Arbitration is a form of resolving civil disputes privately, outside of the actual court system. Instead of taking their case to court and having it decided by a jury or judge, both parties voluntarily agree to have the case heard and decided by a private arbitration panel. Arbitration differs from court litigation in a number of significant ways.
It offers many advantages compared to a trial in the court system. But it also has a number of drawbacks. This article summarizes both the perks of arbitration and the drawbacks as compared to the traditional method of litigating in the court system.
We do not arbitrate as many cases as we did ten years ago. Why? First, we handle more malpractice cases than we ever have and malpractice does not lend itself to arbitration.
First, whether your vehicle struck another vehicle, a stationary object, or suffered a rollover, a vehicle’s passengers experience a tremendous amount of force during an accident. This force strains muscles, joints, and bones and can cause serious injuries. Even if a passenger is wearing a seatbelt or is protected by an airbag during an accident, the force of car collision can cause a jerking motion often referred to as whiplash. This can happen with little or no damage to the vehicle. This is not just plaintiffs’ car accident lawyer puffery. There are many scientific peer-reviewed articles that show that the damage done to the vehicle does not always reflect the damage to the occupants. Can you break eggs in a carton without damaging the carton? Whiplash can cause two types of lower back injuries—discogenic and facet joint injuries. Because of the physiology of the back and the proximity of the thirty-one pairs of nerves known as spinal cord, lower back injuries can lead to nerve damage and paralysis. 
Facet joints work with the disks to facilitate and limit movement between the vertebrae. Cartilage surfaces surround facet joints and provide for low-friction motion. These joints define the back’s range of motion and prevent injury from occurring when a person bends too far in one direction. Facet joints have a large number of nerve endings and damage to these joints and the nearby nerves can cause severe pain. Frequently, sufferers of facet joints injuries can cause muscle spasms, which may force the spine out of alignment causing back and neck pain. For example, a patient may experience a muscle spasm that causes the joint to freeze or lock in place; this can occur abruptly and without notice. 
The most important part of a personal injury trial is the plaintiff’s testimony. Specifically, the most critical part of a trial is the personal injury plaintiff’s direct examination. If it doesn’t go well when you are in total control of the process and the facts, it will be nearly impossible to get a favorable damages award. We believe in thoroughly preparing the plaintiff to testify, both on direct and cross-examination. I would not be surprised to learn that our firm spends more time on direct examination preparation than any firm in Maryland.
You know what’s funny about stuff you post on the internet? It’s public, and that means people can see it. This includes those you would rather not see it. For example, if you are a disability claimant, you may want to forego that chance to 
Anybody who has seen the fantastic HBO series The Wire knows that the Baltimore Police have more than enough to do. Even with the recent drop in Baltimore’s murder rate, our police are still very busy. The problem is not that they are offended by a subpoena.
We handle a lot of nursing home cases and this call was very typical. We get a lot of calls on nursing home cases, particularly when a serious injury or death is involved. It’s normal for a traumatic event like this to leave grief-stricken family members looking for answers. In nursing home negligence claims, surviving family members call because they see the care at the nursing home. In many of them, the care provided is awful. Then, their mother/father/wife/husband/brother/sister dies. They are calling to see if two plus two equals four. Quite often, it does.