Yost Law Legal Blog

Baltimore, Maryland

The Yost Legal Group in Baltimore, Maryland is a multi – service personal injury law firm focusing on serious personal injury and wrongful death cases.

Archive for June, 2010

Accidents and Traumas that Cause Spinal Cord Injury

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

Your spinal cord is more fragile than you may think, and it doesn’t take much to injure it compared to other areas of your body. Although it is protected by the bony vertebrae in your back, sometimes that is not enough. When the victim of an accident injures their spinal cord, they may suffer partial or complete paralysis that usually requires a lifetime of care.

There are many kinds of accidents or traumas to the spinal cord that can result in paralysis. The most common kind of accidents to cause spinal cord injuries is car accidents. Being crushed or thrown around the vehicle during impact can cause serious injury. Another way the spinal cord can be injured in a car accident is with a whiplash injury when the victim’s head snaps forward and then back over the car seat. These kinds of injuries may not paralyze, but the pain and suffering may need a constant stream of pain medication and expensive visits to the doctor.

Contact sports, especially football, are another risk factor for spinal cord injuries to young people in high school and college. Repetitive jarring or damage to the tendons and ligaments can cause more serious spinal cord injuries later on in life.

Other Accidents and Traumas
According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, there are certain conditions where it should be assumed a spinal cord injury has occurred. These include:

• Vehicle rollover where passenger has been ejected
• Pedestrian accident involving car going over 18mph
• Significant falls
• Shallow water diving or surfing accident
• Motorcycle accident where helmet was damaged
• Unconscious trauma patient with head or neck injury
• Penetrating injuries to the spinal cord, such as gunshot wound
• Physical signs and symptoms associated with the spine in an accident, including tenderness around spinal cord

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident or fall that was due to the negligence of another party in the Baltimore, Maryland area, please contact the experienced Maryland spinal cord injury lawyers at the Yost Legal Group. We can help get you the compensation you deserve.

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What to Expect Following Traumatic Brain Injury

Monday, June 21st, 2010

After a traumatic brain injury (TBI), there is often a period of uncertainty while doctors determine the severity of the injury and diagnose all its symptoms. Even with 21^st century medical technology, the prognosis for TBI patients is not always clear until long after the injury occurs. Some behavioral symptoms may go unrecognized for weeks or months. In the meantime, it may be very stressful if you do not know what to expect.

TBI Symptoms

Traumatic brain injury symptoms are difficult to summarize because in many ways each TBI presents unique challenges. The brain is a highly sensitive, organized, and complicated system in which damage to one part may affect others in unexpected ways. Therefore, symptoms of TBI depend greatly on the location of the injury as well as the severity of the impact.

For example, injuries to the back of the head near the visual cortex can cause blurred vision and other visual problems. However, TBIs affecting other areas may still cause the same symptom. The most severe traumatic brain injuries can cause permanent disability or long periods of unconsciousness or unawareness. Coma, persistent vegetative state, and even death can result from the extensive damage of a very serious TBI.

TBI Legal Options

Any severe impact or blow to the skull can result in traumatic brain injury. Most commonly, TBI is the result of an accident that may be the fault of another party’s negligence, such as:

• Auto accidents
• Truck accidents
• Defective products
• Slip and falls

The Maryland personal injury lawyers of the Yost Legal Group have years of experience recovering damages for victims of TBI or wrongful death. Our goal is to get you the compensation you deserve for the suffering you and your family have endured. We strive to ensure that the financial impact of TBI or other personal injury does not compound the emotional pain you feel.

If you or your family member has suffered a TBI in Baltimore, Maryland, please contact the Baltimore traumatic brain injury attorneys of the Yost Legal Group to schedule a consultation.

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Denture Cream Zinc Poisoning

Monday, June 21st, 2010

In February GlaxoSmithKline pulled three of its zinc-containing denture adhesives from the market because of links to zinc poisoning. The recall affects Super Poligrip Original, Extra care, and Ultra Fresh. Fixodent, another zinc-containing denture adhesive manufactured by Proctor & Gamble, continues to be sold in stores and the company has no plans to discontinue the product.

Overuse of Denture Adhesives

Denture creams containing zinc, including Super Poligrip and Fixodent, are generally considered save when used as directed. However, many consumers use too much denture adhesive because the directions are too small for them to read or because of poorly fitting dentures.

Despite the fact that overuse of these zinc-containing denture adhesives is widespread, both manufacturers have neglected to disclose the danger to consumers or provide adequate warnings about zinc poisoning. As a result, they may be found liable in defective product lawsuits for damages caused by their products.

Symptoms of Zinc Poisoning

Small amounts of zinc are an important part of daily nutrition and are included in many vitamin and mineral supplements. Large amounts of zinc, however, can lead to copper deficiency as zinc replaces copper in many chemical reactions inside the body. Copper deficiency is characterized by neurological symptoms such as:

• Ataxia (motor control failure)
• Leg numbness or feeling of heaviness
• “Glove and stocking” sensation (feeling gloves or stockings when hands/feet are bare)
• Neuropathy (nervous system damage)
• Spastic movements

Seek medical attention immediately if you are experiencing any potential zinc poisoning symptoms, and ask to be tested for copper deficiency or high levels of zinc if you have used Super Poligrip or Fixodent in the past. If you are affected by zinc poisoning because of defective denture adhesives, our Baltimore personal injury lawyers will help you determine if you are eligible to file a defective product lawsuit.

If you or a loved one is suffering from zinc poisoning because of defective denture adhesives, please contact the Baltimore defective product lawyers of the Yost Legal Group to schedule a consultation.

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Reglan and Tardive Dyskinesia

Monday, June 21st, 2010

Reglan is a drug used as an antiemetic (anti-nausea) and gastroprokinetic agent, a type of drug that helps food move more quickly through the stomach. However, Reglan should not be taken over long periods of time because of a drug defect that increases the risk of tardive dyskinesia.

Signs and Symptoms of Tardive Dyskenesia

Tardive dyskinesia is an irreversible condition that causes involuntary movements (dyskinesia) and may have a slow or late onset (tardive). This means that the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia may not present themselves for quite some time after exposure to the defective drug Reglan. The involuntary movements most commonly associated with tardive dyskinesia involve the face, especially the lips and eyes, and the fingers. Generally, the longer the victim was exposed to Reglan, the more severe the symptoms become.

Rights of Tardive Dyskinesia Victims

Tardive dyskinesia can be caused by long-term exposure to any of a category of drugs known as dopamine antagonists, which affect the body’s use of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Most dopamine antagonists are antipsychotic medications, but Reglan also fits this description. If you or a loved one is experiencing the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia and has taken Reglan in the past, talk to your doctor about a potential Tardive Dyskinesia diagnosis. Then, consult with our experienced Baltimore defective drugs lawyers to see if you may have grounds for a lawsuit.

Because Tardive Dyskinesia is irreversible, years of medical care and inability to work can make the financial impact of the condition very severe. However, the Yost Legal Group can help you recover damages from the makers of the defective drug Reglan under Maryland personal injury law.

To find out if you are eligible to begin or join a Reglan defective drug lawsuit, please contact the Maryland defective drug lawyers of Yost Legal Group for a free consultation.

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