Blog 
Auto Accidents
Trucking/Tractor Trailer Accidents
- Truck-Car Accidents & Injuries: New Computers & Black Boxes Must Be Analyzed As More Data Available From Truck Computers
- Top Five Causes of Truck Accidents
General Personal Injury Claims We Handle
- Forbes Names Virginia Best for Business, But What About Virginia's Personal Injury System?
- One of our own attorneys is featured in Virginia Lawyers Weekly again.
- Nanotubes Connected to Lung Cancers-New Article Posted
General
Practice Areas
- Auto Accidents
- Railroad Accidents, Occupational injuries/diseases
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Wrongful Death Claims
- Surgical Errors, Medical Malpractice
- Trucking/Tractor Trailer Accidents
- General Personal Injury Claims We Handle
Firm News
- Three Die in Multi-Vehicle 1-95 Truck Accident
- Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Joe Biden Has Tragic History With Truck Accidents
- West Virginia Urologist Fights Two Medical Malpractice Claims
- Truck-Car Accidents/Injuries: New Computers & Black Boxes Allow Far More Data Analysis
- Train and Tanker Truck Collide on NC Highway 49 in Charlotte
- Surgeon sues his own Spinal Surgeon for Medical Malpractice, Alleges Back Surgery Medical Negligence
- Single-Vehicle Tanker Trailer Crash Kills One
- Teen Driver Killed by Garbage Truck
- I-81 Tractor Trailer Accident
- Two Williamsburg, Va., Teens Killed in Crash
Library
Auto Accidents
- High traffic and bad driving cause headaches and accidents
- Road Fatalities Fall as Gas Rises
- Hazardous Road Conditions in Chesapeake, Virginia (VA) Seriously Injuring Motorists
Railroad Accidents, Occupational injuries/diseases
- FELA ENFORCEMENT LEADS TO SAFER WORKPLACE
- Train Accident in Massachusetts Caused by Speed and Possibly Cell Phone
- The Higher Duty Owed by Railroads
Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Head injury: forgotten trauma
- Spinal cord injuries are frightening.
- Hurrican Katrina: Seventeen Months and Counting
Wrongful Death Claims
- Having A Good Support Staff Is Key To Being A Strong Personal Injury And F.E.L.A. Law Firm
- Confidentiality Agreements Keep Information About Personal Injury Settlements From The Public
- Videotaping Lay Witnesses Can Be A Powerful Settlement Tool In Personal Injury And Death Cases
Surgical Errors, Medical Malpractice
- BREAST IMPLANT CASE WINS SUPREME COURT APPEAL
- Five Tips for Choosing a Cardiologist
- Stroke Symptoms & Diagnosis
Trucking/Tractor Trailer Accidents
- FMCSA Hours of Service Regulations
- Six Things You Must Remember if You're in a Truck Accident
- Top 10 Causes of 18-Wheeler Accidents
General Personal Injury Claims We Handle
- INSURANCE COMPANIES CONTINUE TO OVERCHARGE CUSTOMERS AND UNDERPAY CLAIMS
- North Carolina's Court System
- Boating accidents and injuries in Hampton Roads, Virginia (VA)
Co-Counsel
Firm Newsletters
General
Five Tips for Choosing a Cardiologist
The first time your general practitioner tells you to see a cardiologist can be very intimidating. Most times the general practitioner has someone he can refer you to and if he doesn’t, your friends and family members probably know someone. But if you’re evaluating two or more cardiologists, how do you know what things to look for? Here are five important things to keep in mind.
Credentials
Just because the cardiologist has an “M.D.” after his name doesn’t mean he’s the best guy for the job. Cardiology is broken into many sub-specialties (like interventional or nuclear cardiology). Depending on what you need the physician’s help for, you may want to seek out someone who has super-specialized knowledge in that field.
To do this, most hospitals now provide searchable staff databases online where you can read about doctor’s credentials and specialties. If your hospital doesn’t provide one, the state medical board does. The state database will generally also tell you which medical school your doctor went to and list any training, certifications, and malpractice settlements he has on the books.
Location
As a general rule, if the hospital has a good reputation for cardiac care, so do the physicians that practice there. By searching for hospital ratings, you can get an idea for the reputation of the hospitals in your area.
But don’t be lured by the big name hospital if you don’t feel comfortable there. Kit Cassack, a regional director at Mended Hearts, a cardiac support network, compares this to selecting a college. If you’re more comfortable with a small practice, just go there.
Experience
Don’t assume that just because your doctor knows about a procedure, he has experience performing it. Don’t be afraid to ask your physician how many times he has performed a specific operation, what his success rate is, or whether he’s received any specialized training in the area.
Gender
No, not the doctor’s, yours. Symptoms of heart disease are very different in men and women. Women should pay specific attention to how much training their doctor has related to women’s health. Also be sure to ask when that training was, as many advances in the fields of women’s health study have been made in the past decade.
Communication
Having a good personal rapport with your doctor can be just as important as the doctor’s credentials. If your doctor seems inattentive during your first meeting or is unwilling to answer some of the above questions, you should move on. Don’t be afraid to shop around for doctors until you find one that you are comfortable with. Remember, it’s your health that’s at stake.
Free Reports
We Welcome
Lawyer Referrals
click here
Quick Contact
Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton, P.C.
1294 Diamond Springs Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Toll Free: (800) 752.0042
Phone: (757) 460-7776
Fax: (757) 460.3428
Case Results
Auto Accidents
- Pedestrians Stuck by Automobile Recover $540,000.00
- Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome brings verdict of $170,000.00
- Crosswalk Accident With Broken Leg Settles For $227,000.00
- Soft Tissue Injuries Caused by Auto Accident
- Serious Auto Accident Causes Death of Infant
Railroad Accidents, Occupational injuries/diseases
- Railroad-Roadway Crossing Accident - Car Passengers Injured
- FELA
- AMTRAK ENGINEER SETTLES WITH AMTRAK AND CSX OVER DERAILMENT
- Locomotive Engine Fire causes Rail Engineer right arm and wrist surgery
- Shoulder Injury requiring surgery for Locomotive Engineer
Surgical Errors, Medical Malpractice
- Gallbladder Surgery Error
- Medical Negligence
- Pharmacy-Prescription Error
- Gastric Bypass (stomach stapling) Surgery complications
- Retained Surgical Sponge and Subsequent Complications
Trucking/Tractor Trailer Accidents
- Collision Between Two Big Rigs Creates Fireball
- Automobile Accident Causing Coma and Paralysis
- Virginia Automobile Accident
- MACK truck wreck causes leg fractures
- Automobile wreck with drunk driver causes connective tissue injury
General Personal Injury Claims We Handle
- Department Store Shelf Falls on Customer
- Pilot Suffers Electrical Shock Injury At Hotel Ending Commercial Pilot’s Career--Settlement Soon Before Federal Court Jury Trial
Other
- Hotel Guest-Glass Coffee Carafe Shatters-Hand Injury
- Faulty Product - Fiberglass Stepladder Failure
- Skiing Accident
FAQs
Auto Accidents
- What should I do if I am involved in a car accident?
- I was in a car crash. How quickly do I have to find an attorney and file a lawsuit?
- What is the minimum car insurance I'm allowed to carry in my state?
- What is uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and why should I think about having it?
- Does my state have a primary enforcement law for seat belts?
Surgical Errors, Medical Malpractice
General Personal Injury Claims We Handle
General
- Do I really need a lawyer?
- Can I afford to get into a lawsuit?
- How long will the whole process take?
- What if I do not want to go to court because I am getting nervous about testifying?
- How much am I likely to recover when in court?