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Lauren Ellerman

Why does the nursing home want you to agree to give up your right to a jury trial and sign an arbitration agreement?
Why does the nursing home want you to agree to give up your right to a jury trial and sign an arbitration agreement? 150 150 Lauren Ellerman

Whether you realized or not, when you signed the contract for your cell phone, you likely signed what is called an Arbitration Agreement. It likely said something like:The Purchaser agrees to waive her or her right to bring any action against the Cell Phone company in state or federal courts,…

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Why is my lawyer being so nice to the other guy’s lawyer? Is that good or bad? Does it matter?
Why is my lawyer being so nice to the other guy’s lawyer? Is that good or bad? Does it matter? 150 150 Lauren Ellerman

A loved one tells a story about a lawsuit he was involved in many years ago. His business was being sued for unfair competition, and after a day of very intense and heated depositions, the client saw his lawyer and the other side’s lawyer having a beer at the hotel…

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But the doctor said if I had gotten there earlier…..
But the doctor said if I had gotten there earlier….. 150 150 Lauren Ellerman

Doctors are people. Just like the rest of us. They have specialized training, and a skill set many of us do not have, but like all of us – they are human.And, it is (in my experience and opinion) human nature to want to help your patients with information, but…

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Picking your Virginia Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Picking your Virginia Medical Malpractice Lawyer 150 150 Lauren Ellerman

This week alone I have been invited to become:National Trial Lawyers – Top 100 LawyersSomething great with the American Institute of Personal Injury AttorneysCharter Member of a some Women’s Litigation GroupBest Lawyers in America – Virginia, Medical Malpractice Does that mean you should hire me?Absolutely not.Some if not most of these…

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Retirement Planning and Continuing Care Communities: Myth v. Reality
Retirement Planning and Continuing Care Communities: Myth v. Reality 150 150 Lauren Ellerman

Our local business magazine just ran a thorough and thoughtful article on retirement planning. It shows pictures of youthful seniors doing water aerobics, swinging on a lake-side hammock and more. The article highlights idyllic retirement where assets cover comfortable living and seniors have choices. Yes, some people (those blessed with good…

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Politicians and Litigators: More similar than you may think
Politicians and Litigators: More similar than you may think 150 150 Lauren Ellerman

This morning I listened to a fascinating podcast about types of politicians:Those who are substance over form, orThose who are form over substance.Yes, while I realize it is always dangerous to categorize, and even more so to claim there are only two types of any kind of person, it isn’t…

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Why hurt and pain are not enough under the law
Why hurt and pain are not enough under the law 150 150 Lauren Ellerman

My precious little girl will often cry when she is sad, or she feels challenged, or her feelings are hurt, etc. As a parent, I try my best to recognize the pain. To hear it, name it, and give her freedom from it by recognizing it as being real. But often,…

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Why nursing home policies and procedures are so important
Why nursing home policies and procedures are so important 150 150 Lauren Ellerman

Have you every heard the phrase – honesty is the best policy? It is an ironic truism. True, because honesty is always preferable to the opposite, dishonesty, and yet ironic because why do we as humans need a policy (a written rule) encouraging honesty? Shouldn’t honesty be innate? Shouldn’t we know…

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Surgical complications – not always a result of human error
Surgical complications – not always a result of human error 150 150 Lauren Ellerman

No such thing as a simple surgery. Seriously. And no surgery is totally without risk. We have had patients die during hip repairs, and suffer life changing injury after routine colonoscopies and or gallbladder surgeries. We have seen patients die during child delivery, cancer surgeries, and other ‘routine procedures.’Sometimes, the health care…

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Use of Haldol for dementia / Alzheimer’s patients in nursing homes
Use of Haldol for dementia / Alzheimer’s patients in nursing homes 150 150 Lauren Ellerman

So the FDA says the following about using Haldol for a dementia / Alzheimer’s patient in a nursing home. Read it carefully, the language is not soft but very clear: WARNING Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis: Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an…

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