Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Staying Safe on Your Bicycle
When a Stockton woman and her 9-year old son took their bicycles out for a spin one late afternoon, neither had any idea that it would be their last ride together. 43-year old Lynn Wolff was struck by a vehicle that fateful day and lost her life. It was one of many horrendous bicycle… Read More »
Securing Guardianship of a Vulnerable Adult
Too many elderly and otherwise vulnerable adults are prey to unscrupulous pariahs who seek to abuse or exploit them. Maryland courts are determined to protect these vulnerable adults and elderly Marylanders. Rules related to guardians, guardianships, and lawyers are designed to protect those who are unable to manage their own finances or who cannot… Read More »
Coronavirus and Rising Divorce Rates
Since the end of February, one government office in China has been bombarded with over 300 requests for divorce, an unprecedented number. Across the country, since the coronavirus outbreak, there has been a deluge of divorce requests. What’s behind the staggering increase in couples seeking to split in China, and will we see a… Read More »
Locked Down with an Abuser During Pandemic
If you live with an abusive spouse, you may be more panicked than ever now that the country is in the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic. Close quarters can be difficult under the best of circumstances; the increased stresses associated with the medical, economic, and personal impacts families are suffering due to coronavirus make… Read More »
Baby Boomers Looking at Divorce
While it’s true that the divorce rate in this country is on the wane, the fact of the matter is that baby boomers have been divorcing at a higher rate than other groups for quite some time. That being said, it must be noted at divorcing after age 50 can have significant emotional and… Read More »
Preventing Rollover Accidents
What could be more terrifying than being involved in an accident that causes your vehicle to flip upside down? One thing comes to mind: having your vehicle flip upside down in flames, water, or both. Any such accident is likely to result in serious injuries or death. If you or a loved one has… Read More »
Medication Errors
Is it unreasonable to expect effective, efficient, and proper medical care in this country? When a physician prescribes a medication to address a medical issue, shouldn’t we be able to assume we are getting the right dose of the right medicine? The objective answer to that question is, of course, yes. But real world… Read More »
Loose Loads are a Hazard on Maryland Roads
It probably wouldn’t surprise most people to hear that road debris causes a lot of accidents across the country. In one study of a three-year period, in fact, over 200,000 collisions occurred as a result of foreign objects on the road. Those crashes led to nearly 40,000 injuries and 500 fatalities across the country. … Read More »
Police Encounter Leads to Wrongful Death Settlement
Members of the public have interactions with law enforcement personnel every day in Maryland. Some of those encounters are barely a blip on the radar; some involve a level of resistance. Others, still, involve individuals suffering from mental illnesses, emotional distress, or drug-induced symptoms. Rarely do circumstances result in a fatality. When it does,… Read More »
Dangers to Motorcyclists
A young man was killed one early morning in October 2019 while riding his motorcycle along Veterans Highway in Minersville. The motorcyclist was not speeding; he wasn’t flipping wheelies or zigzagging through traffic. The sad truth is, Brandon Haney was minding his own business when a motorist failed to yield the right of way… Read More »
