Sidewalk Slip and Fall

In order to hold the owner of a property adjacent to a sidewalk liable for injuries caused by deviations in the elevation of the sidewalk slabs it is necessary to prove that the deviation is more than de minimus. Uniformly states throughout the United States who have addressed this issue through the litigation process have determined that the deviation, to be actionable, at a minimum, must exceed in some instances 1/2 inch and in other instances 3/4 of an inch. It is anticipated that the threshold requirements are the byproduct of expected variations that occur naturally during the construction process and are naturally expected to occur with the erosion of time. If you, your family member or friend has suffered a slip and fall injury as a result of a sidewalk deviation it is important first and foremost to secure photographs of the dangerous condition and to do so in the company of the measurement device to determine the actual configuration and size of the deviation. If you have questions regarding slip and fall injuries in Maryland please feel free to call my office at 1-888-760-7339

Gastric Bypass Leading to Punctured Heart and Delayed Treatment

This is an actual case that involved a patient who underwent gastric bypass surgery. The anesthesiologist placed a central venous pressure (CVP) catheter into the patient’s right internal jugular vein that was threaded down to rest in a blood vessel above her heart. The CVP catheter at some point punctured the patient’s heart and became embedded in a portion of her heart muscle. This caused the fluid from the IV to pass into the pericardial sac rather than into the intended blood vessel. This caused the patient to go into cardiac arrest. The nurse on duty was not able to persuade the charge nurse to summon the patient’s doctor until that evening. The deceased patient’s family sued the hospital claiming that the nurses were negligent in not detecting the patient’s deteriorating condition and notifying her doctors of her condition at an earlier time. Experts opined, " When the catheter punctured the patient’s heart, the catheter may have run down the internal jugular vein into the heart and through the heart wall with the tip just beyond the heart wall into the pericardial sac. This caused a continuing accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac that created an increasing pressure on the patient’s heart, which caused her to go into cardiac arrest. When there is an accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac, this is called cardiac tamponade, which is a life-threatening condition characterized by increased CVP readings, an increased pulse rate, and decreased blood pressure. Usually, cardiac tamponade is a reversible condition if detected and treated early enough. The nurses treating the patient had a duty to interpret the patient's condition and to notify the doctor about the tamponade so that he had sufficient time to properly diagnose and treat the condition before it became irreversible. The nurses did not meet the proper standard of care in this case, because they failed to detect the patient’s increased pulse rate and her falling blood pressure. " If you your family member or friend has been injured by medical negligence call me. 1-888-760-7339

Slip and Fall in Maryland

A property owner may be held liable for the injuries to a plaintiff when the plaintiff can show (1) a dangerous condition has been created by artificial means, such as where the owner has permitted ice to accumulate in a manner not apparent, and (2) the plaintiff is forced to encounter the condition. Abraham vs Moler, 253 Md 215, 252 A2d 68. This is true even if the owner undertakes to remove the dangerous condition but fails to remove the danger or inadvertently creates an artificial condition that is itself dangerous. Additionally, the plaintiff must establish that the condition existed for a sufficiently long enough period of time that the owner had actual or constructive knowledge that the danger existed and he had this knowledge well in advance of the injury that he had the opportunity to correct the dangerous condition. The classic example is found in the case of Honolulu Limited vs Cain 244 Md 590, 224 A 2d 433. In this case, a 66 year-old woman fell on thin ice in the parking lot of a shopping center. It was determined that the owner was liable, since when the snow was removed it was piled at the opposite end of the parking lot. The drain to the parking lot was in the opposite corner of the lot from the pile of snow. As such, ice formed in the path created by the melting snow as it headed towards the drain across the parking lot. The hallmark of success in this type, slip and fall case will revolve around the owners creation of the dangerous condition, the owner's knowledge of the dangerous condition sufficiently long enough in advance of the injury to have corrected the dangerous condition as well as the lack of alternative means of ingress or egress and of course prudent behavior by the plaintiff. If you, your family member or a friend has been injured in a slip and fall incident. Please feel free to call my office at 1-888-760-7339. We will answer your questions over the phone at no cost to you.

Maryland Wealthiest In Country

The Best and Worst Run States in America: A Survey of All 50 By Michael B. Sauter, Thomas C. Frohlich, Alexander E.M. Hess and Ashley C. Allen November 21, 2013 10:04 pm EST Read more: The Best and Worst Run States in America: A Survey of All 50 - 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/11/21/the-best-and-worst-run-states-in-america-a-survey-of-all-50-2/#ixzz2pQoSRIul Follow us: @247wallst on Twitter | 247wallst on Facebook 24. Maryland > Debt per capita: $4,348 (13th highest) > Budget deficit: 9.5% (28th largest) > Unemployment: 6.8% (tied-17th lowest) > Median household income: $71,122 (the highest) > Pct. below poverty line: 10.3% (3rd lowest) Maryland’s population is the wealthiest in the country. The state had a median household income of $71,122 last year, nearly $20,000 higher than the U.S. median. Also, just 10.3% of the population lived below the poverty line. The state had a relatively large amount of debt, at approximately 60% of annual revenue as of fiscal 2011, compared to 50% nationwide. Still, Maryland maintains a perfect credit rating from both Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s. Moody’s credited the wealthy tax base as a factor for its rating, as well as the state’s “history of strong financial management.” One negative factor is the state’s high violent crime rate, which was one of the highest in the country last year. Read more: The Best and Worst Run States in America: A Survey of All 50 - 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/11/21/the-best-and-worst-run-states-in-america-a-survey-of-all-50-2/#ixzz2pQoIPefE Follow us: @247wallst on Twitter | 247wallst on Facebook

Common Medical Errors Leading to Medical Malpractice Suits

There are several deviations from the standard of care that justify filing a medical malpractice case. I have listed the most common errors. • Anesthetic Mishaps • Delayed Birth Causing Injury o Brain & Nerve Damage o Brachial Plexus o Cerebral Palsy o Erb’s Palsy • Cancer Misdiagnosis • Emergency Room Errors • Failure To Diagnose • Infection • Misdiagnosis • Lack of Informed Consent • Nursing Home Negligence • Prescription Errors • Surgical Errors If you or a family member or a friend has been injured as a result of medical negligence or you just need to have your case reviewed, please feel free to call my office. I will discuss your case over the phone at NO COST to you. 1-888-760-7339

Post Surgery Ileus

An ileus is a blockage of the intestines (also called the bowel). The ileus prevents the movement of food, fluid, and gas through the intestines. The blockage is due to the lack of movement of the intestinal muscles. The intestinal tract is made up of small bowel and large bowel. The small bowel has three parts: the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum. The large bowel has four parts: the ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid colon. An ileus can occur anywhere in the intestinal tract. An ileus may be caused by any type of surgery, trauma, or pain medicines (such as morphine and oxycodone). A lack of activity also may cause an ileus. A chemical reaction occurs in your body causing any part of your intestines to stop working as they should. These are the signs and symptoms of an ileus. •Nausea and vomiting •Stomach cramps •Bloating •Lack of bowel movements and gas Your medical provider should properly preforms the following test post surgery: •Physical exam •Daily x-rays of stomach and intestines •Imaging studies like a CT scan with liquid contrast so the doctors can see your GI tract clearly in the CT scan. •Blood tests If you or a family member has suffered bowel injury after surgery, call my office and Find Out What Happened. 1-888-760-7339

Damages in Maryland Personal Injury

Personal injury damages in Maryland are broken down into Special (economic) and General (non economic) damages. Special Damages include, but are not limited to: Medical Expenses (past, present and future); Travel Cost; Lost Wages (past, present and future); Lost Earning Capacity; Loss of Vocation; and Loss of Services. General Damages include but are not limited to: Pain and Suffering; Disfigurement; Loss Capacity to Enjoy Life, Pre-Impact Freight and Loss of Consortium. Damages must be proven by a preponderance of the evidence (more likely then not the damage occurred). The jury can consider pre-injury health and post injury health as well as permanent conditions, pain and suffering and impact on activities. Damages Are Outlined As Follows: Pre-Impact Freight Past Pain and Suffering Present Pain and Suffering Future Pain and Suffering Past Medical Bills Present Medical Bills Future Medical Bills Past Lost Wages Present Lost Wages Future Lost Wages Loss Earning Capacity Diminished Earning Capacity Loss Enjoyment of Activities Loss Of Consortium Prescription Cost Travel Mileage