- Run against traffic so you can see and react to any mistake an advancing motorist may make.
- Don't assume a driver sees you. Rather, assume that the driver does not see you.
- At a stop sign or caution signal, wait for the driver to waive you through the intersection; then acknolwledge with your own wave.
- Allow at least three feet between you and a passing vehicle; be prepared to move quickly onto the sidewalk or shoulder of the road.
- During runs with groups, go single file when cars need to pass.
- Turning is dangerous. Be sure to utilize hand signals to show which way you plan to go.
- Respect drivers' right to the road; check with Police for local traffic rules.
- Run with identification and carry a mobile phone with emergency contacts

Unbelievable! Prosecutors in Washington, D.C. are dropping DWI charges because the breathalyzers used by the police are apparently inaccurate. 9 of the ten breathalyzer machines in use by the District of Columbia are potentially problematic according to Attorney General Peter Nickles. The breath machines had their motors replaced in October 2008 and since then have not been able to be properly calibrated. Hundreds of DWI cases may have been impacted by this screw up.
Drunk driving cases in Washington, D.C. where there is a serious injury or death should not be affected by this fiasco. In catastrophic injury cases, the person suspected of drunk driving is required to give a blood test or urine test thus making the breathalyzer test irrelevant. In Washington, D.C. a person can be convicted of driving while intoxicated if breath tests are above .08 (No field sobriety tests are needed). A person convicted of drunk driving in Washington, D.C. will get a mandatory 5 day jail sentence if the blood alcohol content is .20 or higher.
Many criminal defense attorneys in Washington, D.C. are angry that the police department and D.C. government was not more forthcoming about the problems that they were having with the breathalyzers.
Many people are injured and killed by drunk drivers in the District of Columbia, and it is important that laws that are on the books to prevent alcohol related car crashes are enforced. In fact, in 2008 13 people were killed in Washington, D.C as a result of alcohol related fatalities. However, it is equally important that the evidence used to convict those accused of drunk driving---especially scientific evidence---is reliable and trustworthy. It is a shame that D.C. did not root out the problem with their breath test machines sooner. Those who have been convicted (or even who plead guilty) to drunk driving charges in Washington, D.C. since October 2008 should hire an attorney to review their case. At Goldberg, Finnegan & Mester we fight hard to protect the rights of victims of drunk driving. If you or a loved one are injured by a drunk driver in Washington, D.C., Maryland or Virginia our attorneys will work hard to located appropriate insurance coverage and make sure that you are fully compensated for your losses. For more information about your rights if you have been injured in Washington, D.C. visit our website at www.gfmjustice.com.

On Saturday there was a fatal car crash in Silver Spring Maryland in which a vehicle driven by Jose Ovidio Martinez Lopez hit a tree after leaving the roadway on Dilston Road (near Avenel Road) in Silver Spring, MD. Tragically, Jose Guillermo Tista Lemus was killed in this crash. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Mr. Lemus. Mr. Lopez was driving a 1994 Volkswagon Jetta at the time of the crash. Anyone who witnessed the crash should call the Montgomery County Maryland Police Collision Reconstruction Unit at 301-840-2435. It is important that the family of Mr. Lemus retain an attorney as soon as possible. In a car crash such as this, it is crucial that a proper fact investigation be done right away. It is not sufficient to rely on the police investigation alone. If, for example, the crash was the result of defects in the Volkswagon Jetta, then it is important that the Volkswagon Jetta involved in the crash be inspected and preserved as evidence. Failure to preserve evidence can make it impossible to pursue a product liability claim later. It does not cost anything up front to hire a personal injury attorney in a serious car accident case such as this. In Maryland, when an individual is killed as a result of negligence or product defect, several legal claims arise. The estate of the person killed has a Survival Claim. In addition, The spouse, children and parents of Mr. Lemus can make a wrongful death claim. To learn more about Maryland Wrongful Death Claims click here. The lawyers at Goldberg, Finnegan & Mester give a free consultation and there is no attorney fee if there is no recovery. Call us at 888-213-8140 or visit our website at www.gfmlawllc.com
All too often those seriously injured or killed in car accidents wait too long to hire an attorney, and as a result evidence is lost or destroyed. Skid Marks on the roadway can fade away. Vehicles that contain parts that may have malfunctioned are destroyed. If the evidence necessary to prove a case is lost, then it may not be possible to prevail. That is just one reason why we urge accident victims and their families to hire an attorney as soon as an accident occurs.



If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or killed in a Toyota vehicle in the past 5 years, then the lawyers at Goldberg, Finnegan & Mester are interested in talking to you about whether it is possible the injury or death was due to the accelerator getting stuck on the floor mat. We are investigating claims relating to a problem in which the accelerator pedal in certain Toyota vehicles and Lexus vehicles becomes entrapped in the floor mat causing a sudden acceleration. Toyota has recalled 9 million vehicles worldwide as a result of this problem. The vehicles that Toyota admits are affected by the problem are the following: Toyota Camry 2007-2010, Toyota Avalon 25-2010, Toyota Prius 2004-2009, Toyota Tacoma 2005-2010 modelsToyota Tundra 2007-2010, Lexus ES 350 2007-2010, Lexus IS 250 2006-2010, and Lecus IS 350 2006-2010 model. Toyota has stopped selling the affected vehicles, but there are thousands of the vehicles still on the road. The customer service number that Toyota has provided is 800-331-4331. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration alerted Toyota and Lexus owners about the issue on September 29, 2009 in a press release, and recommended that the floor mat be removed from the Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Our Maryland car accident lawyers and Virginia car accident lawyers are investigating product liability claims against Toyota, Lexus and the manufacturer of the faulty gas pedal and floor mats (CTS). Claims will include negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty, wrongful death, and survival. If you are involved in a car accident and you suspect that it is due to sudden acceleration (or any product defect for that matter), it is crucial that the vehicle and its components (floor mat, accelerator, etc.) be preserved. Without this evidence it can be difficult or impossible to prove the case.
Goldberg Finnegan & Mester Advice to Consumers: If you own a Toyota or Lexus vehicle you may want remove the driver side floor mat.
The lawyers at Goldberg, Finnegan & Mester, LLC are investigating potential lawsuits relating to individuals who received a heart stent at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Towson, Maryland. Many of the patients who received heart stents at St. Joseph's Hospital may not have actually needed them. Starting in December, 2009 a number of patients received letters about their cardiac catheterization procedures in which they received heart stents. The biggest concern is over surgeries performed by Dr. Mark Midei. The letters sent to patients reportedly indicate that post surgical clinical review procedures revealed that the results of the cath tests were in fact different than indicated on the original heart catheterization report. Some of these patients may have received unnecessary stents in their heart valves, and thus have been subjected to substantial health risks. The doctor who is believed to have performed the unnecessary procedures is Dr. Mark Midei. He was a prominent heart surgeon who has recently stopped practicing medicine and has lost his privileges at St. Joseph's hospital. What transpired is that some patients were told that they had blockage of 80-95% when in fact they only had a very small amount of blockage--even as low as 10%. Medical Guidelines reveal that in order for a stent procedure to be necessary, there should be blockage of at least 70%. Once a stent procedure is performed on a cardiac patient, patients face long term risks including the risk of blood clots in the stent (which can cause a heart attack), and/or other life threatening injuries. To reduce the risk of clotting in stent patients, many are prescribed a blood thinner such as Plavix (expensive--and has its own risks/side effects). Our legal team believes that anyone who had an unnecessary cardiac stent procedure performed at St. Josephs has potential legal claims against Dr. Midei, St. Josephs, and possibly others. Claims would include medical negligence, battery, violation of Maryland's Consumer Protection Act, and possibly even fraud. Whereas punitive damages are not available in most negligence cases in Maryland, because the cases involving unnecessary stent procedures at St. Josephs involved intentional conduct and was possibly even deceptive and deceiptful, it is quite possible that punitive damages will be available as well. In December 2005 a Baltimore Jury returned a $5 Million dollar verdict against Dr. Mark G. Midei and Midatlantic Cardivascular Association. The jury found that the doctor improperly steered a patient to a surgeon employed by the practice rather than to his own surgeon who belonged to a rival group. After the verdict, it is reported that Dr. Midei said "I've done close to 30,000 procedures on patients and have never been sued until now." If you or someone you love had a cardiac stent procedure performed at St. Josephs Hospital and/or done by Dr. Midei, call us at 301-589-2999 so that we can evaluate your claim.