Currently, 19 states (including Virginia and Maryland) and the District of Columbia have laws requiring all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, known as universal helmet laws. Laws requiring only some motorcyclists to wear a helmet are in place in 28 states (for instance for those riders 17 or 18 years of age and younger). There is no motorcycle helmet use law in three states (Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire).  The requirement that riders were a helmet is an attempt to prevent catastrophic head injuries to motorcyclists involved in accidents.

It would seem that any helmet is better than no helmet, researchers have developed a so-called “Smart Helmet,” to better protect motorcyclists.  Reuters reported that a new option in safety gear is available for purchase.  At around $600 consumers can buy “reality helmets” that offer built in 180⁰ “blind spot” camera and “Heads-up” display for “unparalleled situation awareness and safety.” Some helmets will even come with collision warning systems.

The “smart helmet” was designed by a man who survived a motorcycle accident himself.  Marcus Weller, worked toward realizing his dream of developing a safer, smarter helmet to help protect those on motorcycles.  In sum, the blind spot camera removes blind spots, and gives riders a better chance of avoiding unseen conditions that might cause accidents.  While this is a fantastic step in the right direction, even the smartest helmet on the market won’t help the motorcyclist who wasn’t seen by another driver, or didn’t realize the motorcyclists had the right of way.

Recently, in 2013 motorcycle fatalities fell 6.4 percent to 4,668 from 4,986 in 2012. In 2013, 56 out of every 100,000 registered motorcycles was involved in a fatal crash, compared with only 9 out of every 100,000 passenger cars, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  Motorcyclists should always wear the gear that makes they feel the safest.  At the same time, they always need to be aware that there are d angers on the road that cannot be prevented, to which they can fall victim.  When a motorcyclists has been injured in a collision with another motor vehicle, they have every right to obtain the compensation they need to make themselves whole again after the accident.  If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, call the Law Offices of Stuart L. Plotnick today for a free consultation.

Sources: http://www.motorcycleaccidentlosangelesattorney.com/blog/2015/11/new-smart-helmet-available-in-time-for-holidays.shtml

http://www.skully.com/

Reuters, “Smart helmet gives you eyes on the back of your head,” Ben Gruber, Nov. 12, 2015

Most of us will go through life never having to hire an attorney for anything more than the drafting of their will.  The thought of having to hire an attorney and file a lawsuit after suffering a personal injury can be daunting and fraught with stress.  The thought of fighting in court to be made whole after an accident might be enough to stop a few of us from ever reaching out for help in the first place – but it shouldn’t.  A brief explanation of the lawsuit process can help ease misconceptions and fears, and is less stressful than many believe.

The Reason Behind the Lawsuit

Usually, a personal injury lawsuit will commence soon after someone suffers an injury, or learn that’s that they have been injured.  An important factor in filing a personal injury lawsuit is when the injured party discovered they have been harmed; in certain cases, this might be years after the harm was initially suffered (for example, in the case of some prescription drugs).

Following an accident or being injured, parties will often have medical and other expenses to pay for.  Depending on the injury and harm done, an injured party might find that they can no longer work, and will have to face lost wages.  Additionally, an injured party can face other monetary losses, and a diminution in their enjoyment of life.  Recovery of these costs is the point of a lawsuit, are termed “damages.”

Hiring an Attorney

Once a party determines they have been injured, and that there are damages for which they should be compensated, the next step is to talk to, and possibly hire, a personal injury attorney.  The lawyer will a range of questions about the case, including the circumstances giving rise to the injury, the extent of the injuries, and any evidence in support of the injured party’s claims.  At that point, the attorney can determine the best course of action for each unique case.

 The Discovery Process and the Lawsuit

In the vast majority of cases, an attorney will not file a lawsuit right away.  Rather, the attorney will send something called a demand letter to the injuring party. The demand letter states what the injured party wants in compensation for their losses; as well as the reason that the other party should pay.  The demand letter will also set forth the legal basis for the case.

If there is not an agreement or resolution after the other party receives the demand letter, then the lawsuit process might begin. The injured party’s attorney will go to the local court and file a complaint.  From there, a series of steps will occur, including gathering information, and negotiating with the other side to see if a settlement can be reached.  A lawsuit will go to trial only if both sides cannot come to an agreement regarding the outcome of the case.

If you or a loved one have been injured, please contact the Law Offices of Stuart L. Plotnick at 301.251.1286, for a free consultation today.

When you purchase a new car in Maryland, you should be able to rest assured that the vehicle you are buying meets federally regulated safety standards. While often times this is the case, sometimes manufacturers fail to meet safety requirements due to negligent or insufficient quality control. In many cases, investigations have also discovered that auto manufacturers often know about the defects but keep it quiet.

When mistakes are made or manufactures are deceptive, the resulting vehicle defects can result in serious passenger injury or even deadly car accidents.

Our Rockville car accident attorneys have handled a wide range of Maryland and Virginia car accident claims for defective vehicles and subsequent wrongful deaths that could have been prevented, and Mr. Plotnick has the experience and knowledge to help you file your claim to get you or your loved one the reparation you may deserve in the event of one of these mishaps.

No matter what make or model vehicle you drive, you should always be mindful of possible defects, because if you are involved in an auto accident as a result of a vehicular malfunction, you may be entitled to compensation. For Rockville and Bethesda, Maryland residents, our car accident attorney can help.

Common automobile defects that may entitle you to personal injury compensation in the event of a car accident include:

• Faulty airbag systems that improperly deploy during an accident or unexpectedly
• Defective brakes, tires or fuel systems
• Seatbelts that do not perform correctly
• Doors or hatchbacks that open on impact and cause passengers to be ejected from the vehicle into traffic
• Faulty ignition or electrical systems that may overheat and lead to fire or shutdown

If you have suffered a personal injury related to a defective vehicle in the Rockville, Bethesda or greater area of Maryland, contact the Law Offices of Stuart L. Plotnick at (301) 251-1286 to schedule a consultation with our experienced car accident attorney.

Insurance companies are in the business of making a profit, and that means they are more concerned with their bottom line than getting you the compensation you deserve for your injuries after an auto accident. They are notorious for limiting or denying valid claims, and these are the most common excuses you may hear:

• The accident was your fault.
• Someone else is to blame, usually a third party.
• Your injuries are not as severe as you say they are.
• You have a pre-existing condition so the accident did not cause your injury.

Stuart Plotnick litigated cases for insurance companies for many years. He knows how the “other side” operates and how they will try to get you to settle for less than your case is worth. Trust your personal injury case to an experienced attorney.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an auto accident, please call 301-251-1286 or contact the Law Offices of Stuart L. Plotnick for your consultation with an experienced Maryland accident lawyer.

When a patient is treated by a doctor or in a hospital, they’re hoping they’ll leave in better condition than when they arrived. Unfortunately, up to 98,000 people die and at least 300,000 are injured from medical malpractice each year. It’s alarming how many people are severely injured or die due to medical malpractice.

UCLA law professor Joanna Schwartz surveyed hospital risk managers and found that 73% of surveyed respondents reported that medical malpractice lawsuits or claims were useful in identifying and then addressing safety issues in healthcare facilities. Scharwtz’s study found that the threat of financial loss due to these lawsuits, has sparked a stronger interest in creating an environment that’s constantly improving patient safety. It was also found that sometimes facilities get comfortable in accepting a certain level of mistakes and fortunately, medical malpractice lawsuits keep them aware that negligence is never acceptable.

Medical malpractice lawsuits force the wrongdoers to take responsibility for their negligent actions and allows the injured to hold them accountable. These important lawsuits not only help the victims, they help prevent future victims. It reminds healthcare providers and the facilities that patient safety should be number one.

If you or someone you know is a victim of medical please call 301-251-1286 or contact experienced medical malpractice attorney Stuart Plotnick. We represent clients in Rockville, Bethesda and throughout the state of Maryland.

Unfavorable results are possible with any medical procedure. In some instances, these results are beyond the control of medical professionals. In others, they are a result of some form of medical negligence. The only way to determine what has caused your injury is with the help of an experienced Maryland medical malpractice attorney from The Law Offices of Stuart L Plotnick.

Our medical malpractice attorneys thoroughly investigate medical injuries to establish their true cause. If negligence is discovered, we are prepared to take your case as far as necessary to help you get the full compensation you deserve.

What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider fails to uphold established standards of care and a patient is injured as a result. This can include:

• delayed diagnosis,
• surgical errors,
• emergency room negligence,
• well as medication mistakes,
• birth injury,
• improper monitoring.

Sadly, these forms of negligence are often expertly covered up by others in the healthcare industry. When you suspect an injury resulted from negligence, you need an attorney on your side.

If you’ve suffered an injury as a result of medical negligence in Maryland, you should speak with our medical malpractice attorneys. Please contact The Law Offices of Stuart L. Plotnick today for a free consultation.

As the weather warms and turns from spring into the beautiful days of summer, more motorcyclists take to the roadways. By sponsoring Motorcycle Awareness Month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants to remind us all to share the roads and help prevent motorcycle accidents.

With more motorcycles on the roads, remember to take these precautions when you are driving:

• Double check your mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes. Sometimes motorcycles are hard to spot with a quick glance.
• Give motorcyclists plenty of room. They may need to maneuver around road hazards that don’t affect your larger vehicle.
• Always treat motorcyclists with the same respect you would any other vehicle.

By keeping an eye out and sharing the road, we can all help to avoid the serious injuries that accompany motorcycle crashes.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, please call 301-251-1286 or contact The Law Offices of Stuart L. Plotnick for your free case evaluation. We represent clients throughout Rockville and Bethesda Maryland and Virginia and Washington DC.

A twenty-six-year-old man with Down syndrome died while in the custody of Frederick County sheriff’s deputies. Because those deputies are employed by the state, the family bringing the wrongful death action has added Maryland as a defendant in the action.

The man died of asphyxia in January when three deputies, who were moonlighting as mall security officers, tried to remove him from a movie theater. The victim’s family alleges that due to his mental disability he could not appreciate what was going on and the officers should have recognized this and treated the situation with more careful approach.  They mistook his fear and his behavior for resistance. It had been reported that the man was in the Frederick theater without having purchased a ticket for the movie.

The bereaved family has also named Regal Cinemas Inc. and Hill Management Services Inc. along with the three deputies as defendants in the complaint.

This kind of senseless death saddens us all. Stuart Plotnick helps families like this recover the compensation they need. If your loved one was taken too soon because of the negligent acts of someone else, please call 301-251-1286 today or contact the Law Offices of Stuart L. Plotnick, LLC for your consultation with an experienced Bethesda wrongful death lawyer.

We have all heard or seen the commercials that warn against texting and driving, but how many of us really pay attention to the warnings. Have you ever reached for the phone to read that text that comes in while you are at the wheel? As dangerous as it is for adults to distract themselves for a split second, the statistics show that it’s even more hazardous when teens do it.

• Teens are responsible for 10 percent of crash fatalities
• Over half of teens admit to texting and driving
• Forty one (41%)  percent of teens admit to emailing while driving
• Twenty Four (24%) percent of teens admit to  surfing the net while driving

Studies suggest that texting, emailing or web-surfing take your eyes off the road for about 4.6 seconds, long enough to drive the length of a football field. Teens lack the experience on the road to handle distractions and emergencies. Although no one should text and drive, the habit has deadly repercussions when teens practice it. So put your cellphone in park when you drive.

If you’ve been injured in an accident with a teen driver who was texting, please call 301-251-1286 today or contact the Law Offices of Stuart L. Plotnick, LLC for your consultation with an experienced Bethesda car accident attorney.