Winter Haven Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Florida Rural Legal Services helps lawyers too

Others find themselves in need of legal services, but because of the current economic crisis, they can not afford to hire a lawyer.

Florida Rural Legal Services may be the answer to both.

The Tenth Judicial Circuit, which includes the counties of Polk, Highlands and Hardee, set up a "Self-Help" program in 1995, according to the mandate of the Supreme Court, demanding that all circuits to provide assistance to pro- same or "self-representation" of the litigants, in access to family courts in domestic relations, including dissolution of marriage, paternity, stepparent adoption, name changes, modifications and reinforcements such questions .

With an office in Polk County Lakeland, volunteer lawyers to help litigants not trained to familiarize themselves with the necessary forms to represent themselves in court.They are also able to provide practical advice for litigants Pro SE when their case comes to trial.

"Most of the county does not even know what we offer," said Andrea Small.

Small is the Director Family Court with the tenth circuit court. She spent 13 years with the Office of the State, with eight of those years in the service of homicide and sex crimes division. Little worked for two years with Holland and Knight on their workers comp cases and four years for the Justice Robert Doyle. On retirement of Judge Doyle, she now manages the program self-help, where she served for four years.

"On the whole my experience has been the most difficult," she said. "The reward is the satisfaction of knowing that I help people in their legal situation."

Small said that some of the cases she sees simply not challenged by either party and both parties agree on all the arrangements, giving reason to imagine.

"We have people who are professional and can read and understand the paper work, so they choose not to use a lawyer, because they feel they have reached an agreement without having to ask for advice" she said.

In other cases where agreements can not be achieved, hiring a lawyer would be in order, but in countless cases lawyers can not be offered.

"We have some who live in shelters or they have to live in their car. Sometimes we can not send them a notice of hearing because they do not have a physical address. It's sad," said it.

Regardless of their lives, those who wish to represent themselves in a court of law are still bound by law and are necessary to follow the same rules and administer the same procedures as attorneys.Petit said, in addition to these stipulations, the speed never a guarantee of the performance of staff.

Medical malpractice suit filed against Florida hospital | Miami ...

It was anything but routine when a fire broke out during a surgical procedure at Winter Haven Hospital in Florida resulting in second- and third-degree burns, and the loss of two fingers, for the patient on the operating table.

On June 7, 2010, a Polk County man entered the hospital for a relatively routine procedure. He was supposed to have a cardioverter-defibrillator implanted in his chest. According to documents filed in the medical malpractice lawsuit, just prior to the surgery the nurses attending the patient applied "excessive" alcohol preparation solution. Excessive amounts of the solution pooled on the bed sheets; additionally, the alcohol-based solution was not given enough time to dry.

During the surgery, a method called electrocautery was used for dissection. Electrocautery involves the use of a heated instrument to burn tissue. Documents filed with the court contend that the electrocautery method caused the pooled alcohol-solution to start on fire. The fire caused second- and third-degree burns to the patient's thigh and right hand. He had to have skin grafts on his thigh and ultimately lost two of the fingers on his hand.

In addition to naming Winter Haven Hospital as a defendant, the lawsuit also named the cardiovascular surgeon operating on the patient and the professional association the surgeon is affliated with, Florida Heart and Vascular Surgeons P.A. According to the lawsuit, the hospital was negligent because it did not have the proper surgery preparation solution available (it should have been alcohol free), and because its nurses were negligent in their application of the solution. The patient is seeking over $15,000 for his injuries.

Source: The Ledger.com, " Suit Accuses Winter Haven Hospital of Negligence ," Robin Williams Adams, 29 June 2011.

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