I recently read an article about dog breeds and homeowners insurance.  The article explains that in some states, the breed of dog a person owns may affect that person’s homeowners insurance premiums.  Claims related to dog bites or dog attacks make up one-third of all homeowners insurance claims.  About 4.7 million people are injured by dog bites each year, and about 40% of these are children.

In Michigan, it is already illegal for homeowners insurance companies to deny coverage for breeds which are considered dangerous.  There is no standard list of which breeds are dangerous, but in other states, a property insurance company may charge a higher rate to owners of Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Pit Bulls, Huskies, Malamutes, Chow Chows, Great Danes, and Saint Bernards.

Other states have passed or are considering laws that require leashes or muzzles when outside the owner’s home or yard.  Many local cities or counties have their own ordinances, which may require a dog owner to purchase a minimum amount of homeowner’s insurance coverage or which may define “dangerous animal” and then assess stiffer fines for attacks by “dangerous animals” within the meaning of the ordinance.  Typically, this definition states that an animal that has previously bitten or attacked a human being is dangerous.

The Michigan dog bite lawyers at Buckfire & Buckfire encourage you to stay informed about changes in the laws concerning owning pets and homeowners insurance.  From the point of view of the pet owner, having adequate insurance is a key part of protecting your personal assets from a lawsuit if your pet ever attacks someone.  From the point of view of the bite victim, encouraging laws or ordinances that require pet owners to purchase insurance makes it more likely that there will be a policy to recover against if you are ever bit by a dog.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Dog Bite attack, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Dog Bite & Animal Attack Handbook” by clicking on the book link.  We will send it out immediately along with other important information.

For more information about Michigan dog bite cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com   If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan dog bite attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

The Michigan medical malpractice lawyers at Buckfire & Buckfire have recently added content to our online library.  There are now articles on several additional childhood illnesses.  I encourage all parents reading this to take a moment to educate themselves on these illnesses so they can recognize their child’s symptoms and watch their doctors’ performance.  Up to nearly 4% of patients suffer additional injury from some form of medical malpractice each year, yet most of these do not know enough about their medical condition and the proper course of treatment to recognize the malpractice as it occurs.  Do not let your child be part of this statistic!

Click on the titles of each article to learn more:

• Jaundice
• Hyperbilirubinemia
• Chronic ear infection
• Chronic bronchitis
• Mental retardation or mental disability
• Brain-Damaged Infants

For more information about Michigan medical malpractice cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan medical malpractice attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

Chronic Bronchitis can be a very serious condition that affects children.  Chronic bronchitis is persistent or repeated episodes of bronchitis.  When bronchitis lasts three months or more, it is termed chronic bronchitis.  Chronic bronchitis is also apparent when a child has bronchitis for most of the days in a three month period for two years in a row and when other lung diseases or conditions have been excluded.

Symptoms of Chronic Bronchitis

• Cough
• Vomiting or spitting out mucus
• Frequent respiratory infections
• Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, or constriction of the breathing tubes
• Disability
• Lips or skin turning blue
• Swelling of feet and other extremities
• Heart failure

 Because of the severe health consequences, it is imperative that a doctor recognize and treat chronic bronchitis promptly and properly.  There are a number of tests that can be performed to recognize chronic bronchitis, and your pediatrician or specialist should be familiar with them.  In addition, while there are a number of causes of chronic bronchitis, the symptoms are fairly easy to recognize. 

If your child is further injured because a doctor failed to test for, diagnose, or treat chronic bronchitis, you may have a valid claim for medical malpractice. 

If you would like more information about your rights in a medical malpractice case, you can order our FREE book “The Ultimate Michigan Medical Malpractice Handbook” by clicking on the book title.  We will send it out immediately along with other important information.   

For more information about Michigan medical malpractice cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan medical malpractice attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

The Salmonella peanut butter outbreak appears to be ongoing.  The Salmonella has already infected several hundred people in 43 States and Canada, and several people have actually died due to the food poisoning.  The Salmonella had earlier been traced to peanut butter made by Peanut Corp. of America at its Blakely, Georgia plant.  Peanut Corp. makes peanut butter that is sold to institutions such as nursing homes and food manufactures.  So far, individual jars of peanut butter which are sold directly to consumers at the grocery store have not been affected.

The presence of Salmonella in food products has lead to the recall of many products such as cakes, candy bars, cookies, and other food products containing peanut butter.  A list is available at the FDA’s Peanut Butter Product Recall website.

According to the latest reports, multiple strains of Salmonella have been isolated at Peanut Corp.’s Blakely plant.  Most disturbingly, the strains which have been isolated are NOT the one that is responsible for the Salmonella outbreak.  It is very clear that the conditions at this plant are unsanitary and unsafe and they very likely fall far below legally mandated health and safety levels.

If I could give advice to anyone who has been infected with Salmonella from peanut butter, I would urge them to report their illness and to strongly consider hiring an attorney to discuss filing a lawsuit against Peanut Corp. and any other guilty parties because it is very clear that they have acted improperly and should be held accountable for the suffering they have caused.

The Michigan food poisoning lawyers at Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. are very familiar with Salmonella and have represented many clients who have suffered from Salmonella.  I encourage you to read our article about Salmonella food poisoning or to contact us.

Chronic ear infections, also known as chronic otitis media, are the result of persistent infections or inflammations of the middle ear that keep coming back.  This can be caused by fluid that is trapped behind the eardrum. 

The primary cause of chronic ear infections is blockage of the Eustachian tube from allergies, multiple ear infections, ear trauma, or swelling of the adenoids. 

This medical condition is more severe when the middle ear is actually infected (due to bacteria or a virus) rather than merely inflamed.  This could result in damage to the eardrum or rupture if the fluid is not eventually drained. 

Ear pain is a well known consequence of an ear infection, but the consequences of chronic otitis media can be much more severe.  Especially when the middle ear is actually infected, the possible consequences can include:

• Pus-like drainage from the ear
• Development of cysts
• Infection of one or more skull bones
• Facial Paralysis
• Inflammation around the brain
• Permanent hearing loss, whether partial or total deafness.

Although these more severe consequences are relatively rare when compared to the number of ear infections that are treated each year, it is obviously important to reduce the risk of their developing to the extent possible.  Pediatricians are trained to perform a number of relatively simple tests to ensure chronic ear infections do not develop into a severe problem.  These tests include visual exams of the ear canal, cultures of any drainage, x-rays or CT scans, and hearing tests. 

In many cases the treatment for chronic ear infection is as simple as prescribing antibiotics, although it should be noted that a child may have to take antibiotics for a longer period depending on the severity and number of ear infections he or she has had.  In other cases, surgery is necessary to drain the ear canals or repair a damaged eardrum. 

When a doctor negligently fails to diagnose chronic otitis media or fails to prescribe a proper treatment and the patient suffers further damage because of that error, the child may have a valid medical malpractice claim.  An experienced Michigan medical malpractice lawyer can help evaluate the case. 

If you would like more information about your rights in a medical malpractice case, you can order our FREE book “The Ultimate Michigan Medical Malpractice Handbook” by clicking on the book title.  We will send it out immediately along with other important information. 

For more information about Michigan medical malpractice cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan medical malpractice attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.