Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm is proud to announce that attorneys Eugene Pettis and Trisha Widowfield have been selected to The Boca Raton Observer’s “Top Lawyers” List for 2025! According to the publication, the peer-nominated attorneys on this list “are celebrated for their excellence, integrity and commitment to their clients.” 

Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm (HPS), a leading Florida medical malpractice law firm, is extremely pleased to announce that, once again, every single one of our attorneys are ranked in the latest edition of The Best Lawyers in America! Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Each attorney’s The Best Lawyers in America rankings include the following notable practice areas: Fort Lauderdale, FL...

Birth injuries can have devastating impacts on the baby and the family for years. The most common form of birth injury is brain damage from oxygen deprivation, representing nearly half of all birth injuries. Lack of oxygen can cause hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, which can lead to serious neurological injuries. The next most common, which includes damage to the baby’s arms and/or shoulders, represents about 20% of all birth injuries. Other types of common birth injuries include:...

Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm (HPS), a leading Florida medical malpractice law firm, is pleased to announce that five attorneys have been recognized as Florida Super Lawyers for 2025.  Eugene Pettis, Richard Schwamm, James Haliczer, and Trisha Widowfield are all listed in the “Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff” area. Debra Klauber is listed in the “Appellate” area. Each of these attorneys has been featured by Super Lawyers in previous years. Only the top 5% of the lawyers in Florida are selected by Super...

We’re halfway through 2025, and several healthcare trends in the U.S., in the areas of hospital-acquired infections, obstetrical care, and emergency room technologies, are emerging. Here are some highlights. Hospital-Acquired Infections A 2025 study by the University of Utah found that clostridium difficile infections, one of the most common hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) found within Intensive Care Units, spreads three times faster than previously thought. This type of infection may cause serious patient complications or even...

This post was originally published February 15, 2024. Post updated June 12, 2025. Imagine that your only child, an unmarried, childless, daughter aged 26, has died due to medical malpractice. Or turn that around and imagine that you, a widow, have died due to medical malpractice, leaving behind your 26-year-old daughter. Did you know that due to a current Florida law, neither one of you would have legal recourse against the doctor who caused harm?...

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider, such as a doctor, nurse, or medical technician, fails to meet the standard of care that is required. The standard of care is defined as an appropriate level of care that is recognized as acceptable by similar healthcare providers. This failure can happen in many ways. It can be a misdiagnosis, a medication error, or a surgical error. Medical malpractice can also happen when a patient is improperly...

According to a report by the Institute of Medicine, more than 98,000 people die each year from medical errors. Further, medication errors are one of the most common types of medical errors and will continue to be so as more and more medications become available for patient use.  Medication errors can potentially cause significant damage to a patient’s body, leading to additional treatments, surgeries, or even death. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists or other healthcare officials can...