Mississippi is Below Average – and We Could Not Be Happier About It
It is not very often that folks can be proud of being below-average – but when it comes to the number of children with traumatic brain injuries (TBI), being below-average is a good place to be. MedPage Today reports that in a recent study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, “The lifetime prevalence of traumatic brain injury…
Read MoreThe VA Has Fewer 1-Star Hospitals – But There Is Still Work to be Done
The latest rankings of Veterans Affairs hospitals have been released, and the number of 1-star hospitals has dropped from 14 to 9. This is good news, of course, but we should not get our hopes up quite yet; 35 hospitals were given 2-stars, which means just under a third of all ranked VA hospitals (146…
Read MoreOSHA Cites Two Companies for Hazardous Conditions that Led to the Death of a Worker in Utica, MS
In September, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued citations to two companies – Midway Tower Service Inc. and Bracken Equipment Holdings LLC – for hazardous conditions after a communications worker died on a worksite in Utica. According to WorkersCompensation.com, “Midway Tower Service Inc. was cited for exposing employees to fall and struck-by hazards,…
Read MoreDaylight Saving Time Switches Can Be Deadly
On Sunday, November 4th, Daylight Saving Time (DST) officially ends, as we “fall back” in the Standard Time designation. Gaining that extra hour of sleep does more than simply boost moods and morale, however; it can also prove deadly. The switch into DST in the Spring has been linked to an increased number of fatal…
Read MoreThe Unscrupulous Practice of Balance Billing
Many of us will require emergency medical care at some point in life. Depending on the type of ailment you have when the medics arrive, you may not have a say in who provides you with care, including the ambulance and the hospital to which you are taken. Unfortunately, some healthcare providers have figured out…
Read MoreDangerous Roadways in Mississippi and Car Accident Claims
Many serious car accidents in Mississippi and throughout the nation are initiated by careless or inattentive drivers. However, some crashes are due to dangerous roadways. In Mississippi, roadways that are inadequately maintained or designed improperly and without certain features that contribute toward traffic safety can lead to accidents. When defective design, maintenance, or construction leads…
Read MoreEpinephrine Shots After Cardiac Arrest Leading to Brain Damage
Medical teams throughout Mississippi and across the nation have commonly used adrenaline, also called epinephrine, for many decades to treat emergency cardiac arrest victims in an attempt to save their lives. Traditionally, adrenaline is use when CPR and electric shocks have failed to start the heart and restore breathing. New information available, however, provides evidence…
Read MorePelahatchie Construction Site Explosion Reinforces the Dangers Faced By Heavy Industry Workers
A building was heavily damaged when an explosion rocked a central Mississippi construction site on the afternoon of September 10 in Pelahatchie, east of Jackson. No one was reported injured. According to news reports, three workers were performing tank welding operations at the Jackson Commodities building when vapor in the air ignited, causing the explosion.…
Read MoreIs It Safe for Teens to Be Truck Drivers?
A recent driver shortage across the United States has caused a push to put older teens and young adults – ages 18 to 21 – on the highways as truck and tractor-trailer drivers. Many trucking industry representatives, as well as politicians, believe one way to assuage the issue could be loosening federal regulations around the…
Read MoreMerkel & Cocke Client Awarded $2.4 Million Verdict in OB/GYN Malpractice Case
Merkel & Cocke, P.A. is proud to announce that partners Charlie Merkel, Jr. and Charles Merkel, III recently secured a $2.4 million jury award on behalf of a client who sustained multiple injuries during a hospital admission for an elective induction for the birth of her child at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle. The jury found…
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