Information and Insight for Injured Iowans

9 things your dentist won’t tell you

·        “You may not need to see me every six months.”

o       A study by experts at the University of Florida found that the majority are not at high risk for decay or gum disease, and that seeing a dentist twice a year provides no added benefit. Ask your dentist if you need an appointment twice a year.

·        “Your old metal fillings may leak toxic waste.”

o       Many fillings today are “amalgams” which contain a mixture of mercury, silver, and tin. Recent studies found that amalgams leak mercury vapor into the bloodstream at a rate four times greater than what is healthy. To avoid amalgams, request resin fillings instead.

·        “I like your smile more than your teeth.”

o       Many dentists are opting for cosmetic dentistry programs, and your bill will prove it. Cosmetic dentistry is more concerned with your smile than the health of your teeth, and it can be very costly to you. Get a second opinion before any elective dental work if you feel unsure about the procedure.

·        “It’s not healthy to have teeth this white.”

o       Expert dentists are beginning to worry about the long-term effects of teeth-whitening products such as bleaches and high-intensity lights. Check with your dentist before selecting a teeth-whitening option.

·        “You won’t feel anything at all.”

o       An increase in the use of sedatives and anesthetics to the point where you cannot remember anything about your procedure could mean an increased risk of complications, including vomiting, fainting, and prolonged recovery time.

·        “My equipment was up-to-date in 1985.”

o       Technological advancements now allow dentists to use digital X-rays in their office to provide more accurate tools for discovering tooth decay. Unfortunately, only 15-25% of dentists nationwide have a digital system in their office.

·        “Let’s schedule an appointment to do this again in a few years.”

o       Certain types of dental work may last less than five years. Porcelain, for instance, fractures more easily than healthy enamel, and will typically last between five and 15 years. Instead, choose “conservative” procedures such as fillings and orthodontics.

·        “Continuing education is my ‘specialty’.”

o       Many dentists are required to fulfill some sort of continuing education programs, but the program requirements are very vague. Talk with your dentist about their continuing education requirements, and where they receive their up-to-date training.

·        “You’ll be hurting worse when you see the bill.”

o       The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the cost of dental treatment is rising faster than other medical services, and dental care costs have increased at a rate nearly twice that of inflation since 1985.

10 ways to save on prescription drugs

In 2007, Americans spent over $287 billion on prescription drugs. This number is daunting to many, especially those who need medication but cannot afford it. Approximately one-fourth of Americans are taking cost-saving measures into their own hands by not filling prescriptions, skipping dosages, and cutting their pills in half. Experts say that this could be dangerous to your health. The following are suggestions for saving money on prescription drugs.

1. Tell your doctor that you cannot afford what is prescribed. Ask for alternatives.
2. Ask your doctor if a generic drug works just as well.
3. If the doctor cannot think of any alternative, ask the pharmacist for a less-expensive drug.
4. Use mail order for long-term medicines. This may not be manageable with prescriptions that you need to fill immediately.
5. Seek out prescription assistance programs.
6. Take caution when accepting free samples. Often times, samples are the most expensive drugs.
7. Avoid asking your doctor for drugs you see on television since medicine on television is commonly very expensive.
8. Discuss the topic of cutting drugs in half with your doctor.
9. Shop around at different pharmacies and search for better prices if you do not have insurance.
10. Respectfully ask your doctor for a review of the drugs that you are taking. You may be taking drugs that you no longer need to take.

5 Mistakes that Lead to Medical Debt

According to Access Project, a non-profit healthcare advocacy group, two-thirds of people who fall into medical debt have insurance. Why, then, are the insured at risk of plummeting into medical debt overnight? Medical debt often springs quickly on people in communities across the country who regrettably commit the following mistakes:

1.      You ignore your bills. Do not assume that doctors and hospitals will look the other way even if you no longer can afford to pay your bills.

2.      You do not look for errors within your bill. Do not presume that hospitals and insurance companies are perfect and never make mistakes. Request an itemized bill every time you are required to pay for any medical-related expenses.

3.      You do not negotiate the price down. Doctors and hospitals will, at times, negotiate alternative prices with you; remember that the amount on the bill is not always the final amount that you will be required to pay.

4.      You are too embarrassed to ask for financial assistance. Numerous organizations are willing to help with your medical finances, but you must seek them out. Also, browse the internet to find programs which help patients afford treatments for specific illnesses.

5.      You do not work out a payment plan. Similar to their willingness to negotiate prices, some doctors and hospitals will occasionally work out interest-free monthly payment plans. Be honest with your doctor and hospital about your financial situation, and ask them if they will accept a payment plan.

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     There are many factors that should be considered when deciding on a medical malpractice attorney. Some factors can be evaluated on paper while others can only be judged in person. After making a list of potential attorneys and comparing their written materials, the final step is meeting with the few attorneys left on that list.

     Call each of the offices on your short list of potential attorneys and schedule an appointment to speak with an attorney. There is absolutely no substitute for sitting down with an attorney to decide if he or she will be a good fit for you. In order for an attorney to represent you well, you have to be comfortable with the attorney and trust him or her. In addition to your general feeling about each attorney, it is also important that you ask each of them the right questions. We have included some important question in a free 35-page guide for medical malpractice victims, which can be ordered at Iowa Malpractice Facts. They are not the only questions to ask, but they are questions that reveal important information about an attorney’s expertise and experience in medical malpractice.

     If you have any questions or immediate concerns, do not hesitate to contact us toll-free: 1-888-546-6529.  We will do our best to answer your questions and there is not fee

for an initial consultation.

     The success of a medical malpractice claim can often rest on your choice of an attorney. The public should know that attorneys have specialties and areas of expertise.
     As Cedar Rapids, Iowa medical malpractice attorneys, we suggest you avoid the common mistake of taking a malpractice case to the only lawyer you know, without knowing whether the lawyer has experience in this area of the law.

     Just because a lawyer did a good job on your cousin’s drunk driving charge or your neighbor’s will does not mean that he or she is qualified to handle a medical malpractice case. In fact, some of the best Iowa malpractice attorneys have highly focused practices – you are not likely to find one who also handles family law, criminal law, and probate matters. A lawyer who you already know and trust can be a useful resource in finding a qualified malpractice attorney but your search should not necessarily end there.

     For a step-by-step guide to finding the right malpractice attorney for you, go to http://www.iowamalpracticefacts.com/ to download a free 35-page guide.

     If you have any questions or immediate concerns, do not hesitate to contact us

toll-free: 1-888-546-6529.  We will do our best to answer your questions and there is no fee for an initial consultation.

     After a serious injury caused by malpractice, there are whole new list of worries in your daily life, including inding and hiring an experienced medical malpractice attorney. To ease your worries and assist with your search, we have created a step-by-step guide to finding a qualified malpractice attorney for your case. The first step is to create a list of names of Iowa attorneys who handle medical malpractice cases.

     This sounds fairly simple, but it is a very important first step. In many cases people do not stop to learn about their options before hiring an attorney. Think of it like this – when you combine the amount of time and money invested into a medical malpractice case, it could be as big an investment as a new house. You would not buy the first house that you saw without stopping to look at others in the market and exploring other options. You should not do that with an attorney either. Here are a few places to start your search:

·         Do an Internet search. The internet can be a great tool for doing an initial search for names of Iowa malpractice attorneys, but be careful. There are dangers of relying too heavily on online directories of referral services, such as finding an attorney without a guarantee of expertise or experience. The key to searching the internet is not do a general search like “Medical Malpractice Attorney.” You will get thousands of results from all over the country. Make sure to include “Iowa” as one of your search terms. Also, do not rely too heavily on the information contained on a particular lawyer’s website. The purpose of searching the internet is not to hire an attorney on the spot, but to build an initial list of names that you will investigate more closely.

·         Check the Yellow Pages. Again, here you need to be careful. Focus on what the phone book ad is telling you about the attorney. Because medical malpractice law is so complex, consider limiting your search to attorneys who list one or two closely-related specialties (for instance, “Personal Injury” and “Medical Malpractice” are closely-related specialties). Some Yellow Pages will also list subcategories of lawyers after the general heading “Attorney.” Do not forget to check the subcategory of “Malpractice” or “Professional Negligence” as well as the general “Attorney” heading.

·         Ask your friends who are attorneys. If you have a friend who is a lawyer, ask him or her for the names of attorneys who practice primarily in medical malpractice. The odds are that your friend does not handle medical malpractice cases him or herself, but your friend probably knows attorneys who do. Your friend can give you the names of Iowa attorneys who have a good reputation for handling your type of case. If you have names come up from every lawyer you ask, those names are probably the malpractice attorneys with the best reputation in the area.

     For a step-by-step guide to finding the right malpractice attorney for you, go to Iowa Malpractice Facts to download a free 35-page guide.

     If you have any questions or immediate concerns, do not hesitate to contact us

toll-free: 1-888-546-6529.  We will do our best to answer your questions and there is no fee for an initial consultation.

      Being a smart consumer is easier than ever nowadays; we have newspapers, phonebooks, and the Internet, all at our fingertips. However, due to this ease of getting the information quickly, many people only look at one source of information and don’t do any more research on their own.  As a medical malpractice law firm based in Cedar Rapids, IA, we have witnessed the damaging effects that can arise from failing to thoroughly search for attorneys.

     What we are talking about here is the type of service –either over the phone or on the internet—where you are directed to describe your situation and give your city and state. In exchange, you are then provided with the name of an attorney to contact. A lawyer is listed by an attorney referral service or website not necessarily because they are good at the specific area of law, but because they have usually paid a fee to be listed. You won’t get a guarantee of the recommended lawyer’s expertise or experience. You need to have more information available to you to make an informed decision. Without more information, it is dangerous to rely solely on an attorney referral service or website’s recommendation or any other single source of information.

     For a step-by-step guide to finding the right malpractice attorney for you, go to Iowa Malpractice Facts to download a free 35-page guide.

     If you have any questions or immediate concerns, do not hesitate to contact us

toll-free: 1-888-546-6529.  We will do our best to answer your questions and there is no fee for an initial consultation.

      While searching for a qualified medical malpractice attorney in Iowa, you will no doubt notice the various distinctions and honors that some attorneys have listed. Before picking an attorney based on these credentials, you should find out how attorneys are given these honors and what it can tell you about the attorney’s experience. One such honor is being listed in The Best Lawyers in America.

     The Best Lawyers in America is a publication that is updated every two years and is one of the largest guides to attorneys in the United States. In order to be listed, you need to be nominated by someone who is already a member, and then go through a review process conducted by other attorneys around the country.

      The Best Lawyers in America book details which attorneys focus on certain areas like medical malpractice. A listing in The Best Lawyers in America does not guarantee that a lawyer is right for you, but it does demonstrate that this attorney is well-respected in the legal community.

     To learn what other questions to ask your potential medical malpractice attorney, go to Iowa Malpractice Facts to download a free 35-page guide.

     If you have any questions or immediate concerns, do not hesitate to contact us

toll-free: 1-888-546-6529.  We will do our best to answer your questions and there is no fee for an initial consultation.

     To many malpractice victims, the thought of meeting with possible attorneys and evaluating their experience can be overwhelming. As Cedar Rapids, Iowa medical malpractice attorneys, we understand your concerns and want to help your search.   The best way to determine which attorney to hire is by asking questions. One such question is “Are you a member of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers?”

     The Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers is an invitation-only organization limited to the top 250 trial attorneys in Iowa. In order to be inducted, a lawyer must be nominated by a current member and then be evaluated by all Academy members. The Academy executive committee then selects inductees from among the qualified nominees. Membership in the Academy demonstrates a lawyer has a good reputation for trying cases in Iowa’s courtrooms.

     To learn what other questions to ask your potential medical malpractice attorney, go to Iowa Malpractice Facts to download a free 35-page guide.

     If you have any questions or immediate concerns, do not hesitate to contact us

toll-free: 1-888-546-6529.  We will do our best to answer your questions and there is no fee for an initial consultation.

     There are many ways to measure the experience and capability of medical malpractice attorneys. Not only are there awards and memberships, there is also the honor of teaching at a law school. The answer to the question “Are you on the faculty of any law school?” could determine what Iowa medical malpractice attorney you should hire.

     Law schools will often invite distinguished lawyers and judges to teach classes to their law students. A good number of lawyers volunteer their time to judge law student competitions or give guest lectures. Very few lawyer and judges are asked by a law school to teach an entire course. Lawyers who teach entire courses at a law school, but also practice law, are often described as “adjunct professors” or “adjunct faculty.” Adjunct professors are typically selected by a law school for their expertise in a particular area of the law.

      To learn what other questions to ask your potential medical malpractice attorney, go to Iowa Malpractice Facts to download a free 35-page guide.

     If you have any questions or immediate concerns, do not hesitate to contact us

toll-free: 1-888-546-6529.  We will do our best to answer your questions and there is no fee for an initial consultation.