Pedestrian Struck in Crosswalk Accident Settled for $900,000

Long Island Hospital Safety Grades: National Rankings Released By RYAN BONNER (Patch National Staff) - April 25, 2016 5:01 pm ET

The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit founded by employers and health-care providers, announced its spring 2016 hospital safety rankings Monday, a measure of how safe a hospital is for patients.

Hospitals were given a letter grade from A through F based on several factors. Of the 2,571 hospitals studied nationwide, 798 earned an A, 639 earned a B, 957 earned a C, 162 earned a D and 15 earned an F.

At the state level, New York was ranked 44th in the nation. Vermont was ranked No. 1; six hospitals in the state were ranked, and five were given an A grade. Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Minnesota rounded out the top five.

State rankings were based on a percentage of state hospitals receiving an A grade.

Leapfrog looked at medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections to determine the grades. The goal was to determine a patient's risk of further injury or infection if they visited a certain hospital.

Hospitals given a B rating by Leapfrog had a 9 percent higher risk of avoidable death than A hospitals. That number jumps to 35 percent in C hospitals and 50 percent higher in D and F hospitals.

Leapfrog ranked 143 New York hospitals. Here are the grades Long Island hospitals received. (Visit the full list to learn more about individual rankings.)

A

• John T. Mather Memorial Hospital, Port Jefferson
• Huntington Hospital, Huntington
• St. Francis Hospital of Roslyn, Roslyn

B

• Eastern Long Island Hospital, Greenport
• Mercy Medical Center, Rockville Centre
• South Nassau Communities Hospital, Oceanside
• Southampton Hospital, Southampton
• St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center, Smithtown
• St. Charles Hospital, Port Jefferson
• Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola

C

• Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, West Islip
• Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow
• North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset
• Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park
• Franklin Hospital, Valley Stream
• Glen Cove Hospital, Glen Cove
• Plainview Hospital, Plainview
• Syosset Hospital, Syosset
• St. Joseph Hospital, Bethpage

D

• Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center, Patchogue
• Southside Hospital, Bay Shore
• Peconic Bay Medical Center, Riverhead

F

• Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook

A Comment From Sanders Firm Attorney 

Theodore F. Goralski

"Patch reports on Long Island Hospital safety rankings. Many Long Islanders with the means and the ability to choose travel to Manhattan hospitals for quality care. This national ranking of hospitals shows that there may be good reason for that. Only three of 23 area hospitals received an A grade for patient safety. There are more facilities with D's and F's than A's and C was the most common grade. This means that there is significant risk of further injury or infection when admitted to a Long Island hospital. At The Sanders Firm, we have decades of experience protecting patients. The Sanders Firm Supports patient safety. If you or a loved one have been injured due to substandard hospital care call 516-741-5252 or email us at tgoralski@thesandersfirm.com for a free consultation."

Smoking and TB - A Dangerous Duo

A Message From Senior Attorney Robert Jackson 

We have come a long way from the days of Doctors smoking Cigarettes, claiming health benefits. As we know, smoking is detrimental to health, leading to diseases from Asthma to Cancer.

Smoking puts people at higher risk of developing tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis is caused by an infectious bacteria. It leads to lung problems and, in some cases, death.

The disease first attacks immune cells called macrophages in the body. Often, the macrophages win that battle and are able to ward off infection. But in people who smoke, smoke particles clog up these immune cells. The macrophages become full of toxins from cigarettes and aren't able to move as quickly as needed. That makes the bacteria more likely to evade the body's defenses.

Tuberculosis has become a cause for concern among the general population. The Centers for Disease Control have found that the number of cases in the US rose last year for the first time in nearly 25 years.

Protect yourself and loved ones from falling victim to this disease. 

Call 1.800.FAIR.PLAY for more information. The Sanders Firm cares.

Puerto Rico - Paradise For Business

When you think about thriving business, do you think about Puerto Rico? Puerto Rico is a fantastic place to do business! 
The workforce is educated and hungry for decent jobs. And when they get them they are tremendously hardworking and loyal. More importantly there are currently incredible tax savings being afforded to businesses that relocate to Puerto Rico, including a law commonly referred to as Act 20. There is also Act 22 which can reduce a new Puerto Rican resident's effective tax rate to only 4%. 

Another great perk is that Congress can afford Puerto Rico the same bankruptcy protection afforded to a US State. Therefore it can seek some relief in getting the protection it needs from its creditors. Another default by the PR Government on it's debt is imminent and Congress must act to help PR avoid economic collapse, just as it would do to bailout a large corporation like General Motors or a major US city like Detroit. Both are thriving now and with a little help Puerto Rico can recover and thrive.

By opening an office in Puerto RIcan and employing over fifty (50) Puerto Rican residents, our Firm is doing it's part to help spark the economy. Our firm is also helping Puerto Rican citizens bring claims where they were defrauded by UBS into buying Puerto Rico bonds which have lost almost half of their value. People both in Puerto Rico and outside Puerto Rico who bought Puerto Rican bonds should speak to an attorney to protect their rights to bring a claim.