Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers Discuss Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrians are at a much greater risk of being seriously injured or killed when struck by a vehicle compared to passengers in a vehicle because there is nothing physically protecting them from the impact. In 2013 alone, 4,735 pedestrians were fatally injured in traffic accidents in the United States and another 150,000 were treated in emergency rooms for non-fatal injuries. By raising awareness and observing simple safety tips, more pedestrian accidents can be avoided and lives can be saved. Individuals Most Likely to be Injured in a Pedestrian Accident Anyone who is out walking in an area where there are cars or other vehicles is at risk of being hit, but certain groups of people face a higher risk of being injured or killed by an automobile collision. Elderly: A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) revealed that approximately 20 percent of all victims of fatal pedestrian accidents were people over the age of 65. According to the study, nine percent of all
http://www.lthlaw.com/2016/04/maryland-personal-injury-lawyers-discuss-common-causes-of-pedestrian-accidents/

Baltimore Car Accident Lawyers Discuss the Dangers of Teen Drinking and Driving

Getting a driver’s license is a momentous occasion for a teenager. With this new level of freedom and independence comes a great deal of responsibility. Teens must make very adult decisions every time they get behind the wheel, particularly when it coms to drinking and driving. Unfortunately, not all teens make the right choice. As a result, impaired driving among teens is a serious problem that puts many teenagers at serious risk of being injured or killed in a drunk driving accident.
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Baltimore Medical Malpractice Lawyers: Physicians Who Build Rapport with Patients

The percentage of physicians who have been sued at some point over the course of their career is quite high. In fact, according to a recent Medscape survey of nearly 4,000 physicians, 59 percent had been named as a defendant in a medical malpractice suit. And according to a 2010 survey by the American Medical Association, the chances of getting sued goes up to 61 percent toward the end of a physician’s career. Some specialties, like obstetrics and gynecology are particularly prone to medical malpractice lawsuits. As a result, many physicians resort to “defensive medicine,” meaning they will order additional tests, encourage more office visits and recommend extra procedures in the hopes that it will reduce the likelihood of being sued. Unfortunately, this does not seem to have much of an impact on whether a patient decides to pursue legal action. Patients are more likely to file a lawsuit if there was a bad medical outcome. However, not all doctors get sued if a patient dies unex
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Maryland Social Security Disability Lawyers: Future of Social Security Disability Insurance Program

For years, Congress has been looking for ways to save money by attempting to place disabled Americans into low-paying jobs, getting them off of Social Security Disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has made many attempts to try to reduce or eliminate disability insurance through work-incentive programs. After over two decades of experiments, they have had little success. In 1999, the SSA developed an experimental program known as the “Ticket to Work” program that offered job training and support from a group of employers. In 2003, another program was created, specifically for recipients of disability insurance (DI), which included job training and mental health support for individuals with schizophrenia and other disorders. After little success, both programs were shut down. The latest program, called a Benefit Offset National Demonstration (BOND) program, is examining the success of a strategy whereby DI recipients’ benefits will be reduced by $1.00 for
http://www.bestmarylandsocialsecuritylawyers.com/2016/04/18/maryland-social-security-disability-lawyers-future-of-social-security-disability-insurance-program/

Baltimore Medical Malpractice Lawyers: Some Physicians Prone to Medical Malpractice Claims

The New England Journal of Medicine recently published an article which examined the prevalence of physicians who are prone to medical malpractice claims. Identifying these physicians at an early stage can help improve the level of care and potentially prevent this pattern from continuing. Researchers analyzed 66,426 claims paid against 54,099 physicians from 2005 through 2014, using data from the National Practitioner Data Bank. By implementing targeted calculations and multivariable recurrent-event survival analysis, they were able to identify specific characteristics of physicians who demonstrated a pattern of recurrent claims. Results at a Glance Authors of the study found that, over a 10-year period, physicians that possessed distinctive characteristics were responsible for a significant number of malpractice claims. Results from the study include the following: Approximately one percent of physicians studied accounted for 32% of paid claims. Of the physicians with paid claims, 8
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Maryland Truck Accident Lawyers: Samsung Technology May Prevent Truck Accidents

Whether you are on a two-lane road or a busy highway, it can be frustrating driving behind a truck, as it can be difficult to see whether it is safe to pass or if there is traffic ahead. Samsung has developed a new technology that enables drivers to see what the truck driver sees. The “safety truck” has a wireless camera mounted on the grill that streams live video to four large screens on the back of the truck. Samsung tested the prototype in Argentina, which has some of the highest traffic accident rates in the world. According to Samsung, the prototype is no longer operational, but the concept has the potential to save lives. Samsung is currently working with safe-driving NGOs and the Argentinian government to conduct further testing and seek the appropriate approvals and permits. While Samsung is confident that their “safety truck” will prevent serious truck accidents, others feel that it is just another distraction that will take driver’s attention away from the road. S
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Maryland Car Accident Lawyers: Study on Causes of Car Crashes

According to research conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, drivers are more than twice as likely to be involved in a car crash when they engage in distracting behaviors such as talking on their cell phones, texting or using a touchscreen menu on their car’s dashboard. In addition, drivers significantly increase their crash risk when they are angry, sad, crying or emotionally upset. This is especially true for the younger population of drivers, who tend to be more easily distracted by their electronic devices, according to the lead author of the study and director of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. In fact, the study findings report that if proactive steps are not taken to limit the distractions in vehicles, this population of drivers will continue to be at great risk of being involved in car accidents. The information that the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute researchers used came from the Second Strategic Highway Research Program Naturalistic D
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Maryland Car Accident Lawyers: Speed Camera an Unfair Speed Trap

For more than 10 years, Washington D.C. officials have been installing cameras on traffic lights in an effort to enforce local speed limits. But according to residents living in the D.C. area, there is one speed camera that has been a source of frustration as many consider it to be a blatant speed trap. The camera in question is installed at the intersection of Suitland Parkway and Stanton Road, where there are two different speed limits. The westbound side has a speed limit of 35 mph and the eastbound side has a 45 mph speed limit. The camera is on the eastbound side. One particular motorist, not realizing that there were two different speed limits at that intersection, received a $100 speeding ticket. She was traveling on the westbound side. John Townsend of the Mid-Atlantic office of AAA agreed that the placement of the camera at that particular intersection could be considered a speed trap. He referenced a 2013 traffic study conducted by DDOT, which concluded that the camera was i
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Maryland Car Accident Lawyers: Federal Regulations for Self Driving Cars

Self-driving cars are one of the latest technological advances in the automobile industry. According to certain automobile companies, self-driving cars that require occasional driver intervention are only a few years away and completely self-driving cars are not far behind. While representatives of General Motors and auto equipment maker, Delphi, praised the many safety and environmental benefits of self-driving cars, there is currently a patchwork of rules and regulations governing this type of vehicle. Proponents of self-driving cars say these rules could impede innovation and create confusion, and that it is up to the federal government to establish a unified set of regulations. According to the technical leader of Google’s self-driving car project, if there is no unified set of regulations and each state has its own laws, the safety innovations, interstate commerce, national competitiveness and the placement of self-driving cars will be significantly affected. The vice president
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Maryland Medical Malpractice Lawyers Discuss the Controversial Birth Injury Fund

The HB 377 bill, also known as the no-fault birth injury fund, would provide financial compensation to families of babies suffering from birth-related neurological injuries. The state of Maryland has created a task force that would help establish a fund that would help ease the financial burden associated with the lifelong care these babies will need. Currently, only Florida and Virginia have passed the bill, and the debate over this issue continues in the state of Maryland. Supporters of the bill say that this fund would ensure that a mother’s access to obstetrical care is protected. In addition, it would provide an alternative to a costly, time-consuming, emotionally draining trial. One Maryland mother, whose son has cerebral palsy, said she could not imagine going through a trial at a time of so much pain and emotional trauma, especially in consideration of that fact that the trial may not result in the compensation she would need. She appreciates and relies on the disability ass
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Maryland Medical Malpractice Lawyers: Preeclampsia and Placental Abruption

Sometimes, even the most routine pregnancies can become life threatening when unexpected complications arise. Preeclampsia and placental abruption are two very serious conditions that can lead to potentially life-threatening complications for both the mother and her baby. Diagnosing the problem early on and providing the proper medical treatment can reduce the risk of serious injuries or even death. Preeclampsia typically occurs after 20 weeks, or about half way through a woman’s pregnancy. The two defining symptoms of preeclampsia are a blood pressure of 140/90 or higher and evidence of high levels of protein in the urine. If the condition is not quickly and properly treated, preeclampsia can progress to eclampsia, which can result in seizures, organ damage, brain injury, coma and death of the mother. Preeclampsia also increases the risk of placental abruption, which is when the placenta detaches from the uterine wall prematurely, causing internal bleeding. If severe, this can lead
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Maryland Social Security Disability Lawyers: Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary disease that attacks the lungs by creating thick mucus that can make breathing difficult and increases the chances of serious lung infections. Symptoms can include a wet, productive cough, high blood pressure and pulmonary hypertension. In extreme cases, children and young adults with CF can die from pulmonary or heart failure when the excess mucus in the lungs causes extreme breathing issues. CF can also prevent patients from being able to absorb important nutrients. When excessive mucus is present in the lungs, the body is unable to get the proper nutrition from the food that is being consumed. CF patients can also lose important minerals through their sweat. Other problems like sleep apnea can also negatively affect the overall health of patients suffering from this disease. Qualifying for Benefits Unfortunately, as patients with CF get older, the lung infections and breathing difficulties tend to become more severe. The Social Security Administ
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Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers Discuss Proposed Upgrade to Underride Guard Regulations

When two teenage girls died in a 2013 underride crash, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) issued a petition to improve underride guards. In response, the National Highway Traffics Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed new rules that would require stronger underride guards that would prevent passenger vehicles from sliding underneath trailers and semi-trailers in rear end collisions. Canada already has more stringent rules in place, and this new proposal would make the U.S. on the same page as Canada in the policies they have been working on since 2007. However, some feel that more meaningful upgrades can be made. IIHS crash tests have revealed some lacking in Canadian standards, including no guarantee that guards will prevent underrides if a car rear ends a trailer. This is particularly true in the outer ends where the guards are the weakest. IIHS’ president urged the NHTSA to take advantage of the opportunity to examine a wider range of underride crashes. Truck Cras
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Maryland Car Accident Lawyers: April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

With the growing technology available in new cars, drivers are now able to call, text and even check social media through their dashboard “infotainment” systems. While many believe this is safer than talking or texting on a hand held device, studies show that the brain is just as distracted and that hands-free dashboard features can increase mental distraction. At the end of the day, distracted driving is becoming a bigger problem than ever, killing hundreds of people every year. The National Safety Council has named April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month, drawing much-needed attention to the growing epidemic. A large part of this growing problem is that so many people believe that hands-free devices are safe. In fact, over half of U.S. drivers surveyed believe this to be true. And 80% of drivers believe that hands-free devices are safer than handheld. This false sense of security contributes to the growing number of car accidents and fatalities that result from distracted dr
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