Binghamton Law Blog: Covering Topics from Personal Injury to Estate Planning Law

New Yorkers surely have empathy for the parents in another state who lost one of their 2-year-old twin girls. The family recently filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where the twins were born prematurely in Aug. 2016. The mother of the twins worked at Hopkins' labor and delivery unit at the time of their birth. Her employer carries her medical insurance, and this may complicate the issue.

According to the complaint, the examination of the twins after their birth included ultrasounds. Allegedly, the nurse practitioner noted that one of the twins had an abdominal mass, which might turn out to be neuroblastoma. The same nurse practitioner also indicated in the report that the infant should undergo another ultrasound within seven days after discharge from the hospital.

Victims of car accidents in upstate New York may suffer the consequences for many years. This is more likely for anyone who suffered a brain injury. Therapy and medical treatment could continue for extended periods, and mounting medical bills may become overwhelming. Brain trauma could even occur without a penetration wound.

Brain trauma consequences could impair coordination, balance, ambulation, strength, endurance, and fine motor skills. Furthermore, cognitive deficiencies may affect communication, language, memory, perceptual skills and information processing. In many cases, victims of traumatic brain injuries develop psychological problems as they struggle to adjust to disabilities.

Many people in upstate New York may not understand that estate planning has various benefits while the testator is still alive. Although wills, which form a part of estate planning, ensure that the deceased person's wishes are honored, other aspects of the planning could deal with living plans. Careful planning can help an individual to accomplish several tasks. Including a revocable living trust or a will in estate planning allows a person to determine to whom he or she would like to pass property and assets upon his or her death.

The documents are not one-size-fits-all but drafted to suit the unique needs of the testator. With a trust, he or she can state when heirs should receive the property and whether there are restrictions or conditions to receiving the inheritance. This is a useful feature for those who have minor children. The difference between the two options is that a will has to go through the probate process in court while a revocable living trust does not. The trust cannot only save time but also expenses.

Even with all the safety features of cars, accidents continue to cause catastrophic and even fatal injuries. Motorists in upstate New York are always at risk of crossing the paths of reckless and negligent drivers, meetings that often result in accidents that lead to personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. Sadly, most car accidents are preventable, and so are the consequences.

Learning how the most common collisions occur might help drivers to avoid involvement. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that over 50% of severe auto accidents in 2016 were front-impact collisions. Along with head-on crashes, this category includes collisions with trees, walls, telephone poles and other stationary objects. The IIHS data indicates that one in four accidents in 2016 were side-impact collisions -- also called T-bones or sideswipes. Failure to cede the right of way often causes these accidents.