“Ghost Rider” is a comic book and movie character. “Ghost Riding” is a terribly dangerous activity. If you have any teens or young adults in your life, please speak with them about this “craze” and how crazy it is.

From time to time, surgeons make the terrible mistake of operating on a part of their patient’s body which is not the intended site for the procedure. The “Suture for a Living” blog, by a plastic surgeon, does a good job describing this nightmare, here.

This site offers some excellent information for patients in general, and to prevent wrong site surgery errors in particular.

If you or someone you care about needs or elects to undergo surgery, choosing the best medical care is, of course, a critical decision.  At the same time, taking precautions to protect oneself from the potentially devastating effects of medical malpractice in this tragic form of human error, is a most prudent course of action.

Iwo Jima Memorial

Today is Veteran’s Day. The work we do, assisting accident injury victims in their reach for a measure of justice, would not be possible without a legal system protected by the sacrifices and contributions of those who serve and of those who have served in the armed forces of these United States of America. We offer our sincere and heartfelt thanks to those in active duty and to all our Veterans.

In New York State, if you retain legal counsel, you have the the following rights:

1. You are entitled to be treated with courtesy and consideration at all times by your lawyer and the other lawyers and personnel in your lawyer’s office.
2. You are entitled to an attorney capable of handling your legal matter competently and diligently, in accordance with the highest standards of the profession. If you are not satisfied with how your matter is being handled, you have the right to withdraw from the attorney-client relationship at any time (court approval may be required in some matters and your attorney may have a claim against you for the value of services rendered to you up to the point of discharge).
3. You are entitled to your lawyer’s independent professional judgment and undivided loyalty uncompromised by conflicts of interest.
4. You are entitled to be charged a reasonable fee and to have your lawyer explain at the outset how the fee will be computed and the manner and frequency of billing. You are entitled to request and receive a written itemized bill from your attorney at reasonable intervals. You may refuse to enter into any fee arrangement that you find unsatisfactory. In the event of a fee dispute, you may have the right to seek arbitration; your attorney will provide you with the necessary information regarding arbitration in the event of a fee dispute, or upon your request.
5. You are entitled to have your questions and concerns addressed in a prompt manner and to have your telephone calls returned promptly.
6. You are entitled to be kept informed as to the status of your matter and to request and receive copies of papers. You are entitled to sufficient information to allow you to participate meaningfully in the development of your matter.
7. You are entitled to have your legitimate objectives respected by your attorney, including whether or not to settle your matter (court approval of a settlement is required in some matters).
8. You have the right to privacy in your dealings with your lawyer and to have your secrets and confidences preserved to the extent permitted by law.
9. You are entitled to have your attorney conduct himself or herself ethically in accordance with the Code of Professional Responsibility.
10. You may not be refused representation on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability.