Kentucky Personal Injury Blog

Kentucky residents are used to sharing the state's highways and byways with large trucks. Located in the heart of the nation, Kentucky serves as a sort of crossroads for major shipping operations. Recently, truck drivers responsible for moving goods across the country are speaking out, and the public may want to hear what they have to say about recent truck accidents. 

Some drivers of large tractor-trailer trucks have organized a unique sort of protest called a "slow roll." The idea is to drive many trucks in a large group slowly along the interstate in Kentucky and surrounding areas to raise awareness. The drivers are warning that a new round of federal regulations may actually cause more danger than safety. 

As a Kentucky mom-to-be, you likely can hardly wait to welcome your new son or daughter into your family. The birth of a baby always tops the list of exciting and life-changing events in any parent’s life. And the last thing you want to think about is the possibility of your baby sustaining a birth injury such as Erb’s palsy during your labor and delivery. 

You obviously realize that your baby, like you, has a system of nerves throughout his or her body that allows him or her to move and feel sensation. A person’s brachial nerves run from the spinal cord to the armpits and from there down the arms. Should your baby’s brachial nerves become stretched or otherwise injured during his or her birthing process, the result could be Erb’s palsy, a weakness or even paralysis of his or her arms.

Surgeons have an extremely difficult job. Although they receive years of education and training, they still make mistakes, like in any other profession, often leading to medical malpractice cases. 

There are many errors some patients have had to contend with. One of the most common surgical mistakes involves the surgeon performing the wrong procedure on the patient. This is typically due to a clerical error where the surgeon received the wrong paperwork. Here are some other mistakes surgeons have made over the years. 

Months of negligence and oversight endangered the lives of mother and baby

Although the investigation has not concluded, it is difficult to imagine a situation other than sexual assault that would have resulted in the victim becoming pregnant and giving birth. In addition, it is reported that neither staff or family was aware that she was pregnant until she went into labor.

The 29-year-old woman, who requires a high level of specialized care by a large team of staffers, had no way to defend herself against her attacker or notify staffers that she was experiencing labor pains. It is highly unlikely that her entire staff failed to notice that she was eight or nine months pregnant while receiving round-the-clock care, indicating either willful neglect or an attempt to hide the pregnancy and possibly the criminal who attacked her.

The victim received no recorded prenatal care, and if it weren't for her moaning, staff may not have assisted with her labor. This level of neglect risked the lives of both the mother and her son for months on end, resulting in an unknown breadth of pain and suffering. Her son could experience lifelong effects, especially with the criminal's unknown genetic history.

The facility and the criminal must be held accountable

Unfortunately, this victim is not the first vulnerable person to be abused in an assisted living facility. If the victim had not become pregnant, her abuse, like that of so many others, may never have been discovered. She may have been attacked multiple times over days, months or years. What is known is that her family thought she was in safe place that would protect her, as so many of us trust facilities to protect our own loved ones.

The facility is taking extra measures to protect the well-being of its other residents, but this case will forever affect the trust between families and advanced care facilities.