July 2011 :: Maryland Accident Law Blog

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Posted On: July 31, 2011

Harford County, Maryland Car Accident Kills 14-Year-old Pylesville Pedestrian

Heather Greer, 14, died on Thursday after she was injured in a Harford County pedestrian accident. The Pylesville teenager was crossing Route 136 when she was hit by a motor vehicle.

According to Maryland State Police, Greer died from injuries she sustained from the impact of being hit by a 2009 Toyota Highlander. She was pronounced dead at the R. Adams Cowley, University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center where she was flown by helicopter after the Pylesville car crash.

Child Pedestrians
It’s been awhile since our Baltimore personal injury law firm has posted on a story on this site about a Maryland child pedestrian accident. However, our child injury lawyers continue to remain concerned about the hundreds of kids that are killed each year because they were struck by a motor vehicle.

As Baltimore injuries to minor attorneys, we are familiar with the kinds of serious injuries that can occur during a child pedestrian accident (For example: traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, broken bones, organ damage, disfigurement, and burn injuries) and we know how important it is to get the financial recovery you need to help cover medical expenses and other costs.

Our Maryland injury lawyers work with accident reconstructions and medical experts that know how to prove exactly how your injuries happened. We are experienced in building solid cases for our clients while providing you with the legal counsel and support that you need during this difficult time.

Depending on the details of what happened, possible liable parties might include a driver, the entity responsible for maintaining/designing the road, the manufacturer of the motor vehicle or one of its parts, or the party that served alcohol to an intoxicated driver.

14-Year-Old Pylesville Girl Struck by Vehicle and Killed While Attempting to Cross Route 136, Daggerpress.com, July 29, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Child Pedestrians, NHTSA

Pedestrian Safety, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

More Blog Posts:
Maryland Pedestrian Accident Report: Two Teens Die in Hospital Following Fatal Baltimore Street Accident, Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog, July 29, 2011
$3.3M Prince George’s County Pedestrian Accident Awarded Over Woman’s Maryland Wrongful Death, Maryland Accident Law Blog, March 14, 2011

Toddler and Teen Pedestrians Injured During East Baltimore Car Accident, Maryland Accident Law Blog, July 12, 2010

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Posted In: Car Accidents , Injuries to Minors , Pedestrian Accident

Posted On: July 26, 2011

Maryland Birthing Malpractice: Brachial Plexus Injuries During Delivery Can Cause Permanent Damage

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Our Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers represent families whose babies were injured before, during, or right after delivery. We know how devastating it can be to have an occasion as joyful as the birth of a child to be marred because an obstetrician, gynecologist, anesthesiologist, or another medical professional was negligent.

One of the more common injuries that can occur during delivery as a result of Maryland medical malpractice is the brachial plexus injury, which is also known as Erb’s Palsy. This type of injury can happen if traumatic stretching of the infant’s brachial plexus (this area runs from the spine to the muscles in the arms and shoulders and can also impact the arms and hands) occurs when trying to get him/her out. For example, if labor has gone too long or the baby is in breech or if his/her shoulder is stuck under the mother’s pubic bone or in the birth canal, his/her head may have to be pushed away from the shoulder while the arm is forced upward or the shoulder is pushed downward to get the baby out. If too much force is exerted, stretching or tearing of the baby’s nerve can occur and permanent and serious injuries (including partial or total paralysis) can result.

Just recently, a jury awarded a family $1.3 million against the doctor who delivered their child in 2006. In their birthing malpractice lawsuit, the couple claimed that their doctor could have performed a C-section or applied techniques other than excessive traction to free their daughter’s shoulder during birth. Because of her brachial plexus injury, she still isn't fully able to use her left arm.

Brachial plexus injuries can be avoided. Common reasons why they occur:
• Failure to properly estimate the baby’s weight and size
• Applying too much traction to the baby’s neck during labor
• Failure to properly monitor for fetal distress
• Failure to properly gauge whether/not baby’s shoulder can easily move through the birth canal

Jury awards $1.3 million in childbirth lawsuit against doctor, WCF Courier, July 20, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Brachial plexus injury, MayoClinic

What are Brachial Plexus Injuries?, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

More Blog Posts:
Maryland Birthing Malpractice Leaves Devastating Consequences for Parents and Child, Maryland Accident Law Blog, May 30, 2011

Can Maryland Birthing Malpractice Cause Autism?, Maryland Accident Law Blog, July 16, 2011

Maryland Birthing Malpractice: Expansion of Consent Doctrine Restores $13 Million Cerebral Palsy Verdict, Maryland Accident Law Blog, July 31, 2009

Continue reading " Maryland Birthing Malpractice: Brachial Plexus Injuries During Delivery Can Cause Permanent Damage " »

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Posted In: Birth Injury , Injuries to Minors , Medical Malpractice

Posted On: July 21, 2011

Baltimore City Train Incident: Man Dragged 10 Feet By Subway After His Arm Gets Caught In Moving Door

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A man who was dragged 10 feet by a moving subway train today was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center for evaluation. The Baltimore train incident occurred at the Charles Center station in Baltimore at around midday.

According to Baltimore City fire department spokesperson Kevin Cartwright, the man’s arm got caught in the door of a moving train. He was eventually able to get unstuck and fell on the station platform.

Paramedics and rescue workers treated him at the scene. While the man showed “no obvious injuries,” he was placed in a neck brace and is still being monitored.

Maryland Train Accidents
Contrary to what people might think, train accident injuries don’t have to involve an actual rail car collision. Injuries can also occur at the station, which is why train operators and/or others in charge of supervising safety must make sure that when they are closing train doors that no one is caught in them or that no one has fallen onto the tracks or in between train cars. Otherwise, serious injuries can result.

For example, according to one 32-year-old man, he had to break his own arm to free himself after he got caught in a train’s doors last year. The train then dragged him along the platform and he had to jog along to keep up. As he was headed toward a wall, he said he had to do whatever he could “to get out.” The man ended up sustaining multiple fractures, a head injury, and an arm wound and has since filed a personal injury lawsuit. He claims that the conductor had waved him forward to board the train. Two years ago, a blind man was killed after he fell in between two Metro cars and was run over. His mother has filed a wrongful death lawsuit claiming that the train operator could have been more careful when leaving the station. She also contends barriers should have been put in place so that someone with the victim’s disabilities wouldn’t have mistaken the gap between the cars as an open train door.

Our Baltimore train accident lawyers are experienced in handling cases involving injuries related to train accidents, train operator negligence, and other incidents at train stations.

Man dragged by subway after arm gets caught in door, The Baltimore Sun, July 21, 2011

Expert witness in MTA suit testifies that blind man used his cane properly, Daily Breeze, June 27, 2011

Jonathan Lynn Sues MTA Claiming G Train Dragged Him At Classon Avenue, Huffington Post, May 31, 2011

More Blog Posts:
State's Board of Public Works Approves $1.5 Million Lutherville Train Accident Settlement in Maryland Wrongful Death of Two Teenagers, Maryland Accident Law Blog, January 27, 2010

Washington DC Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed by Victims and Families in 2009 Two-Train Crash Still Unresolved, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, June 22, 2011

Escalator Malfunction at DC Metro Station Injures Four, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, October 31, 2010

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Posted In: Personal Injury , Train Accidents

Posted On: July 16, 2011

Can Maryland Birthing Malpractice Cause Autism?

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According to researchers from Brown University and Harvard School of Public Health, complications and problems during and after birth might increase the chances of a child developing autism. While the authors acknowledged that the causes of autism are not known, they were able to narrow down the factors that could be linked to autism, including:

• Birth injury
• Birth trauma
• Low 5-minute Apgar score
• Meconium aspiration
• Maternal hemorrhage
• Abnormal presentation
• Multiple births
• Umbilical cord complications
• A birth that occurs during the summer
• RH or AB incompatibility
• Small for gestational age
• Congenital malformation
• Hyperbilirubinemia
• Fetal distress
• Low birth weight
• Neonatal anemia
• Low oxygen during delivery
• Fetal distress

While some of these factors are out of an obstetrician’s hands, there are ways to prevent certain birth injuries from happening. For example, monitoring the fetus’s vital statistics, as well as that of the mother, making sure that the baby gets enough oxygen, and not making any medical mistakes that could cause Maryland birth injury or trauma.

To have your child diagnosed with autism can be a severe blow for the entire family. Not only might your child never be able to live a “normal” life, but he/she will likely require costly therapies and other services to help them deal with their special needs. Some autistic children may never be able to support themselves or live independently. Your child may have to contend with bullying and emotional isolation while growing up. Autism takes a toll on the entire family.

If you believe that a medical mistake before, during, or after birth caused your son/daughter to develop autism, you may have grounds for a Baltimore birthing malpractice lawsuit.

Perinatal and Neonatal Risk Factors for Autism: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis, Pediatrics, July 11, 2011

Low oxygen during birth may contribute to autism, Barchester, July 13, 2011

Environmental factors for autism: Low oxygen during delivery, summer births, The Imperfect Parent, July 12, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Autism Speaks

Autism Fact Sheet, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

More Blog Posts:
Maryland Medical Malpractice?: Doctor and His Son Accused of Putting Autism Patients at Risk, Maryland Accident Law Blog, May 19, 2011

Baltimore Couple Files $20 Million Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Alleging Wrongful Birth, Maryland Accident Law Blog, July 6, 2010

$3,991,000 Million Maryland Cerebral Palsy Verdict Awarded to Family, Maryland Accident Law Blog, June 3, 2009

Continue reading " Can Maryland Birthing Malpractice Cause Autism? " »

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Posted In: Birth Injury , Injuries to Minors , Medical Malpractice

Posted On: July 11, 2011

Maryland Sex Abuse Lawsuit Seeks Over $356M For Two Juveniles From Foster Dad and MENTOR Maryland Inc.

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Two minors are suing MENTOR Maryland Inc. and Stephen James Merritt for Maryland sexual abuse. They are seeking over $456 million. MENTOR Maryland is a private foster care placement agency and Merritt is a 39-year-old foster dad from Mardela Springs who accused of the abuse. Earlier this year he was charged and indicted for allegedly sexually abusing seven boys inside his residence.

Following the Maryland sex abuse allegations against Merritt, the children staying at his home were taken away from there right away. Until then, Merritt and his wife were licensed as foster parents. Also arrested and charged with sex abuse of a minor at around the same time as Merritt was his uncle, Tracy G. Bayne, who lives close to his nephew.

In their Maryland personal injury case, the victims are claiming that the foster care placement agency did not meet recognized standards when it failed to routinely visit the home, supervise the kids, or respond to complaints made against Merritt. They are claiming that MENTOR breached its duty to protect and supervise the juveniles and neglected to provide them with a safe place to live. Meantime, MENTOR is maintaining that not only does it conduct background checks, but it also makes regular home visits and does health and safety checks on a quarterly basis.

Child Sex Abuse
Child sexual abuse is an insidious crime and one that can cause lifelong emotional trauma for the victims. If you were sexually abused as a child or your son or daughter is a victim, there still may be time to file a Maryland personal injury complaint against the abuser or the party/parties that allowed the abuse to happen. An organization or person charged with the care of a child who is abused while under supervision is an example of one party who could/should be held liable. It is important that you work with an experienced Baltimore child sex abuse law firm that knows how to help you recover damages.

Eastern Shore Men Arrested on Child Sex Charges, WBAL, March 18, 2011

Lawsuits filed in foster father abuse case, Delmarvanow.com, July 7, 2011

Related Web Resources:
MENTOR Maryland Inc.

StopItNow

More Blog Posts:
Psychiatrist Accused of Sexual Misconduct Has Settled Maryland Injury Lawsuits from Alleged Victims, Maryland Accident Law Blog, December 5, 2009

Anne Arundel County and Odenton Volunteer Fire Company Settle Sex Abuse Lawsuit Filed by Two Ex-Volunteer Firefighters, Maryland Accident Law Blog, May 26, 2009

Teenager Files $10 Million Personal Injury Lawsuit Against Washington DC For Rape in Clinic, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, June 19, 2008

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Posted In: Sexual Abuse

Posted On: July 5, 2011

4-Year-Old Shot and 1 Man Fatally Stabbed During 4th of July Baltimore Fireworks Festivities

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4th of July festivities in downtown Baltimore turned violent yesterday when one man was fatally stabbed and a 4-year-old was shot during the event. Thousands attended the celebration—almost twice as many attendees as last year—that was manned by almost 600 state and city officers. On Monday, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake condemned the violence.

According to Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III, 26-year-old Joseph Lorenzo Calo was stabbed in the neck with a broken bottle by someone that he’d gotten into a shoving match with outside McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant. Baltimore police are confident they can find the assailant.

Meantime, 4-year-old Kavin Benson was shot in the leg while walking with his father and the dad’s pregnant fiancé on Pratt Street. The boy, who was treated at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, had a small-caliber bullet lodged near his knee. Police are not sure how he was shot.

If you or someone you love was injured while at a public event and you believe that the Maryland accident could (or should) have been prevented, you may have grounds for a Baltimore injury case. Premise owners and those in charge of running an event must exercise the necessary precautions to make sure that visitors, participants, and others don’t get hurt. This includes making sure that there is adequate security, proper lighting, crowd control, proper supervision, and if the venue is one where there is traffic that vehicles are redirected so that no one ends up injured in a Maryland pedestrian accident.

Boy's Family Reacts To July Fourth Shooting, WBALTV, July 5, 2011

Baltimore fireworks violence: Shooting, stabbing in spite of heavy police presence, Baltimore Sun, July 5, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Baltimore Fourth of July Celebration 2011 Fireworks, Baltimore.biz

Premises Liability, Justia

More Blog Posts:
Transgender Woman Attacked at McDonald’s in Baltimore Says She Was Victim of “Hate Crime”, Maryland Accident Law Blog, April 27, 2011

Montgomery County Premises Liability: Nordstrom Ordered to Pay Nearly $1.6M to Two Women Injured in 2005 Bethesda Mall Stabbing, Maryland Accident Law Blog, April 21, 2011

Recent Shootings at Safeway and Walmart Raises the Question of How Liable Premises are for Violent Crimes, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, January 23, 2011

Continue reading " 4-Year-Old Shot and 1 Man Fatally Stabbed During 4th of July Baltimore Fireworks Festivities " »

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Posted In: Injuries to Minors , Personal Injury , Premises Liability

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