Falls make for great slapstick moments in movies, but they work much differently in real life. Slip-and-fall accidents often result in severe injuries for victims. From broken bones to head trauma, recovery from these accidents can be time-consuming and financially draining. However, most victims in Maryland can achieve compensation for their injuries if their fall occurred on another person’s property.

One of the most common causes of slip-and-fall accidents comes from slippery or otherwise ill-maintained floors. However, the simple existence of a spill, wax or crack does not necessarily mean that a property owner is liable for another person’s injuries. Instead, courts will look at whether the owner took steps to adequately warn others of potential dangers. For instance, was there a sign for a spill or did the owner rope off an area of floor that was recently treated with wax?

You regularly see emergency vehicles such as police cars, ambulances and fire trucks, their sirens blaring as they rush to accident scenes or transport injured people to the hospital.

In a twist of irony, though, emergency vehicles can be at higher risk of involvement in a vehicle crash. High speeds and the element of surprise for other drivers make for a dangerous combination. So, emergency personnel who are helping someone could end up hurting or killing someone else.

If one strikes and injures you, do you have legal recourse? In many cases, yes, you do.

You’re in downtown Baltimore, riding in the bike lane with traffic, when a guy in a Jeep sideswipes you. The driver says he was on his way to the Orioles game and was running late. That would explain why he was speeding through a 25 mph zone and endangering everyone in the vicinity, including cyclists like you.

Speeding – especially aggressive driving by people in a hurry – is frequently a root cause of traffic accidents. And innocent people pay the price for those negligent drivers who are always behind schedule.

Millions of dollars are spent on campaigns against texting while driving. But texting is just one form of distraction. Eating. Smoking. The radio. Pets. Or simply zoned out.

According to federal traffic data, the most common cause of distracted driving deaths is …. daydreaming at the wheel. Are you paying attention to the road? What dangerous things are your fellow drivers doing?

Professionalism in the work place can be much more than just a point of company pride — it can be the difference between life and death. An out-of-state dermatologist was recently accused of behaving inappropriately in the operating room, causing severe injuries to her patients. She is currently facing at least five medical malpractice lawsuits, which Maryland victims of malpractice may also choose to utilize when seeking justice.

Nearly three years ago, a soon-to-be married bride sought help from the self-proclaimed “leading cosmetic surgeon” in the area. Although the bride was only seeking a minor cosmetic correction surgery, the surgeon convinced her to undergo an additional surgery to make her stomach flatter. After eight hours of surgery, the bride stopped breathing. Although the attending staff phoned 911, the damage was already done by the time they arrived, and the bride suffered permanent and irreversible brain damage. The victim is now cared for full-time by her adult son.

The National Transportation Safety Board is recommending seat belts on school buses. This may be the push needed for Maryland and other states to protect students who take the bus.

Seat belts on buses do save lives and limit injuries. However, the debate always comes down to the substantial cost of adding safety belts and who will pay for it. School districts look to state legislatures. States look to the federal government.

Another deadly school bus crash

The NTSB announced its recommendations just days after a school bus collided with a dump truck in New Jersey, killing one child and one adult aboard the bus and injuring 40 others. That bus was equipped with seatbelts, which probably further deaths or worse injuries.

The board is calling for lap belts and shoulder harnesses on all new school buses. A few states already require seat belts or lap and shoulder restraints. Unless older buses are retrofitted (at a cost of millions) it would take several years before all of Maryland’s schoolchildren are protected by a 3-point system. Better late than never.

Sports utility vehicles are popular choices for many families in Maryland, and it is easy to see why. These vehicles typically offer adequate seating, ample storage space and competitive gas mileage, all of which is perfect for a busy family on the go. However, there may be a darker side to SUVs — an increase in pedestrian accidents.

In 2009, the number of pedestrian fatalities — having been on a downward trend since 1975 — hit a record low. But that did not last long, and from 2009 to 2016, fatal accidents involving a single motor vehicle and pedestrians shot back up over 80 percent. So what is to blame for this frightening increase in deadly pedestrian accidents? Experts from the Governors Highway Safety Associate believe that SUVs are responsible for the sharp uptake in deaths.

People go through life thinking that if they had been a few seconds earlier or a few seconds later, such-and-such would not have happened.

So it is with car crashes and texting. Maryland law prohibits drivers from using hand-held devices while operating a vehicle, yet texting while driving continues to cause roadway disasters. Looking away from the road for a few seconds can literally be life or death.

Motorcycle sales have risen steadily since the early 1990s. That surge was fueled by Baby Boomers who were rediscovering motorcycles or finally indulging their wild side in their empty nest and golden years. At the same time, safety has become increasingly important, especially because there are many more senior riders on the road today.

Fortunately, new safety features continue to pop up. If you love riding your motorcycle, here are five safety innovations for you to consider.

In the past few years, concussions and other brain injuries suffered by football players have been much in the news. However, football and other contact sports are in the minority in terms of causing serious brain damage.

Vehicle accidents are at fault for many more cases of traumatic brain injury across the country.

Understanding the two forms of TBI

Even in a low-speed, rear-end collision, serious brain trauma is possible. There are two forms of traumatic brain injury: open and closed. An open head injury refers to a skull fracture or an incident in which a foreign object penetrates the skull. A closed head injury, which is much more common, is caused by a blow to the head; no open wound is involved. This could happen, for example, if the impact of a rear-end collision causes a person’s head to strike the steering wheel or dashboard.