Annapolis Personal Injury Law Blog

Couple provides innovative help for permanent disability patients

Published on: September 24, 2020 | by Joel L. Katz, L.L.C.

A few years ago, a Maryland couple’s lives changed forever when they were seriously injured by a gas explosion. The woman explains that she suffered a spinal chord injury that left her with a permanent disability and severely limited mobility. She is now attempting to adjust to her disability and help others in the process.

Immediately following her injury, the woman felt overwhelmed by being unable to complete tasks and movements that were once simple. With the help of her husband, she decided to find a way to move forward and learn to exercise despite her physical limitations. Now, the couple has decided to reach out to other victims who may be likewise afflicted, or persons who were born with a permanent disability.

With the help of trained professionals, the Maryland couple is offering exercise and wellness workshops for people who suffer from permanent disability. The program focuses on what a disabled individual can do, rather than what a disability hinders. The workshops teach exercises that a person can continue at home after completing the course, giving victims the ability to achieve a goal and try new things.

Boat operator charged with negligence

Published on: September 17, 2020 | by Joel L. Katz, L.L.C.

When it comes to boating, Maryland has much to offer. Creeks and rivers crisscross the state, and the Chesapeake Bay creates plenty of opportunity for sports and recreation. Operating a boat is a big responsibility, and a person must have a safety certification before operating a boat in Maryland. Negligence on the part of a boat operator can result in injuries and legal trouble.

Recently, the Maryland Natural Resource Police, tasked with patrolling the state’s waters and enforcing laws, cited a boat operator for negligence. The man had run a small boat into a buoy. According to reports, the buoy was lighted to help ensure visibility was not a problem for boaters. Upon impact, two people in the boat were injured. The victims were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

If a boat operator has shown negligence in Maryland, victims may want to explore options for legal recourse. A Maryland victim can reach out to an experienced attorney to get started. Recovery can be a long, expensive process.

Victim struck in car accident dies

Published on: September 10, 2020 | by Joel L. Katz, L.L.C.

When a motor vehicle accident occurs in the state of Maryland, a special investigation team dedicated to accident reconstruction may be called upon to determine the details and cause of the crash. Accident investigators can search for witnesses, gather clues from the scene, and use evidence from traffic or surveillance cameras to try to determine what happened. An accident reconstruction team is currently looking into a car accident that resulted in the death of a pedestrian.

Investigators initially report that a man was attempting to cross the road when he was struck by a sedan. Police were able to identify the vehicle and the driver. The driver did not suffer any injuries as a result of the crash.

The victim was not nearly as fortunate. He suffered serious injuries that resulted in death. Investigators are working hard to reconstruct the facts of the accident, and if the driver is determined to be at fault, the victim’s family may want to take legal recourse.

Nursing home injury is a serious concern

Published on: September 3, 2020 | by Joel L. Katz, L.L.C.

Sometimes, elderly loved ones cannot safely live by themselves. One option a family may consider is a nursing home. These facilities are designed to provide seniors with a safe environment where they can enjoy activities, socialization, and on-site medical and mental health care. Choosing a nursing home can be difficult, and even a facility with a nice brochure and a good first impression can leave an elderly Maryland resident at risk to suffer a nursing home injury.

A study conducted in another state revealed that such injuries are more common than people might assume. The study revealed that nursing homes often do not report injuries to the proper supervising agency, and some of these injuries are caused by neglect, or worse, intentional carelessness on the part of staff members. An elderly resident can suffer serious injury or death as the result of such behavior.

Common nursing home injuries revealed by the study include bed sores, which can become infected, falls that can break bones, pneumonia, and even injuries caused by other residents. The investigation revealed that some nursing homes try to hide these incidents from oversight agencies as well as from concerned families and loved ones. If a nursing home resident has suffered because of abuse or neglect by staff at the facility, loved ones may want to take legal action.

Serious injury or death on the water may lead to civil action

Published on: August 27, 2020 | by Joel L. Katz, L.L.C.

This summer has certainly been a hot one, and with many pools and parks still closed or operating at a limited capacity, Maryland residents have flocked to the state’s waters in record numbers. Boating is a popular pastime, but safety is key, especially when there are many boats, jet skis and tubes in one area. A boating accident can result in serious injury or even death.

The Department of Natural Resources, commonly referred to as DNR, is investigating a boating accident in which a Maryland man lost his life. According to reports, a large power boat ran into a much smaller jon boat. The two people on the small boat were thrown overboard from the impact.

Passengers on the larger boat were able to rescue one of the victims and pull him in board their vessel, which sustained no damage in the collision. They were unable to locate the second victim, however. A search team and divers later found the victim’s lifeless body in the water. DNR is now launching a full investigation into the accident.

Did negligence lead to explosion in Maryland?

Published on: August 19, 2020 | by Joel L. Katz, L.L.C.

Maryland residents were recently shocked when news reports surfaced about a residential explosion that killed two, caused serious injuries to others, and reduced homes and belongings to rubble. Early reports confirmed that a utility gas explosion rocked a Baltimore neighborhood. Now, investigators are trying to determine if another party is responsible because of negligence or error.

The company that provides the gas service to the neighborhood was quick to say that they looked into the explosion and concluded that there was no negligent behavior, like faulty equipment or improper installation, that could have caused several homes to combust. Investigators say that it will be impossible to determine who is at fault until a more thorough investigation concludes. The state of Maryland requires a report to be made within thirty days, but sources within the investigation say that a fully informed conclusion may take months.

In the meantime, the victims may feel like their whole lives are upside-down. Several families must now deal with grief as they mourn their lost loved ones. They must also deal with lasting pain and suffering due to serious physical injury, emotional trauma, and the loss of personal property. Once a thorough investigation determines who is at fault, the victims may choose to take legal action.

Newest research may detect birth injuries sooner

Published on: August 13, 2020 | by Joel L. Katz, L.L.C.

When Maryland parents are expecting a baby, there is much to prepare. As the time to deliver a baby gets closer, parents may have good reason to feel nervous. Birth injuries can affect a child for the entirety of his or her life, and parents can only hope all goes well. Sometimes, birth injuries are not able to be detected right away, but new research may have discovered a way to detect some injuries just hours after birth.

Some birth injuries like cerebral palsy and epilepsy can be caused by oxygen deprivation when a baby is born. Sometimes, this oxygen deprivation can be caused by a mistake or carelessness on the part of a medical professional. A child that suffers from these conditions may need special treatment and attention and may struggle to reach milestones as he or she grows. These conditions are not always obvious, and it may take weeks or months for symptoms to present themselves. This can leave parents of an oxygen-deprived infant worrying and wondering if legal action should be taken against a medical professional that made a mistake during delivery.

New research is making headlines internationally. It seems that a blood test in the hours following birth may be able to reveal certain gene sequences that can indicate if an oxygen-deprived child will have to contend with any of these frightening conditions that result from birth injury. The sooner an infant can be diagnosed, the sooner parents and doctors can begin to help an infant receive the special care he or she needs to thrive.

Telehealth therapy yields surprising results

Published on: August 6, 2020 | by Joel L. Katz, L.L.C.

In the past few months, daily life has changed dramatically for Maryland residents. Widespread shutdowns gave rise to the need for modern solutions, and in the case of telehealth, some of the changes are benefiting patients. Current data seems to suggest that therapy sessions for brain injury patients might be more beneficial than a conventional in-person session.

When a person suffers a brain injury, he or she may experience a temporary or permanent loss in communication skills. Traditionally, a patient would have a therapy session one on one with a medical professional in an office setting. Telehealth therapy sessions use technology like a video chat service to engage a patient remotely.

Therapist testimony and solid statistics suggest that, when a patient is able to receive therapy in this way, the patient is more comfortable in his or her own home, surrounded by familiar people and objects. Family members and caretakers in the home can participate more easily, and their involvement will help a patient make progress between therapy sessions. Therapists can now see how an individual patient interacts with his or her home environment, and offer tailored tips for improved communication between a patient and the people who care for the patient.

Accident investigation underway in Maryland

Published on: July 30, 2020 | by Joel L. Katz, L.L.C.

When people are injured or killed in a Maryland accident, authorities must use evidence from the scene, witness statements, footage from traffic cameras and other reliable sources to try to determine the cause. In many cases, after a brief inquiry, it becomes clear what events led up to a crash and which party is at fault. In other instances, details may be elusive, and an in-depth accident investigation is necessary.

Recently, a two-vehicle crash left police and an interested public puzzled. At first, a statement claimed that four people had been killed. A short time later, more details emerged, and officials stated that two people in one involved vehicle had died, but the one person in the second vehicle suffered no injuries at all.

Interestingly, the uninjured driver was transported to a local hospital anyway. Though the reason for this has not been confirmed, it is not unusual for police to send a driver to the hospital for a toxicology screen. This type of testing can determine if a person was under the influence of drugs, alcohol or any other substance that may have impaired a driver, thus leading to a serious crash.

Man calls for action after losing wife to medical negligence

Published on: July 22, 2020 | by Joel L. Katz, L.L.C.

When Maryland residents seek medical attention, they expect that the doctors and nurses providing treatment will do their best to provide the best care possible. Unfortunately, thousands of people are injured or killed because of medical negligence each year. After the loss of his beloved wife, one man is calling for an overhaul of the protocols in place to handle malpractice cases.

The man explains that he arrived at a reputable hospital for the scheduled cesarian delivery of his second child. Hours after welcoming his new baby into the world, tragedy struck. Medical staff discovered that the man’s wife began to bleed internally after the surgery, and no one caught the danger until it was too late. Doctors performed an emergency surgery, but the woman had been neglected so long that the amount of blood lost rendered the life-saving attempt unsuccessful. The mother passed away shortly thereafter.

The hospital acknowledged the mistake and quietly offered the grieving father of two a financial settlement, which he accepted. Shortly thereafter, he discovered that the negligent doctor responsible for his wife’s death received a mere slap on the wrist. The doctor was not allowed to instruct other doctors and nurses for a period of four years, but he was able to continue performing surgical deliveries at another hospital. The man learned that the very same doctor was responsible for similar medical negligence involving other patients, and he is now warning others that, in some cases, a doctor can kill a patient and not face any consequences.