Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Blog

For many patients, there is a curiosity as to what a doctor writes down in his or her notes during an office visit. What is the value of doctor's notes and should physicians be required to share them with patients? Can patients benefit from knowing what their physician has written about them? These are a few of many questions a recent OpenNotes trial study tried to answer.

Based on a TIME Healthland article, over 90 percent of patients who participated stated that they've wondered what their doctor was writing or typing into their chart during an office visit. The OpenNotes study involved three primary care practices in Boston, Seattle, and rural Pennsylvania. Out of the 254 physicians who were asked if they would be open to making their office visit notes freely accessible to patients in their electronic health records for one year, 114 said yes and 140 said no.

Out of the doctors who participated in the study, 69 to 81 percent stated that they believed the transparency in doctors' visit notes was a good idea and would be beneficial for patients. Out of the patients who participated, 92 to 97 percent stated that making the notes accessible would be helpful.

Office visit notes are important because they reflect what a patient and doctor talked about in addition to highlighting the physician's perspective on the patient's prognoses and ideas about what might be afflicting them. There is no law that prohibits patients from seeing doctor's notes, yet, such access is not convenient.

Some concerns that physicians have about sharing office visit notes is that they could confuse or frighten patients; patients could become offended by or misread the notes, then the doctor could be sued; and a doctor's time could be taken up by patient questions.

Although open medical records and access to doctors' office notes can present specific challenges in some situations, some of the benefits for patients could be that they are more motivated to take care of themselves, inform their loved ones of their condition and needs, as well as better understand why their doctor has made such recommendations.

While the future of open notes is yet to be seen, all medical professionals are required to provide a high standard of care to patients. If you or a loved one has suffered injury or illness because of negligence or malpractice, a Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyer at the Beasley Reiff Law Group will work diligently to protect your rights and help you obtain full and just compensation. Call (800) 588-0130 for a free consultation and more information.

In honor of World AIDS Day, which occurred on December 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a campaign to increase HIV testing so more people can receive and have access to the care they need. As the path to treatment and overall viral containment, access to HIV medical care is an essential part of ensuring that individuals with HIV have control over their condition.

According to the CDC, one in five people with HIV are not aware that they are infected, and of the individuals who do realize they are infected, only 51 percent get consistent medical care and treatment. The CDC's national awareness campaign is called Testing Makes Us Stronger and it focuses on motivating people to stay informed about their well-being and HIV.

The CDC estimates that overall HIV incidence in the U.S. has been somewhat stable at about 50,000 yearly infections between 2006 and 2009. Of the approximate new HIV infections for 2009, 27 percent (12,900) were heterosexuals and over two-thirds (about 68 percent) of those infected were women.

Not all women who have HIV will pass the disease on to their children. However, because almost one out of four women are not aware that they have HIV, there is an increased chance for some women that they will pass the virus to their babies. HIV can be transmitted during pregnancy when a baby is being delivered as well as through breast-feeding.

With this HIV information in mind, it is important to remember that medical professionals play an essential role in ensuring that individuals with HIV receive an accurate, timely diagnosis, as well as a high standard of medical treatment and care. It is also the responsibility of medical professionals to ensure that surgical instruments and other medical equipment are not contaminated with traces of HIV or other diseases.

At the Beasley Reiff Law Group, our Philadelphia birth injury attorneys have years of experience protecting the rights of those afflicted by serious birth injuries and other various forms of medical malpractice. Medical malpractice litigation is complex, requiring extensive legal and medical knowledge and skills. Our dedicated lawyers and on-staff nurses work diligently to ensure that patients harmed by medical negligence obtain the compensation they need and deserve. Call us today at (800) 588-0130 for a free consultation and to learn more about your legal rights.

The death of a 17-year-old girl in Columbia, Maryland after a routine wisdom tooth surgery has lead to a medical malpractice lawsuit being filed against an anesthesiologist and oral surgeon.

According to The Baltimore Sun, the female teen passed away 10 days after she reportedly lost oxygen during the dental surgery. Her cause of death was determined to be hypoxia (oxygen deprivation), which occurred while she was under anesthesia during her wisdom tooth procedure.

The civil medical malpractice lawsuit identifies three dental practices in association with the doctors in question who were involved in the dental procedure. Furthermore, the suit is claiming that the anesthesiologist and the oral surgeon were negligent in the care they provided and are responsible for failing to resuscitate the teen after her heart rate diminished to a "panic level" at 40 beats per minute and she started to lose oxygen. The claim also asserts that the medical professionals' oversight contributed to the teen not having a pulse once emergency personnel arrived to treat her; therefore, directly causing the "massive and irreversible brain injury" that caused her to die.

Medical professionals are responsible for providing a high standard of care, especially during surgical procedures and when anesthesia is being administered. It is crucial for anesthesiologists, doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel to monitor a patient's breathing and oxygenation during surgical procedures involving anesthesia through medical equipment and observation of the patient's breathing and airway. It is expected that proper monitoring would allow a medical professional to identify signs of hypoxia before it leads to cardiac arrest.

The Pennsylvania surgical error attorneys at the Beasley Reiff Law Group understand the devastation that medical malpractice can cause an individual and his or her family members to suffer. Committing to winning justice for our clients, we have the legal resources and knowledge to obtain successful jury verdicts and settlements so our clients obtain the compensation they deserve. Call us today at (800) 588-0130 for a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help.

Cervical cancer screening, prevention, treatment, and diagnosis are all extremely important. According to the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 12,710 new cases and 4,290 deaths from cervical (uterine cervix) cancer in the United States will occur in 2011. Considering that cervical cancer is typically a slow-growing cancer in which a woman may not experience symptoms, screening is essential. Cervical cancer can be detected with regular Pap tests, a procedure that involves cells from the cervix being extracted and examined under a microscope.

A recent New England Journal of Medicine article highlights cervical cancer screening guidelines, which are acclaimed for helping lower U.S. mortality from cervical cancer by 70 percent throughout the last 60 years.

Screening for cervical cancer with a Pap smear and pelvic examination at the start of sexual activity or by the time a woman is 18 years old and each year after that was established by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in 1995. The ACOG, the American Cancer Society (ACS), and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) developed guidelines addressing several matters associated with screening in 2002 and 2003. Moreover, in 2006, the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) created management guidelines. In 2009, the ACOG suggested that screening for "average-risk" women start at 21 years of age. On a similar note, studies suggest that the time between Pap screenings for previously well-screened healthy women 30 years of age or older can be extended to three years, during which their risk of cancer isn't expected to substantially rise.

The occurrence of cervical cancer increases for women between the ages of 25 and 30, as it is less common for women 20 and younger to have the cancer. The majority of cervical cancer is detected at its early stage when it is largely curable.

To further understand the complexities surrounding cervical cancer and screening guidelines, please read this PDF from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) website.

At the Beasley Reiff Law Group, our medical malpractice attorneys in Pennsylvania have handled a wide range of cases, including those relating to misdiagnosis and the failure to diagnose. As a firm committed to winning justice, we pride ourselves in having obtained many groundbreaking jury verdicts and settlements for our clients. For a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help you obtain the compensation you deserve, call (800) 588-0130 today.

With November being American Diabetes Month, there has been much discussion about this serious disease that affects almost 26 million children and adults in America, as noted by the American Diabetes Association. Considering that cases of Type 1 diabetes are estimated to be increasing by two to four percent each year, and that Type 2 diabetes rates are rising with the heightened rates of childhood obesity, awareness of child diabetes risks, symptoms, and treatment is essential, not just this month, but all year-round.

A recent Los Angeles Times article highlights the importance of ensuring that children's blood-sugar levels are being properly monitored and insulin is being administered while at school. About 22 percent of kids with Type 1 diabetes use an insulin pump, but the rest depend on daily injections, which call for adequate supervised care.

It is estimated that school nurses help about 116,000 kids under the age of 14 in the United States with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes in the management of their health. Teachers are also increasingly responsible for monitoring a student's blood-sugar levels, as are substitute nurses, teacher's aides, and special education teachers. Even school bus drivers are being notified about students with diabetes. However, there is not a national certification process for such school personnel.

Surprisingly, classroom mishaps involving diabetes are relatively common, as teachers usually don't have the training to deal with diabetes-related issues that may arise. In addition, school nurses may not always be available or on campus to administer insulin to a student. Essentially, parents should know who is monitoring their child's health at his or her school. Parents and school staff members can learn more by reading Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed: A Guide for School Personnel from the National Diabetes Education Program.

A medical malpractice lawyer in Pennsylvania at the Beasley Reiff Law Group has seen first-hand how the devastating effects of negligence on the part of medical professionals can forever change a patient's life. The same applies to school nurses and other staff members responsible for the safety of children. If you or someone you care about has suffered due to a failure to diagnose or another form of medical malpractice, contact us today. Call (800) 588-0130 for a free consultation.

Today, November 17, is World Prematurity Day. In the United States, the premature birth rate has increased by 36 percent within the last 25 years, and each year, over half a million babies are born prematurely.

The March of Dimes has acknowledged November as Prematurity Awareness Month to bring focus to research, education, prevention, and treatment for the number one killer of American newborns: premature birth.

The Prematurity Campaign was created by the March of Dimes in 2003 to raise awareness about premature birth and assist families in having healthy full-term babies. The campaign experienced an expansion on a global scale in 2008 to further fund lifesaving research and give voice to legislation for improving care for moms and babies.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has joined the March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign to help raise funds for research and education centered on a goal of lowering prematurity by 15 percent. Another effort to help prevent preventable preterm birth is the Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait program. This education campaign started in 2011 to help inform women with healthy pregnancies about the importance of waiting at least 39 weeks to give birth.

Premature birth has become increasingly common, expensive, and overall, a serious public health problem that needs to be addressed. The rate of premature births increased from 9.4 percent to 12.3 percent from 1981 to 2003. Shockingly, about 500,000 infants are born prematurely each year. Furthermore, 1 in 8 babies in the United States is born too soon and worldwide, 13 million babies are born prematurely.

Babies who are born even a few weeks before reaching full-term are in danger of suffering serious health problems and lifelong disabilities. It is critical for obstetricians (OB/GYNs), nurses, and other medical professionals to provide a high standard of care for a woman and her baby during the prenatal, birthing process, and postnatal periods. Unfortunately, due to fatigue, failure to diagnose, prenatal screening errors, and other forms of negligence, babies and their mothers suffer injury, illness, and even death. When such "never-events" adversely affect the lives of babies and women, a birth injury lawyer in Pennsylvania at the Beasley Reiff Law Group is ready to fight for justice. Our medical malpractice attorneys have won record-breaking jury verdicts and settlements and are prepared to handle any birth injury case, no matter how complex. To find out how we can help you hold negligent parties legally responsible, call (800) 588-0130 today for a free consultation.

A new high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine has been successfully used to detect incredibly small white matter injuries that may occur in the brains of infants. These microscopic injuries slowly develop and can lead to serious complications including cerebral palsy, but were previously undetectable in the brains of many infants. White matter injuries are more common in infants born prematurely, but are also the hardest to see at that stage. With the newly available technology, treatment can begin much earlier than was previously possible.

The new MRI machine uses a high field of magnetic resonance measured at 12 teslas as opposed to the standard 3-Tesla MRI machine. Teslas are units of measurement for magnetism. With such a high level of magnetism in the new machines, clinicians are able to see these microscopic injuries that were virtually invisible when using a 3-Tesla machine.

White matter injuries occur during brain development in infants when blood flow to developing nerves is disrupted, stopping brain maturation and leading to a variety of disabilities in patients. Blood flow can be stopped for a number of reasons, but both traumatic brain injury and acquired brain injury can lead to such disruptions.

Birth and delivery is a delicate process and unfortunately many mistakes can occur that inflict harm upon both the mother and child involved. When injuries occur to the head and brain of an infant, the ramifications can be serious and even deadly. A traumatic brain injury during birth can alter an infant's ability to function normally for the remainder of his or her life, even if they grow into adulthood.

If you or your child has suffered an injury during birth due to medical malpractice or hospital negligence, the Philadelphia birth injury attorneys at the Beasley Reiff Law Group can fight for your rightful compensation. An injury at the start of a life can be devastating for all parties involved and, as such, victims deserve compensation to recover from injuries and help deal with any complications that arise. Contact a member of our experienced law team today for a free consultation on your case at (800) 588-0130.

Are cancer screening tests only as effective as the quality of care provided by the medical professional administering and evaluating them? Simply put, perhaps; but this isn't always the case.

There has been much debate lately as to what false positives may suggest is needed to alter expectations for various cancer screening tests. According to a Washington Post article, test results may not be the end of the road in providing assurance that a person is cancer-free. Although our society has been told that early detection through screening saves lives, and in many cases it does, new cancer screening guidelines are suggesting that some tests may cause more harm than good, and that these tests should be administered in a more limited fashion.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which is a government-selected scientific advisory board, has advised against routine PSA tests to screen for prostate cancer. The same agency has also stated that a Pap test every three years is as "good" as a test conducted every year. Moreover, there have been two recently published studies suggesting that the number of mammograms in women under 50 be reduced, one study stating that "most women with screen-detected breast cancer have not had their life saved by screening...they are instead either diagnosed early (with no effect on their mortality) or overdiagnosed."

While it is possible for screening tests to miss cancer diagnosis or lead to a false negative, these tests shouldn't be eliminated by any means. What is essential is that every medical professional take screening guidelines and recommendations into account when considering a patient's age, family history or symptoms of cancer to ensure that they receive a high standard of care in their treatment.

To say that as a society, we need "better tests," may not be a long-shot. However, until new screening methods are created and approved for efficiency, we must make the most out of what is currently being implemented. It is the responsibility of all medical professionals to provide a high standard of care when treating, screening, and diagnosing patients for cancer or any other ailment. A doctor's evaluation of a patient should not be made out of fear of a medical malpractice lawsuit. As Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys, we know that what should matter is the patient's best interest, and every patient's situation is different.

Individuals with acute or chronic illnesses that are life-threatening face challenges and endure struggles that those living without such medical conditions can't quite fully understand. However, what more and more people with and without serious illnesses are learning and talking about, is palliative care.

A recent Los Angeles Times article states that the running force behind palliative care is helping patients "live as well as they can, for as long as they can," according to an oncology and internal medicine physician who is also the lead author of a study on palliative care. In addition, the director of the Center to Advance Palliative Care supports the idea that palliative care provides a focus on the whole patient in terms of their family as well as everything from better managing pain and fulfilling spirituality.

What makes palliative care stand out is that it centers around treating a patient's weaknesses, pain, anxiety, and the often difficult process of making decisions that typically accompany suffering from an illness. Working together, physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains, play a key role in providing palliative care.

Based on data provided by the Center to Advance Palliative Care and the National Palliative Care Research Center, about 63 percent of hospitals in the United States currently have professional teams working to make sure that patients' medical options are explained in a comprehensive way, symptoms are properly managed, and wishes are given respect and attention.

In a world where the majority of medical professionals struggle to give each and every patient the time and attention they need, receiving comfort, emotional support, and adequate coordination of specialized care is not as common as most patients would like to think. This is what palliative care is trying to fix.

As medical malpractice lawyers in Pennsylvania, we can understand why a new system would emerge to help ensure that patients' needs won't continue to fall by the wayside. Although there are still many unclear aspects of palliative care, such as how the services will be paid for in all instances, where workers in this field will come from, and what the scope of its effectiveness is, so far, it seems as though it can only benefit patients as long as it's properly maintained.

The emergency room is the last place anyone ever wants to be. Whether we are suffering ourselves or taking a loved one to the ER in the middle of the night, it is expected that visitors will receive a high standard of care in addition to being treated within a reasonable amount of time.

According to The Los Angeles Times, new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that emergency room visits increased by almost 10 percent to 136 million in 2009. The agency's new estimates report that over one-third of the ER patients were under the age of 25 and over three-fourths of patients were given medication by prescription. Other data notes that ER visit rates were greater for African Americans than for whites. While a large amount, approximately 85 percent, of ER patients had some form of insurance and suffered from urgent conditions, a small amount, approximately 8 percent, of patients went to the ER for non-urgent matters.

Some of the most common reasons for ER visits reported by the CDC included stomach and abdominal pain (9.6 million visits), fever (7.4 million), and chest pain (7.2 million). The American College of Emergency Physicians in San Francisco has cited two studies that show a connection between an increase in emergency room visits and physicians' fear of lawsuits.

Firstly, a study conducted by researchers at Stony Brook University Medical Center in Stony Brook, N.Y., and the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and at Columbia University in New York City determined that a significant proportion of ER admissions were influenced by legal concerns. Apparently in 27 percent of cases, ER physicians who admitted patients experiencing chest pain stated that they would not have believed it necessary to stay overnight in the hospital if they were in the patients' shoes.

Secondly, the Morristown Hospital in Morristown, N.J., and the Emergency Medical Associates of New Jersey Research Foundation reported that the percentage of heart failure patients between 1996 and 2010 who were discharged and sent home from 27 ER departments in New York and New Jersey dropped from 24.4 percent to 9.1 percent for an overall 63 percent decrease.

A correct diagnosis is always imperative to ensure that a patient receives the treatment and care they need, but this is all the more important in an emergency room. At the Beasley Reiff Law Group, two of our nurses on staff have extensive knowledge of emergency room care and are certified in emergency room trauma. Contact our Philadelphia hospital negligence lawyers today at (800) 588-0130 if you or a loved one has suffered due to a hospital's or medical professional's negligence.

With the recent trial of Dr. Conrad Murray for charges of involuntary manslaughter for Michael Jackson's death has come debate on issues ranging from drug addiction to a doctor's duty to provide a high standard of care.

Medical professionals are expected to act responsibly and cautiously so as not to harm patients under their care. For the most part, patients are helpless when they are being treated in the hospital or undergoing surgery and trust that their conditions will not worsen due to oversight or other negligent actions. What is more, patients rely on doctors and nurses to make ethical and practical judgment calls.

Incidents of medical malpractice commonly lead to civil settlements or lawsuits. If medical professionals are accused of having acted in a grossly negligent manner that caused harm to a patient, then a criminal case may ensue, as the Conrad Murray case demonstrates. However, a criminal case can be tried in addition to a civil case, especially when the death of a patient is involved. What can make the difference between criminal or civil medical malpractice cases is whether a medical professional displayed gross incompetence or indifference to a patient's health. The Murray/Jackson case is particularly controversial because a medical professional is not only being charged with failing to provide a high standard of care, but is also being charged with involuntary manslaughter.

In order to prove that Dr. Murray was negligent enough to put himself in a situation that other doctors would never even think of, prosecutors must argue that criminal negligence took place. If Dr. Murray is convicted, he could face up to four years in prison in addition to losing his medical license. At the center of the prosecution's argument is that Dr. Murray gave Jackson the strong anesthetic propofol outside of a hospital without proper training to help Jackson sleep. In addition, the drug was used to treat insomnia rather than as an anesthetic and Murray failed to utilize proper technology to closely monitor Jackson. If that isn't enough, Dr. Murray is being accused of not calling for help right away when Jackson stopped breathing.

Although medical malpractice criminal cases such as this are rare, the Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers at the Beasley Reiff Law Group have seen first-hand how there are unfortunately several medical malpractice civil cases that are tragic and could have been prevented if it hadn't been for a medical professional's negligence.

A recent story in The Los Angeles Times highlights the debate over the safety of at-home births since this practice appears to have increased by 20 percent between 2004 and 2008. According to the article, a study conducted by the journal Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care found that home births make up approximately one percent of all births each year, which amounts to about 28,400.

Although at-home delivery seems to be most prominent among well-educated women who desire natural childbirth without drugs or surgeries a hospital may utilize, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists officially discourages at-home delivery. The organization argues that home births raise the risk of death because emergency medical equipment and specialists familiar with handling complications during labor are not present.

The article mentions that many women think of home births as a way to avoid medical interventions like epidurals that are often used in hospital births. Women have also been reported to choose home birth as a way to avoid caesarean sections. In addition, women may decided on a home birth in order to have a vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) since many hospitals will not permit a woman who has previously had a caesarean to have a vaginal birth due to the risk of uterine rupture.

Based on the article, a July 2010 analysis in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology studied the results of 12 home-and-hospital birth studies. They concluded that babies born at home die at two to three times the rate of babies born in hospitals. On the other hand, a 2005 study of 5,418 births in the U.S. and Canada during 2000 published in the journal BMJ determined that the neonatal death rates of at-home deliveries were similar to those of deliveries in hospitals.

Although a definite answer to the safety of at-home births seems difficult to establish due to varying results and arguments, women may wish to research and prepare to make the best decision for their situation. Unfortunately, a baby can suffer many different types of birth injuries during at-home delivery or delivery at a hospital due to various forms of negligence on the part of medical professionals and midwifes. If your baby has suffered an injury, illness, or defect, and you believe malpractice or negligence is to blame, contact the Pennsylvania birth injury lawyers at The Beasley Reiff Law Group. We have decades of experience protecting the rights of our clients and successfully handling cases. Call us at 1.800.588.0130 for a free consultation.

A doctor would not poison your child intentionally, but what about unintentionally?

A recent report in the Journal of Pediatrics shows the number of accidental poisonings of American children increased twenty-two percent from 2001 to 2008. The report indicates that 454,000 children ages five and younger are sent to the emergency room because of accidental drug overdose. While the majority of these cases are from "self-discovery" or "self-ingestion," 22,700 of children poisoning cases nationwide were attributed to dosing errors made by doctors.

The report focuses on how to prevent "self-discovery" poisoning cases and suggests better childproof packaging. However, the report suggests nothing toward how to prevent dosing errors. Dr. Christopher Parshuram found in a clinical study conducted in Toronto that a lot of hospital equipment used across North America is not made to accurately measure the small quantities of medications needed by young children. For example, syringes used in hospitals today cannot adequately measure below 0.1mL, a normal dose prescribed to young children. Therefore, many children are being negligently injected with too much of the prescribed drug.

Another report published by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Safety indicates a number of reasons dosing errors are common in young children:

• Difficulty in finding recommended pediatric doses for newer medications.
• Differing recommendations for pediatric doses.
• Difficulty in converting pounds to kilograms to properly weigh the child.
• Doctors' handwriting or other negligent inattention to detail.

Medication dose errors in children are preventable. If you, or a loved one, have been harmed by an overdose of medication, the medical malpractice attorneys at the Beasley Reiff Law Group want to help. The experienced Pennsylvania attorneys at the Beasley Reiff Law Group work hand-in-hand with medical experts to win results for our clients. We understand how a doctor's negligence can change your life. Contact us today at 1.800.588.0130 for a free, zero obligation consultation with one of our experienced attorneys.

Pennsylvania medical malpractice law deals with situations in which a physician, hospital or other medical professional fails to provide a basic standard of care to a patient, resulting in injury. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) tracks information about medical malpractice trials in the United States. A recent report released by the BJS shows that while taking a medical malpractice case to trial can be hard work, the experience can help families come to terms with their suffering and obtain compensation.

According to the BJS, 99 percent of all medical malpractice trials are jury trials. Two out of every five medical malpractice trials in the U.S. in recent years involved a wrongful death claim due to a family member's death as a result of a healthcare professional's failure to meet the standard of care.

Although nearly 2,500 medical malpractice cases are heard in court each year, plaintiffs win in less than one-quarter of cases. However, this number does not take into account the many cases that are settled before or even during trial. For those plaintiffs who win a verdict in their favor, the damages received are often higher than in other types of injury cases, often because the injured plaintiff faces significant ongoing medical bills, lost wages and other costs associated with the injury.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a medical setting, please don't hesitate to contact the aggressive and skilled Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys at The Beasley Reiff Law Group. We will help you understand your rights and options and fight to hold any negligent parties accountable for their actions. Call us today at 1.800.588.0130 for a free case evaluation.

It is the start of a new school year, and the last thought that should be on a parent's mind is, "will my child be safe in school today." Unfortunately, this thought is on the minds of thousands of parents whose children attend Philadelphia's public schools. This year the Philadelphia School District has cut 190 school-based officers leaving fifty-three elementary, middle, and high schools without an assigned officer. The administration hopes that a mobile unit making random and periodic checks will be enough to ensure a decline in school violence. The Philadelphia School District has also installed cameras in schools that have been designated "persistently dangerous" in the hopes of deterring students from violent actions during school. However, monitoring stations remain unmanned and the district's decision to decrease the number of school-based officers has prevented schools from filling these stations.

A study published by The Inquirer indicates that school violence is not only a problem in inner city schools, but also a problem in schools in the Philadelphia suburbs. Schools in the surrounding areas experienced three to four violent incidences per hundred students in the 2009-2010 school year. And, this number is not thought to have decreased in the past year. The main threat to a student's safety, unfortunately, comes from peers. Common violent acts that occur in school are fistfights, assaults with a weapon, car vandalism, and threats.

Schools in Philadelphia have struggled with school violence and have measures, however inadequate, in place to minimize the impact of student actions. Meanwhile, schools in the Philadelphia suburbs may have been lulled into a false sense of security. Over the past decade, schools all over America have experienced an increase in school violence. The most harm usually comes from the students that do not receive the attention of the school. School psychologists suggest that it is the students who have fallen through the cracks of the system who are more likely to bring weapons into schools.

There is something you can do about school violence. If your child has been the victim of school violence, the school-based violence attorneys in Pennsylvania at the Beasley Reiff Law Group can help. The attorneys of the Beasley Reiff Law Group understand how important schools are and have years of experience advocating for client's rights. Hold your schools accountable for your child's safety. Please call 1.800.588.0130 for a confidential and free consultation with one of our highly skilled attorneys.