Earlier this month, the United States Supreme Court decided a case that gave the court occasion to discuss the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (the “Act”). The Act is an agreement among nations that limits the liability of foreign governments. The Act generally gives foreign sovereign countries immunity unless the alleged conduct…
A Texas hospital failed to supervise a man known to have mental health problems, resulting in the man’s death, according to a lawsuit filed by the man’s family. Martinez, et al v. Oak Bend Medical Group, et al, No. 14-DCV-212068, 2nd am. pet. (Tex. Dist. Ct., Ft. Bend Co., March…
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the derailment of a freight train, which occurred in Ellicott City, Maryland on the night of Monday, August 20, 2012. Two teenagers who were sitting near the tracks died as a result of the derailment. The accident left train cars and coal…
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…
Maryland’s Board of Public Works has given the green light to a $1.5 million Baltimore County wrongful death settlement over the fatal train accident that killed two teenagers last year. Kyle Patrick Wankmiller and Jarrett Connor Peterson were walking along tracks that are usually used by trains headed southbound in…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reportedly recommended as far back as 2002 that motorists not talk on cell phones while driving—unless in an emergency situation. The federal agency also recommended that drivers not use hands-held, as well as hands-free phones and even went so far as to note that…
Investigators are working hard to determine the cause of Monday’s deadly DC Metro train accident that officials are calling the worst in Metrolink’s history. The death toll has risen to 9 fatalities—although Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty says emergency officials don’t believe any more bodies will be found in the wreckage…
This week, the Maryland Senate approved by a 43 to 4 vote a bill banning drivers from text messaging whenever they are operating their motor vehicles. If the bill becomes law, it would make reading, composing, sending, or receiving text messages a misdemeanor crime punishable by a $500 fine. Maryland…
An 11-month girl was injured after she was struck by a van that collided with an MTA light rail train on Thursday in Downtown Baltimore, Maryland. She was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital’s pediatric center. The driver of the van was a U.S. Naval Academy midshipman. He also was taken…
The National Transportation Safety Board is calling for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to implement proper safeguards to protect workers on train tracks. Among its recommendations, the safety board suggested that Metro implement pre-work briefings, conduct surprise inspections, and immediately install new technology that automatically warns track employees when…