Tag: personal injury law firm maryland

The Top 5 Most Significant Product Recalls of 2016

Posted on by YostLaw

When making an important purchase, such as a mobile device or a vehicle, there are many factors that help in your decision making process. It is important to consider the potential safety risks associated with any product that you purchase. As consumers, we put our faith in manufacturers to deliver safe products and we trust our government agencies for making companies abide by strict safety and manufacturing guidelines.

But this is not always the case. There are millions of defective products recalled across the U.S every year that put our safety and health at risk.

Below are the top 5 significant recalls of 2016, according to GuruFocus.com:

  1. Samsung Galaxy Note 7:
    Cellphone manufacturer Samsung issued a recall for this mobile device after several reports of the device catching fire without prior warning. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, the abrupt fire was due to overheating batteries, causing serious burn injuries in the users. In fact, this product has been deemed so dangerous, that they are prohibited on all airline flights.
  1. Volkswagen Vehicles:
    11 million Volkswagen vehicles across the globe were recalled due to defective and false emissions control systems. The automaker must pay $14.7 billion in settlements to compensate vehicle owners for damages.
  1. Takata Airbags:
    Going on its fourth year of various product recalls, Takata airbags were recalled due to concerns of dangerously exploding airbags. These airbags reportedly sent metal shards flying at drivers and passengers in 19 different automakers causing serious injury to drivers.
  1. General Motor Vehicles:
    In addition to Takata airbags existing in many GM vehicles, this automaker also issued a recall in faulty ignition switches in cars and trucks, which caused the front upper control arms to separate. So basically, when owners of these defective vehicles were driving, if a persons knee hit their keys in the ignition, vehicles could literally turn off, causing serious accidents, and harm to drivers.
  1. IKEA Dressers:
    Nearly 30 million units of MALM dressers and chests were recalled due to stability issues. In the most severe cases, the dressers tipped over and caused injury and death in children, adults and pets. One tip is, if you do have small children, bolt all furniture to the wall in your child’s bedroom.

As consumers, we should feel safe that all products on the market have been properly manufactured, tested and evaluated for all potential safety risks. But mistakes and blatant disregard do happen.

If you or a loved one has been injured by an unsafe or defective vehicle or product, you may have a viable claim for compensation. If you or a family member have been effected by any of the above recall items, or if you think you may have been harmed by another type of defective product, call The Yost Legal Group for help at 1-800-YOST-LAW (1-800-967-8529). You will receive a FREE, confidential, no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced Baltimore, Maryland and Washington D.C Product Liability Lawyers.

The attorneys at The Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. If we take your case, you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front, and you owe us nothing until we recover for you.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Keep Driving Safety a Top Priority During the Holidays!

Posted on by YostLaw

The holidays bring many joys- family traditions, delicious food and most importantly, the cherished company of family and friends. While we get so wrapped up in the process of gift shopping, time in the kitchen and organizing holiday arrangements, we sometimes fail to consider driving safety around this chaotic time.

Although we don’t like to think about it, driving safety is a legitimate concern around the holidays. A study conducted by the National Safety Council revealed that the holiday season costs us nearly 700 lives on U.S roads as well as 37,200 injuries from car accidents.

With people rushing to complete last-minute errands, trying to arrive on time and driving after a couple alcoholic beverages, the roads become a dangerous place.

At The Yost Legal Group, we want to ensure the utmost safety among all Maryland residents. Many lives are lost each year due to motor vehicle accidents during the holidays. Help reduce holiday car accidents by following these safety tips:

  • Drive protected. You should always put on your seatbelt the second you get in your car. Make sure all children are in the proper safety seats that are aligned to their age, height and weight
  • Drive sober. Even if you only had one drink, this can negatively alter your capabilities behind the wheel. Designate a sober friend in advance or arrange an alternative transportation, such as a cab, Uber or Lyft.
  • Drive alert. If you are in the least bit tired, pull over and take a short nap. Alternate drivers if there are other occupants in the vehicle.
  • Drive attentively. Under no circumstances should a cellphone be used while driving. If you need GPS directions, have the passenger navigate the way or pull over to figure out your directions.
  • Don’t Text & Drive. Wait until you have reached your destination to look at your mobile device to check emails, view texts or communicate with anyone. By taking your eyes off the road for just a moment to view your cell phone, you could cause a serious accident, which could take another persons life. It is NOT worth it.

By keeping these basic tips in mind could make all the difference in a happy, healthy and safe new year for you and your family.

To read more about this, click here.

It doesn’t matter where you are going when you get behind the wheel. What matters is the safety of you, the occupants in your vehicle, and the surrounding motorist on the road. We tend to get overwhelmed out in the excitement of the holiday and drive irresponsibly as a result, but at the end of the day, it is our safety and wellbeing that should remain the highest priority.

Please keep these safety tips in mind this holiday season.

Happy holidays!

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Stay Safe While Decorating Your Home This Holiday Season!

Posted on by YostLaw

When it comes to the holiday season, a big part of the fun is decorating your home in the spirit! Ornamenting Christmas trees and hanging lights in and around your home is so much fun for the entire family. This is also a great way to bring families and neighbors together.

Although a lot of creativity and excitement goes into the decorating process, many people get caught up in the process and overlook basic safety issues. Last year, in November and December  nearly 14,000 people were sent to the hospital due to holiday-decoration related accidents. Many of these injuries were linked to falls, cuts, strains and accidental indigestion of foreign objects.

At The Yost Legal Group, Baltimore and Washington D.C attorneys, we want to ensure you and your family is as safe as possible this holiday season. While decorating your home for the holidays can be fun, please also take into consideration the risks associated with the decorations you select. Just because something looks nice does not mean it is a safe, practical idea. People can trip over cords, children may knock over candles and ornaments and fuses can easily be blown.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants to spread awareness to keep Americans as safe as possible during the holiday season. Please keep in mind these following tips:

  • Trees. The placement of your Christmas tree is important. Never place your tree near a fireplace, radiators or other heat sources. Additionally, keep up with the maintenance of the tree by watering it on a daily basis. A well-maintained Christmas tree is less of a fire hazard than an unkempt, dry tree.
  • “Snow.” A unique way to spunk up your home is to incorporate artificial snow in your decoration scheme. Although this looks appealing, it can be an irritant if swallowed, especially if there are young children around. To properly avoid injury, read labels and follow directions closely.
  • Lights. Whether indoor or outside, only use lights that have been tested for safety. When you buy new lights or use ones from the previous year, check for broken bulbs, cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, and loose connections. Dispose of any damaged sets or repair before using
  • Candles. Never use lighted candles on a tree or near evergreens. Keep candles in locations where they cannot be knocked over and out of reaching distance from children. And make sure that you blow out any candles at the end of the day, so that candles are not lit when you are sleeping. Sparks can fly; candles can fall over, and can become a fire hazard. Ultimately, it is best to purchase non-flammable candles to dismiss the likelihood of a fire.
  • Ornaments. Please make sure that smaller ornaments are high up enough on the tree, so that your youngsters cannot grab them, and ingest them, which could cause a choking hazard. And watch out for ornaments that break or have small parts that break off, again, could be a choking hazard for small children, or could potentially cut someone.

By keeping these essential tips in mind, you could save yourself, a family member or a friend from a trip to the hospital. Let’s keep this holiday a safe one for everyone. After all, it is the time spent with our loved ones that truly matters the most.

Happy Holidays!

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

National Teen Driver Safety Week Starts This Weekend

Posted on by YostLaw

According to the most recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death of young people between the ages of 15-19. It is extremely important to speak with young people in our community about the importance of practicing safe driving behavior at all times, and National Teen Driver Safety Week is the perfect time to start the conversation.

National Teen Driver Safety Week started in 2007 following a series of tragic car accidents involving young drivers. For nearly a decade, Teen Driver Safety Week has been held during the third week in October with the goal of raising awareness of safe driving behavior among teenagers, and reducing number of tragic and preventable car accidents.

Teenagers face serious risks every time they go out on the road due to a number of factors:

  • Teenage drivers are inexperienced: It takes time and practice to fully learn the rules of the road and to be able to react quickly in dangerous situations. Many young drivers that only have their driver’s license for a few months or a year are not yet aware of how and when to react to certain situations on the road.
  • The teenage brain is still developing: Research shows that our brains do not fully develop until we reach our early 20’s. That means that teenagers are operating motor vehicles while the parts of their brains that influence reflexes, impulse control, and decision making, are not fully formed. This can lead to poor decisions, unsafe behavior, and an inability to react to danger in time.
  • Teenagers face more distractions than ever before: Whether teenage motorists are talking with passengers, adjusting the radio, sending text messages or posting to social media, there is a lot of temptation to become distracted behind the wheel. Any one of these behaviors can distract a driver and keep their eyes, and mind, off of the task of driving. When drivers are distracted, even for a moment, the results can be devastating.
  • Risk-taking behaviors: All young people have a lot of lessons to learn about the consequences of their decisions. Due to a combination of youth, inexperience, and biological factors, teenage motorists are more likely to engage in risky behaviors while driving. This could include speeding, disobeying posted stop lights or stop signs, driving while intoxicated, or not wearing a seatbelt. All of these behaviors increase their risk of being involved in a serious traffic accident.

At the Yost Legal Group, we want to do our part to make sure that every driver, regardless of age, reaches their destination safely. For parents, this is a very important time to speak with the young drivers in your family about how important it is for them to drive defensively and protect themselves at all times when out on the road.

Click here for resources that can help parents discuss safe driving with your teenager.

If you or a loved one are involved in any type of traffic accident that not your fault, the Yost Legal Group may be able to help. Call us today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential consultation. When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Car Accident attorney at no cost to you.

At the Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front, and we don’t get paid unless we recover for you.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Defective Medical Devices Can Have Devastating Consequences

Posted on by YostLaw

Manufacturers of medical devices have an obligation to ensure the safety of their products. The effects of a faulty device can be devastating.  Companies that fail in their duty to keep patients safe must be held fully accountable.

If you received a hip replacement from the Stryker Orthopedics Corporation, you could be entitled to compensation. Their Stryker Rejeuvenate and ABG-11 modular-neck hip systems were recalled as a result of their harmful effects on many patients, including:

  • Pain
  • Difficulty Walking
  • Inflammation
  • Squeaky Hips
  • Metallosis
  • General Discomfort

These side effects are a result of potential metallosis, or metal ion poisoning from small particles of metal rubbing against one another. The Stryker hips are made entirely of metal, which fragments when rubbed together.

Although an average hip replacement can last for 15 years or more, Stryker patients are seeing complications as soon as 5 years or less past their surgery. Over 20,000 patients have received Stryker hips and now stand at risk.

If you or a loved one has suffered the effects of these defective hip replacements, contact the experienced, concerned attorneys at The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529). We will work hard to get to the truth and see that justice is served.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Lawyers Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights.

Be Careful Swimming This Summer – Pool Safety Is Important

Posted on by YostLaw

Last week, a man tragically lost his life when he drowned at the Maryland Beaver Dam Swimming Club. Unfortunately, this is a common event during the heat of the summer months, when men, women and children flock to pools and water parks to cool off.  It is important to follow all safety regulations when swimming in order to prevent these horrific accidents.

Beaver Dam Swimming Club has been the site of a number of drownings. In 2001, a 20-year-old man died in the water. And in 2002, the club was ordered to pay more than $700,000 to the family of a 24-year-old victim. It was in a Baltimore County circuit court in 2002 where the family was awarded $760,000 in a $2 million lawsuit against the club after they claimed the staff was negligent in their response to find the victim.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that nearly 400 children drown in a pool each year, with 75 percent of those incidents involving children younger than 5. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, children between the ages of 1 and 3 and African-American children between the ages 5 and 19 are most likely to drown. The CPSC has initiated a Pool Safelycampaign. Pool Safely is a national public education effort to reduce drowning.

The CPSC’s Top 10 Tips to Stay Safe Around the Pool and Spa:

1.   Never leave a child unattended in or around a pool
2.   Teach children basic water safety tips
3.   If a child is missing, first look in the pool
4.   Keep children away from pool drains
5.   Ensure all pool drain covers comply with federal standards
6.   Learn how to swim and teach your children to swim
7.   Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults
8.   Install a 4-foot or taller fence around the perimeter of the pool
9.   Install lockable safety cover on your spa
10. Have lifesaving equipment easily accessible

Swimming pools can pose serious dangers and accidents are far too common.

If you or a loved one is ever injured in a swimming pool accident call The Yost Legal Group, Baltimore, MD and Northern Virginia personal injury lawyers for help. We’ll speak with you for free to discuss your situation and help you understand your rights. If we take your case, we will do so on a no win/no fee or expence basis.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a swimming pool accident in Baltimore MD or Northern Virginia, call 1-800-YOST-LAW (1-800-967-8529) to speak with one of our experienced attorneys today.

The Yost Legal Group, Experienced Lawyers Dedicated to Protecting your Rights.

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