The sudden death of a loved one is a heartbreaking event. However, if their death was caused by another person’s negligent or irresponsible actions, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim to recover compensation. Filing a wrongful death claim is probably the farthest thing from your mind,…
Category: Personal Injury
Common Questions About Personal Injury Claims
Personal injury cases are extremely common but can be difficult to understand. The Madison injury attorneys at Boller & Vaughan handle hundreds of personal injury cases each year from victims all across Wisconsin. To help those in our communities, we’ve put together a list of the most frequently asked questions…
OPTIMISTIC Project Cuts 1 in 3 Preventable Hospitalizations
In 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the OPTIMISTIC project, or “Optimizing Patient Transfers, Impacting Medical Quality and Improving Symptoms Transforming Institutional Care.” The purpose of this federally-funded program is to reduce rehospitalizations among nursing home residents. Under the OPTIMISTIC project, nurses and nurse practitioners were…
Social Isolation Increases Risk of Medical Problems
A new study by the AARP Public Policy Institute, Stanford University, and Harvard University reveals that socially isolated adults are more likely to get sicker and die sooner, and have higher health care expenses. Overall, the researchers estimate that Medicare spends $6.7 billion per year on seniors who are socially…
Waiting on Hospice Care Worsens Outcomes
The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society recently published the results of a study about the end of life and hospice care. The results of the study indicated that people toward the end of their lives tend to put off hospice care too long, which can add to their pain…
CMS Hospice Compare Full of Incorrect Information
We previously reported about the launch of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospice Compare website in August, 2017. Experts were concerned about the contents and reliability of the website, as it seemed to give unnaturally high ratings to most hospice providers; more than three quarters of the…
Flu Can Lead to Additional Health Problems in Older Adults
The flu can be dangerous for any individual, but in older adults, its effects can be particularly severe. In fact, after a senior citizen has the flu, he or she will be more susceptible to having a heart attack, stroke, or disability. This increased risk of serious medical conditions can…
Medication Overload in Older Americans
For decades, American doctors have warned older patients about the risks of polypharmacy, which occurs when these patients take too many drugs prescribed by too many different doctors, which can produce unwanted and unanticipated side effects. Research indicates that 25% of people between the ages of 65 and 69 take…
Am I Responsible When a Guest Slips and Falls During Winter Weather?
Liability for injuries that occur when a guest slips and falls is fairly straightforward under Wisconsin law. If you own property, whether it be your home or a business, you are responsible for removing ice and snow, not only for your own safety, but for everyone’s safety. If you fail…
SNFs Improve Outcomes for Trauma Patients
McKnight’s Long-Term Care News recently reported on a new research study at the University of Washington measuring the outcomes of patients who were discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). According to researchers, when hospitals discharge trauma or post-surgery patients to SNFs with lower ratios of nurses to beds, the patients…