely diagnosing cancer and promptly instituting treatment. They run the gamut of misreading the biopsies slides to ignoring a patient's complaints with regard to a mole.

If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact the Malpractice Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens, Staten Island and Westchester County.

This may be considered a legal advertisement.


Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Women at higher risk than men for death following a heart attack.

Women at higher risk than men for death following a heart attack.


The battle of the sexes is over. Women are dying faster than their male counterparts. According to a recent study published in the of the American Journal of Cardiology, volume 98 issue eight. Women have a higher early mortality after acute myocardial infarction than men.

This study involved almost 22,000 patients in 1995 in the Netherlands. They were followed through the national hospital discharge registry. The conclusions was inescapable. In spite of prior studies that indicate men and women suffered from equal mortality and morbidity, women required more postoperative care and more complications than men. This was especially true for women who were younger than 40 years old. In general the women seemed to suffer their heart attacks at a much later stage in life than men.

Women were 70% more likely to die within 28 days of acute myocardial infarction then men. They were 52% more likely to die within five years than men.

These findings are significant since coronary heart disease is the most common cause of death in Western society. Women need to be treated differently from men and perhaps more aggressively. This runs contrary to our experience where women are treated less aggressively.

If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact the Malpractice Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens,. Staten Island and Westchester County

This may be considered a legal advertisement.


Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Cesarean section

Cesarean section is the birth of a baby by an abdominal incision . This is opposed to a vaginal delivery by traditional methods. A cesarean section is considered by the medical profession to be a major operation, and current the risks of infection, blood loss and decreased bowel function. Add onto that the risks associated with anesthesia and the delayed recovery time of about four to six weeks.

Today, there are approximately 1.2 million cesarean sections were 30% of all births performed. These represent 2004 statistics. The trend is rising in alarming proportions. In 1996 the rate was approximately 20% . Federal Government is hoping for a 15% rate by the year 2010.

One factor sparking the trend toward cesarean section is the perceived risk of a vaginal delivery after cesarean section. Indeed, a look at the position the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists /http://www.acog.org and the relevant medical literature over the years will disclose a wide swing in recommendations. Medicine has become more acutely aware of the risks of the procedure and the risks associated with related procedures such as induction and the use drugs to facilitate labor. Another factor, is the perceived convenience to the mother, family and health care professionals. Many would argue that there are other factors leading to a rising trend such as fear of liability, rising epidemic of obesity, and a lack of medical vigilance. In any event the cost of a rising C-section rate is being paid for by all in terms of taxes and health insurance premiums.

The medical profession need accept its ability. Cesarean sections should not be offered to women unless there is a valid medical reason. Convenience is not qualified as a reason. The health of the mother, the baby are both must be at stake.

Our office has handled many many cases where cesarean sections have been delayed or inappropriately performed .If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact the Malpractice Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens,. Staten Island and Westchester County

This may be considered a legal advertisement.


Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Breast Cancer

The New England Journal of Medicine, http://www.nejm.org, recently reported in the national study that women who have cancer one breast should get an MRI in the contralateral breast.

This study was performed at the University of Washington medical center, http://www.uwmedicine.org/ involved almost 1000 women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. The women had been diagnosed with cancer in one breast and no cancer in the opposite breast. To confirm the diagnosis of a normal opposite breast an MRI was performed. MRI found possible tumors in 121 of the women. Cancer was confirmed in 30 of the women by biopsy.

Since a positive rate for the contralateral breast was moderate at best the MRI test is suggested to be performed on patients who are high risk for breast cancer. Similarly, since this is a relatively new procedure MRI guided biopsies need to be performed and not all facilities and physicians have the necessary experience or training.

It remains to be seen if health insurance coverage will be available for the MRI procedures. Once again the rich will receive the very best in healthcare.

Our office has handled numerous cases of delays in diagnosing breast cancer. The value of an early diagnosis in cancer cases cannot be overstated.


If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact the Malpractice Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens,. Staten Island and Westchester County

This may be considered a legal advertisement.


Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Thursday, September 6, 2007

ovarian cancer

A recent study by the American Cancer Society, http://www.cancer.org, published in the May 15, 2007 issue of Cancer discloses that almost one third of women failed to receive the recommended surgical treatment for the disease.

Data from nine states found they were risk factors associated with the country's population. They were:

Women over 70
African or Hispanic descent
Insured by Medicaid
treated by non-gynecological oncologist
surgeons will perform few ovarian cancer surgeries
facilities that perform 10 or less procedures a year

Many of these risk factors are absolutely inflammatory. People are dying as a result of ignorance or incompetence or both. It is estimated that ovarian cancer takes the lives of 14,000 women in the United States each year. The disease is generally diagnosed at an advanced stage. The five-year survival rate is 30 to 40% when all of the tumor can be resected and falls to about 15% when all of the tumors cannot be resected. Obviously early diagnosis and treatment has a significant effect on survivability. Certainly the right treatment is critical to avoiding the deadly nature of the disease.

If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact the Malpractice Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens,. Staten Island and Westchester County

This may be considered a legal advertisement.


Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

smoking risk

Smoking -- cutting back doesn't cut death risk

Smoking remains one of the most addictive habits known to man with serious health consequences. A recent Norwegian study found that cutting back on the number of cigarettes smoked per day did not lower heavy smokers risk of early death.

The Journal of tobacco control, http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ reported that limiting the amount of cigarettes may be useful as a temporary measure when a smokers trying to quit. However, the only real way of reducing the risk of smoking related health consequences and early death is to go cold turkey.

The news is particularly bad for women. Women who cut back on smoking had a higher death rate than female heavy smokers. Men who are heavy smokers did not have a lesser rate of death than men who reduce their smoking. The message here is not to be misinformed that cutting back on smoking will reduce their risk of disease and early death. Patients who have a history of smoking should follow with their physicians regularly. Early diagnosis and treatment are worth their weight in gold. A smoking history is a red flag for the signs and symptoms of lung disease and related illness.

If you or a loved one has suffered an illness which you believe may be related to smoking please consult with us for answers.

If you or a loved one has medical legal question in New York, please contact the Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens,. Staten Island and Westchester County

This may be considered a legal advertisement.


Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

College degree

College degree worth $23,000 a year more

The government's Census Bureau, http://www.census.gov/ reported that a bachelors degree is worth about $23,000 a year more. That is compared to those with a high school diploma. According to the most current data of 2004 college graduates made an average of $51,554 compared to 28,645 for those with a high school diploma. High school dropouts earned an average of $19,169 and advanced college degree made an average of $78,093.

85% of people 25 and older had at least a high school diploma or the equivalent in 2005. In 2000 80% had a high school diploma or high school equivalent and little more than half in 1970. The trend for more education is going upward. We seem to be graduating more high school graduates and not as many college graduates.

Minnesota, Utah, Montana, New Hampshire and Alaska had the highest proportion of adults with a least a high school diploma about 92%.

Connecticut Connecticut had the highest proportion of adults with the least of bachelors degree (37%) followed closely by Massachusetts, Maryland and New Jersey

Nearly 47% of adults in Washington, DC have bachelors degree

Texas had the lowest proportion of adults with the least a high school diploma about 78% followed by Kentucky and Mississippi. Texas also has one of the highest death penalty statistics in the nation.

West Virginia had the lowest proportion of college graduate at 15%. It was followed up by Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisiana.

In a personal-injury case including a medical malpractice case in New York damages are determined in part by the amount of earnings that are lost. Obviously, in states like New York which do not allow hedonistic damages in wrongful death cases the amount person would have earned it is significant. Be sure your lawyer is claiming the latest lost wage data from the Census Bureau.

If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact the Malpractice Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens,. Staten Island and Westchester County

This may be considered a legal advertisement.


Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Monday, September 3, 2007

Unnecessary Angioplasties

Most angioplasties unnecessary

The New England Journal of Medicine August 12, 2007 http://content.nejm.org/ reports more than half a million people a year with chest pain are getting unnecessary or premature procedures on clog arteries. The article goes on to report that drugs are just as effective in treating chest pain as angioplasty. The drugs are generally available in generic form and are inherently cheaper. Angioplasty procedures generally costs around $40,000. The study found that angioplasties did not save lives or prevent heart attacks in nonemergency heart patients. Angioplasty was found to result in only slight and temporary relief from chest pain. At the end of five years there was no significant difference in symptoms. This paper was presented at the American College of cardiology. http://www.acc.org/

Angioplasty is generally done an an emergency basis to relieve chest pain caused by clogged arteries. Experts are now saying that patients should try drugs first then if they do not help consider angioplasty at a later time. In this study only one third of patients required angioplasty. You are not at risk for death or a heart attack if angioplasty is deferred is the message.

About 1.2 million angioplasties are performed in the United States each year. The procedure generally involves inserting a tube through the groin to a blocked heart artery. The balloon is inflated to flatten the blocked vessel and a mesh stent is usually placed. Stent makers did not participate in the cost of the study and well respected physicans are disputing the study's results. No wonder with millions of dollars at stake and patient's health.

If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact the Malpractice Law Offices of Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, www.ask 4 sam.net, serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens,. Staten Island and Westchester County

This may be considered a legal advertisement

Silberstein, Awad & Miklos
600 Old Country Road
Garden City, New York 11523
phone 877 ask 4 sam
www. Ask4sam.com

Saturday, September 1, 2007

An aspirin a day

Reuters health recently reported on the regular use of aspirin as compared to other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It appears that aspirin reduces the incidence of cancer and cancer related death especially among former smokers and those who have never smoked. The non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs include such things as ibuprofen and naproxen which are usually available over-the-counter. When compared to no aspirin use regular aspirin was associated with a 16% lower risk of cancer and a 13% lower risk of cancer death. The correlation was strongest among former smokers and those who have never smoked a cigarette. Aspirin has long been known for protection against coronary heart disease and overall mortality rates the non steroid anti-inflammatories did not show any benefit with regard to heart disease, death mortality or cancer. The study raises intriguing results about the role of aspirin on a daily basis. The use of aspirin should be discussed with your physician. The findings were reported at the hundredth annual gathering of the American Association for Cancer research in Los Angeles. www.aacr.org