AED law/Lawsuits & Dentistry

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Vaughn Simon - 09 Sep 2007 16:07 GMT

"There may be a violation of the law ... if a certain type of facility doesn't
have an AED, so victims or their loved ones should give us a call," Goldenfarb
says about his come-ons. "AEDs are required in all federal buildings, dentists'
offices, domestic flights and high school sporting events."

Don't blame me, I am just posting what is in today's paper:
Article excerpt below:
Vaughn

Reformers blow valve over heart attack ad
By JOSE LAMBIET Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Sunday, September 09, 2007

WPB lawyer Craig Goldenfarb is as serious as a heart attack when he says his
firm's ads on the back of 20 local cabs are intended to save lives.

And officials at a D.C. judicial reform organization are just as deadpan when
they call the personal injury attorney "a parasite."

Goldenfarb's ad campaign, which also runs on local TV, partly focuses on lawsuit
opportunities for those who suffer heart attacks in public places.

Turn a coronary into a fortune? Pass the french fries!

It's all about the availability of those nifty, supposedly idiot-proof automated
external defibrillators, or AEDs, Goldenfarb explains.

"There may be a violation of the law ... if a certain type of facility doesn't
have an AED, so victims or their loved ones should give us a call," Goldenfarb
says about his come-ons. "AEDs are required in all federal buildings, dentists'
offices, domestic flights and high school sporting events."

That's just the sort of ads that cause cholesterol spikes for the folks at ATRA,
the American Tort Reform Association. The lobbying group represents 300 members,
including insurance companies, engineering firms, businesses and medical
organizations.

ATRA this week singled out Goldenfarb on its Web site's home page under the
headline: "ATRA Critical of Hellhole Lawyer's Heart Attack Ads."

Hellhole? Yep. ATRA designated SoFla as the nation's second-ranked "judicial
hellhole," or place where the laws are "unfairly" applied in liability cases.
(We're right behind West Virginia!)

"One of your residents sent us the picture of the ad," said ATRA spokesman
Darren McKinney. "We couldn't believe it. He advertises that people other than
the victim could be held liable for a heart attack, even if the person with a
bad heart is a 350-pound, diabetic, high-blood pressure slob who eats barbecued
ribs every day."

Said Goldenfarb, who once represented a South Florida Fair roller-coaster rider
injured while lifting his hands in the air: "Even healthy people suffer heart
attacks. The dogma of these tort reformers is garbage. If (what I do) encourages
business owners to buy AEDs and my lawsuits disappear, that'd mean that lives
are being saved."

Reply to this Message

Steven Bornfeld - 09 Sep 2007 22:17 GMT

> "There may be a violation of the law ... if a certain type of facility doesn't
> have an AED, so victims or their loved ones should give us a call," Goldenfarb
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> Article excerpt below:
> Vaughn

This is not a requirement in NY State--yet. However, there is now a
requirement to get AHA-certified in CPR and advanced life support.
Our study group was lectured on them--I don't own one, but am
considering it. This "may be" a violation of the law is (of course)
bullshit. But the standard of care changes, and one day it may well be
considered the standard of care. In that case, not having a
defibrillator may open you to civil liability.

Steve

> Reformers blow valve over heart attack ad
> By JOSE LAMBIET Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Sunday, September 09, 2007
[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]
> business owners to buy AEDs and my lawsuits disappear, that'd mean that lives
> are being saved."

Reply to this Message

John & Ninetta - 09 Sep 2007 23:28 GMT

> This is not a requirement in NY State--yet. However, there is now a
> requirement to get AHA-certified in CPR and advanced life support.

Steven,

CPR I can understand. Does it mandate you recertify yearly? every 2 years?
Just curious.

But are you also referring to ACLS (advanced cardiac life support)? If so,
you need a defib for that, and also significant understanding of
pharmacology for all those other drugs you might have to give.

John

Reply to this Message

Steven Bornfeld - 10 Sep 2007 04:02 GMT

>> This is not a requirement in NY State--yet. However, there is now a
>> requirement to get AHA-certified in CPR and advanced life support.
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> John

I'm probably mistaken. I have no certification right now--may be basic
life support. Here's the citation from the NYS Education department--it
doesn't specify here:

# " Beginning January 1, 2009, all dentists will need to maintain
current certification in CPR. Although regulations regarding this are in
the process of being written, the current guidelines are not expected to
change significantly. Currently, the Department accepts CPR courses
sponsored by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the
American Safety and Health Institute and the National Safety Council.
Additionally, only live courses are accepted toward the CE requirement."

Steve

Reply to this Message

Newbie - 10 Sep 2007 15:04 GMT

>>> This is not a requirement in NY State--yet. However, there is now a
>>> requirement to get AHA-certified in CPR and advanced life support.
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
>Steve

Here the ARC is good for one year, AHA two.
Don't know about the others.

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