Personal Injury News

Personal Injury Cases Based on Maryland Sports Injuries

August 1, 2017 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Participation in sports comes with a number of benefits, including camaraderie, athleticism, and socialization. However, sports can also be dangerous, especially when the proper precautions are not taken. Generally, the school association or professional league overseeing the sport is responsible for ensuring players are reasonably safe as they participate.

On occasion, however, a league or school administration fails to take adequate precautions to guard against player injuries. Alternatively, the players may not be properly warned of the dangers involved in participating in the sporting activity, or parental consent may not be obtained prior to a student’s participation. In these situations, anyone injured as a result of their participation in the sporting activity may be entitled to compensation though a Maryland personal injury lawsuit.

Research Study Finds CTE More Common Than Originally Believed

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease that is found in those who suffer repeated blows to the head. Symptoms of CTE include depression, anxiety, substance abuse, memory loss, cognitive impairment, and suicidal thoughts or actions. Over the past few years, researchers have linked CTE to participation in professional football. However, until recently, it was not understood how common CTE was among players.

Joan Rivers’ Family Reaches Confidential Settlement with Doctors and Medical Clinic

May 23, 2016 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Back in 2014, actress and comedienne Joan Rivers died while undergoing a routine medical procedure in a New York clinic. The 81-year-old was suffering from some minor symptoms when she visited the defendant clinic for what was supposed to be a quick procedure. According to a recent New York Times article, the family of Rivers accepted a confidential settlement offer, and, as a result, the case against the doctors allegedly responsible for Rivers’ death will not go to trial.

A Routine Endoscopy Gone Wrong

Back in August 2014, Rivers visited Yorkville Endoscopy, complaining of a hoarse voice and a sore throat. The medical staff on duty suggested Rivers undergo a laryngoscopy and an endoscopy so that doctors could see what was causing her discomfort.

During the procedure, several doctors were present. One doctor in particular was concerned that Rivers’ vocal cords were extremely swollen and alerted senior doctors of her observation. Other doctors dismissed this doctor as “paranoid” and continued with the procedure. Fearful that she might be blamed for anything that went wrong during the procedure, that doctor then began taking copious notes that were later passed to the plaintiffs during the discovery phase of the case.

Maryland Traffic Accident Fatalities Hit 66-Year Low, Safety Programs and Enforcement Techniques Credited

May 18, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this year, the Baltimore Sun published an article lauding the fact that Maryland traffic accidents hit a 66-year low in 2014, with a total of 442 deaths. According to the article, this figure is about half of the highest number of traffic fatalities in one year, which was 772 recorded back in 1968.

The article points out a number of interesting trends. For example, the following types of accidents are less common than they were several years ago: drunk driving, speeding, and aggressive driving.

With that said, the report indicates that drunk driving is still responsible for one-third of all fatal Maryland car accidents. Other types of accidents are becoming more common, including:

Accidents involving older drivers,
Motorcycle accidents,
Distracted driving, and
Accidents where the victim was not wearing a seat belt.

Mom Connects Her Son’s Suicide with His Participation in Youth Football League 15 Years Earlier

February 16, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in Wisconsin, the mother of a 25-year-old man who took his own life back in 2012 filed a lawsuit against a youth football league, alleging that the brain damage her son sustained while playing for the league led to myriad mental health conditions and ultimately to his death. According to one local news source, the young man played for a Pop Warner football league from 1997 to 2000.

Evidently, the young man sustained a number of head injuries and concussions during his tenure in the league. Towards the end of his life, the young man suffered from depression and dementia. The man’s mother, who is seeking $5 million in compensatory damages for the loss of her son, claims that the league was negligent in several ways, including:

Failing to properly train coaches in injury prevention and concussion treatment; and
Failing to educate players and parents about possible long-term brain damage that could result from playing football; and
Failing to institute proper concussion management or return-to-play rules for players suspected of having concussions.