Baton Rouge Personal Injury Blog

Negligent medical care alleged at Louisiana prison

On behalf of Vincent J. DeSalvo, Attorney at Law posted in medical malpractice on Friday, October 12, 2018.

Could over 6,000 prisoners in Louisiana be suffering from medical negligence? According to a lawsuit that's reached federal court, that's exactly what's been happening for a number of years at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.

According to the lawsuit, inmates are subjected to dismal medical care that is so below acceptable standards that inmates end up suffering excruciating pain, become permanently disfigured or disabled and even die on a regular basis. The medical director for the state when the case began -- who has since been fired over sexual harassment -- claimed that inmates received "quality" medical care, although he acknowledged challenges due to the aging prison population.

Cyclists may face higher risk for accidents in Louisiana

On behalf of Vincent J. DeSalvo, Attorney at Law on Monday, October 8, 2018.

Cyclists choose to ride bikes for many reasons, including cost-efficiency, exercise and simplicity. Regardless of why you choose to ride a bike for transportation, you understand there may be certain risks associated with it, especially when biking on or near roads. Often, motorists do not know how to safety share the road, resulting in serious accidents.

According to a recent study from the Wall Street Journal, Louisiana is one of the highest ranked states for bicycle accidents – it is number two on the list of dangerous states for cyclists. If you ride your bike, you would be wise to learn more about the risk factors affecting you and how to protect yourself. If you were in an accident, you could have grounds for a personal injury claim.

Football season now comes with new worries for players

On behalf of Vincent J. DeSalvo, Attorney at Law posted in Personal Injury on Monday, October 1, 2018.

Football season has always brought a lot of joy to American fans every fall. That joy may be somewhat tempered these days with the growing public knowledge of the dangers of the sport.

However, nobody is sure -- even now -- exactly how dangerous the sport really is. All that anybody can say for certain is that players often get hurt -- badly. Many of them get hurt while they're still very young, on their high school and college fields.

When in doubt, get a second doctor's opinion

On behalf of Vincent J. DeSalvo, Attorney at Law posted in medical malpractice on Friday, September 28, 2018.

Any patient with a complex, troubling condition quickly learns that it's hard to get a good diagnosis.

There are all kinds of medical conditions that are hard to diagnosis properly, including things like multiple sclerosis, lupus, migraines, compartment syndrome and even some types of cancer. Patients often have to go through multiple doctors and specialists, plus endless-seeming rounds of blood tests and body scans before they get a diagnosis.

5 terrible driving habits everyone needs to avoid

On behalf of Vincent J. DeSalvo, Attorney at Law posted in motor vehicle accidents on Friday, September 21, 2018.

Nobody's a perfect driver, but some drivers make a lot more mistakes than others. Whether you've been driving for a long time or only a little while, it's important to occasionally review your driving habits to make sure that you aren't picking up some that could make you more likely to end up in an accident.

What are some of the worst driving habits a driver can have? Consider these:

Was the cleanliness, or lack thereof, the cause of your sepsis?

On behalf of Vincent J. DeSalvo, Attorney at Law on Thursday, September 13, 2018.

Like other Louisiana residents, you probably expect a hospital to be clean. After all, people have surgery and are ill there, and you expect that hospital regulations would mandate that everything remain clean and sterile.

It may be that way on paper, but in reality, it may be a different story. Something as simple as a nurse or doctor failing to wash his or her hands between patients could lead to serious health ramifications for patients. This is just one of the ways that you could contract an infection in a hospital setting, and pinpointing the cause of your infection may require some investigation. In any case, at some point, a doctor came in and told you that you had sepsis.

Why are slip-and fall-injuries so dangerous?

On behalf of Vincent J. DeSalvo, Attorney at Law posted in Personal Injury on Wednesday, September 12, 2018.

Slip-and-fall injuries are one of the most common types of accidental injuries that can bring someone into an attorney's office, but most people still don't realize just how serious they can be.

Here's what can happen to the human body during a simple slip and fall:

Missed diagnoses and radiology errors

On behalf of Vincent J. DeSalvo, Attorney at Law posted in medical malpractice on Thursday, September 6, 2018.

Who is to blame for a missed diagnosis that puts you at a disadvantage when it comes to treating or overcoming a serious medical condition?

It might not be your doctor. Instead, it could be the radiologist who performed your tests and interpreted the results.

Safety tips for drivers during back-to-school season

On behalf of Vincent J. DeSalvo, Attorney at Law posted in motor vehicle accidents on Wednesday, August 29, 2018.

What's the first sign of fall? For many drivers, it's the presence of many more pedestrians -- mostly children -- trying to cross city streets and board school buses trying to make their way through traffic.

Back-to-school season makes the morning commute much harder for many drivers. Drivers have to contend with school buses and increased pedestrian traffic. School zones also become much more congested as anxious parents start driving in and dropping their children off as close to the school as possible.

Parents of hazing victim file suit in Louisiana

On behalf of Vincent J. DeSalvo, Attorney at Law posted in Personal Injury on Friday, August 24, 2018.

Hazing is still an unfortunate reality on school campuses and athletic fields almost everywhere you go — and Louisiana is no exception. A Georgia couple filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against a fraternity, Louisiana State University (LSU) and several individuals for their roles in the death of their son, an LSU freshman in 2017.

The student died of either alcohol poisoning or asphyxiation following a hazing ritual by the fraternity he pledged to join. Criminal charges have already been filed against four of the students involved in the incident.