Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer Blog

A very serious medical condition, meningitis causes the protective membranes that encompass the brain and spinal cord (referred to collectively as the meninges) to become inflamed. It can be very severe and is oftentimes life-threatening because of the closeness of the brain and spinal cord to the area of inflammation. Bacterial meningitis is a type of meningitis that is caused by a bacterial infection.

In adults, common meningitis symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, appearance of a rash, seizures, nuchal rigidity (the stiffness of the neck), loss of hearing, altered mental state, photophobia (an inability to tolerate light), and phonophobia (an inability to tolerate loud noises). A person’s brain tissue may swell due to increased pressure inside their skull because of meningitis. Brain tissue that is inflamed may cause the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that is around the brain to be blocked, which can result in hydrocephalus. There are other serious side effects associated with bacterial meningitis, including epilepsy and deafness.

Bacterial meningitis itself does not cause a person to become deaf. Since the brain is so close to a person’s ears, if the meninges become inflamed because of meningitis, the inner ear may become inflamed as well. This can result in deafness, particularly if the person’s meningitis is not treated promptly. Additionally, the auditory nerve or the cochlea may become damaged by the inflammation, which can also result in deafness. Sometimes the hearing loss is reversible. However, a 2006 study published by the New England Journal of Medicine found that about 14 percent of all cases of meningitis result in permanent deafness. It is the leading post-natal cause of hearing loss.

A lumbar puncture is used to diagnose meningitis. This process entails inserting a needle into the spinal canal to remove a sample of CSF from a person. The sample of CSF is studied at a lab to determine whether or not a person has bacterial meningitis. In general, the treatment for the condition involves the immediate use of antibiotic drugs, and sometimes antiviral drugs are also used. If inflammation has caused significant complications, in some events corticosteroid drugs are used.

If left untreated, bacterial meningitis is deadly. Between 20 to 30 percent of newborns who have contracted bacterial meningitis die. The fatality risk is lower in older children, with about a 2 percent mortality rate. However, the risk of death related to bacterial meningitis rises in adults, who have between a 19 to 37 percent chance of dying from the condition. The sooner treatment is sought for bacterial meningitis, the better the outcome. If you think you have any of the symptoms of bacterial meningitis, you should immediately seek medical attention.

If you believe you have contracted bacterial meningitis because of a hospital or doctor’s negligence, it would be in your best interest to talk with a medical malpractice bacterial meningitis attorney who can help you determine the best course of legal action.

Meningitis is a medical condition that results in the protective membranes that cover the spinal cord and brain (known collectively as the meninges) becoming inflamed. Bacterial meningitis is meningitis that is caused by a bacterial infection. It is a condition that can be very deadly and life-threatening because of the proximity of the inflammation to the spinal cord and brain. There are some serious long-term consequences associated with bacterial meningitis, such as epilepsy, deafness, hydrocephalus, and significant deficits in cognitive performance.

Common symptoms of meningitis in adults include:

• Altered mental state


• Fever


• Headache


• Loss of hearing


• Nuchal rigidity (neck stiffness)


• Phonophobia (unable to tolerate loud noises)


• Photophobia (unable to tolerate light)


• Rash


• Seizures


• Vomiting

In the early stage of their illness, adults suffering from meningitis may also develop additional problems, such as sepsis, fast heart rate, a systemic inflammatory response syndrome of quickly falling blood pressure, rapid breathing, and disseminated intravascular coagulation, which can cause blood flow to the body’s organs to be obstructed which increases the risk of bleeding. A person’s brain tissue may swell with the increased pressure inside their skill due to the condition. Inflamed brain tissue may cause the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) around the brain to be obstructed, which causes hydrocephalus.

Often, small children do not exhibit these symptoms. Features that distinguish meningitis from other severe child illnesses include abnormal skin coloring, leg pain, and cold extremities. In infants, the fontanelle (the soft spot at the top of a baby’s head) can bulge, indicating meningitis.

To diagnose bacterial meningitis, a lumbar puncture may be used. This procedure involves inserting a needle into a person’s spinal canal to remove a sample of CSF. This fluid encircles a person’s spinal cord and brain. The CSF sample is examined in a medical lab to determine whether a person has bacterial meningitis. Treatment for meningitis is usually the prompt use of antibiotic drugs, and occasionally antiviral drugs. If there are significant complications from inflammation, in some situations corticosteroid drugs are used.

Pediatric bacterial meningitis is very dangerous and if left untreated, it has a high mortality rate. The sooner the treatment for meningitis is sought, for both children and adults, the better the outcome. If you believe you have any of the symptoms of meningitis, seek medical attention immediately.

Anyone who has contracted bacterial meningitis and believes it was due to medical malpractice or hospital negligence would be well-advised to consult with a medical malpractice attorney. A skilled failure to treat meningitis lawyer can help you determine whether you have a substantial lawsuit and ensure that your rights are protected.

“Water on the brain,” medically referred to as hydrocephalus, is a condition in which there is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of a person’s brain. It can cause an increase in intracranial pressure inside a person’s skull and result in a progressive enlargement of their head, as well as causing the person to suffer from convulsions and various mental disabilities, and can be fatal. Related to the condition is normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), which can occur due to a gradual blockage of the CSF drainage pathway in a person’s brain.

The appearance of hydrocephalus is varied and is linked to its severity, and can also be affected by a person’s age, the reason for the blockage, and how much tissue of the brain has been hurt by the swelling. Common symptoms of significant intracranial pressure include nausea, vomiting, excessive sleepiness, papilledema, and headaches. A person can also slip into a coma as a result of the increase in pressure or suffer from life-threatening compression to the brain stem. Other common manifestations of hydrocephalus include urinary incontinence, gait instability, epilepsy, and dementia.

For babies that suffer from water on the brain, their symptoms include seizures, vomiting, irritability, excessive sleepiness, difficulty feeding, uncontrolled eye movements, slow growth, and the manifestation of eyes that seem to be unable to look upwards.

Treatment for the condition of water on the brain involves a surgical operation to insert a shunt to allow excess CSF an exit pathway and to relieve the pressure on a person’s brain. The shunt is placed in the brain’s ventricular system to redirect the flow of CSF into another part of a person’s body where it can be absorbed into the person’s bloodstream.

The overall outlook for those that are diagnosed with water on the brain depends on the timing of the diagnosis, its treatment, and its cause. Children that are treated for the condition are sometimes able to lead lives that are relatively normal with very few limitations. However, as has been noted, hydrocephalus can cause life-long damage, and there are risks and complications associated with shunt operations.

If you believe you or your infant is suffering from water on the brain, you should seek medical attention right away. After you or your baby receives treatment, consult with a Pennsylvania hospital negligence lawyer who will help you conclude whether the medical condition was caused by someone’s negligence.

A VP shunt (the abbreviation of ventriculoperitoneal shunt) is used by doctors to treat a medical condition called hydrocephalus, or “water on the brain.” Hydrocephalus is a condition in which the ventricles of a person’s brain have an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Water on the brain can result in an increased pressure inside a person’s skull and cause their head to progressively enlarge, as well as suffer from convulsions and other, various mental disabilities, and can be fatal.

To treat hydrocephalus, doctors drill a small hole into a person’s skull, which gives them access to the enlarged ventricles to drain the CSF. A catheter is carefully inserted into one of the enlarged ventricles, and with the assistance of a system of pumps, a pathway is created for the excess CSF to travel into the person’s abdominal cavity.

As with any surgery, VP shunt surgery has many possible dangers, including a risk of infection and/or bleeding, as well as a patient suffering an adverse reaction to general anesthesia, which could cause them to have difficulty breathing. However, VP shunt surgery has many additional possible complications, all of which can cause neurological damage and potentially be fatal. Possible complications from VP shunt surgery include:

• Brain tissue damage


• Leakage of CSF


• Over-drainage of CSF


• Shunt blockage


• Shunt malfunction


• Ventricle collapse

These risks are compounded if nurses, doctors, or surgeons are negligent or careless before, during, or after a VP shunt surgery. Oftentimes additional medical difficulties will arise because the procedure was not performed correctly. To determine whether the VP shunt surgery was performed incorrectly, or if negligence on the part of the hospital’s staff injured a patient, the victim may need to consult with an attorney. A skilled lawyer can help a victim seek compensation for their injuries from all negligent parties.

The VP shunt failure lawyers at Anapol Schwartz can help you conclude whether you have a substantial case against a hospital or their staff for complications associated with your VP shunt surgery. Contact our firm today to schedule a free consultation.

Larry E. Coben, an attorney at the personal injury law firm Anapol Schwartz, was on KYW 1060 to discuss toy safety, an important topic during the holiday season. Toys are a major part of holiday gift-giving, but it isn’t always fun and games with toys if parents aren’t careful and aware of the dangers toys can pose to their children.

You can listen to the clip that aired here or read excerpts from the radio show on CBS Philly.

Mr. Coben’s rule of thumb regarding toy safety is that parents should always assume that the toys they purchase for their children will be used in the most dangerous way possible. This includes, but isn’t limited to, a child swallowing the toy or parts of the toy. Also, parents should always expect the worse with a toy, which can help them decide what toy is and what toy isn’t appropriate for their child to play with.

Mr. Coben also recommends that parents check the website of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) before doing any shopping for children to see if any toys or other child products have recently been recalled. When shopping, he cautions parents to read the age-range label that is listed on all toys, but warns parents that it’s just a guess by the manufacturer, not a standard in place by the government on what is truly appropriate for a child. Parents should also be aware that while they may purchase one toy for a certain child, children share. It is very likely the toy will be used by many children, even if the toy is not appropriate for them.

Regarding dolls and clothes, Mr. Coben reminds parents that with the return of cold weather comes space heaters. Children who come in close contact with a space heater while wearing or holding something that is very flammable are at a great risk of catching fire and suffering burn injuries.

Parents of children who have been injured by an unsafe toy have a legal right to seek compensation from a negligent manufacturer. At Anapol Schwartz, our Pennsylvania defective toy injury lawyers have many years of experience successfully representing children who have been injured by a dangerous toy. We will work hard to make sure your family is compensated adequately. Call our law office today at 1-866-735-2792 and we can help you understand your legal options in pursuing an unsafe toy lawsuit.

“Water on the brain,” which is referred to as hydrocephalus in the medical community, is an irregular buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of a person’s brain. Often, the CSF is under increased pressure, which can compress and damage a person’s brain. It is a condition that is very serious and oftentimes fatal. It can occur before birth or at any time after. It can be caused by a birth defect, brain hemorrhage, infection, tumor, meningitis, or a head injury.

“Hydrocephalus ex-vacuo” is a condition in which there is brain damage caused by injury or a stroke. In these cases there is actual brain substance shrinkage, but the CSF pressure is normal. Another variation of water on the brain is “normal pressure hydrocephalus” (NPH), which occurs because of a gradual blockage of CSF pathways to drainage in a person’s brain. The brain’s ventricles enlarge, but the CSF pressure stays within a normal range. Common symptoms of NPH are difficulty walking, poor bladder control, significant memory loss, and dementia.

Other symptoms of water on the brain in older adults include:

• Vomiting;


• Slow growth;


• Significant loss in coordination;


• Significant changes in personality;


• Significant changes in eye spacing and facial appearance;


• Muscle spasms;


• Inability to control eye movements;


• Fatigue;


• Crossed eyes;


• Blurred vision; and


• An inability to think or reason.

Additionally, approximately one out of every four people diagnosed with water on the brain develops epilepsy.

Treatment for hydrocephalus is surgical. The operation involves inserting a shunt into the brain to allow the extra CSF an exit path and relieves the CSF pressure on a person’s brain. The shunt directs the excess CSF into another area of a person’s body where it is then absorbed into their bloodstream.

There are many complications associated with the procedure, including failure of the shunt, shunt malfunction, and infection. Shunts may stop working if it becomes blocked or infected, or if it is outgrown. There is also a chance it may become disconnected. If any of these occur, the CSF will begin to accumulate once more and the symptoms of water on the brain will occur again. The brain hydrocephalus shunt failure rate is high—about 40,000 shunt surgeries are performed every year to treat water on the brain and a mere 30 percent are the first surgery for a patient. It is very common for a person who suffers from hydrocephalus to require multiple shunt revision surgeries in their lifetime.

The outlook for adults diagnosed with hydrocephalus depends on the cause of the condition, the timing of the diagnosis and its treatment. Often, children that are diagnosed with water on the brain are able to live relatively normal lives with few limitations. However, if symptoms of water on the brain are left unchecked, it can cause life-long damage to a person’s brain, and even be fatal. If you believe that a physician’s failure to diagnose or error has caused you to suffer from hydrocephalus, a Harrisburg, PA medical malpractice lawyer can help you hold negligent medical professionals liable.

A new report recently released by the American Association for Justice (AAJ) entitled, “Playing with Safety: Dangerous Toys and the Role of America’s Civil Justice System,” highlights some dangers that are hidden in popular toys today that consumers may not be aware of. Despite rigorous safety standards, which were recently improved, there are still unforeseen toy hazards. The AAJ makes the case that these hazards show there is a strong necessity for a civil justice system to protect children and hold negligent toy manufacturers liable.

The full report can be viewed at www.justice.org/toys.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there have been over 850 toy product recalls since 1974. Many of these recalls were due to the presence of lead, magnets, and other hazards that were hidden in children’s toys. Toy-related injuries rose by 12 percent between 2004 and 2008. Alarmingly, these injuries have risen by a shocking 54 percent over the past 10 years.

These injuries are directly related to the under-resourced CPSC, which is flooded with new products that enter the United States marketplace. Many consumers may not be aware that the U.S. imports over 30,000 tons of toys from foreign markets annually, which accounts for approximately 95 percent of toys that are sold in the county. There were only 15 inspectors to monitor U.S. ports for all products until 2007. Only one of these inspectors was allotted to conduct toy safety tests. One repercussion of the CPSC’s regulatory powerlessness is that dangerous products may be on store shelves for years before the public is aware of their dangers. An analysis by Public Citizen of consumer recalls discovered that manufacturers waited an average of 993 days before informing the CPSC of defects. The agency then waited an extra 209 days before alerting the public.

Additionally, other nations do not have regulations that are as strict as America’s. For instance, dangerous levels of cadmium were discovered to be present in jewelry for children earlier this year. Cadmium is a metal that toxic and cancer-causing. It was ranked number seven on the federal government’s list of substances known to be most hazardous. The resulting investigation discovered the metal’s origin was China, where the use of the toxic metal was prompted by their recent lead prohibition.

All consumers need to be aware of the hazards that toys can pose to their children, even if the product is used properly. There may be inherent dangers that are present in the toy, or defects that even the manufacturer isn’t yet aware of. When holiday shopping this year, parents should pay great attention to toy product safety.

The unsafe toy lawyers at Anapol Schwartz have handled many cases involving child injury and a defective toy. Call us today at 866-735-2792 to speak with one of our attorneys who can help you determine whether you have a substantial case against a toy manufacturer. We offer free consultations.

Recently, lawyer Larry Coben from the law firm of Anapol Schwartz talked with Tracy Davidson from Philadelphia NBC 10 to discuss car seat safety. Mr. Coben has practiced law for over 30 years as a personal injury attorney. One of his most notable cases was won against General Motors in which he helped a client obtain a $26 million verdict against the manufacturer for the passenger’s seat back defective design, which had failed in a rear-end car accident. The defective seat caused the passenger to be thrown to the back seat and became a quadriplegic as a result.

The news clip highlights the potential dangers car seats can pose to all occupants in a motor vehicle during a crash. Many people may not be aware that car seat backs can fail, which entails the collapse of a front seat in a car, which can not only injure the person in the seat, but anyone in the backseat. Engineers believe the poor quality of car seat crash performance is due to the almost laughable car seat safety standards that have been in place since 1968. Manufacturers are required to produce car seats that can withstand a static test of 3,300 inch pounds of pressure. It is a rather flimsy test that essentially just pulls on the seat. The test does not adequately test what actually occurs in crashes.

In the video, engineers tested a beach chair as well as a chair made of cardboard using the same standards that are used to test car seats. Both chairs passed the test.

It should be noted that some car manufacturers do test their seats using more rigorous testing than the federal government requires; however, all consumers need to be aware of the potential dangers car seats can pose in an accident and be aware of the laxity in testing standards. There is no question these standards need to be improved to prevent serious injury from occurring.

Mr. Coben recommends consumers purchase vehicles that have seats where the seatbelt is actually built into the seat itself, as is the lap belt. These types of seats are required to be stronger and can withstand more pressure in a crash. This is because these car seats have to pass stronger tests for the seatbelt.

You can watch the video in its entirety here.

If you have been injured because of a car seat failure in a car accident, talking with an experienced and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer can help you conclude whether you have a case against a car manufacturer.

Hydrocephalus is a condition that is commonly referred to as “water on the brain.” It occurs when there is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of a person’s brain. It is a very serious condition that can cause an increase in intracranial pressure inside a person’s skull as well as a progressive enlargement of a person’s head, causing them to suffer from convulsions and/or mental disabilities. It can also be fatal.

The condition can arise before birth or at any time afterwards, and can be caused by a birth defect, infection, tumor, brain hemorrhage, meningitis, or a head injury. The symptoms of hydrocephalus depend on a person’s age, the reason for the blockage, and how much tissue of the brain is damaged by the swelling. In babies, the most obvious indicator of the condition is an abnormally large head, caused by a buildup of CSF in the central nervous system, which causes the fontanelle to enlarge. This is one of the major reasons a baby’s head should be measured at every visit to a doctor.

Other symptoms of hydrocephalus in babies are:

• Vomiting;


• Sleepiness;


• Irritability;


• Seizures;


• Uncontrolled eye movements;


• Difficulty feeding;


• Slow growth; and


• Eyes that seem to look downwards and aren’t able to look upwards.

Additionally, approximately one in four people diagnosed with hydrocephalus develop epilepsy.

Hydrocephalus treatment is surgical, and involves inserting a shunt into a baby’s brain to allow the excess fluid to drain, relieving the pressure on the brain. The shunt diverts the CSF flow from the brain into another part of the infant’s body so the CSF can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

If a baby is diagnosed with hydrocephalus, their prognosis depends on the timing of the diagnosis and the treatment they receive. Many infants diagnosed with this condition whose parents seek appropriate treatment quickly are able to lead relatively normal lives with very few, if any, restrictions. However, in many cases, an infant will suffer cognitive impairments in language and non-language functions. Complications from hydrocephalus surgery can also cause an infant to suffer infections, and problems may necessitate a revision of the shunt.

If you believe your baby may suffer from water on the brain, consult with medical professionals immediately. After seeking treatment for your infant, you should consult with a personal injury attorney to determine whether your baby’s medical condition was the result of negligence on the part of healthcare providers during the birth process or afterwards.