It’s a well-established idea that most people don’t think about where their trash goes once they’ve disposed of it, and individuals without connections to the
New York residents are probably aware that serious medical conditions are sometimes difficult for doctors to identify. Symptoms of a common and minor ailment may really be caused by a far more serious condition, and sometimes even lab tests are unable to determine what the real problem is. A misdiagnosis can lead to unnecessary tests and unneeded medication while the true cause of a patient’s suffering remains untreated and unknown.
When most of us think of handling hazardous materials, we think of strange looking vehicles with bio-hazard symbols and people in hazmat suits dealing with some sort of green mixture of unidentified chemicals. But in places like New York City, there are all types of hazardous materials that may not be readily recognizable by the average person. Some of these items are just oils and fuel materials that have a great deal of toxicity, while others are products used routinely in manufacturing that produce dangerous “off-gases.” A new report in the digital publication CityLimits.org showed that over 7000 city inspections of commercial and industrial locations around the urban area resulted in almost 500 violations related to hazardous waste. One of the points made in the article was the idea that some facilities have more of a hazardous material or contain many more hazardous items than others. From a cursory look at a report by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, we see clues about the scope of some of the more extreme scenarios. For example, over 1000 facilities were included as “facilities reporting 10,000 pounds or more of a hazardous substance.” Using available public maps, citizens can learn more about what is in their neighborhood and how companies are handling different kinds of hazardous materials.
Medical malpractice cases rest on the premise of “standard of care.” If you have been a victim of an incident of medical malpractice, you will have to prove that a medical professional treating you has breached the norms of standard of care to prove the validity of your case and claim damages. You should know the meaning of the phrase, its implications, the instances when standard of care is deemed to have been breached, and the exceptions to the norm.
If you (God forbid!) have to file a medical malpractice case, you will have to make your way through a maze of legal jargon. “Informed consent” is one phrase that will crop up occasionally. Know what it means to figure out if you have a medical malpractice case at all. This will save you many trips to the attorney’s office.
