Maryland Injury Attorney Blog

May 17, 2011

Protecting Baltimore, Maryland Dock Workers from Accident and Injury : OSHA Updates General Working Conditions for Shipyard Employment

This month, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) updated regulations protecting shipyard workers from work-related injuries. The new ruling reflects advancements in maritime industry technologies and practices. OSHA reports that its employment standards for shipyard workers had not been significantly updated since 1972.

As we can attest, Maryland waterfront work is dangerous business. There are many ways that Baltimore’s hard-working longshoremen can get hurt or killed, including slip and fall injuries, crane and forklift accidents, being hit by falling cargo, and drowning. The amended OSHA standards for waterfront workers in Baltimore, Md., and ports around the country address the following safety concerns:

Adequate lighting for work spaces

May 11, 2011

Maryland Ford F-150 Driver Safety Alerts : Pickup Truck Airbags and Gas Tanks Under Investigation

by Jeff Butschky

The Ford F-150 pickup truck and its companions in the Ford F series have been dubbed by auto critics as the “best selling vehicles in the USA” for more than three decades. With its imposing grill and beefy demeanor, the Ford F-150 is a favorite choice of farmers, construction workers, and other drivers who enjoy a powerful pickup that can haul a good-sized load. But popular does not mean perfect, as evidenced by recent Ford F-150 truck safety concerns in the news.

If you’re a Maryland driver of a Ford F-150 pickup truck — be aware of two recent automotive safety investigations that may include your vehicle. Last month, an expanded recall went out for Ford F-150 pickup trucks (model years 2004 to 2006) because of reports the air bags could suddenly deploy without a traffic accident having taken place.

Now news reports state that NHTSA — the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — is looking into more than 200 reports from consumers that their Ford F-150 gas tanks have fallen off. The problem, NHTSA asserts, may be that the steel straps holding the Ford F-150 gas tank in place could rust and break — causing the potential for gas leakage and fire. Model years 1997 – 2001 are being investigated. Thus far no one has been injured or killed in a truck accident resulting from the Ford F-150 gas tank straps issue.

April 27, 2011

Car Accidents in Maryland That Bring Criminal Charges and Civil Lawsuits

by Jeff Butschky

Pick up a copy of the Baltimore Sun and you’ll likely find cases of Baltimore County car accidents where the offending drivers were slapped with serious traffic or criminal charges. The State of Maryland has very specific legal language on the books regarding when traffic violations warrant traffic or criminal charges. In the eyes of Maryland law…

Reckless Driving is defined as, “A person is guilty of reckless driving if he drives a motor vehicle: In wanton or willful disregard for the safety of people or property; or In a manner that indicates a wanton or willful disregard for the safety of people or property.”

and…

April 12, 2011

Baltimore Traffic Accidents that Happen While at Work : Call the Police Before Your Boss (And Don’t Lie to Maryland Law Enforcement)

by Jeff Butschky

Getting in an auto accident while on the job in Maryland can be the worst of both worlds.

As if a car or truck accident isn’t stressful enough, when a traffic crash occurs while you’re on the road for a Maryland employer — it’s easy to feel pulled in multiple directions at once. There’s the hassle of dealing with insurance companies, auto body shops, doctors, and lawyers. Throw in a company car or even your own car used for business, and then bring your employer (and all that potential drama) into the mix, and it’s no wonder accident victims get quickly overwhelmed.

Let’s say you’re driving to a sales call at a company in Baltimore City. All of a sudden, BAM! You are sideswiped at a downtown Baltimore intersection. The knee-jerk reaction if you’re involved in a work traffic accident is to call the boss immediately. Makes sense, right? Wrong!

March 14, 2011

U.S. Senate Panel on Elder Abuse : Cases of Senior Citizens Abused by Caregivers on the Rise

by Jeff Butschky

Entertainment legend Mickey Rooney, age 90, testified before the U.S. Senate earlier this month that he had suffered abuse for years by family members and other caregivers. Rooney told the Senate that he had been abused in many ways, including emotional and financial abuse.

Rooney was among witnesses who testified before a Senate panel looking at what elder rights advocates describe as a “chronic problem” of senior citizens abused by caregivers at home and in nursing homes. Senator Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) introduced legislation that would create an Office of Elder Justice within the Department of Justice to help coordinate law enforcement’s response to cases of elder abuse. Rooney believes that a law should be passed by Congress making elder abuse a specific crime.

A Baltimore County, Maryland nursing home abuse lawyer is familiar with laws and regulations that are supposed to protect senior citizens from abuse and neglect. Maryland nursing homes are entrusted with caring for our senior Americans who deserve to live their golden years in comfort and peace. Sadly, some seniors fall victim to abuse and neglect by family members, caregivers, and nursing home staff — suffering physical abuse and injuries that can lead to wrongful death in Maryland.

March 1, 2011

Avoiding Work Injuries in Maryland : March Is Workplace Eye Wellness Month

by Jeff Butschky

In Maryland, work-related injuries make the news from time to time, particularly when a serious construction accident or accident on the loading docks of the Baltimore waterfront occurs. Slip and fall accidents from roofs and scaffolding, and crane, forklift, truck and other construction vehicle accidents are all hazards that come with the job in the construction and longshoreman trades.

As Baltimore work accident injury attorneys, we’ve assisted many hard-working individuals in Maryland who’ve been injured on the job. But one type of workplace injury we hear less about — which can have serious, lifelong consequences — is eye injury. The National Safety Council reports that eye injuries in the workplace are on the rise. According to advocacy group Prevent Blindness America, some 2,000 people sustain eye injuries at work every day.

The organization is offering free tools to employers to help raise awareness of eye safety and eye health among employees (see link below). Prevent Blindness America cites the most common causes of workplace eye injuries are flying objects (e.g., pieces of metal or glass), tools, particles, chemicals, and harmful radiation. Of the 2,000 people who sustain eye injury at work yearly, some 10 to 20 percent will suffer temporary or permanent vision loss. Computer related eye strain is another common form of eye injury in the workplace.

February 28, 2011

Maryland Vehicular Homicide Bill : Drivers Who Cause Fatal Auto Accidents Should Get Tougher Penalties, Grieving Families Say

by Jeff Butschky

If it were up to those in Maryland who have lost loved ones in fatal automobile accidents, the laws punishing offending drivers would be a lot tougher. There is, in fact, a Md. bill in the House that would stiffen penalties against some drivers involved in deadly motor vehicle accidents — but that bill has yet to pass into law.

The Baltimore Sun reports that last week, grieving family members and friends made their case before the Maryland House Judiciary Committee about passing “House Bill 363: Manslaughter by Vehicle or Vessel — Criminal Negligence.” Area bicycle, pedestrian, and other safety advocates believe “a law is needed to bridge the gap between a simple speeding ticket and felony vehicular manslaughter.” Some think Maryland’s laws are too lenient on drivers who cause fatal car accidents on our roads, city streets, and highways, with some getting off with fines.

An experienced Baltimore County car accident attorney is familiar with these Maryland driving laws and penalties. Families may turn to Md. injury lawyers to file a civil suit against the driver responsible for their loved one’s injury, disability, or death — if they’re unsatisfied with the verdict in Maryland criminal court, or if the case didn’t involve criminal charges.

February 24, 2011

Maryland Toyota Driver Safety Alerts: Gas Pedal Recall Extended to Additional Vehicles

by Jeff Butschky

Earlier this month, we reported on how NHTSA officials working with NASA engineers concluded that the problem with “runaway Toyotas” (i.e., cars accelerating out of control) was mechanical, not electrical. The problem that resulted in numerous traffic accident fatalities was, the report stated, caused by mechanical issues with the gas pedals due to faulty design or ill-fitting carpets and floor mats. The problem was not, the report’s authors concluded, electrical in nature, as some Toyota owners and auto critics theorized.

The sticky gas pedals are back in the news, however.

Toyota is now recalling an additional 2.17 million vehicles to repair problems linked to their Nov. 2009 safety recall for gas pedal problems due to “floor mat entrapment.” Over the last few years, several cases of Toyota drivers unable to slow down their cars resulted in a number of fatal car crashes. The New York Times reports that Toyota is adding Lexus luxury vehicles and popular SUVs to the gas pedal recall list, including the Toyota Highlander and Toyota 4Runner (see link to Toyota recall portal below for full listing of recall vehicle models and years).

February 17, 2011

Baltimore County Democrat Pushing Maryland Bill to Toughen Distracted Driving Law

by Jeff Butschky

Distracted driving is a serious hazard on Baltimore County roads and highways — particularly when cell phones are involved. A few years ago, talking on cell phones while driving was the primary culprit. Now the widespread availability of text and data enabled smartphones means drivers not only talk on their phones behind the wheel, but send, receive, and read text messages. You know the tell-tale signs when you see them: driver’s head is down, cell phone is in their hands, thumbs are typing away — and their attention is not on the road. Cell phone use while driving causes deadly motor vehicle accidents in Maryland and everywhere else in the country.

The National Safety Council reports 1.6 million auto crashes a year in the US caused by talking and texting on cell phones. And the Maryland State Highway Administration estimates that more than 380 people have died in Maryland due to distracted driving auto crashes in the last 5 years. Now a Baltimore County lawmaker wants to add teeth to the Maryland law that restricts cell phone usage while driving.

Delegate James Malone, a democrat from Baltimore County, Md., is sponsoring legislation that would give Maryland police more clout in enforcing Maryland’s cell phone use while driving ban, which is currently a secondary offense. Malone would like to see the ban become a primary offense, which would give Maryland police the right to pull drivers over if they’re observed using their handheld cell phones while driving. Currently in Maryland, the police can only issue a cell phone use citation if the driver is pulled over for a separate violation.

February 9, 2011

News for Maryland Toyota Drivers on Vehicle Safety Recalls : DOT Says Car Accidents Due to Mechanical, Not Electrical Problems

by Jeff Butschky

Last year, Toyota drivers in Baltimore County, Maryland and around the country had reason to be concerned. The auto manufacturer that built its reputation on safety and reliability was involved in one of the most massive worldwide consumer safety recalls in history of some 8 million vehicles.

The safety recalls occurred after reports of fatal auto accidents involving “runaway Toyotas” — that is, cars that couldn’t be stopped from accelerating out of control. Drivers reported sticking gas pedals that were slow to rise when foot pressure was removed, and cars that failed to decelerate despite the drivers releasing the gas and leaning hard on the brakes.

The car accidents that prompted the recalls and a subsequent government investigation occurred over a number of years, involving different models of Toyotas. Now U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has released a report on the investigation regarding Toyota’s problems.