Motor Vehicle Accidents Send Millions of People to the Emergency Room Every Year

A new federal report has found that nearly 3.5 million people needed emergency room medical treatment due to a motor vehicle accident injury in 2006, and those auto accidents cost the lives of almost 44,000 people.

The report on emergency department visits by motor vehicle accident victims was reported by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in January. Of those killed, about 36,000 never made it to an emergency room, and about two-thirds of patients who required life-saving medical care were not treated in hospitals equipped to work as trauma centers.

The report used statistics from the 2007 Nationwide Inpatient Sample that represents data from 90% of hospital visits. It found that about 3.5 million auto accident victims were treated in emergency departments for a variety of injuries. The most common injuries were sprains, at about 44%. Traumatic head injuries and other internal injuries accounted for less than 10% collectively.

Researchers found that auto accidents are the leading cause of death for children over the age of one, and the leading cause of unintentional injury death for people of all ages. The data also indicated that 58% of all motor vehicle accident victims who were taken to emergency rooms were between the ages of 18 and 44.

“In addition to the physical and emotional burden on the injured and their families, MVAs (motor vehicle accidents) result in significant health care costs for society because they often lead to visits to hospital emergency departments, inpatient hospital admissions, and for some, permanent disability,” researchers said.

MARYLAND MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT LAWYERS

The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. handle motor vehicle accident claims in Maryland for individuals who have suffered injuries requiring medical treatment. Following an accident, it is important to seek medical treatment in an emergency room or from your doctor if a personal injury is sustained. A Maryland motor vehicle accident lawyer can help make sure your rights are protected and that you and your family obtain all of the compensation that is available.

Maryland Avandia Lawyers Continue to Review Lawsuits

A new Senate report suggests that GlaxoSmithKline PLC has been well aware of the Avandia heart attack risks, but fought to keep the drug on the market, causing hundreds of users to suffer a heart attack or congestive heart failure that may have been avoided by taking another diabetes drug.

The Maryland product liability lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. have been reviewing Avandia lawsuits in Maryland since concerns first surfaced in 2007 about the heart risks associated with the drug. Potential new cases are continuing to be reviewed for individuals who have experienced side effects of Avandia, including a:

• Heart Attack
• Stroke
• Congestive Heart Failure
• Liver Failure
• Bone Fracture
• Vision Loss or Blindness

Concerns about problems with Avandia first gained national attention in May 2007, when an independent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Avandia users faced a 43% increased chance of having a heart attack. The FDA required a black box warning about Avandia heart risks in November 2007.

According to the Senate report, GlaxoSmithKline, the makers of Avandia, were aware of this risk for some time prior to the publication of this study. Rather than notifying the healthcare community and consumers about the potential risks associated with their drug, they actively attempted to minimize the risk, misrepresent the findings and intimidate physicians who spoke out against the blockbuster medication.

In many states, plaintiffs have only two years to act after the risks of a medication become known, due to statute of limitation laws. However, the Maryland statute of limitation allows individuals three years to bring their claim. Therefore, residents of this state still have additional time to pursue a Maryland Avandia lawsuit.

MARYLAND AVANDIA LAWSUITS

To review a potential claim for yourself, a friend or family member, request a free consultation and case evaluation. There are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained. However, time may be quickly running out on your ability to file a lawsuit, so contact our Avandia lawyers now.

Study: Cell Phones and Texting Cause 28% of all Auto Accidents

A recent study by the National Safety Council estimates that more than a quarter of all auto accidents in the U.S. could be prevented if people did not talk on their cell phones or send text messages while driving. The study comes as the federal transportation administration enacted a ban this week for text messaging by truck drivers and bus drivers.

According to researchers at the National Safety Counsel (NSC) there are approximately 1.6 million accidents every year related to use of mobile technology, with 1.4 million due to cell phones and 200,000 crashes caused by text messaging. The new data follows a recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that showed that texting could increase the chances of having a traffic accident by a factor of 8.

As recognition for the dangers of texting while driving has been brought to light by studies like this, it was announced this week that any truck drivers or bus drivers caught using a cell phone or other electronic device to send a text message while driving could face a fine of up to $2,750.

A similar prohibition was also recently enacted for all drivers of federal vehicles, and Congress is currently reviewing legislation that would require all 50 states to put a texting ban in place or risk millions of dollars in federal funding. Last year, a law was enacted here prohibiting text messaging while driving in Maryland, and many states already have similar laws on the books.

According to the National Safety Council, there have been about 30 studies in recent years that showed a direct connection between cell phone use and auto accidents. Drivers who use a cell phone, even those using hands-free systems, are four times more likely to be involved in a crash, according to a 1997 study in the New England Journal of Medicine and a 2005 study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Unfortunately, laws and studies are never going stop all text messaging or distracted driving, but by bringing attention to the issue and enacting legislation, hopefully texting while driving will be recognized for the danger that it is. Similar efforts to bring awareness to the risks associated with driving without a seatbelt have proven effective, even if there are still some ignorant people who fail to buckle up.

A list of various research studies into cell phone use while driving can be found on the NSC’s website.

Baltimore County Carbon Monoxide Law Expands Alarm Requirements

Landlords in Baltimore County have eight months to install carbon monoxide alarms in all units heated by fuel-burning equipment, according to a new law enacted last month. The law is designed to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning in Baltimore-area apartments, which could result in severe and potentially life-threatening injuries for tenants.

The Baltimore County Council passed the new ordinance in mid-December, in the wake of a number of carbon monoxide (CO) incidents in the county in recent months, according to an article in The Baltimore Sun. In addition to rental units heated by fuel-burning equipment, such as propane, all landlords with units attached to enclosed garages must also ensure that they have carbon monoxide alarms installed.

In December alone, four people in a Fullerton apartment complex were hospitalized due to carbon monoxide poisoning, and county firefighters found lethal amounts of carbon monoxide gas in a rental home in Middle River. In addition, a string of high-profile carbon monoxide problems have plagued the Cove Village townhouse community since 2005, when three people died from CO poisoning. As recently as July, five people were hospitalized at the community, despite efforts to eradicate the CO problems.

All Maryland carbon monoxide laws require all public housing units built since 2008 to have carbon monoxide alarms installed. However, the new rule in Baltimore County expands on those requirements and requires the alarms in older units, where they were not previously required.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas, which makes it particularly dangerous, because people are unable to detect a potential leak without a CO alarm. Exposure to the gas could cause carbon monoxide poisoning, which can result in nausea and lightheadedness. It can also result in severe long-term problems, depriving the brain of oxygen and potentially resulting in brain damage or death.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there has been a nationwide increase in CO poisoning deaths since 1999. The years 2004 through 2006 saw an average of 181 carbon monoxide poisoning deaths per year associated with consumer products, up from 123 deaths per year in the years 1999 through 2001. Heating equipment and portable generators were found to be the largest contributors to CO deaths.

The CPSC released the following recommendations in a public service announcement in late December:

• Schedule a yearly professional inspection of fuel-burning systems in your home, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, chimneys, flues, vents, wood stoves and fire places.
• Install carbon monoxide alarms in your home. Make sure the batteries work, and replace the batteries every year at either the spring or autumn Daylight Savings Time changes.
• Use the test button at least once a month on your CO alarm to make sure it is working.
• Keep portable generators as far away from the home as possible, and make sure they are away from open doors and windows or vents.
• Only use space heaters that have been tested to the latest safety standards and certified by a nationally-recognized testing laboratory.
• Only use propane space heaters indoors if the heater is specifically designed for indoor use.
• Do not use gas or electric stoves to heat your home.

MARYLAND CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING LAWYERS

The attorneys at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. investigate potential carbon monoxide poisoning lawsuits in Baltimore County and throughout Maryland. If a carbon monoxide leak was caused by the negligence of another person, such as a landlord, property owner, builder, appliance manufacturer, repair company or other entity responsible for maintenance, compensation may be available Request a free consultation with our Maryland carbon monoxide lawyers to review a case.

St. Joseph Hospital Stent Implant Lawsuits: Towson, Maryland

Many individuals who received a coronary artery stent implanted at St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson Maryland by Dr. Mark Midei have recently been notified by the hospital about an investigation or clinical review, which noted differences or inaccuracies in the original report. This may have a substantial impact on patients’ care and long-term health.

The hospital is encouraging patients receiving these letters to contact their cardiologist to schedule an appointment to discuss the information. These individuals also have important legal rights, and they should contact an attorney to discuss this matter in further detail and make sure that their legal options are protected.

The Maryland malpractice lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are providing free legal consultations for individuals who received a letter from St. Joseph Medical Center about the results of a prior cardiac catheterization stent procedure. Contact our lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your legal rights.

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