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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Teams of staff members at 45 of the state’s 47 hospitals will covertly monitor the hand washing practices of Maryland hospital staff in an effort to improve hand washing habits at hospitals statewide. The program, called the Maryland Hospital Hand Hygiene Collaborative, was made possible through $100,000 in federal stimulus money that was part of a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aimed at lowering the rate of Maryland hospital infections.

Hand washing has been repeatedly identified as an excellent tool in reducing the rate of hospital infections, which would result in a reduction in the number of Maryland hospital infection lawsuits. The CDC reports that there are more than 2 million U.S. hospital infections acquired each year, leading to more than 90,000 deaths annually.

State officials say the program is not designed to penalize hospital staff spotted not undertaking the best hand washing practices. Instead, the program will gather data on hygiene practices at facilities across the state to help determine where hospital staff needs the most improvement in hand washing hygiene practices. Officials also hope that the program will raise awareness for hospital hand washing hygiene.

A number of health care organizations representing doctors and patients have gotten behind the initiative. Supporters say that the program costs very little to implement, but is likely to provide excellent results in combating hospital infections.

A new Maryland traffic law will go into effect tomorrow, banning text messaging while driving in an effort to reduce the number of Maryland accidents caused by distracted drivers.

The new law will make it illegal to type or send text messages while operating a motor vehicle. Being caught texting while driving in Maryland will be a misdemeanor, subject to a fine of up to $500. It will also be a primary driving offense, meaning that police will be able to pull people over and fine them if they suspect them of sending text messages.

Going into effect October 1, 2009, the new Maryland law allows sending messages to contact 911, and does not ban talking on the phone while driving. Playing games and using applications are not banned by the law either, and the law does not explicitly address e-mail, using twitter or updating Facebook, but their legality is up for interpretation and engaging in such activities likely carries the same distractions as text messaging.

The law is seen as a victory for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, which seeks to have texting-while-driving bans in all 50 states by 2013. The law goes into effect just before AAA’s “Heads Up Driving Week.” from October 5 through October 11, which is designed to bring attention to driving behavior and encouraging distraction-free driving.

A recent study by Virginia Tech has found that truck accidents are 23 times more likely when a commercial driver is sending text messages while driving. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute looked at a number of different potential distractions for drivers of cars and trucks by adding cameras and instruments to the vehicles of drivers. Above any other distraction, text messaging truck drivers were putting themselves and others at the most risk.

The results were compiled from several driving studies conducted by the institute, and the collected data equaled about six million miles of driving. Heavy vehicle and truck drivers were 23.2 times more likely than a non-distracted driver to have a truck accident if they were texting, 6.7 times as likely to crash while reaching for, or using, an electronic device, and 5.9 times as likely to have an accident while dialing on a cell phone.

Drivers of light vehicles and cars were at much less risk of having a car accident, but still faced a 2.8 times greater risk of crashing while dialing a cell phone than a non-distracted driver and were 1.4 times more likely to crash while reaching for an object and 1.3 times as likely to have an auto accident while talking on the cell phone.

Researchers from the institute said that it was the tasks that drew the drivers’ eyes away from the road ahead of them that were the activities with the highest risk. Sending a text message took a driver’s eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds over a 6-second interval, which equates to driving the length of a football field at 55 mph without looking at the road. The study found that just talking on a cell phone, which does not distract a driver’s eyes from the road, made little difference in the likelihood of an accident.

The NHTSA will coordinate with law enforcement agencies across the country to conduct high-profile police enforcement against alcohol-impaired drivers as part of a campaign called “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” The NHTSA will also conduct $13 million in advertising and public awareness announcing the crackdown and will work with various anti-drinking and driving community activist groups.

The campaign’s ubiquitous commercials are a familiar site to most television watchers, featuring police officers stopping cars filled with alcohol-looking liquid, complete with floating cherries, suds and ice cubes.

The NHTSA estimates that in 2007, 12,998 people died as a result of alcohol-impaired traffic accidents where at least one driver had a blood alcohol content level of .08 or higher, which is illegal in all states. In 2008 that number fell to 11,773, a nearly 10% drop, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Maryland drunk driving accidents dropped 15% drop from 2007 to 2008.

More Information: CDC Notice about National Labor Day Drunk Driving Enforcement Crackdown

Our accident attorneys have successfully represented clients in prior lawsuits against WMATA, (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) involving serious injuries sustained in bus and subway accidents. For over 35 years, our law firm has been representing injury victims in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

While the investigation into the subway crash is ongoing with the National Transportation Safety Board, it appears that safety system failures, poor maintenance and/or operator error caused or contributed to the accident. If you, a friend or family member were injured or killed in the accident, it is important to take immediate steps to make sure that your interests are protected.

WMATA officials have already issued statements asking victims to submit claims directly to their risk management department. However, contacting WMATA without first speaking to an attorney could impact the ultimate value of a claim. Protect yourself and your family by contacting one of our Washington DC and Maryland injury lawyers for a free consultation.

The complaint was filed against Candy Lynn Baldwin, the 19-year old woman who was driving the 1997 Chevrolet Camaro that caused the accident. However, the Baltimore Sun also reports that the family has placed the Maryland Transportation Authority on notice of their intention to file a claim under the Maryland Tort Claims Act for the failure of the bridge to prevent the truck from falling off of the bridge, as an investigation found that the metal bars holding the concrete barriers had eroded prior to the crash.

The Maryland truck accident lawsuit was filed in Queen Anne’s County Circuit Court. According to the Sun:

The suit states that Short swerved to avoid a head-on collision but was sideswiped by the Camaro and slid across the bridge and through the concrete barrier. The tractor trailer fell about 30 feet into the Chesapeake Bay, and Short drowned in the cab of his vehicle.

Short’s truck was the first vehicle to crash through one of the safety barriers in the 56-year history of the bridge.