Articles Posted in Personal Injury

After the strangest spring that many can recall, Maryland is getting back to normal just in time for summer. As the weather heats up, many people are making plans to visit a beach, lake or river to cool off and have some fun. Fortunately, Maryland offers plenty of places for locals to beat the heat. Boating is one way to enjoy the water, but people should be aware that operator negligence can result in serious injury. 

Recently, two ladies decided to spend the afternoon exploring Ocean City on a pontoon boat. A pontoon boat is sort of like a barge, supported by two large floats. They are a larger, slower vessel, perfect for touring around, eating a meal and relaxing. 

Unfortunately, the boat operator had the propellers running as the ladies attempted to board. They lost their balance as they tried to get on the boat, and the propellers caused painful injuries to both ladies. The operator was charged with negligence because having the propellers running while people are boarding or exiting a boat is very dangerous. 

Last year, Maryland police began investigating the drowning death of a 76-year-old man. Until recently, little information about the tragedy was publicly available. It was revealed that another man present on the scene has been charged with crimes, including manslaughter, and the victim’s family may want to seek compensation in a civil court. 

According to the year-long investigation, the victim was on a boat with a 54-year-old man. The victim fell overboard and drowned, and the death was originally ruled an accident. After other evidence came to light, police are now charging the 54-year-old with the death of his friend. 

It seems that, after the victim fell overboard, his fellow boater did not attempt to rescue him or seek immediate help. Police say the younger man returned to his vehicle and sat there for over a half hour before calling for help or reporting the accident. The younger man allegedly took verbal responsibility for the death, saying that he was too intoxicated to try to pull the victim back into the boat. Boating under the influence is a crime in Maryland, and the man now faces criminal charges, including, but not limited to, manslaughter.

Severe injuries require immediate medical attention, and in emergency situations, doctors must work quickly to establish the best course of treatment. Brain injury victims may appear unresponsive, making it difficult for medical personnel to obtain critical information to properly diagnose and treat a brain injury. Maryland residents may be shocked to learn that the diagnostic error rate is about 40% in these situations. 

Researchers spent years proving the effectiveness of a new test that can drastically increase the chances of a quick and accurate diagnosis. The test does not rely on some fancy new technology, but on the injured brain itself. Coined “the sniff test,” small samples of a potent smell, like bath products or stinky fish, are held under an unresponsive patient’s nose. A special tube inserted in the nose measures the brain’s response through breathing. 

Unresponsive brain injury victims commonly blink their eyes or appear to wake up, but often this is just relax, not a response to stimuli. Doctors waste precious time trying to figure out if a victim is likely to regain conscious. After several years of trials, 100% of the victims that responded to the sniff test later regained consciousness. The sooner a doctor can accurately predict what to expect, the sooner a victim can begin proper treatment, which is an enormous breakthrough when each second counts for the victim. 

Maryland loves sports, and the Old Line State has teams from early childhood all the way up to professional level. While fans enjoy showing up and rooting for a favorite team through thick and thin, the athletes that dedicate their time to training and playing the sports they love might be at risk. Every year an alarming number athletes suffer serious brain injury, and medical science is constantly trying to learn more about the serious risks involved with such injuries. 

One common type of injury that can result in brain trauma is a concussion. In years past, these injuries were often thought to be no big deal, commonly dismissed as a bump to the head. Advances in research now warn that these injuries may not appear to be severe to the untrained eye, but the danger of lasting damage and suffering is very real. 

A recent study suggests that only half of the people that suffer a concussion or similar brain injury recover within a two week period. In some cases, a victim may feel OK immediately following the injury, only to have symptoms appear in the days and weeks that follow. These symptoms can be difficult for even professionals to spot, because things like dizziness, fatigue, confusion and other common side effects cannot be seen on any conventional scan or diagnostic method. In such cases, a victim can only attempt to explain his or her suffering to doctors, family, friends and employers. 

Thousands of work-related amputations form part of workers’ compensation claims in Maryland and across the country. Safety authorities maintain that such injuries are preventable by compliance with prescribed safety standards. Too many workers have to rely on permanent disability benefits to take care of their families.

Compression injuries, typically caused by being caught in or between objects or struck-by incidents often lead to amputations of workers’ hands, fingers, feet and other body parts. Even an amputated finger could prevent the victim from returning to work in the same capacity. Unguarded or insufficiently guarded moving machine parts is one of the primary causes of amputation injuries.

Portable and table saws cause many such injuries, along with milling machines, power presses, printing presses, drill presses, slitters, shears, grinders and more. Meat grinders and food slicers pose similar hazards. Employers must protect the health and safety of workers by ensuring that the necessary barriers and guards are installed, along with lockout/tagout devices to prevent amputation injuries caused by accidental activation of equipment.

Maryland parents have probably seen scary stories regarding the dangers of vaping in recent weeks. The use of these devices became increasingly popular in the past few years, as the recent craze was originally touted as a safer alternative to smoking or smokeless tobacco products. Now, it has become apparent that the use of a tobacco vaporizer can lead to serious injury, but many teens remain unaware of the danger. 

Statistics now estimate that Maryland has confirmed more than 50 cases of vaping-related injuries. In only two years, the number of teens that admit to using e-cigarettes and similar products has more than doubled. It is no wonder that teens are unaware of the dangers, because even adults admit that they began using such products thinking they were a safer and better tasting alternative to cigarettes. 

The federal government is planning to ban or better regulate these products, but Maryland residents want the state to take action in the meantime. Teens have suffered serious injury from products that were easily attainable and marketed as safe. Evidence now clearly shows that these claims were false. 

Getting pulled over by the police is never something to look forward to. Sometimes a person is not even sure why he or she is being stopped. It can be nerve-wracking to wait for the officers to explain why they stopped a vehicle, but recently, an incident involving Maryland police shows that a traffic stop might also result in serious injury. 

Details are still being investigated, but reports seem to agree on a few basic facts. A man and his passenger, a woman identified as his girlfriend, were pulled over by police. The man’s girlfriend began to record the incident on her phone’s video camera. The man allegedly tried to evade an officer when asked to exit the vehicle, and the officer allegedly took the man to the ground with a body tackle. 

Unfortunately, after being tackled, the man appeared unwell, and indeed he was. He had suffered a permanent spine injury that resulted in partial paralysis. While the man was taken to emergency surgery, his girlfriend decided it would be wise to take the videos to an experienced attorney. 

A new school year is well underway, and Maryland students are back in the classrooms. Parents surely hope that their children will do well academically and that no harm will come to them while they are at school. Unfortunately, a school building is not immune to hazards, and occasionally a child may suffer a frightening personal injury on the premises. 

A breaking story out of Maryland serves as a case in point. A school near Baltimore was the site of a serious accident while the staff and students were inside. A seemingly normal school day was interrupted when an explosion rocked the building. Officials say a malfunction in the boiler room caused a smokestack to break off the top of the roof. 

An email from the school was sent out to alert parents of the incident. So far, it has been established that at least two adults and one child were injured. The severity of the injuries is unclear at this time, but it must have been a frightening incident for everyone present. 

With about 60 locations in Maryland alone, Walmart stores seem to be everywhere. Each day, thousands of shoppers can pass through any individual location. Boasting low prices and a “one stop shop” opportunity, Walmart promises to save consumers time and money. While certainly, convenient and affordable shopping are a draw for potential customers, one couple warns that the Walmart brand may have forgotten about keeping patrons safe, and did nothing to prevent serious injury.

Until recently, many Walmart stores were lax on security measures concerning firearms. Many stores allow the open carry of firearms, and it is not unusual for supercenters to sell guns and ammunition in the sporting goods department. Over the summer of 2019, at least two mass shootings took place within a Walmart store. 

One of these shootings took place in another state on Aug. 3. A gunman fired upon crowds of innocent shoppers in the store, killing 22 and injuring dozens more. A husband and wife, both having suffered serious injury, have now filed suit against Walmart. They claim the stores do not have adequate safety and security measures to protect shoppers, and should be held financially accountable for the pain and suffering endured by the victims. The alleged gunman was apprehended and faces charges of capital murder. 

Maryland residents and visitors from other states look forward to the annual Maryland State Fair. With everything from rides to animals to unique and delicious food items, the fair offers something for everyone. This year, the fair is ramping up security measures to prevent personal injury on the premises. 

One need only peruse the news to find that frightening shootings have plagued events like fairs and concerts across the country recently. These shootings have caused personal injury and even death to attendees. The Maryland State Fair intends to make sure adequate security is provided to patrons. 

Representatives for the fair say that bags, strollers and other personal belongings are subject to search. Guests will need to pass through a metal detector before entering the fairgrounds. People planning on attending this year should check the fair’s website for a list of items that are not allowed inside the venue, including coolers, drones and fireworks.