Maryland Live! Casino Faces Lawsuit: Man Alleges Roulette Ball Struck Eye

            A lawsuit has been filed by a Washington, D.C. man based on allegations that he was injured after a roulette ball hit his eye.  In December 2013, a Maryland Live! Employee was operating the roulette wheel and according to the man, the employee “negligently” caused the roulette ball to go airborne and hit the man’s left eye.  After injuring his eye, the man also alleges that another casino employee squeezed eye drops into his eye without his permission.  The drops then allegedly caused him to become “disoriented” and made him hit his head and become unconscious.  The Washington, D.C. man is suing the casino as well as the developer, the Cordish Companies, for $150,000.  Last week, Cordish Companies attorneys tried to get the lawsuit dismissed, but a judge denied their motion.

            

            This is certainly an interesting case because we would never expect a lawsuit arising out of a game of roulette in a casino.  Due to the alleged negligent operation of the roulette wheel, the ball went airborne and struck the plaintiff, immediately causing “sharp and severe pain” and disorientation.  A casino security guard then escorted the plaintiff to a private room to lay down, however, the guard proceeded to administer eye drops without the plaintiff’s consent.  Because of a contusion in the injured eye, the drops exacerbated the problem, causing blurriness and more pain.  The lawsuit claims, the “unwanted and willful act of placing unidentified liquid directly into Plaintiff’s eye amounted to a battery to his person done in wanton and reckless disregard for plaintiff's rights to be free of unsolicited medical treatment and/or other batteries to his person and rise therefore to the level of malice.” 

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another person or a failure to maintain safe premises please call us today at (301) 854-9000 to set up an appointment at one of our office locations located in Glen Burnie or throughout the rest of Maryland for a free case evaluation or visit us online: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/Premises-Liability.shtml

Giant Water Slide Coming to Baltimore this Weekend

          With this stretch of beautiful sunny weather expected to continue through most of the weekend, the Urban Slide is coming to Baltimore.  A 1,000 foot long water slide will arrive tomorrow along N. Eutaw Street near Dolphin Street.  The length of the water slide is about three football fields long.  The event organizers claim that there is as special water mist and soap mixture to make the slide wet and slippery. 

            

          Anyone planning to attend can do so on Saturday from 12-6:30pm and 7-9pm, or on Sunday from 10am-5pm.  Tickets cost $16 for a single trip, $30 for three trips, $38 for unlimited trips during the day, and $32 for unlimited trips at night.  Inner tubes are not included in the price, but can be purchased at the event if you do not bring one with you.  This will be a very fun event for people of all ages to enjoy this weekend in the city.  If you are not sure about what this slide will look like, here is a link to a video posted by the event organizers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWxVJMfFjnA

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another person or a failure to maintain safe premises please call us today at (301) 854-9000 to set up an appointment at one of our office locations located in Baltimore or throughout the rest of Maryland for a free case evaluation or visit us online: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/Premises-Liability.shtml

Deck in Columbia, MD Townhome Community Collapses, Injuring 5 People

             Last night, a Columbia townhome deck collapsed with several people on it.  Five people were injured in the accident when the wooden deck completely detached from the back of the home.  Pictures of the scene show the entire deck intact with patio furniture scattered about.  The five people injured luckily did not suffer life-threatening injuries.  The cause of the collapse is still under investigation.

            

            Last month, a report was released identifying a staggering number of deck and balcony collapses since 2003.  The deadly balcony collapse in Berkeley last month triggered a closer look at this deadly phenomenon.  Approximately 6,500 people have been injured in these deck collapses nationwide since 2003, with 29 of these people dying from their injuries.  Experts say one reason for these collapses is due to the vulnerability of these structures to dry rot.  If dry rot is left untreated, these decks and balconies become weak, which then increases the risk that the structure’s support can fail and lead to a collapse.  Dry rot of wood occurs when water gets into a poorly ventilated area of the wood and is never repaired.

             

            The deck involved in this Columbia collapse is made of wood, which brings the possibility of dry rot as a cause of the accident.  Liability in this type of case could fall on the builder of the townhomes or the property management company if either party failed to regularly inspect the decks, especially if other instances of decks collapsing exist and neither party rectified the problem.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another person or a failure to maintain safe premises please call us today at (301) 854-9000 to set up an appointment at one of our office locations located in Columbia or throughout the rest of Maryland for a free case evaluation or visit us online: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/Premises-Liability.shtml

MARC Train and Dump Truck Collide in Silver Spring, Maryland

            During yesterday afternoon’s rush hour, a dump truck and a MARC train collided in Montgomery County between the Silver Spring and Kensington train stations.  The cause of the crash and the fault, if any, is not known at this time.  Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured, and all 600 passengers aboard the train were unscathed.  The truck driver was the only person injured, and luckily for him, the injuries were minor.

            

            The intersection of Forest Glen Road and Seminary Road in Silver Spring is just outside the Capital Beltway (I-495).  It is certainly possible that the dump truck stopped on the train tracks because of traffic since this collision happened during rush hour.  Drivers should never stop on train tracks because accidents similar to this one can occur.  If there are several cars stopped in front of you with train tracks in between, it is always best to stop short of the tracks just in case a train does come through.  The train track crossing where this accident occurred does have caution lights and a bar to keep cars from driving through when a train is approaching.

            

            Another possible cause of the crash could be the train conductor driving too fast and not being able to slow the train down in time when the truck was spotted on the tracks.  Many things are possible here, but it is unlikely that this collision was not attributed to either the train conductor or the truck driver.  One or both of the parties involved must have been at fault for such a horrific crash to occur.

If you or a family member has been injured or killed due to the negligence of another driver and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact our office at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Silver Spring or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Pedestrian Fatally Hit By Driver Near Silver Spring, Maryland

           Yesterday morning, an 83 year old woman was driving down Randolph Road when she suddenly drove across three lanes of traffic.  As a result, she hit a utility pole and Maria Posadas as she was standing on a neighbor’s driveway.  Posadas died from her injuries, while the elderly driver only suffered minor injuries.  Montgomery County Police are still investigating what caused the 83 year old to swerve across three lanes and hit Posadas and a power pole.

            

           This accident brings up an interesting issue that many people worry about: how safe are elderly drivers on the roads?  Today, the population of licensed drivers over the age of 70 has increased 30% since 1997.  However, with more elderly drivers on the road, fatal crashes involving a driver 70 or older have decreased significantly since the peak in 1997.  Although many people believe that the elderly cause more accidents than any other age group, statistics actually show that is not true at all.  In fact, fatal crashes involving elderly drivers are much less than fatal crashes involving teen or middle-aged drivers.  Studies also show that requiring some sort of driver education for drivers when they reach a certain age has very little safety benefits.

            

            Pedestrian safety affects everyone at all times of the day.  Many pedestrian accident injuries and fatalities are caused by intoxication or inattentiveness (i.e. texting while walking) on the part of the pedestrian.  However, sometimes there are negligent drivers who run through a crosswalk filled with people, hit someone, and keep driving.  Out of all the fatal pedestrian-involved accidents in Maryland, about 70% of the time the pedestrian was at fault for the accident.  In this case, Posadas was not at fault because she was not crossing a street.  Instead, another driver veered off the road and hit her while she was standing in a residential driveway. 

If you or a family member has been injured or killed by a driver as a pedestrian and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact our office at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Silver Spring or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

What Clients Are Saying July 2015

“The team at Portner & Shure made a frustrating situation with our Workers Comp case more bearable. Everyone patiently explained the process in detail and gave us expert guidance. They approached our case with compassion and professionalism and were easily accessible whenever we had questions - which was frequently. A heartfelt ‘Thank you!’ to Mr. Portner, Kevin, Christina, and Pam for the positive resolution of our claim. Take care, Pam. We enjoyed working with you.”

This case was handled by our Senior Claims Paralegal, Pam Brown.

Employee Spotlight July 2015

           Norma Guevara, one of our most experienced auto accident Spanish speaking paralegals, has worked at Portner & Shure now for more than 7 years.  Norma continues to settle countless cases, while obtaining larger than expected compensation awards for her injured clients.  At the same time, Norma consistently obtains 5-star Google reviews for superior service.  Our clients are always extremely pleased with the compassion, level of care, and results that Norma provides to them.  Norma is always willing to meet with clients in any location convenient for them throughout Maryland or Northern Virginia. 

            

           Norma was born in Honduras and moved to the United States when she was nine years old.  At the time, she did not speak any English, but quickly learned it.  In each of the last several years, Norma has helped recover over $400,000 in auto accident claims for both Spanish and English speaking clients.

In her spare time, Norma enjoys playing softball.  She also currently trains at Cross Fit with other members of the law firm.

Recent Case Result July 2015

           Recently, Portner & Shure settled an auto accident case where a drunk driver hit our client’s car at a red light, severely injuring her and sending her to the emergency room.  Our client’s vehicle was a total loss, valuing $15,900.  This accident occurred in Howard County, Maryland along Centennial Lane. 

Our client sustained serious injuries to her shoulder and rotator cuff, requiring a total of three surgeries.  The first surgery was not successful, and it was not until the third surgery was completed that our client was able to finally feel better.  Christine Airey, one of our most experienced personal injury paralegals at the firm, was able to settle the case for our client for $250,000.

Deadly Carroll County Head On Collision

           Yesterday morning, a pick-up truck crashed head on into a dump truck after crossing over the double yellow lines on Route 27 near Mount Airy.  A Taneytown woman was driving the pick-up truck with a young child in the vehicle with her.  Police believe both passengers were wearing their seatbelts.  The young child did not survive the crash and the driver was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center with serious injuries.  The dump truck driver only suffered minor injuries. 

            

           While police are still investigating the accident, they do believe that the pick-up truck driver attempted to pass a vehicle in front of her by crossing over double yellow lines into oncoming traffic.  The pick-up truck collided with the dump truck in a high-impact head on collision.  Attempting to pass another vehicle when there are double yellow lines is an example of aggressive driving behavior.  This week, Maryland State Police are patrolling roadways specifically targeting aggressive drivers.  Aggressive driving behavior oftentimes leads to serious injuries and even death, as evidenced in this tragic accident.  This could have been avoided if the pick-up truck driver had not tried to illegally pass the vehicle in front of her.

If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident that is caused by the fault or negligence of another person and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Frederick or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Truck-Accidents/

Aggressive Drivers in Bel Air Will Be Focus of Maryland State Police this Week

            Maryland State Police will be on increased patrol looking for aggressive drivers during the July 9 through July 18 period.  In what is being called the “Smooth Operator” campaign, Maryland police will be on the lookout for aggressive drivers.  In Maryland, there are seven different driver behaviors that fall under aggressive driving, and in order to be cited for it, at least three of the behaviors must be observed by a police officer.  The seven behaviors include:

• ·         Speeding
• ·         Failing to obey traffic control devices
• ·         Overtaking and passing another vehicle
• ·         Following too closely
• ·         Passing on the right
• ·         Driving in the emergency lane
• ·         Failing to yield the right of way

A majority of accidents are caused by aggressive driving, especially speeding and tailgating.  Drivers must avoid these aggressive driving tactics or risk getting pulled over by a police officer or being involved in a serious accident.

            

            The Smooth Operator campaign is meant to encourage drivers to keep Maryland’s roads safe by avoiding distractions while you are driving, coming to a complete stop at stop signs and red lights, obeying posted speed limits, not following other cars too closely, and leaving with plenty of time to reach your destination.  Drivers in Bel Air should be extra cautious when driving this week because police will be on patrol looking for aggressive drivers.

            

            If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident that is caused by the fault or negligence of another person and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Bel Air or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Overturned Tractor Trailer in Baltimore County Catches Fire, Injures Driver

            Last night, a tractor trailer overturned on northbound Interstate 83 in the Parkton area of Baltimore County.  The large truck started to leak gasoline onto the roadway and caught fire.  The driver of the truck suffered serious injuries in the wreck and was taken to Shock Trauma.  Doctors do not believe his injuries to be life threatening.  As a result of crash, I-83 north was closed for several hours while crews removed the tractor trailer and cleaned up the fuel.

            

            As we often blog about, accidents involving tractor trailers are some of the worst and most serious accidents on the road.  The large size of tractor trailer trucks and the amount of power that they have contribute to the severity of injuries when they are involved in accidents.  Semi-trucks and tractor trailers can cause extensive property damage, catastrophic injuries, and death when not properly maintained or driven by negligent drivers.  The most common cause of truck accidents is driver fatigue.  Oftentimes, truck drivers are forced to drive long shifts to meet a deadline and will not take a break to rest because they want to get to the destination on time.  Another common cause for truck accidents is the size of the truck making it next to impossible for the driver to be able to see cars in its blind spot.

            

            Injuries resulting from truck accidents can be devastating.  However, many times injured victims are unable to recover enough money to cover the damages.  It is obvious to look to the negligence of the truck driver and motor carrier as the cause of the accident, but the shipper of the load cannot be forgotten as another possible liable party.  One way to impose liability against a shipper is for negligent selection, which means that an employer can be subject to liability for its failure to exercise reasonable care in selecting a competent and careful contractor.  Motor carriers of nonhazardous materials are required to carry only $750,000 in single limit coverage, however, many times injuries sustained in a truck accident far exceed that amount.  Therefore, it is important to seek recovery from all who are involved including the truck driver, the motor carrier, and the shipper of the load.  Keep in mind though, that the shipper will not always be liable in a truck accident, but should always be considered.

If you or a family member have been injured or killed in a truck accident and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact our office at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Baltimore or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Truck-Accidents/

Young Boy Hit While Crossing Street on July 4th, Driver Keeps Going

            Saturday night on July 4^th, a 10 year old boy was struck by a car while crossing the street with several people in a crosswalk.  The hit and run accident occurred near Waldorf, Maryland on St. Ignatius Drive near Bannister Circle.  While the child suffered serious bodily injuries, fortunately, these injuries are not life-threatening.

            

            Police are still trying to gather more information about the accident and the driver.  In this case, if police are able to catch the driver, the young boy could potentially recover compensation for his injuries because he was in a crosswalk and not contributorily negligent.  If the boy would have been crossing the street without a crosswalk, he would be contributorily negligent and not able to recover any damages. 

            

            Pedestrian safety affects everyone at all times of the day.  Many pedestrian accident injuries and fatalities are caused by intoxication or inattentiveness (i.e. texting while walking) on the part of the pedestrian.  However, sometimes there are negligent drivers who run through a crosswalk filled with people, hit someone, and keep driving.  Out of all the fatal pedestrian-involved accidents in Maryland, about 70% of the time the pedestrian was at fault for the accident.  When a driver has a green light at the same time that pedestrians have the walk signal, the driver must yield the right of way to the pedestrians.

If you or a family member has been injured or killed by a driver while crossing the street and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact our office at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Annapolis or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Hit and Run Accident in Baltimore Early Sunday Morning

              A woman was hit by a speeding car on Harford Road near Glenmore Avenue and Old Harford Road in the northeastern part of Baltimore City.  The mother of three was run over and was “thrown halfway underneath the car and she was all curled up in a ball,” according to witnesses.  The hit and run accident occurred just after midnight early Sunday morning.

            

               The driver hit the mother, ran her over, and kept going.  Police are still trying to find the driver, but there were very few witnesses that could provide any information about the type of car, the driver, or the license plate number.  The vehicle was last seen on Christopher Avenue.  Police believe the vehicle is a “dark-colored boxy-type of four-door car, possibly a Honda Accord.”  The victim was not in a crosswalk at the time of the accident, but there was one nearby.  Local residents say that many people choose to cross the street where this woman was crossing in order to get to the 7-Eleven because the crosswalk is all the way at the end of the block.  Unfortunately, in Maryland when a pedestrian is struck by a car outside of a crosswalk, the pedestrian is contributorily negligent, and therefore, cannot collect any compensation for her injuries. 

            

             Speeding is also a problem in this area of Harford Road, and was likely one of the causes of this hit and run accident.  Oftentimes, alcohol is a contributing factor as well, especially when the accident occurs late at night.  The victim’s family is offering a $2,000 reward for information on the driver.  An updated status of the hit and run victim is not known at this time.

If you or a family member have been injured or killed in a pedestrian accident and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact our office at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Baltimore or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Travel Safely Over the Bay Bridge This Holiday Weekend

            Many people will be driving to the beaches for 4^th of July this weekend and Portner & Shure wants to give drivers some tips on how to avoid an accident on the Bay Bridge.  More than 27 million vehicles cross the Bay Bridge every year.  The bridge receives heavy traffic volumes during the summer, and because of its 4 mile span and its height above the water, it is considered one of the scariest bridges in the world.

            

           Tragically, numerous fatal accidents involving people and cars being knocked off the bridge into the water.  The Bay Bridge lacks shoulders for disabled vehicles to stop in, which increases the risk of a serious accident when other drivers are not paying attention.  In the decade spanning from 2002 to 2012, there were about 62 accidents on the bridge each year.  The two spots on the bridge with the most accidents were on the eastbound side between the toll plaza and the curve and where the bridge curves left.  Some drivers and AAA officials want to see speed cameras installed to really deter drivers from speeding across the bridge since it is extremely difficult for police to patrol the bridge.  Unfortunately, Maryland law limits these types of cameras to school zones and work zones.

            

          Driving tips that are always offered no matter where you are driving also apply for the Bay Bridge.  For example, drivers should abide by the speed limit, avoid distractions in the car, wear your seatbelt, and do not tailgate.  Another way to help avoid a serious accident on the bridge is to travel during non-peak times.  The Maryland Transportation Authority says the best times to cross the bridge this holiday weekend is Thursday before 10am and after 10pm, Friday before 7am and after 8pm, Saturday before 10am and after 5pm, and Sunday before 10am and after 10pm.  The most popular travel days will be Thursday and Friday because most people want to get to the beach before the 4^th.

            

          If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident along the Bay Bridge that is caused by the fault or negligence of another person and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact us at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Ocean City or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/

Silver Spring Doctor Who Broke Wrist in Hospital is Awarded $4.4 Million by Jury

             An incident dating back to November 2010, when Dr. Vikramaditya Reddy slipped and fell on a waxed floor at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring.  According to Reddy’s attorneys, there were no signs visible that warned him of a slippery, just-waxed floor.  Reddy brought suit against Crothall Healthcare, Inc., the company responsible for training and supervising hospital employees in proper maintenance of the facility.  The largest part of the damage award is for future lost wages because as a result of the injuries sustained in the fall, Dr. Reddy can no longer perform the types of surgeries as part of his medical practice.  The award was calculated as follows: $3.7 million for future lost wages, $561,000 for past lost wages, $39,000 for past medical expenses, and $33,000 for noneconomic damages. 

The jury found that Crothall Healthcare failed in warning about the hazard of freshly waxed floors and the risk of injury associated with it.  Crothall Healthcare continued to deny any responsibility for causing the accident, but the jury found that because they were responsible for training hospital employees in proper facility maintenance they should be the ones held liable for the lack of warning signs for waxed floors.

Property owners have a responsibility to maintain safe premises for others who are on their property and a duty to warn visitors of potentially hazardous conditions.  When they fail to keep their property safe and fail to warn of unsafe conditions, such as a waxed floor, they can be held accountable for injuries that result.  In this case and in most cases just like it, the victim is often awarded significant damages as compensation for injuries.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a slip and fall or has died as a result of their injury suffered in a Maryland accident, and would like more information, please call us at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment for a free case evaluation at our Silver Spring office or one of our many other offices located throughout Maryland, or visit us online at: http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/Premises-Liability.shtml