Maryland Accident Law Blog

Hot Weather May Bring More Maryland Dog Attacks

May 31, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

With summer approaching, now is a good time to remind families that this is the time of year when the number of Maryland dog bite victims can go up. Aside from the fact that more kids and dogs are outside playing, researchers have suggested that dogs may be more likely to feel irritable when the weather is warm.

Recently, five children were rushed to the hospital after they were hurt in a Prince George’s County dog attack. They were getting onto a school bus when an American Bulldog came at them.

Getting hurt in a Maryland dog attack is never fun. Serious injuries can result—especially for young children or elderly victims. Rabies, facial injuries, tissue loss, lacerations, flesh wounds, nerve damage, crush injuries, disfigurement, scarring, sprains, factures, C. canimorsus infections, cellulitis or even death can occur. Dog bite incidents can also be very traumatic experiences and survivors may experience post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or other emotional injuries. These invisible injuries can have just as powerful an effect on the victim as the physical injuries that can result.

Dog owners should make sure that their pets are properly secured and trained so that they don’t inflict serious harm to others. This includes making sure that the animals are up to date on their rabies vaccines and when they are playing outside that there is either a fence around the yard to keep them contained or that they are securely leashed so that they don’t attack anyone.

Maryland Dog Bite Cases

It can be tough to prove liability and obtain compensation for one’s dog bite injuries in the state of Maryland. This is just one reason why working with an experienced Prince George’s County dog attack lawyer is the very important.

Dog attacks children on school bus, Washington Post, May 18, 2011
Dog Bite Risk for Kids Greatest in Summer, ABC News, March 9, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Cat and Dog Bites, Family Doctor
Animal Bites, Medscape

More Blog Posts:
7-Year-Old Girl Injured in Dundalk, Maryland Dog Attack Sustained Severe Facial Injuries, Maryland Accident Law Blog, March 26, 2011
Washington DC Dog Bite Injuries Can Be Grounds for Personal Injury, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, December 18, 2010
Maryland Dog Bites off Part of Anne Arundel County Police Officer’s Ear, Maryland Accident Law Blog, November 3, 2008

Maryland Birthing Malpractice Leaves Devastating Consequences for Parents and Child

May 30, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Our Baltimore birth injury lawyers are aware of the devastating effects resulting from Maryland birthing malpractice. We also know how important it is to obtain financial recovery from all liable parties.

Serious injuries sustained from birth can disable a child for life and strapping his/her chances of leading a normal life, while strapping parents with hefty, nearly impossible to afford medical and long-term care expenses. It is important that you work with an experienced Maryland medical malpractice law firm that knows how to prove negligence.

Examples of injuries that can occur from birthing negligence:
• Vacuum injuries
• Cerebral palsy
• Hypoxia
• Developmental delays
• Forceps injuries
• Shoulder dystocia
• Brain injuries
• Wrongful death
Examples of common types of medical mistakes that may occur:
• Rushing to deliver the baby
• Failure to monitor vitals
• Failure to provide appropriate prenatal care
• Failure to test for fetal abnormalities
• Waiting too long to deliver the baby via C-section
• Anesthesia errors

Unfortunately, many hospitals and medical professionals will deny allegations of birthing malpractice.

A recent birthing malpractice case that made national headlines is the one in which the jury awarded a couple $58 million. Dominic and Cathy D’Attilo’s son was Daniel was born with severe birth injuries, including brain damage. They accused Dr. Richard Viscarello of waiting too long to perform a C-section. Daniel, now 8, is unable to walk or talk.

$58 Million Awarded To Connecticut Couple In Delayed C-Section Case, CBS, May 26, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Medical Malpractice, Nolo
Cerebral Palsy, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
More Blog Posts:
Maryland Birthing Malpractice: Expansion of Consent Doctrine Restores $13 Million Cerebral Palsy Verdict, Maryland Accident Law Blog, July 31, 2009
$3,991,000 Million Maryland Cerebral Palsy Verdict Awarded to Family, Maryland Accident Law Blog, June 3, 2009
Parents of Baby who Suffered from Permanent Brain Injury Awarded $4.4 Million for Birthing Malpractice, Maryland Accident Law Blog, February 20, 2009

Dangerous Drug Lawsuit Claims Humira Caused Permanent Eye Damage

May 26, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It is important for you to know that you know that if you were injured or became sick from taking a prescription or over-the-counter medication, you may be able to obtain Maryland injury damages by filing a dangerous drug lawsuit. Unfortunately, even though drug manufacturers are supposed to make sure that their medications are safe for patients to use, and warn of possibly dangerous side effects, this isn’t always the case.

In recent products liability news, a woman who took Humira to treat her Crohn’s disease is suing Abbott Laboratories because she says that the drug Humira caused her to sustain permanent damage to her optic nerves. Jamie Bixby says that when she called the drug manufacturer’s helpline to report that she was experiencing eye pain, a nurse told her that the symptoms weren’t related to Humira. Bixby eventually sought emergency care when one of her eyes began experiencing blurred vision with black holes. An eye doctor later said that Bixby’s optic nerves had sustained permanent injury.

In her dangerous drug complaint, Bixby contents that if Abbott had warned her or her gastroenterologist that her eye pain could have been caused by taking Humira, she would have stopped taking the medication right away and immediately gotten the medical help she needed. She says that before Abbott started marketing Humira to Crohn’s patients, it should have known the potential risk it posed to the eyes—especially as similar drugs reportedly have caused similar optic nerve deterioration. Bixby notes that those other drugs, which are made by competitors, warn about this specific injury risk.

Maryland Medical Malpractice?: Doctor and His Son Accused of Putting Autism Patients at Risk

May 19, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The Maryland Board of Physicians have charged David Geier, the son of Dr. Mark Geier, with practicing without a medical license. David worked with his dad in treating kids with autism. However, Dr. Geier’s medical license was recently suspended after he was accused of putting his autistic patients at risk. Our Owing Mills medical malpractice lawyers want to remind our readers that medical negligence can be reason for a civil lawsuit if someone is injured or dies because of it.

The Geiers believe that the mercury in vaccines is linked to autism—a theory that many in mainstream medicine, including the Institute of Medicine, don’t believe. Father and son used the drug Lupron to treat patients. This is a drug that many experts consider dangerous for kids. Lupron is approved to treat fibroids and prostate cancer. It is also used to chemically castrate sex offenders.

The board says that Mark Geier improperly cited a number of patients with a condition called “precocious puberty.” Patients were treated with Lupron injections. The board contends that by administering this treatment protocol that is known to have substantial risk of serious harm and isn’t generally accepted in the “relevant scientific community,” Dr. Geier endangered autistics kids and exploited their parents. He is also accused of failing to fully inform parents of the dangers associated with the treatment.

State authorities believe that David Geier also put patients at risk when he treated them. Health officials are trying to get him off the Maryland Commission on Autism. The commission’s Web site has him down as a doctor, even though officials have called this a clerical mistake. The Commission does, however, refer to him as its “diagnostician.”

The Geiers run offices under the name Genetic Counselors of Maryland in Owing Mills and Rockville. They also have offices out of state.

Living with autism can be very challenging. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that about 1 in 110 kids in the US have an autism spectrum disorder. That’s 36,500 out of 4 million children born every year that are eventually diagnosed with autism, which can come with different disabilities depending on where they are on the spectrum.

Son of autism doctor charged with practicing without a license, The Baltimore Sun, May 19, 2011
State looks to remove autism panelist with links to suspended doctor, The Baltimore Sun, May 6, 2011
Md. autism doctor’s license suspended, Los Angeles Times, May 4, 2011
Related Web Resources:
Autism Spectrum Disorders, CDC

Maryland Board of Physicians

Lupron, Drugs.com

Maryland Commission on Autism

More Blog Posts:
Staff Was Inattentive on The Night of Patient Murder at Jessup Psychiatric Hospital, Says Maryland Health Investigators, Maryland Accident Law Blog, February 22, 2011
Montgomery County Jury Awards Silver Spring Woman $2.35M Maryland Medical Malpractice Verdict Over Wrong Diagnosis, Maryland Accident Law Blog, October 4, 2010
Family’s Washington DC Wrongful Death Lawsuit Alleging Paramedic Malpractice Can Proceed, Says Judge, Maryland Accident Law Blog, March 9, 2011

Defendant’s Shoes Included in Anne Arundel County Wrongful Death Settlement Over Deadly 2009 Beating of Crofton Teen

May 9, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The parents of Christopher Jones have settled their Maryland wrongful death case with five of the six teenagers accused of involvement in his fatal assault. Jones, 14, died in May 2009 when he was beaten while riding his bike in Crofton. Two teens pleaded guilty to manslaughter over the deadly beating while several others who allegedly involved were not criminally charged because they did not actually hit Jones.

Although the terms of the Anne Arundel County wrongful death settlement are confidential, what is known is that one of the teen defendants in the civil case, Eric Ali, was asked to hand over his new sneakers as part of the agreement. Ali was among those who were never criminally charged in the case. However, according to the Baltimore Sun, Jones’ mother Jennifer Adkins says that she wanted Ali to say that she’d taken the shoes from his feet.

One of the teens who did plead guilty, Javel George, was not a defendant in the civil lawsuit. The Jones family’s attorney said it was unlikely they would have been able to ever get anything from George, who has no assets.

FDA Warns that Topamax May Increase Risk of Oral Birth Defects

May 4, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

According to the Food and Drug Administration, babies born to moms who used Topamax while pregnant are at greater risk of being born with a cleft palate or a cleft lip. The government agency says that medical professionals should warn patients in the childbearing age range that the drug, used to treat epileptic seizures and prevent migraine headaches, could cause oral birth defects. If your child was born with a cleft palate and you were taking Topamax (or one of its generic versions) while pregnant, you should contact our Owing Mills products liability lawyers right away.

Data from the North American Antiepileptic Drug (AED) Pregnancy Registry shows that the risk or oral clefts can go up if the baby is exposed to Topamax (topiramate) during the first trimester of pregnancy. Exposure to topiramate as a single therapy upped the prevalence of oral clefts by 1.4%. The prevalence for infants exposed to other antiepileptic drugs was .38-.55%. The prevalence for infants of moms who did not take any antiepileptic medication was .07%.

FDA says topiramate should be accompanied by a stronger warning and it will now fall under the Pregnancy Category D, which indicates a positive evidence of human fetal risk. However, a person currently taking the drug shouldn’t stop without first talking to his or her doctor.

The Cleft Palate Foundation says that 6,800 babies with an oral birth defect annually. That’s one out of every 594 newborns.

Not only can a cleft palate severely alter someone’s appearance, but it can also result in speech defects, teeth misalignment, ear infections, digestion problems, and feeding issues. A child may have to undergo multiple surgeries to repair the birth defect. Costly speech therapy and orthodontic work may also be required.

FDA: Risk of oral birth defects in children born to mothers taking topiramate, FDA, March 4, 2011
Topamax, NIH.gov
Related Web Resources:

Cleft Palate Foundation

Topamax

More Blog Posts:
Botox May Get Rid of More than Wrinkles, Says New Study, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, May 23, 2011
Roche Loses Drug Litigation Lawsuit and Is Ordered to Pay Almost $13 Million to Three Accutane Users, Maryland Accident Law Blog, December 11, 2008
Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Drug Litigation Lawsuit Pitting Wyeth Against Woman Who Lost Her Arm After Taking Anti-Nausea Drug Phenergan, Maryland Accident Law Blog, November 7, 2008

Two Brothers Dead, Another Injured in Maryland Boating Accident

April 30, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Brothers John W. Sowers, 64, and Stephen R. Sowers, 67, were killed on Friday in a Maryland boating accident when the fishing vessel they were in sank on the Chesapeake Bay off Breezy Point. The two men had gone out fishing with their brother Robert Sowers and John’s son-in-law, Matt Hinkle, when the boat lost power as the waters got rough. Afer getting hit by a large wave, the 25-foot vessel began filling with water and capsized.

The men were only able to avail of three of their life vests. Hinkle swam 1½ miles toward shore to get help, while someone came buy and picked up Robert. The two men were treated for hypothermia. Meantime, a Maryland State Police chopper helped find the other two Sowers brothers in the water. They were pronounced dead at Calvert Memorial Hospital. The boaters were in water with a temperature of about 50 degrees for over two hours.

Maryland Boating Accidents

Rough waters and unpredictable weather conditions can cause tragic boating accidents. In some cases, human negligence may also have been a factor, which is where an experienced Baltimore boating accident law firm should step in.

Other common causes of Maryland boating accidents:
• Operator inattention
• DWI
• Boat malfunction or parts defect
• Equipment failure
• Speeding
• Boater inexperience
Examples of boating accidents:
• Capsizing
• Boat collisions
• Falls overboard
• Slip and fall
• Boat fire or explosion
• Sinking
2 York County men die in boat accident in Md., YDR, April 23, 2011
2 men die after boat capsizes in Chesapeake Bay, The Baltimore Sun/AP, April 25, 2011

Related Web Resources:

US Coast Guard Home Page

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Boat Accidents, Justia
More Blog Posts:
Maryland Boating Accident: Teenager Seriously Hurt While Trying to Dock a Personal Watercraft, Maryland Accident Law Blog, June 7, 2009
US Coast Guard Suspends Search for NFL Players Who Were Lost After Boat Capsized, Maryland Accident Law Blog, March 3, 2009
US Coast Guard’s 2007 Recreational Boating Statistics Reports 10 Deaths in Maryland, Maryland Accident Law Blog, March 3, 2009

Transgender Woman Attacked at McDonald’s in Baltimore Says She Was Victim of “Hate Crime”

April 27, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Chrissy Lee Polis, a transgender woman, was brutally assaulted at a Baltimore McDonald’s in Maryland. Polis, 22, says she was the victim of a “hate crime” and that this is not the first time she has been attacked.

She says that this latest Baltimore injury incident happened on April 18 at a McDonald’s in the Rosedale suburb. In an interview with the Baltimore Sun, Polis claims that two females attacked her after she came out of the restroom. She says that they kicked her, ripped her hair, spit in her face, and threw her to the ground. One woman allegedly accused Polis of talking to “her” man.

The attack was captured on video by someone since identified as Vernon Hackett, a McDonald’s employee. The footage was posted online. Hackett can be heard in the background laughing while other workers are seen standing around. Hackett has since been fired.

Montgomery County Premises Liability: Nordstrom Ordered to Pay Nearly $1.6M to Two Women Injured in 2005 Bethesda Mall Stabbing

April 21, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A Maryland jury has ordered Nordstrom to pay Jacqueline Greismann and Sarah Paseltiner nearly $1.6 million in Montgomery County personal injury damages. The two women were injured on May 25, 2005 when they were stabbed by a woman wielding four butcher knives at the Nordstrom in the Westfield Montgomery Shopping Mall in Bethesda.

Their assailant, Antonia Starks, is a paranoid schizophrenic who is now at a Maryland psychiatric hospital. She had been released from prison just the day before she entered the mall and started chasing shoppers. Both Paseltiner and Greismann were stabbed multiple times.

The plaintiffs contend that Nordstrom failed to attempt to evacuate the store or adequately warn shoppers that Antoinette Starks was armed and on the loose. Greismann’s attorney contends that even though the store has an emergency manual, it did not adequately train its workers on how to follow it.

$40M Baltimore Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Over Fatal Maryland Motorcycle Crash Involving High-Speed Police Pursuit

April 16, 2011 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The mother of Haines Holloway-Lilliston is suing the city of Baltimore and Police Officer Timothy Everett Beall for Maryland wrongful death. Holloway-Lilliston died last year in a Baltimore motorcycle accident that occurred during a high-speed police chase. Now, Connie Holloway-Johnson is seeking $40 million.

Holloway-Johnson believes that her son’s death was caused by Beall, who, per an investigation report by he Maryland State Police, kept following the 27-year-old even after he was ordered to “end the chase” and he had turned off is siren and lights. Distracted by radio communication and his telephone, Beall’s police car rear-ended Holloway-Lilliston, whose body ended up bouncing off the vehicle. These findings are counter to what Beall told investigators when he said that the motorcyclist “crashed out in front of him.” No criminal charges have been filed against Beall.

Police Pursuits