South Williamsport Personal Injury Blog

Medical centers in Pennsylvania and across the U.S. cannot offer many treatment options when it comes to rare cancers, and this is one of the greatest challenges that patients have to face. It stems from the fact that rare tumors are difficult to study. With not enough patients who can be gathered for group clinical trials, doctors only have individual case reports to go off. Furthermore, there are few doctors who specialize in rare cancers in the first place.

However, cancer treatments that target genetic mutations rather than the location where the cancer originated may improve how rare cancers are dealt with. For example, the DNA in some tumors cannot repair itself. This condition is known as a mismatch repair deficiency and can be found in both rare cancers like rhabdomyosarcoma and frequently reported cancers like breast, prostate and colon cancer. Several immunotherapy drugs exist that can treat the deficiency; therefore, they can be useful for these rare cancers.

Lead is a naturally occurring metal that workers in Pennsylvania and across the country may come into contact with. It is used in a variety of products such as lead-acid batteries, fishing weights and solder. Until 1977, it was a key ingredient in paint used in homes and commercial buildings. Typically, workers will be exposed to lead in fumes that they breathe in or by coming into contact with lead dust.

Those who work in construction or manufacturing are most likely to interact with lead on a regular basis. Lead exposure can occur while creating, using or recycling products that contain this element. For example, a construction worker could be exposed to lead after tearing down a building or while installing or maintaining a pipe. It is also possible to come into contact with lead after accidentally swallowing or otherwise ingesting it.

Medical professionals in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation could face negligence claims from patients. In 2015, 7% of those claims went to trial, but plaintiffs were only successful in 12% of those cases. It is more common for medical malpractice claims to be made against doctors who are male and who are 55 and older. A misdiagnosis or a delayed diagnosis is the most common reason that a patient will pursue a malpractice case.

The basis for a claim may be that an incorrect or delayed diagnosis resulted in improper treatment or no treatment at all. This can make it more likely that a patient will either pass away or experience long-term negative health consequences. Patients must give informed consent before a procedure takes place, which means they know the risks that they face ahead of time. Failure to obtain informed consent may result in a lawsuit if complications arise during or after treatment takes place.

Pennsylvania construction companies stay busy with building projects during the summer. High temperatures and hard work, however, raise the risks of illness or death for construction workers. A representative from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said that construction workers account for over 40% of heat-related deaths on the job. OSHA has established rules for all types of workers who are exposed to high temperatures indoors or outdoors. These safety regulations become especially important in the summer when heat and humidity create conditions that can cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke. People who perform heavy labor or have to wear bulky protective clothing face additional risk for heat-related illness or death.

Temporary workers, new employees or workers returning from a long vacation sometimes succumb to the heat more easily because they lack tolerance to the hot conditions. In the interest of safety, workers who have not acclimated to hot conditions should have their duties ramped up slowly. They will need additional breaks as well.