Author : Mark Hickey

Medical Malpractice

Common Types of Medical Malpractice

Mark Hickey
Medical malpractice cases encompass a wide range of behavior by a medical professional resulting in serious injury or death. While most doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers make few mistakes, medical errors can have devastating consequences when they do occur. In order to prove medical malpractice, an injured party must establish that the medical professional negligently deviated from the prevailing standard of care in their care or treatment of their patient. Failure to Diagnosis, Incorrect...
Medical Malpractice

Proving a Diagnostic Error

Mark Hickey
Patients seek medical care from their physicians in order to have a problem treated and hopefully cured. When a patient receives a misdiagnosis, negative impacts can snowball. In fact, diagnostic error is becoming the most prevalent medical malpractice issue in the United States. What Is a Diagnostic Error? Diagnostic error is the misdiagnosis or the delay of an accurate diagnosis. Failure to diagnose puts the patient at risk for developing complications for inadequate and inaccurate...
Medical Malpractice

Emergency Room Medical Malpractice

Mark Hickey
When emergency medical care is needed, patients rely on the skill and attention of the emergency department of the hospital. Medical problems can be made worse if medical malpractice occurs. Though first responders, such as paramedics, ambulance crews, EMTs, and firefighters, are generally exempt from medical malpractice liability, the emergency room staff is not similarly protected. In fact, emergency room staff operates under the same protection as the other medical staff in the hospital. What...
Auto Accidents

Florida is One of Top Five Dangerous States for Pedestrians

Mark Hickey
A study released this May by the National Complete Streets Coalition analyzed pedestrian traffic deaths over a decade – and the news was bad overall, but worst for Florida. Run by Smart Growth America, the Complete Streets Coalition aims to change the way most roads are planned and built, so the needs of all users are met. The report, Dangerous by Design 2014, updates an earlier study from 2011. Over 47,000 Pedestrians Killed Nationwide in...
Personal Injury

Florida is 2nd of All States for Children’s Deaths from Hot Cars

Mark Hickey
Grim statistics reveal that 37 children die each year in heat-related tragedies in cars across the United States. This adds up to over 600 deaths since 1998, with only Texas having more incidences than Florida. Armed with this information, parents and caretakers need to be aware of the danger of leaving children in hot cars. It takes approximately 10 minutes for the temperature inside a car to increase by 20 degrees, and even less time...
Awards

The Fernandez Firm Accident Injury Attorneys Recognized in Tribune’s “Best” Award

Mark Hickey
Residents of North Tampa have cast their ballots. The Tribune’s “Best of Tampa 2014” Readers’ Choice Awards is the all-inclusive guide to restaurants, sites to see, and places to go in Tampa. The various selections of the poll show which businesses are best at what they do in the Tampa region and beyond. For the North Tampa Readers’ Choice Award 2014 in the category of “Best Law Firm,” The Fernandez Law Firm was the Bronze...
Auto Accidents

Pedestrians in Florida – Walking the Streets in Safety

Mark Hickey
In a busy world where people seem to be in a hurry a great deal of the time, many of whom are distracted by technology, such as cell phones, GPS devices, MP3 players, and other devices, pedestrians take their lives into their hands every time they hit the road. Anyone moving about on the roadways on foot, in a wheelchair, on a skateboard, or on roller skates is considered a pedestrian. While it is the...
Nursing Home Abuse

Elderly Abuse and Neglect

Mark Hickey
The elderly population is the fastest growing demographic in the United States today. The United States Census predicted in 2011 that the elderly population would quadruple in number over the next four decades. For the full analysis, please check out http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/aging_population/cb11-194.html. This population increase raises understandable concerns for many families who face the difficult decision of becoming the elderly loved one’s caretaker or choosing a nursing home or other type of facility designed to care for...
Trucking Accidents

Tampa Truck Accidents

Mark Hickey
If you watch the local news, you’ve probably noticed how frequently semis are involved in accidents. Whether the semi hits a stationary object and causes property damage or crashes with other cars or commercial trucks on the road, the damage that ensues can be devastating. If you’ve suffered a loss as the result of a semi accident in the Tampa or surrounding area, contact an experienced attorney who specializes in commercial truck accidents and who...
Auto Accidents

Back to School: Keeping Kids Safe

Mark Hickey
he arrival of school means that new traffic patterns will be on the roadway. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) released a report in 2008 that showed autumn as being the most dangerous season for pedestrians. During this time of the year, 29% of traffic deaths are pedestrian-related. As you venture out during the school year, make sure to use the following traffic safety tips. Obey the Rules of the Road Even if you...