Malloy Law - April 2023

Take a look at our April newsletter!

Malloy Monthly

MALLOY LAW OFFICES, LLC

Serving You In: Baltimore, MD • Bethesda, MD • Clinton, MD Ellicott City, MD • Frederick, MD • Wheaton, MD Washington, D.C. • Alexandria, VA • Manassas, VA

April 2023

April Showers …

In the event that a slip-and-fall injury due to the negligence and

lack of care of another person or property owner, we can help!

April showers bring May flowers! As spring rolls in, along with warmer temperatures, blooming flowers, and brighter days, we are beginning to see many more rain showers and storms. While watching the rain fall softly on the ground from your patio or living room window can be soothing on a Saturday afternoon, rain can also be hazardous! Many slip-and-fall injuries result from the rain creating slippery surfaces outside of the supermarket, along pathways, in parking lots, and on the floors of many businesses and offices. When this occurs, and you’re injured as a result, we get a common question here at Malloy Law: “Do I have a personal injury lawsuit case?” Slip-and-falls can lead to some devastating injuries including concussions, large cuts and abrasions, and broken bones! To receive compensation for a slip-and-fall accident that occurred in the rain, you must be able to prove that the property owner at the store or business where the fall occurred was negligent and failed to maintain safety for patrons. You must also have evidence to demonstrate that your injuries were caused by the property conditions. In these next few months, we will be seeing a lot of rainy weather here in the DMV area, and I caution all of you to take care to be safe in wet and slippery conditions to avoid dangerous falls. BRING SLIPS AND FALLS

• Only walk in designated areas that are less likely to be slippery and would lead to a potential fall.

• Wear a raincoat or jacket with a hood or use an umbrella to provide visibility.

• Choose the easiest and shortest route to limit your exposure to potentially dangerous areas and conditions.

• If you have difficulty staying balanced, especially in rainy weather conditions, be sure to use your cane, walker, or walking stick for support.

• When entering and exiting your vehicle, take care to test the surface first before walking at full speed.

If you do slip and fall in these April showers, immediately seek medical assistance. It’s important to get checked by medical professionals even if you don’t think you injured yourself. In the event that a slip-and-fall injury is due to the negligence and lack of care of another person or property owner, we can help! Give us a call today so we can help you receive the compensation that you deserve!

When walking in the rain or on surfaces that are wet and slippery after an April shower, here are some precautions to follow:

April showers should always bring May flowers, not devastating injuries! Be safe, stay dry, and be alert!

• Be sure to wear shoes with strong traction. If you aren’t wearing footwear with extra grip, avoid walking in wet and rainy weather if possible. If you need to walk a short distance, (possibly from your car to the store) do so with care! Pay attention to your surroundings and areas that may be slippery.

Happy spring!

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Motor Vehicle Accidents • Workers’ Compensation • Slip and Fall • Social Security Disability • And More

Here’s What You Need INJURED ON TH THE HORRIFYING HISTORY OF HAND-WASHING

Whether you were struck by an object at a construction site, slipped and fell at the office, or threw out your back while moving the broken printer out of the break room, you may be entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits if you’ve been injured on the job. Workers’ compensation, also referred to as workers’ comp, is a program that is mandated by the state and requires businesses with employees that are not the owners to make payments to those employees who are injured while working. While the federal government carries workers’ compensation for its own federal employees, each state carries its own workers’ compensation programs and set of rules and guidelines to go along with it. Workers’ compensation, if you and your situation qualify, may cover hospital visits, doctor’s appointments, therapy, recovery equipment, and medication that results from the injury you endured in your workplace. If you become temporarily disabled after a slip and fall or other work-related accident, workers’ compensation can potentially cover some of your lost wages during your recuperation period. In the event that you are permanently disabled or disfigured after a workplace accident, workers’ compensation may provide lifelong disability benefits to support you. In a worst-case scenario, if an employee loses their life to an accident that happens on the job, some business insurance policies may also provide coverage for all funeral and/or death services and surrounding expenses.

BEFORE DOCTORS KEPT IT CLEAN

We expect our doctors to wash their hands before examining us — it’s a no-brainer. But more than 100 years ago, the idea wasn’t only laughable — it was heresy. The first doctor who implemented mandatory hand-washing in a hospital saw swift improvements in patient mortality rates, but the backlash among other doctors came just as quickly. Before germ theory began to catch on in the late 1800s, doctors believed illnesses were caused by “miasma,” bad smells that originated in swamps, garbage, and decomposing matter. While the concept sounds strange now, convincing a doctor that miasma didn’t exist would be much like telling a modern scientist the earth is flat. The idea of germs or viruses contradicted everything they thought they knew.

Still, a Hungarian doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis began to notice startling mortality rates between two maternity wards at his hospital. The ward run by midwives had a much lower maternal mortality rate than the one staffed by doctors. After watching a colleague die of infection after cutting himself during an autopsy, Semmelweis determined something similar might be happening to maternity ward patients. Many doctors were examining mothers-to-be after performing autopsies — but midwives weren’t.

Semmelweis blamed the problem on miasma from corpses. Nevertheless, he instituted sterilization and hand-washing procedures in the hospital in 1848. The maternal mortality rate dropped substantially in the doctor-run ward, becoming on par with the midwives. Semmelweis had solved the problem. Yet, his colleagues disagreed. Other doctors at the hospital resented the suggestion that they’d been causing their patients’ deaths. And Semmelweis allegedly didn’t make it any easier, behaving in ways others found condescending and arrogant. Further, Semmelweis had no hard proof that hand-washing and sterilization worked. Eventually, the other doctors stopped washing their hands. Semmelweis lost his job at the hospital and, sadly, died in a mental institution. Fortunately, for the rest of the world, Semmelweis was not the only hand-washing proponent. Though they likely came by the idea independently, Doctor Oliver Wendell Holmes and a nurse, Florence Nightingale, encouraged the practice. Their championing and the emergence of germ theory gave us medical professionals who now have much safer habits — and, hopefully, the humility to acknowledge that they always have more to learn.

Take a Break

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Motor Vehicle Accidents • Workers’ Compensation •

HE JOB?

In both Washington, D.C., and Maryland, the laws surrounding to Know!

workers’ compensation are very similar, yet differ in specific places. For more information on each state’s workers’ compensation guidelines, scan the QR codes on this page. We’ve compiled all the details that you need to know, including what to do before, during, and after you or a loved one has been injured on the job!

Flying a kite is a quintessential spring activity, especially for children. But if you struggled to keep your kite in the air as a kid, you’re not alone. Fortunately, you can use a few simple tricks to significantly improve your skills — and help your child become the best kite-flier on the block. Find the right spot. Hopefully, it goes without saying that you shouldn’t fly kites near power lines. Flying it near trees and cars is also a bad idea. It’s best to have at least a quarter-mile open space around you for safety and the best wind conditions. Beaches, empty sports fields, and parks with wide open areas are the perfect places to get your kite airborne. Have the wind at your back. Literally! This position will allow you to watch your kite as it ascends into the air. On a sufficiently windy day, simply holding the kite up by its lowest point and letting go as you unspool your string will be enough to launch it into the sky. When it’s not windy enough for your kite to take flight, try a long-line launch by unspooling about 50 feet of string in a straight line and then taking off running. Remember that kite-flying simply won’t work on some days. If your kite keeps crashing tail first, it may indicate too little wind, while a head-first kite fall may mean too strong a breeze. Keep it tight. Launching your kite is usually the trickiest part of the process, but keeping it aloft isn’t always straightforward. To ensure your kite stays in the air, you must retain tension on the string — but not too much. It’s time to reel out some of the line when the kite begins to tug. But too much string can weigh down your kite and bring it back to earth. When your line starts to slack, slowly spool it in until it feels taut. Keep your eyes on your kite and your mind on the reel, and you’ll be flying like a pro in no time. FLY A KITE LIKE A PRO 3 Expert Tips and Tricks

Washington, D.C.

Maryland

Easy Fruit Dip Inspired by InspiredByCharm.com

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• Slip and Fall • Social Security Disability • And More

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7910 Woodmont Ave. #1250 Bethesda, MD 20814 (202) 933-7277 • Malloy-Law.com

Inside This Issue

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Avoid Catastrophic Injuries This Spring

A Time Before Doctors Washed Their Hands All You Need to Know About Workers’ Comp

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Let’s Go Fly a Kite!

Easy Fruit Dip

Warm Easter Wishes

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com

WE WISH YOU A HAPPY EASTER! Easter is the holiday that truly rings in spring for all of us here at Malloy Law Offices! This time of year, the sun is shining, the air is light, flowers are blooming, and there (hopefully) isn’t any snow in sight! Whether you celebrate the holiday or not, this time of year is a perfect time to get together with family and friends, enjoy a meal together, and celebrate warmer weather and rebirth and renewal. As always, we want to remind you of the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House on Monday, April 10! Last year, 30,000 people attended the Easter “EGGucation” Roll on the day after Easter after the event was canceled in both 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. Tickets are distributed through a free online lottery. If you didn’t enter this year, be sure to be on the lookout early in 2024! From our family here at Malloy Law Offices to you and yours, we wish you a happy and safe Easter Sunday!

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Motor Vehicle Accidents • Workers’ Compensation • Slip and Fall • Social Security Disability • And More

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