Maryland Accident Law Blog

Maryland Attorney Sues Baltimore For Burn Injuries Caused By Fall Accident into Construction Hole

October 10, 2008 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In Maryland, a North Baltimore attorney that sustained serious personal injuries after falling into a construction hole is suing the city, a number of Trigen-Baltimore Energy Corp. entities, Ligon & Ligon Inc., and Johnson Controls Inc. Arianne Spaccarelli sustained serious burn injuries to nearly half her body in the fall accident that occurred in 2005.

In her Maryland personal injury lawsuit filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court, Spaccarelli and her husband Robert Galassi blame the party’s negligence for her fall into the steam pit. The accident occurred at the intersection of Saratoga Street and Guilford Avenue when the couple was walking back to her car after dinner.

Spaccarelli had been walking next to a fenced off construction area, when she fell into the pit. The lawsuit maintains that the construction hole existed beyond the fence. Her husband pulled her out of the hole, but not before she sustained second-and third-degree burns on more than 43% her of her body.

Mother Files $10 Million Maryland Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Security Guard Company that Employed Her Daughter’s Boyfriend

October 8, 2008 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The mother of Latasha Harris, a 31-year-old Baltimore City woman that was murdered in her apartment, is suing the security guard company for wrongful death. The lawsuit, filed in a Maryland court against US Protect Services, is seeking $10 million dollars and accuses the company of not doing enough to stop one of its employees—who happened to be Harris’s live-in boyfriend—from shooting her.

The deadly shooting took place in March in Southwest Baltimore when Harris’s boyfriend, Jerry Bennett, shot her before shooting himself. Bennett had a gun because he was a security guard employed by US Protect Services.

According to the Maryland wrongful death lawsuit, the security guard company should have taken the company-issued weapon away from Bennett after he became violent at work and attacked a coworker.

NTSB Says Maryland Helicopter Involved in Weekend Crash That Killed Four Victims Did Not Have Terrain-Awareness System Equipment

September 30, 2008 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The National Transportation Board Says that the Maryland State Medical Rescue Helicopter that crashed into Prince George’s County Park on Saturday night was not carrying the terrain-awareness system that could have notified the pilot that he was hovering precariously close to trees. Four people died in the aviation accident, including a teenager who was being transported from a Southern Maryland car crash to a hospital.

The crash is considered the “deadliest medavac helicopter accident” in the state’s history and is the 8th crash of this kind in the US over the past 12 months. Victims from Saturday’s aviation accident included 17-year-old car crash victim Ashley J. Younger, onboard paramedic Tonya Mallard, Trooper Mickey C. Lippy, and retired state trooper Steven J. Bunker, who was piloting the helicopter.

Officials say that the injuries of the two car crash victims, including neck, chest, and side pains, warranted the use of the helicopter. The fact that the vehicle involved in the Charles County crash was crushed was another reason for the decision to transport the victims by air. One of the motor vehicle crash victims, 18-year-old Jordan Wells, survived the copter crash.

It took rescuers a little over two hours from the time the helicopter disappeared from the radar to find the crash site. When searchers were unable to track the chopper’s emergency locator transmitter, they used Verizon to track the cell phones of helicopter crewmembers. On Monday, Maryland medical examiners in Baltimore were examining the victims’ bodies to determine whether they were killed by the impact of the crash or if any of them could have been saved if rescuers had found them sooner.

According to NTSB findings regarding 55 EMS aviation crashes between January 2002 and January 2005, 29 of these accidents could have been prevented. One of the recurring safety issues identified was that safety technologies, such as terrain warning systems, are recommended but not required. Following this weekend’s crash, 12 rescue helicopters in Maryland were grounded. Only three of these aviation vehicles are equipped with terrain-warning systems.

Md. Copter Crash Scrutinized, Washington Post, September 30, 2008
Copter lacked equipment, Baltimore Sun, September 30, 2008
4 Killed in Medevac Copter Crash in Maryland, NYTimes.com, September 28, 2008
Board: Lives lost ‘needlessly’ in medical helicopter crashes, CNN.com, September 30, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Medivac Helicopters Under Scrutiny, USA Today, September 30, 2008
National Transportation Safety Board

US Coast Guard’s 2007 Recreational Boating Statistics Reports 10 Deaths in Maryland

September 25, 2008 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In Maryland, 10 people died and 120 people were injured in boating accidents last year. These latest figures were released this year by the US Coast Guard and indicate a slight increase from the 8 Maryland boating fatalities that occurred in 2006.

Nationally, the US Coast Guard is reporting a total drop in boating deaths, with 688 fatalities in 2007 compared to 710 deaths since 2006. The report, however, also found that the number of accidents, injuries, and property that was damaged increased dramatically.

3,686 people were injured in boating accidents in 2007, compared to the 3,476 injuries in 2006. Total recreational boating accidents rose from 4,967 in 2006 to 5,233 in 2007. Property damage costs reached a record $53,288,858 last year, up from $43,670,424, which was already considered a record figure in 2006.

Leading causes of boating accidents included:

• Careless operation
• Reckless operation
• Operating a vessel at excessive speeds
• Drunk driving
• Passenger conduct
• Skier conduct

Vessels that were most commonly involved in boating accidents included:

• Motorboats
• Cabin motorboats
• Personal watercrafts
U.S. Coast Guard Reports A Decrease Of Deaths On the Water, May 15, 2008
Boating Accidents, US Coast Guard
Related Web Resource:
Maryland Natural Resources Police

US Department of Transportation Releases 2007 DUI Death Statistics

September 22, 2008 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters announced the latest national drunk driving-related death statistics. Peters noted that while the number of total DUI deaths has dropped significantly in 32 US states, half of the states experienced an increase in drunk driving-related motorcycle fatalities.

Overall, almost 13,000 people died in accidents involving motorists with a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or more—a drop from the almost 13,500 DUI victims that died in 2006. Peters noted that 1,621 motorcyclists that died in alcohol-related collisions last year—a 7.5% increase from the year prior.

Of the 12,998 drunk driver-related deaths that occurred last year:

• 7,283 of the victims where drunk drivers.
• 2,067 victims were riding with the drunk driver.
• 1,361 fatalities were motorcyclists that were intoxicated.
• 81 of the deaths were passengers of intoxicated motorcyclists.

• 1,431 victims were occupants of other motor vehicles.

The state that experienced the greatest drop in alcohol-related deaths was California, with 1,155 alcohol-impaired deaths in 2007 compared to the 1,272 fatalities in 2006.

States that experienced an increase in drunk driver-related deaths in 2007 included North Carolina, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Alabama, Maine, Montana, Alaska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Delaware, North Dakota, West Virginia, Minnesota, Virginia, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

The number of drunk-driving deaths in Maryland for 2007 was 179.

DUI Fatalities Down Nationwide and in 32 States, Says U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters, NHTSA, August 28, 2008
2007 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment – Alcohol Impaired Driving Fatalities (PDF)

Maryland Parents Sue Peninsula Medical Center and Salisbury OB/GYN for Wrongful Death After Baby Dies in Womb

September 15, 2008 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The parents of a baby that died in her mother’s womb are suing the Peninsula Regional Medical Center and Salisbury obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. John M. Woods for physician negligence resulting in wrongful death. In the lawsuit, filed on behalf of Jennifer Sheller and her companion John Bealefeld last February, Sheller, who sought medical help at the PRMC’s emergency department after experiencing vaginal bleeding and severe pain, was discharged by Woods without an examination.

By the time she returned to the hospital following increased pain and bleeding several hours later, Sheller’s unborn baby Kirra Faith was dead in the womb. Sheller was later diagnosed with a placental abruption—a condition that could potentially cause a fetus’s death.

If Kirra Faith hadn’t died, she would have been delivered by cesarean section 13 days later on March 5. Her parents, Sheller and Bealefeld, are seeking financial compensation from PRMC and Woods for over $30,000.

This is not the first medical malpractice case filed against Woods this year. In April, Woods and Dr. Michele Urban, a former partner, were found liable for the permanent injuries suffered by a Bridgeville woman because her bladder was accidentally stitched in 2004. The medical mistake killed organ tissue and she now suffers from permanent urine leakage.

OBGYN Malpractice Mistakes May Include:

• Birthing Injuries
• Surgical mistakes
• Failure to diagnose placental abruption, ovarian cancer, and other serious conditions
• Failure to evaluate mammogram tests
• Failure to conduct pap smears and properly analyze results
• Performing a pap smear incorrectly
• Failure to test for birth defects
Parents sue doctor after baby died in the womb, DelMarVaNow.com, August 26, 2008
Related Web Resources:

Peninsula Regional Medical Center

Placental Abruption

Montgomery County, Maryland Launches Pedestrian Safety Campaign

September 9, 2008 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

At University Boulevard and Piney Branch Road, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and other officials launched their Pedestrian Safety Initiative last week. Leggett’s Pedestrian Safety Initiative include:

• Targeting high-incidence areas where pedestrian injuries and deaths have occurred.
• Evaluating and enhancing pedestrian connectivity and network needs.
• Improving pedestrian signals.
• Evaluating and upgrading street lighting.

• Enforcing and educating drivers and pedestrians.

According to Recent Montgomery County Pedestrian Accident Statistics:

• About 400 pedestrians are injured each year.
• There are approximately 14 pedestrian fatalities annually.
• Motor vehicle collisions involving pedestrians is a major traffic safety problem in the county.

• Some 430 motor vehicle-pedestrian collisions happen each year.

The Piney Branch Road section is the first of several “high Incidence areas” in the county where pedestrian safety and injury prevention enhancements will be implemented. And with 29 pedestrian deaths taking place on University Boulevard between 1995 and 2005, this road that runs through both Prince George’s and Montgomery County is ranked as the number one deadliest street in the area for pedestrians.

Leggett Announces New Pedestrian Safety Initiative; Strategic Plan Designed to Reduce Collisions and Make County More Walkable, Montgomery County, September 4, 2008
Leggett Launches Pedestrian Safety Effort, WashingtonPost.com, September 3, 2008

Related Web Resources:

NHTSA

Pedestrian Safety, FHWA

Maryland Couple that Were Seriously Injured when House Collapsed on Them Plan to Sue Chesapeake Beach and Calvert County

September 7, 2008 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Attorneys for Frank and Karen Hudson, the couple that was seriously injured when the house under construction next door fell on their home, have notified Calvert County and Chesapeake Bay that a personal injury lawsuit will be filed against them. The accident happened during a storm on May 11.

According to the notification letter, the municipality should have know that the home under construction, owned by Frank Leniek, was faulty and did not conform to federal, local, and state building codes, thereby posing an unreasonable injury risk to third parties. The letter also notes that neighbors had complained to county and town officials on more than one occasion that there was a problem with the home.

Following the accident, town and county representatives said Leniek’s home did not violate his zoning or building permits. Neighbors had asked that Leniek’s building permit be taken away, but the Calvert County Board and County Commissioners have refused to grant their request.

Two Kids Suffer Burn Injuries in Washington DC Apartment Complex Playground

September 3, 2008 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Two kids suffered burn injuries in Washington DC on Monday during a fire accident on a playground at the Columbia Heights Village Apartment Complex. Neighbors blame careless workers for leaving a can of gasoline at the playground.

Police say that a boy was playing with the can of gas when the fire started. A little girl sitting on a bench got burned and was later hospitalized. Neighbors say they called emergency crew members when they heard screaming.

According to The Burn Institute:

• Children younger than 5 are two times as likely as other people to die in a fire accident.
• Children are at highest risk of dying from their burn injuries.
• Playing with fire is the number one cause of death for very young children.

• 18-month old toddlers have been known to start serious fires.

Property owners and managers and those in charge of overseeing job sites, public events, public areas, and other premises frequented by kids, patrons, employees, visitors, and others are supposed to make sure that there are no unsafe conditions on a premise that can lead to serious injuries or deaths.

Common causes of fire injures to children younger than 15:

• Fireworks
• Ovens
• Curling irons
• Heaters
• Matches and lighters
• Hot liquids and hot foods
• Household appliances
• Defective electrical products
Kids Playing with Fire Leave Two Hurt in D.C., MyFoxDC.com, September 2, 2008
Burn Injury Fact Sheet, CT Safe Kids

Related Web Resources:

The Burn Institute

Fire Deaths and Injuries: Fact Sheet, CDC

Three People Injured in Prince George’s County After Police Pursuit Leads to Multi-Vehicle Crash

September 2, 2008 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In Prince George’s County, Maryland, three people were taken to local hospitals yesterday after a purse-snatching incident began a police pursuit that led to a multi-vehicle collision. The robbery took place early in the afternoon when a man jumped out of a Toyota Camry and grabbed a purse from the car of a woman who was pumping gas into her vehicle at a Largo service station.

The man then fled in the vehicle, which two other men were riding in. The woman contacted police. A police car that was chasing the suspects crashed into a motor vehicle close to Balboa Avenue and Gunther Street. The vehicle was seriously damaged in the crash and the two people riding in the car and the police officer were taken to the hospital for “a routine checkup.”

The cruiser also struck at least one car on Balboa and possibly two more. The suspects abandoned their vehicle close to Clovis Avenue before running off.

If you or someone you love was injured in a Maryland motor vehicle crash or if your vehicle or other property sustained damages in an auto accident that was another party’s fault, you may be entitled to personal injury recovery from the negligent party and his or her insurer. You may also seek medical attention for what initially appears to be a minor injury, but symptoms may later appear to indicate that your injuries are more serious than you thought.

Some injuries may require x-rays, surgeries, prescription medication, physical therapy, rehabilitation care, follow-up visits, and other costly medical care that you may not be able to afford without help. Your injuries may also keep you from work and affect your ability to earn a living.

5 Vehicles Damaged In Chase After Theft, WashingtonPost.com, September 1, 2008

Related Web Resource:

Maryland State Bar Association