February, 2017 - Braunfotel and Frendel

How and why misdiagnoses occur

New York residents who are concerned about the quality of their medical care may be interested in learning about the common circumstances that can cause a misdiagnosis to occur. Doctors, other health care specialists, patients and laboratory or pathology tests can all contribute to a misdiagnosis in some way.Patients may attempt to diagnose their own medical conditions without consulting medical professionals. If they do see doctors, they may refrain from mentioning all their symptoms due to embarrassment or the belief that they aren't worth mentioning unless specifically asked about.The limits of a doctor's knowledge may also contribute to a misdiagnosis. There are over 20,000 human diseases, and medical professionals tend to be aware of only the most prevalent ones. Varying levels of skill and biases towards diagnosing what is commonly [...]

How and why misdiagnoses occurjames2017-02-27T00:00:00+00:00

More gangs committing credit card theft, police say

When a person in New York thinks of gang crimes, he or she may envision drive-by shootings or massive drug busts. However, according to the New York Police Department (NYPD), more and more drug gangs are committing credit card theft. One NYPD official stated that in 2016, hundreds of apprehended gang members had stolen credit cards on them. The official stated that five-years ago, such crimes were rare.The NYPD is committed to fighting such crimes. They have added detectives to grand larceny squads, as well as having gang squads commit raids. These raids would often turn up additional incidents of alleged weapons or drug crimes.Police utilize surveillance to show how these gangs utilize credit card schemes. For example, one video appeared to depict gang members using a stolen credit card [...]

More gangs committing credit card theft, police sayjames2017-02-23T00:00:00+00:00

Younger drivers more dangerous on the road

Millennials in New York might be less safe on the road than drivers in other age groups. Almost 90 percent of millennial drivers admitted to driving dangerously, according to a survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. For example, almost twice as many millennials confessed to texting or sending emails while behind the wheel compared to other age groups.More than twice as many millennials said they thought it was acceptable to drive more than 10 miles per hour above the speed limit in a school zone compared to 5 percent of people in other age groups. While just over one-third of drivers said they thought it was acceptable to run through a red light when they could have stopped, almost half of millennials said the same.The study also found [...]

Younger drivers more dangerous on the roadjames2017-02-21T00:00:00+00:00

Breath test device gives faulty readings

Most people in New City do not want to drive while intoxicated. They understand the dangers drunk driving presents and choose not to do it. Therefore, when a product came onto the market that promised to provide consumers with a breath test device that could utilize their cell phone to determine blood-alcohol content, many were eager to get their hands on it. They thought such a product would allow them to test their blood alcohol content level on their own, so they could decide whether to drive after drinking alcohol.The device, called the Breathometer, which first appeared in 2013 on the popular television program, Shark TankHowever, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that there was no scientific evidence supporting the reported accuracy of the Breathometer. In fact, it could provide [...]

Breath test device gives faulty readingsjames2017-02-16T00:00:00+00:00

Most fibromyalgia diagnoses are wrong

Most New York patients who have received a fibromyalgia diagnosis don't actually have classic fibromyalgia. That's because many doctors use the term fibromyalgia to diagnose patients who have widespread pain and fatigue of unknown cause. In reality, about two-thirds of the patients who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia actually have something else.When a patient is misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia, they may be prescribed a treatment plan that will not actually help them to recover from their underlying condition. These misdiagnosed patients could have one of a wide range of different conditions including hypothyroidism, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune connective tissue disorder, anemia or cancer. Musculoskeletal problems can also lead to pain and fatigue that is commonly mistaken for fibromyalgia. Unless a patient receives a correct diagnosis, it will be difficult for the patient [...]

Most fibromyalgia diagnoses are wrongjames2017-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Seek legal guidance to defend against complex drug charges

Being charged with drug possession is serious. Not only do such charges come with serious penalties, but also the charges can be quite complex. A New Yorker needs to exert actual physical ownership over the drugs to be charged with a drug crime. For example, if the authorities find drugs in one's home or vehicle, one could be facing constructive drug possession charges, even if the drugs were not their own.In other cases, sometimes, one is just in the wrong place at the wrong time. For example, if one is found in the company of a person charged with possession of drugs, it may be possible to be charged with presumptive possession of drugs. This may not seem fair, but it is a possibility.In any of these situations, it is [...]

Seek legal guidance to defend against complex drug chargesjames2017-02-09T00:00:00+00:00

Potential workers’ compensation issues

Workers' compensation provides injured workers with the resources they may need in the event that they are injured on the job. Employees in New York and the rest of the nation may benefit from knowing about workers' compensation issues that may arise due to the recent presidential election and upcoming gubernatorial elections.A recommendation that was made last year by the United States Department of Labor for an overhaul of the workers' compensation system may be placed on hold. Any repeal or replacement of the Affordable Care Act is likely to have an impact on workers' compensation. An initiative of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that directed resources for workplace safety toward enforcement rather than education might also be affected.There was also an uptick in enforcement under the Americans with [...]

Potential workers’ compensation issuesjames2017-02-06T00:00:00+00:00

New York man facing felony charges after dispute

Arguments involving money have the potential to become escalated. This is true whether the disagreement is between New York friends or between a customer and a service provider. However, it is sometimes the case where an argument leads to accusations that one party or the other committed a crime.An incident recently occurred in New Paltz, New York, in which a taxi driver accused a 26-year-old Congers, New York, man of threatening him and brandishing a handgun in the taxi. The man also reportedly used racially derogatory language in reference to the taxi cab driver. Reportedly, the dispute between the taxi cab driver and the accused was in regards to the amount of the cab fare. Police found the accused at a Mobil gas station.The accused is facing two class E [...]

New York man facing felony charges after disputejames2017-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

Tell Us How We Can Help

Our Office Location