Paul Horton: accident attorney Salt Lake City 84118

There’s a reason so many professional and college athletes have been sporting pink shoes, undershirts and sweatbands during the month of October—it’s breast cancer awareness month. As an Injury Lawyer, I thought it would be appropriate to share information about this important cause.

Though our overall contribution to the hunt for a long-lasting cure for the disease is minimal, seeing as how breast cancer’s survival rate is nearly 100 percent when quickly detected, we feel it necessary to offer up a few tips for the early detection of breast cancer.

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH AND THE DISEASE’S MOST COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

More often than not, people who have breast cancer—beforehand, at least—experience anywhere between one or two of breast cancer’s most common symptoms. Needless to say, whenever a sign or symptom is discovered, a healthcare professional should immediately be contacted so as to properly identify the validity of any concerns.

The following are the most common of breast cancer indications:
Uncommon nipple tenderness, swelling or even inversion
Nipple discharge when breastfeeding isn’t taking place
Roughened skin and enlarged pores
Lumps on the breasts

The best way to discover any of the aforementioned dangers is through routine, monthly self-breast examinations. If something seems out of the ordinary, make it a point to speak with an experienced medical doctor.

WHEN INJURY DOESN’T APPEAR UNTIL AFTER AN ACCIDENT

It’s not uncommon to experience a delayed injury after car accidents. Many people, both here in Utah and elsewhere, find that they feel pain or discomfort a few days after an auto incident. Primarily, this happens because the body has stopped producing pain-masking endorphins. In this sort of situation, knowing what to do with an insurance or personal injury claim can be difficult.

First, there are many different kinds of injuries that may appear a short time later. These include injuries such as difficulty moving, headaches, dizziness, muscle spasms, numbness and concussions.

By far, concussions and whiplash are the most common injuries caused by auto accidents. A concussion, for example, can present itself in a number of ways. The key characteristic, however, is always the loss or impairment of a basic brain function. This can manifest itself in loss of balance, ringing ears, vomiting, disorientation, confusion or even irritability. Furthermore, the possibility of emotional harm is also present.

As previously mentioned, filing a claim under these circumstances can be tricky. In fact, some insurance companies will ask those who file a claim to sign a settlement. If this settlement is signed, then those hoping to file for medical cost coverage afterwards will find themselves out of luck.

Truthfully, people both inside and outside of Utah should be sure to consult with a personal injury attorney before making any decisions in order to ensure that the entire legal process runs smoothly.

DO NEW MAMMOGRAM GUIDELINES PUT YOU AT RISK?

From time to time, a wrongful death lawyer in West Jordan, Utah or elsewhere faces lawsuits against doctors who have been negligent in their patient care. Most often, doctors will misdiagnose someone or fail to diagnose when symptoms present themselves early on. Recently, the American Cancer Society (ACS) changed its mammogram recommendations, which may raise a red flag for some.

The organization, which has previously “taken the most aggressive approach to screening,” as stated by The New York Times, has raised the age of a recommended routine mammogram from 40 to 45. It has also strayed from suggesting regular clinical breast exams, which may lead to some doctor-patient confusion.

It’s important to know your rights. As stated by Nurenberg and Paris, “Physicians that fail to prescribe a mammogram to their patients before age 45 will be absolved from liability.” Thus, if someone in West Jordan were to suffer wrongful death due to a breast cancer misdiagnosis as a result of the age change, a lawyer might not be able to defend her case.

Although mammograms are imperfect scans and can sometimes lead to false positive readings, it’s never a bad idea to stay up to date in the realm of health care. Especially when it becomes harder to prove a doctor’s liability for negligence.