With more than 80 years of combined experience, Shrager & Sachs has guided hundreds of clients to successful outcomes. We take each case seriously and work hard to provide effective solutions to meet clients’ specific needs. Our team is proud to share the story of how we helped our client obtain a settlement for the wrongful death of his father.

The Situation

Our client’s father had been living independently in a senior living home for several months. However, he started becoming confused and unable to maintain his independent situation. It was recommended that he undergo a brief hospital stay, where he would try a combination of medication in the hopes of decreasing his confusion.

Once he was admitted to the psychiatric unit of a neighborhood hospital, the senior living facility sent over a list of his prescriptions, including Methotrexate, which he was taking as a maintenance drug for his rheumatoid arthritis. However, the list had a transcription error. Instead of recording a dosage of 2.5 mgs for 3 administrations given once a week, the list reported a dosage of 2.5 mgs given twice a day, on a daily basis.

Since 1978, Shrager & Sachs has represented hundreds of clients in personal injury cases. Our compassionate attorneys work hard to provide effective solutions to legal problems. We can represent you in court as you seek a favorable outcome.

Here is one story of how we helped a truck driver obtain a settlement after an accident.

The Incident

Horris Wilson is an over-the-road tractor-trailer driver. One day, he was driving a “bobtail” run (driving only the tractor without the trailer) when an auto carrier tractor-trailer hit him from behind. After the accident, the driver who rear-ended Wilson admitted to police that he was traveling nearly 45 miles per hour. Wilson’s truck sustained extensive damage, and he was also injured as a result of the crash.

Legal Challenges

Mr. Wilson’s case presented certain difficulties because of his inconsistent medical treatment. He received some treatment from the local hospital in Lancaster County, PA after the accident. However, he didn’t receive more treatment until arriving back home in Michigan several days later. An independent medical examiner diagnosed post-concussive syndrome, cervical and lumbosacral strain and sprain, and a torn rotator cuff.

Physicians owe a duty of care to patients to provide safe, responsible medical treatment. If your loved one died during pregnancy, our Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys can investigate the situation and provide compassionate representation. There are many causes of wrongful death during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. These could often be prevented with adequate diagnosis and prompt treatment. Unfortunately, doctors sometimes fail to act, or make hasty, reckless judgments regarding a patient’s care, resulting in wrongful death.

There Are 2 Main Causes of Wrongful Death During Pregnancy:

1. A Physician’s Negligence

If a doctor fails to diagnose and treat a mother’s medical condition before, during, or after pregnancy, this may lead to wrongful death. There are many dangerous diseases and medical conditions that can threaten the life of a mother and child. Physicians must use their training to identify the issue and provide effective treatment to protect the life of the patient. If they do not, they may be held liable in a wrongful death or medical malpractice lawsuit.

When you go to the airport, you’re usually wondering if you forgot anything, if you have your identification, and how long it will take to get through security. The clients we’ve represented who have been injured or sustained losses because of accidents inside an airport never thought that while they were traveling their lives would be changed in this way. It is paramount for every airport to ensure the safety and security of its passengers and personnel, but that’s not always the case.

Philadelphia-based Managing Partner Rob Sachs, Jr. has represented people injured on moving sidewalks in airports and who were being assisted in wheelchairs or on the modified golf carts that transport guests from gate to gate. All of these potentially dangerous activities are compounded risks when you’re carrying bags, distracted by watching your children, or trying to push a wheelchair. Some of the features at major airports are designed to help you travel from curbside through security and to your gate – like the moving sidewalk – but like any mechanical device, it can occasionally cause more harm than good. That’s why it’s important to safeguard yourself and your family as best as you can from these potentially serious airport accidents.

Shrager & Sachs hopes everyone throughout Philadelphia and Pennsylvania has a safe and fun Fourth of July weekend. As one of the most popular holidays of the year, we know that many local residents will be heading off for vacation soon, or gearing up for celebrations.

Because this time of year historically sees an increase in the number of preventable accidents, injuries, and hospital visits, our injury lawyers would like to send a reminder to all that you should be focused on staying safe, even when you’re having fun. Below are some essential safety tips to get you through the holiday weekend.

With the end of summer quickly approaching, many of us will be taking to the roads for Labor Day weekend, vacations, or to take college students back to school. As you head out on the highways, you need to be especially alert of the dangers posed by sharing the road with tractor trailers and other commercial vehicles. As a Philadelphia lawyer who regularly handles truck and commercial vehicle injury cases throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Shrager & Sachs Managing Partner Rob Sachs, Jr. is especially aware of the dangers each of us face when we head out on the roads and highways.

When you follow, approach, pass or are ahead of trucks on the road, keep these tips in mind:

• They can’t see you very easily– professional truck drivers have to rely on their mirrors to see what is behind them. Make sure they can see you as you approach them. This is a useful diagram to understand what truck drivers can and can’t see: you have to pay attention to when you are in the driver’s blind spot; and d on’t linger when passing a truck, and always have a safe “out” in mind if the truck swerves or comes into your lane while you are passing the truck.
• Trucks are much heavier than cars and they don’t maneuver nearly as easily– Most tractor-trailers can weigh up to 80,000 pounds (even more for “tandem” trailers), it takes longer to stop. Don’t cut in front of a truck, leave plenty of room and signal before changing lanes in front of a truck. Truck drivers will often flash their lights as a signal that they see you and it’s clear for you to change lanes. Consider doing the same when a truck is trying to move in front of you – you’ll be surprised how often the truck will blink its running lights to say “thanks for being courteous to a truck.”
• Truckers are allowed to drive up to 11 hours/day– How alert are you after doing anything for 11 hours? You’ll never know if the truck you are approaching is at the beginning or end of his or her shift…why take a chance? Always assume that the truck driver near you might not be as alert as at other times of the day.

When you sit for 11 hours every day and eat on the road, it is hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The incidence of obesity among truck drivers is very high. One of the biggest complications of obesity is sleep apnea…you’ll never know if the driver of the truck ahead of you got a horrible night’s sleep due to sleep apnea. This risk just compounds the potential danger of over-tired drivers on America’s roads

• Truckers come from across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico– The driver might not know the directions and that could cause sudden or unexpected changes. Expect the unexpected – especially when you’re near a truck. Even worse, the driver may not speak English. Every driver in the U.S. is supposed to be able to read and speak English. Sadly, in our practice we have seen examples where this simply isn’t true. A driver who can’t read signs and follow directional instructions is a danger to you and your family.

The vast majority of American truckers drive very safely. However, a small percentage of drivers don’t follow the rules and endanger all of us. You can make a difference in your family’s safety on the roads by following these simple safety tips.

If you or a member of your family is injured by a truck or commercial vehicle, call the experienced Pennsylvania and New Jersey truck accident lawyers atShrager & Sachs at (888) 899-0652 for a free initial consultation.

What is a mediation? In our practice, we are often asked by the lawyers on the other side to either mediate or arbitrate our cases. These are often confusing concepts for our clients.

Last week in Columbus, Ohio, managing partner, Rob Sachs, Jr., spoke about how to communicate more effectively in mediations during a continuing legal education program entitled “Connectionology”. Also speaking with Attorney Sachs were outstanding lawyers and trial support experts from around the country including: John Romano (West Palm Beach, FL); Harvey Moore, Ph.D. (Tampa, FL); Steve Gursten (Detroit, MI); Dan Volkema (Columbus, OH) and others.

Unlike an arbitration where a decision is rendered at the end of the process, a mediation involves a neutral third party attempting to help the parties reach a meeting of the minds on the settlement value. If an agreement is reached, it is enforceable as a contract between the parties and either side could sue to enforce the contract if anyone ever had a post-mediation change of heart.

Infections can be especially dangerous to pregnant women and their unborn child if they are not quickly diagnosed and treated. Pregnancy can make infections more severe, which makes it all the more pressing to start treatment as soon as possible. Even mild infections can cause serious complications. Learn more about the impact infections can have on pregnancy.

Why Are Pregnant Women at a Higher Risk of Infection?

Pregnancy affects a woman’s entire body. Changes in hormone levels and immune system function can cause women to be more vulnerable to infection. Labor and delivery are especially susceptible times for infection.

Women often experience changes in immunity with pregnancy to protect both the mother and the baby. Some parts of your immune system may be suppressed while others are enhanced. The immune system works twice as hard to protect the mother and the baby. These changes can leave women open to infection. Other functions in the body change as well, which can affect the mother’s ability to fight off infection. Hormonal and physical changes can contribute to urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and lung infections. A pregnant woman’s body may be more predisposed to certain kinds of infections thanks to these changes.

Hospitals throughout the U.S., including VA facilities, are facing pressure to reduce the number of preventable medical errors that have led to a growing number of patient injuries or deaths. The trouble is that while there is a seven percent increase in medical errors reported at VA hospitals, there has been an eighteen percent dip in investigations as to why they occurred. As malpractice payouts to veterans have reached a 12-year high, a pattern of preventable deaths and low accountability has, unfortunately, become evident.

Although the VA has emerged as a fairly frequent offender, the truth is that medical malpractice can occur anywhere, and more often than doctors would care to admit. If you have suffered injury due to the carelessness of your doctor, you may have questions about what your options are.

Last year, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Service (CMS) finalized a new rule that bans nursing homes from forcing patients and their families into private arbitration. These mandatory arbitration clauses were hidden in the contract’s fine print, and many families were unaware of the term or misunderstood what private arbitration entailed. This type of arbitration is a practice that keeps any potential nursing home abuse charges out of the public court system, which weakens a patients’ legal leverage.

On June 5, 2017, CMS released another proposed rule that would almost entirely do away with the ban on mandatory arbitration clauses in nursing home contracts. These supposed changes are to “strengthen” the transparency in the arbitration process. However, consumer advocates quickly condemned the change with the Fair Arbitration Now (FAN) Coalition arguing the reversal will hurt nursing home residents, who are at the most vulnerable time in their lives.

This almost complete 360-degree turn is largely the result of the change in power this January. The current presidential administration will be forcing seniors to sign contract terms that negate their right to sue the court if they are victimized by neglect or abuse.