Patients often defer to their doctor when reporting medical concerns. Even if the signs and symptoms of a problem feel concerning, the doctor may tell the patient they have nothing to worry about. Telling the patient not to worry can relieve some of the stress but it may also prevent the patient…

With new safety regulations and safety technology, workers in the U.S. should be seeing fewer on the job injuries and fatalities. Unfortunately, worker fatalities have not dropped and have gone up, in some jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 5,333 workers who died as a result of on-the-job…

Hospitals are always looking for ways to save money. There are some cost-cutting measures that do not present any danger to patients. Unfortunately, some hospitals are cutting corners in ways that put patient safety at risk.  One of the popular money-saving measures is to outsource some of the recordkeeping, storage, and transcription…

When a patient goes into the hospital for a surgical operation, they should be advised of the risks of the operation. It is important for a patient to understand the risks and benefits in order to make an informed decision on their own healthcare. Unfortunately, some medical mistakes may occur when the…

Plastic surgeons make it seem like their procedures are safe and routine but they may be overestimating the safety of invasive cosmetic procedures. Common plastic surgical procedures like breast implants, nose jobs, and face lifts involve cutting away tissue, reshaping the patient’s body, and stitching up large incisions. Even routine procedures can…

Stem cell research holds a number of promising medical treatments. Stem cell treatment is still a developing area of medicine but some potential breakthroughs have included:  Making new heart muscle Tissue regeneration Spinal cord injury repair Diabetes treatment Cancer treatment However, some practitioners may be putting patients in danger by using stem…

By February, most people in Philly are done with winter. The piles of cleared snow have frozen into grey icy blocks. Each day, some snow melts into water to refreeze at night, leaving slippery sidewalks and parking lots. Although we all know it’s not a scientific test, we are all hoping that…

Doctors have gone through a lot of classroom education, on the job training, testing, and licensing. Hospitals have systems in place to make sure accidents don’t happen. With so many protections in place, how can medical errors happen? The unfortunate truth is that medical accidents happen all the time. Medical errors that…

When a doctor orders lab tests and diagnostic imaging tests for a patient, the patient may not be clear on the purpose of the test or what the test involves. Most patients trust that the doctor is ordering all the right tests and leaving no stone unturned. However, some doctors still differ…

When people are under a lot of stress, it can affect their work. When a doctor is under stress and fatigued, it can cause injury or harm to patients. Good mental health can reduce the effects of stress and improve well-being. A number of medical centers are introducing physician well-being programs to…

Many patients do not think much about the surgical instruments that will be used in their surgery. The patients will likely be under anesthesia and have no idea what instruments are actually used in their surgery. At the very least, patients should expect the instruments will be clean and sterile. Unfortunately, errors…

Many truck drivers are on the road for days. There are minimum requirements to give truck drivers time off to sleep and get some rest but drivers have ways around the safety regulations. There are a lot of “tips” and “tricks” for staying alert while driving. Unfortunately, most of those tricks don’t…

With different insurance programs, a patient may have limited options when selecting their primary care doctor. With specialist services and hospital treatment, patients may have limited options available in deciding who will provide care. Leaving it up to the hospital or insurance company to decide who will provide care, patients expect their…

Expecting a doctor to have terrible handwriting is often treated like a joke. However, there are very real-world consequences of physicians with illegible handwriting. Poor handwriting can be misread by other doctors, physicians, and healthcare workers. Confusion can cause delays in treatment and mistakes can cause fatal errors.  Fatal Mistakes and Bad…

Hospitals know what kinds of steps they can take to improve patient safety. This includes adequate staffing, proactive error review, and safety briefings. A hospital in Wyoming implemented a number of these safety measures and saw a 70% drop in medical errors. Unfortunately, many medical centers are focused more on profits than…

Space heaters can be a convenient way to heat up a small area without having to turn up the thermostat. In a cold office, some people use a space heater under the desk to keep their feet warm. Space heaters can also be used for people who are sensitive to the cold,…

In 2018, there were more than 4.3 million cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures performed in the U.S. Breast augmentation continues to be the number one cosmetic surgical procedure, with more than 1.8 million procedures. It seems so common that many people overlook the dangers. Plastic surgeons have a responsibility to inform patients…

Motorcycle riders in Philadelphia often have to deal with the threat of icy road conditions in the winter. In most cases, riders have no problem negotiating the slick roads but in combination with erratic drivers, it can cause a serious risk of injury. If a driver suddenly crosses paths with a motorcycle…

It only takes a short hospital stay or surgery for a patient’s medical records to turn into volumes of documents and electronic reports. These medical records are extremely important to patient care because they provide a snapshot into how the doctors, nurses, and hospitals treated the patient. When there are problems with…

Informed consent for a medical treatment is important because it means the patient understands the procedure, the purpose of the procedure, and the risks and benefits. Failing to get informed consent may even be a type of medical malpractice. Unfortunately for patients, the misinformation can also go the other way and the…

Noel Jodoin began to suffer an unusual headache. The headache was severe and after it continued for 3 days, she went to the hospital for an evaluation. When talking to the ER doctors, Johnson said she saw occasional flashes of light and over-the-counter medication was not helping. The doctors suspected a migraine…

A jury in upstate New York awarded the family of a teacher $1.5 million after the teacher killed himself, which the family claimed was because of an unchecked prescription for antidepressants. According to the plaintiff’s case, the patient had not seen his doctor for 10 years and the doctor just kept filling…

It has only been a few weeks since Christmas and Hanukkah but already, some of those must-have toys are beginning to show their wear. Most parents and grandparents who buy toys for children on the holidays do not expect the plastic products to become family heirlooms. However, at the very least, consumers…

Any surgery carries some risk of complications, including cosmetic surgery. It is important for patients to understand the risks and benefits of any surgery in order to make an informed decision about their healthcare. Some cosmetic surgeons make it seem like there are few risks associated with common procedures but anytime general…

Any patient with a serious health concern has experienced the problem of the doctor simply not listening. Doctors have the training, education, and experience to diagnose and treat diseases and medical conditions. But the one thing that the doctor will never have is a lifetime inside the body of the patient. Patients…

A new year is a great time to think about getting into shape. New Year’s resolutions can give someone the focus to work on self-improvement, like eating better, getting regular exercise, or starting a gym regimen. However, people looking at prospective gym memberships should be aware of some of the dangers of…

After a serious medical error, the patient may be left requiring medical treatment for life. Serious injuries, including head injuries, birth injuries, and spinal cord injuries can require a lifetime of care, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars or more in medical expenses. In order to recover damages from the negligent doctor,…

Most people think about hospitals as a place to go to recover from an injury. Unfortunately, the hospital can also be a place that is responsible for causing injuries. Many patients are designated as “fall-risk” if they may be at risk of injury for a slip and fall injury, losing balance, or…

There has been an increase in the number of medical malpractice claims related to COVID-19. Almost 5% of medical malpractice claims filed in the U.S. are related to the coronavirus. The healthcare industry has been pushing to limit liability related to COVID. However, at the same time, some doctors are failing to…

Death can be difficult to face even though it is eventual for all of us. As a result, most people don’t plan for events surrounding death, like making a will, making burial plans, or setting aside money for a funeral. This can make it more difficult for the family to deal with…

Sitting behind the wheel for a long time can make you tired. Most drivers have experienced fatigue or even falling asleep behind the wheel at least once in their lives. It can be a frightening experience, especially on the highway traveling at more than 60 miles per hour. Truck drivers can experience…

Medical technology has advanced greatly over the past decade. Medical breakthroughs have included using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve patient care, genomic advancements, and virtual reality (VR) for surgeons. Unfortunately, one area that has not changed much over the past ten years is medical malpractice. Doctors and hospitals are still making many…

How can you put a price on pain? Juries in medical malpractice lawsuits and personal injury accidents are often required to put a dollar value on the pain and suffering an injury victim has to deal with after an accident. Calculating pain damages can be difficult, especially when the pain and suffering…

Genetic testing can be a valuable tool for identifying diseases and predicting birth defects. Testing a patient’s genes can show what many other diagnostic tests cannot. However, learning from a genetic test requires a doctor ordering the right test in the first place. Unfortunately, errors in genetic testing are common, resulting in…

When a doctor is talking to a patient, it may sound like the doctor is speaking another language. Medical terminology, treatments, medications, and diseases may have scientific terms and common language terms. Sometimes doctors are not concerned with making sure the patient really understands what they are saying, which can lead to…

Truck drivers are a vital part of our infrastructure, moving food, products, and goods across the country. Unfortunately, the trucking companies may take shortcuts in safety to try and save money. When trucking companies violate traffic and safety regulations, it can put the public at risk of injury.  Truck Drivers on Prohibited…

Doctors and nurses have a lot of responsibility when it comes to patient care. Especially when caring for the most vulnerable, medical professionals must maintain a certain standard of care. Distractions, mistakes, and mix-ups can cause serious injury or harm. Unfortunately for patients, when a medical error causes injury the injury victim…

Patients are often shocked when they get a bill in the mail after a routine visit. A major surgery can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Looking closer at the bill, you may see questionable charges or things that appear to be double charges for the same thing, charges for the wrong…

After a slip and fall in a grocery store, the grocery store or property owner is generally liable for the accident. However, if you slip and fall and suffer an injury in a government building, who is liable for your damages? If you are injured in a slip and fall injury on…

Plaintiff Chitra Balgobin has filed a wrongful death action in the 17th Judicial District stemming from the medical malpractice of a Florida doctor. The defendant is Cesar Alegre M.D., who delivered health services for Krytnarine Balgobin, the husband of the plaintiff. The suit filed on March 30, 2017, by a Boca Raton…

When the paramedics arrive on the scene of an accident with a patient who is not breathing, one of the first priorities is to get oxygen going to the patient. This often involves an endotracheal intubation. During an endotracheal intubation, a plastic tube is inserted into the individual’s trachea, or windpipe. This…

A playful and fun snowball fight gone wrong is not typically the type of event that would land someone in a medical malpractice case. However, an unfortunate accident that occurred while two men were goofing off in the winter weather after work quickly ended their merriment. Joseph Hineman, a Delaware resident, was…

Ardeth Wray brought a medical malpractice claim requesting $6 million in damages against the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinic (UIHC) in Iowa City after suffering post-surgical damage to her brain. Dr. Jeremy Greenlee detected a tumor, which was non-cancerous on the exterior of her brain in 2015. In some cases, this…

The Pennsylvania Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Fund (Mcare) became law in 2002. Mcare replaced a program known as the Medical Liability Catastrophe Loss Fund (CAT Fund), which was part of the Health Care Services Malpractice Act established in 1975. Mcare required that healthcare providers and entities licensed as hospitals…

On December 30, California resident Ji Chang Son filed a lawsuit against electric car maker Tesla for unintended acceleration in their Model X vehicle after his car allegedly accelerated as he was pulling into his garage, crashing into his home. The lawsuit says that Tesla’s Model X has a defect which causes…

Mara Youdelman, of the National Health Law Program in Washington D.C., says more efforts are needed to reduce the potential for negative outcomes resulting from a medical provider and patient who are unable to communicate due to a language barrier. One recent example involved a young woman who was eight months pregnant….

A Philadelphia police officer is facing charges of driving under the influence after being involved in a car accident while he was off duty. The accident occurred around 7 p.m. on Sunday, February 16, 2020, on Roosevelt Boulevard and resulted in the officer’s vehicle flipping over. The officer was given a breathalyzer test at…

This October, we examined the story of a Texas couple who lost custody of their newborn son because physicians misdiagnosed a genetic medical condition as the physical symptoms of child abuse. While this case was devastating for the parents involved, a year-long investigation suggests that loss of custody due to diagnostic errors is occurring…

A Washington Post story reported on a case involving Richard Rochford, a Frederick County Sheriff’s Deputy, who was working security at a movie theater. In 2013, the manager pointed out to Rochford that a man had entered a movie without paying. Rochford encountered Robert E. Saylor, a 26-year-old man with Down syndrome, and attempted to persuade him to…

Many people hate going to the dentist. However, proper dental care is necessary to keep a healthy smile. Sometimes a dental procedure is necessary to fill a cavity, fix a broken tooth, or address an infection. Unfortunately, some dentists are performing unnecessarily dental operations to bill Medicare at a higher rate than…

E-cigarettes have gained so much popularity, they are somewhat of a worldwide phenomenon. While they can be a helpful device for quitting real cigarettes, the public often overlooks the dangers of these devices. We have made an effort to discuss the dangers of e-cigarette usage in the past. As these products continue…

The promise of a celebration called Fyre Festival – two weekends of exclusive appearances from the hottest celebrities and most prominent performers – consistently graced the screens of many who are active on social media. Online influencers as well as influential figures in pop culture like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner showed…

When a patient visits the doctor’s office or hospital, they usually trust the physicians there to provide them with correct information. Whether it be a diagnosis, a test, or an operation, people expect the professionals to make the right decisions and follow the appropriate procedures. One seemingly minor mishap can endanger a…

Across Maryland, the problem of distracted driving has continued to grow. Lawmakers are looking to pass a law raising penalties for text messaging while driving to $500. The House of Delegates passed the bill recently; however, early indications show it may be difficult for it to pass through the Senate. Similar legislation has previously…

Shariff Floyd, a former defensive tackle in the National Football League, has been unable to play since 2016 following a surgical procedure on his knee. He has since filed a claim of medical malpractice against Dr. James Andrews and the Andrews Institute in Pensacola, FL in an Orange County Circuit Court. Floyd…

The case of Brewington v. Philadelphia School District has reached the Supreme Court. The Commonwealth Court had allowed a Philadelphia Public School student’s family to pursue damages when a 9-year-old boy was injured after running into a concrete wall in a gymnasium that the plaintiff’s felt should have had protective wall padding….

Another lawsuit has been filed against a shoe company that some attorneys say has been knowingly causing injuries for a decade. A Texas couple is suing footwear maker Crocs after their toddler son’s foot was caught in an escalator while wearing the malleable clogs. The family was visiting a Waikiki resort in…

This December, the daughter of a woman who died in 2014 filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson for failing to warn consumers about the increased risks of ovarian cancer that have been associated with talc, a naturally occurring mineral and the main ingredient in the company’s baby powder. Amy Darnold filed…

Going through the winter season in Philadelphia can be gloomy. At the height of winter, during the solstice on December 21st, residents get a maximum of 9 hours and 20 minutes of daylight. This compares to more than 15 hours of sun at the height of summer. With almost 6 hours less…

When someone requires a blood transfusion, they rely on another person’s blood to keep them alive. However, blood does not only provide life-giving opportunities. Blood can also carry disease, transmitting deadly diseases to the recipient of the transfusion. Decades after a mass blood contamination epidemic, healthcare officials offer patients and their families…

The Maryland legislature is currently hearing a bill that would make it a crime for drivers or passengers to use marijuana while in a moving vehicle. The initiative seems to come as the leading edge of a movement towards decriminalizing marijuana in the state. Studies are still in conflict as to whether…

There has been a minor international uproar over a fatal car accident that seems to have been caused by the wife of a U.S. diplomat to the United Kingdom. According to the British police, the crash involved a car that was driving on the wrong side of the road when it hit a motorcyclist. The motorcyclist,…

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons recently published a report, detailing all of the plastic surgeries performed over the course of 2015. The numbers show some fascinating changes from prior years, and some interesting trends in the types of plastic surgeries now in demand. In general, facial cosmetic surgeries such as chin…

Throughout the U.S. in recent years, a widespread problem that has emerged involving unauthorized access and usage of data such as credit card numbers, account information, and social security numbers. Many individuals have been victims of “identity theft” where the criminal may create credit accounts under another person’s identity. Civil court case filings may have documents…

Johnson & Johnson has been hit with an $8 billion dollar verdict after a local man claimed that he was unaware of the risks of taking the antipsychotic drug Risperdal.  The plaintiff, Nicholas Murray, was prescribed Risperdal when he was a minor. According to his lawsuit, he was not adequately informed of the side…

Schools across America take pride in their youth sports programs. Students from elementary school through high school participate in sports. Many children will start at a young age, and then later proceed onward to higher levels of athletics. Popular sports in the U.S. for children and teens include hockey, soccer, and football….

As the summer months approach, many people will be heading out to theme parks for a day of fun and amusement. There are many parks to choose from around the country including Disneyland, Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, and Six Flags. While most who visit these entertaining venues come home with…

Doctor bias is an unfortunate reality in the medical world. It is a topic that we have addressed here several times–including the bias that LGBT+ patients may face, and the bias in pharmaceutical testing and medical treatment which affects women. Just how much do these biases ultimately affect medical care? New research out of Johns…

A Philadelphia nursing home settled a claim of wrongful death with the son of the deceased for $145,000, split between a wrongful death claim and a survival claim. Ola Simmons died from respiratory conditions, which the claim asserts was due to negligence demonstrated by the nursing facility.​ A settlement conference involving plaintiff John Simmons, the administrator of…

A former hospital worker was sentenced to 39 years in prison after causing a hepatitis C outbreak among surgery patients. The worker was found to be taking syringes with painkillers and injecting them into himself before refilling the syringes with water and injecting patients with the tainted solution.  Hospital Staff Stealing Patient…

When a person begins to feel pain, discomfort, or like something is not right, they may still not be sure if it is something minor or a medical emergency. However, there are two symptoms that almost always necessitate a trip to the hospital: shortness of breath and chest pain.  Chest pain is…

The family of a man who drowned while in police custody, was awarded $9 million in the settlement of a lawsuit filed in federal court. The 20-year-old Arizona State University student from Iowa was boating with friends on the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri in May 2014 when he was arrested…

Abilify is a medication that is prescribed to patients who suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, irritability associated with autism, or schizophrenia. The drug was developed by the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company and placed in the market in 2002 after approval from the Food and Drug Administration. The medication is supposed to target dopamine…

Drug manufacturers Sanofi-Aventis and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals are facing a class-action lawsuit related to the popular heartburn remedy Zantac. According to the claim, filed in the northern district of California, a known carcinogenic compound called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) has been detected in ranitidine, the active ingredient in Zantac. Zantac is an over-the-counter medication…

Donna Fletcher filed a personal injury lawsuit in Philadelphia County Common Pleas Court naming Juan Pena as the defendant. She was walking down a sidewalk on Pena’s property when she tripped, fell, and was injured. There was a pipe extending outward from a drain that caused the fall. The judge deemed that…

Suicide is a tragic way for a family to lose a loved one. Friends and family often feel guilty for not doing something, or not noticing the warning signs. In some cases, people close to the suicide victim feel responsible for the death. In Florida, a man believes that his wife’s doctor…

The Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) recently presented how excessive civil litigation costs continue to plague the country at their SummitXX conference in Washington D.C. They explained that households are each indirectly spending thousands every year toward these costs. They reported that approximately 57% of the total expense is paid in plaintiff compensation and…

Earlier this month, we covered the federal investigation into a boat fire that claimed dozens of lives in California. “Conception,” a diving tour boat, burst into flames along the coast of Santa Cruz Island during the middle of the night. Five crew members were able to escape but 34 others, who were sleeping…

Two years after the terrible incident and after a lengthy civil trial that ended with a $38 million verdict against the Baltimore police for shooting and killing Korryn Gaines in a standoff, the judge on the case shocked lots of people by throwing away the verdict. The case bears a review of…

Patients are supposed to emerge from hospitals healthier than when they arrived. But a significant number of older Americans are likely to emerge more disabled after a hospital stay. “In older patients, acute medical illness that requires hospitalization is a sentinel event that often precipitates disability,” according to The Journal of the…

A jury, in October, awarded a Nebraska couple $11.5 million in a medical malpractice case, but no amount of money can reverse the severe brain damage their child suffered during birth. The attorney for the couple argued that the delivery, in 2010, was “grossly mismanaged” by the midwife and the doctor when…

Medical malpractice, or medical negligence, is a civil claim brought against a healthcare provider. The necessary elements for a claim include that a patient/physician relationship existed, the physician owed a duty of care which was breached, and the breach caused the patient’s injuries. The duty is violated when care does not meet accepted standards…

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched an investigation into a hair care products company after getting the largest number of adverse event reports “ever associated with any cosmetic hair cleansing product.” The FDA had received at least 127 reports of adverse events and found more than 21,000 complaints from consumers…

Thousands of people seek out plastic surgery operations to augment their figures, change the shape of their nose, or remove unwanted fat. However, some people cannot afford to get the expensive procedures done. This leads them to seek out cheaper alternatives, including unlicensed practitioners and going overseas for the procedure. In some…

Last August, the Food and Drug Administration caused an uproar when it approved the use of the narcotic painkiller OxyContin for some children. OxyContin is a very powerful painkiller that is often linked to addiction. In 2014, a reported 1.9 million American suffered from a substance use disorder involving prescription painkillers. Many…

In 2014, the city of Flint, Michigan began to source drinking water from the Flint River. Previously, the water had been sourced from treated Detroit Water and Sewage Department Water (drawn from Lake Huron and the Detroit River). City officials failed to treat the Flint River water with corrosion inhibitors, and when…

Plaintiff Latasha Hartman brought a civil action for damages against David Clark after slipping at a Chick-fil-A restaurant that he owned and incurring an injury. Clark moved for a summary judgment and the court did accept the motion. A summary judgment is applicable when there is an absence of material fact in…

In the realm of medical malpractice, emphasis is often placed on birth injuries that have consequences for the newborn. However, mothers have always faced dangers associated with giving birth as well. There are roughly four million births in the U.S. annually, most of which have no complications; however, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC),…

The Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pennsylvania faces several claims for negligence brought by former students. Judge Christopher Conner found the private boarding school did not have general responsibility for the overall social welfare of students. Conner found the school’s relationship with the minors contractual in nature and the children remain under the legal custody…

Last Friday, a massive fire and series of explosions at a refinery in Philadelphia, PA terrified residents, who reported hearing the explosions from miles away. The company responsible for operating the refinery, Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) attempted to downplay the damage from the explosions, stating that they were “thankful” that only a…

A group of medical malpractice survivors and advocates are pushing for a 2020 ballot measure in California that would target the state’s notoriously low pain and suffering damage cap. The group has launched a campaign to get enough signatures on a petition to add the Fairness for Injured Patients Act (FIPA) to the ballot….

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has revised and will be implementing some new guidelines relating to patient evaluation and management. The majority of the changes will take effect in 2021, a delay that has largely been attributed to negative reactions from physicians. These modifications to documentation, coding, and payments are being…

Amy and Michael Metz were walking home from a party in the early morning hours amid blizzard-like conditions; both were intoxicated. The details are vague but Amy became unresponsive along the way and her husband continued home without summoning help or contacting emergency responders. Her body was found in the snow near their home that morning. This…

The family of Johnny Sledge, who was 24-years-old at the time of his death, was awarded approximately $30 million after a jury found the hospital was negligent. The family brought the claim in the Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court against DCH Healthcare Authority, a regional health provider in western Alabama. Sledge arrived in the emergency…

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been around for over 100 years. It is “responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation,” among other things. The FDA…

We often take for granted the safety of surroundings. Toxic chemicals associated with dangerous health risks are often lurking in our water, home products, and even in our children’s toys. Last year, researches at the Boston University School of Public Health released a study in the Environmental Health journal on the health effects…

Menopause is a biological process which marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles. A woman is officially diagnosed with menopause after she has gone 12 months without a menstrual period. The average age for menopause in the United States in 51. Many physical symptoms accompany this change, including hot flashes and sleep disruption….

The Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma was the victim of some negative effects from an oil company’s fracking practice within the region. The Cummings Oil Co. and Eagle Road Oil have both been named in a lawsuit filed in the tribal court of the Pawnee Nation for actions that resulted in damage to…

The South Dakota Division of Insurance requires that medical liability insurers in the state submit a report with a summary of claims each year. In 2016, these providers paid out merely $1.8 million in settlements in resolution of 12 cases. This is a considerable disparity compared to $6.4 million spread among 18 settlements in 2015, and…

County health officials in Los Angeles have confirmed three cases of bacterial infections in patients who underwent open heart surgery, and are investigating the possibility of a fourth case. The infection has been linked to a specific heater-cooler device that is used during the procedure and which may have been contaminated during…