What’s the Difference Between A Birth Defect and a Birth Injury
The birth of a child should be a joyous occasion filled with hope and optimism. Unfortunately, if a birth defect or injury occurs, this happiness will come with stress, worry, and anguish for the family. To understand your legal options if your newborn experiences one of these conditions, it is first important to recognize the differences between the two terms. So let’s take a look – what is the difference between a birth defect and a birth injury? Comparing Birth Defects to Injuries The terms ‘birth defect’ and ‘birth injury’ are often used interchangeably, and at first glance their meanings are [...]
How Social Media Can Impact Your Personal Injury Case
A personal injury case can be a traumatic, troubling, and anxiety-inducing time. You don’t know what the outcome will be, you may still be feeling the effects of the injury or incident, and you perhaps feel a little alone and isolated as a result. This is why it’s so tempting to turn to social media to provide a little distraction, or to offer connection and comfort during the process. In fact, most probably will do this – statistics show that 77% of Americans operate a social media profile of some kind, far higher than the global average. But you should tread very [...]
Garbage Truck Accident – What to do Next
Garbage trucks are a normal part of the scenery of modern life, and often a part of the early morning sounds we would rather miss! Considering how slow they usually move while loading and unloading, you might not think a garbage truck accident would be common or serious. But garbage trucks travel the same roads and highways as every other type of vehicle. Even when they aren’t traveling fast, accidents involving garbage trucks are often serious. They are large, heavy, and carry weighty and hazardous loads that add to the impact of a crash. Most people don’t think about the big, [...]
2018 “10 Worst Toy” List
It's that time of year again! Parents are scrambling from store-to-store to ensure that their little ones get the toy that they "must have". While we all the very best for our children, it's up to us to ensure that the toys we pick out are safe. Every year, World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. (W.A.T.C.H.) puts out a list of the 10 most potentially hazardous toys that should not be in the hands of children. This year's list can be found here. Over 240,000 children are reported to die or get injured every year due to dangerous toys. There are many [...]
Common Forms of Medical Malpractice
The last thing you ever want to think about when visiting a doctor is that you could leave worse off than when you arrived. Medical malpractice laws exist for a reason and every year people file lawsuits against medical professionals because mistakes were made. However, this type of law isn’t always as straightforward as it sounds. Let’s take a look at some common examples of malpractice to give you an idea of what qualifies. Anesthesia Errors When it comes to invasive surgery and other procedures that could cause unnecessary pain, anesthesiologists are called in to help numb the patient to this [...]
Which Employees are Covered by Workers’ Compensation?
As rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft gain in popularity, a growing number of people are asking “Do 1099 employees need workers’ comp?” The debate over whether rideshare drivers are employees or independent contractors has gone on for some time, resulting in a number of court cases. Like many new ideas and trends, the introduction of rideshare companies is shaking up the legal system. The Basics of Workers’ Compensation Every state except Texas has workers’ comp laws that require employers to maintain insurance coverage on their employees. Although it isn’t required, most Texas employers carry a workers’ compensation policy because of [...]
Texting and Driving: Why Distracted Driving is So Dangerous
It’s hard to miss the billboards and advertisements popping up out there about the dangers of texting and driving. A number of organizations are campaigning to increase awareness and do something to stop the impact cell phone use has on drivers. What Is Distracted Driving? Most of us have come to think of distracted driving specifically as using the cell phone while driving a car. Although cell phones are the biggest cause of distractions by far, distracted driving occurs when the driver takes their attention off the road and onto another activity for any length of time. Just reaching across the [...]
Understanding Your Personal Injury Rights in Maryland
If you’ve been injured due to another person’s negligence in Maryland, you may be considering a personal injury case. Before deciding whether to file a lawsuit or claim, make sure you know your rights, and the laws that pertain to personal injury. The Basis of the Claim In order to have a personal injury claim, you have to be able to prove that another party’s negligence was responsible for your injuries. This means that the at-fault party failed to act as any other person might in the same situation. For example, if your accident was caused by someone driving recklessly in [...]
Common Types of Medical Malpractice
When most of us go to the doctor, we take confidence in knowing that we are about to be cared for by a professional with our best interests in mind. Fortunately, this is usually exactly what happens. However, sometimes doctors make mistakes. Obviously, if they do, patients are the ones who end up paying. This is when it becomes necessary to seek legal advice regarding medical malpractice. There is no reason you should suffer further because of any medical professional’s error. For a better idea of what could occur, let’s look at some common examples now. Injuries during Birth Even with [...]
Medical Malpractice Laws in Maryland
Medical malpractice involves the willful negligence of a healthcare provider that results in serious implications for the health of the individual under the provider’s care. Medical malpractice laws in Maryland are severe if a patient can prove that a medical professional did not conform to the required standard of treatment and that this caused serious harm. Healthcare providers and anyone caring for someone else in the medical field can be responsible for medical malpractice, including doctors, nursing home staff, dentists, nurses, pharmacologists, etc. Processing a Medical Malpractice Claim The first step in filing a lawsuit against a healthcare provider due to [...]
Premises Liability and What It Means to You
Some people live their entire lives without ever knowing or understanding the term “Premises Liability.” For most, there’s never a situation that makes it important enough for them to learn about it. For some, failing to understand the term might mean a missed opportunity. What Is Premises Liability? Premises liability is a type of personal injury that occurs when a person gets hurt on someone else’s property at no fault of their own. In other words, the owner of the premises where they got hurt is liable, or responsible, for the person’s injuries. An injury happens due to the condition of [...]
Filing a Construction Workers’ Compensation Claim
It’s all too easy to get hurt while working on a construction site. The combination of dozens, even hundreds of people, heavy machinery, tall heights and weather conditions can all conspire to make a construction worker an easy target. This is why construction accidents continue to be one of the main causes of workers getting hurt or even dying when on the job across the country. Workers’ Compensation That’s also why workers’ compensation claims exist. If you get hurt on the job because of your employer’s actions or negligence, you have a right to be reimbursed for your medical expenses and [...]