General Motors Sued Over Collision Between Autonomous Vehicle and Motorcycle

As my avid blog followers already know, I am a Baltimore Chiropractor with three Chiropractic/rehab clinics in Baltimore, MD. Due to the congested nature of the roads in and around Baltimore, we treat many Baltimore citizens who have suffered from auto accident injuries. Typically these patients present with headaches, neck pain, and back pain. Occasionally these pains radiate from their neck and go down their arm. These symptoms can include radiating pain and/or numbness, tingling, and weakness in the affected extremity. Additionally, we routinely treat patients with sciatica, as they similarly display pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness due to lower back injuries.

I like to skim the headlines for news articles that are likely to impact me and my business. Anytime I see something that relates to autonomous driving and auto accidents I stop in my tracks to read the article. A recent article has surfaced that I find interesting because it has many ramifications on the future of autonomous driving. In past blog posts I have posed the question as to who is ultimately financially responsible if an autonomous vehicle causes a crash? Would it be the manufacturer? The owner of the vehicle?

In what’s thought to be the first lawsuit of its kind, a motorcyclist in San Francisco is suing General Motors, manufacturer of the Chevy Cruise for injuries and pain and suffering stemming from a December 7th collision in which the motorcyclist alleges that the Chevy Cruise changed lanes and knocked the cyclist onto the ground, injuring his neck and shoulder. By the way, we routinely treat patients with neck and shoulder pain so these symptoms would not be shocking to me or the Chiropractors that I work with.

As is the case with any motor vehicle collision or car accident, there are two sides to the story. The motorcyclist reports that he was lane-splitting (riding between two lanes of traffic, which apparently is legal in California) when he reported that the Chevy Cruise left the center lane and attempted to merge into the left lane. He then reports that the Cruise veered back into the lane that he was in, striking him, and causing his motorcycle to wobble before finally hitting the ground and injuring him. It is thought that the speeds during the collision were relatively slow, somewhere between 12-17 mph. As my chiropractors and I are aware injuries can definitely occur even at relatively low rates of speed.

Another interesting twist to the article is that there was a human assistant driver behind the wheel of the Chevy Cruise at the time of the collision. He reportedly tried to take control of the vehicle to avoid impacting the motorcyclist but he was unable to. Will he also be named in the lawsuit? I think its too early to tell.

The police report alleges that the motorcyclist was at fault, stating that the Cruise attempted to merge left, aborted the merge, and then came back into its own lane. It further alleges that the motorcyclist made an unsafe lane change when conditions did not permit it.

First and foremost I hope that the motorcyclist, regardless of who is ultimately at fault for the accident, makes a complete recovery. The more interesting thing that remains to be seen over the next few months is the case-law component. That is, who will the courts find is ultimately responsible for injuries inflicted upon motorcyclists and car passengers when an autonomous vehicle is found to have caused injuries. As soon as I know the answer I’ll be sure to post an update to this blog post.

For now, if you, or someone you know, has been injured as a result of a Baltimore auto accident injury, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to get you back on the road to recovery!

Dr. Gulitz

Maryland Considering Lower Blood Alcohol Levels from .08 to .05

As my avid blog followers are already aware, I am a Baltimore Chiropractor with three Baltimore Chiropractic clinics in Baltimore, MD. The great part about our clinics is that not only do they serve the Baltimore city community, but with our convenient locations are are also accessible to the Baltimore county communities of Catonsville, Arbutus, Halethorpe, Pikesville, and Dundalk. Lately all of these clinics have been seeing an uptick in the number of Baltimore auto accident injury patients that have been injured as a result of drunk drivers. So it got me thinking – what, if anything, are we doing to make the roads safer?

An article I found on WJZ (local CBS affiliate) seems to indicate that law makers are considering decreasing the legal blood alcohol content from .08 to .05. You can see a copy of that link here. Apparently over two billion people in the world are already capped at a max BAC of .05 before they are considered to be driving under the influence. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University state that on American roads there are approximately 10,000 deaths a year that are directly linked to alcohol related drunk driving car accidents, with approximately 1,200 of those occurring within the state of Maryland. That seems like a high proportion of those deaths happening in this state. Between our density of local colleges and our big cities with bars on every corner, it sort of doesn’t surprise me.

In addition to considering lowering the legal limit of BAC, the state is considering increasing taxes on alcohol, limiting the ability of alcohol manufacturers to advertise for their products, and restricting the supply of alcoholic beverages during major events such as sporting events.

To further confuse matters – exactly what would a lower blood alcohol content from .08 to .05 mean to me or you? Can we still have a beer or glass of wine with dinner? How can we tell the impact it will have on our particular bodies with the way that we individually process alcohol?

Personally I think the only acceptable level of consumption of alcohol to get behind the wheel is 0. That is, with the abundance of rideshare apps such as Uber and Lyft, its reasonable to never have to drive having even consumed one alcoholic beverage. I personally would feel safer if there was a “zero tolerance” law around alcohol and driving. But, that’s easy for me to say since I don’t really like drinking. As my friends with legal DUI practices like to remind me, it’s way cheaper to spend ten dollars for an uber ride than it is to spend $5,000 or more on DUI defense. If you unfortunately need to consult with a DUI attorney please contact the law office of Ross Albers here.

If you, or someone you know, has been injured as a result of a Baltimore auto accident due to drunk driving, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at 443-842-5500. We would be happy to see you today in any one of our three Baltimore chiropractic clinics and get you back on the road to recovery.

Dr. Gulitz

Top 10 Causes of Baltimore Auto Accidents

As my avid blog followers are aware, I am a Baltimore Chiropractor with three Chiropractic clinics in Baltimore, MD. We recently opened our Southwest Baltimore clinic, located at 4600 Wilkens Avenue #102, Baltimore, MD 21229. As expected we’ve seen an increase in the number of auto accident injuries early in January. Typically these patients present with a constellation of symptoms including, but not limited to, headaches, neck pain, back pain, arm pain, and leg pain. While my staff and I are more than happy to take care of these patients when they present, it became clear to me that auto accident injuries were on the rise. As such, I wanted to take a look at the top 10 causes of Baltimore auto accidents. So here they are in no particular order:

1. Rain/Snow – The elements definitely play a factor in auto accidents. Posted driving speed limits are meant for “ideal” conditions and not compromised conditions. I know that in my clinics shortly after rain and/or snow we typically see an influx of new auto accident injury patients. Please slow down and allow for more time to brake during rainy or snowy conditions.

2. Aggressive Driving – Many people do not provide adequate distances between them and other motor vehicles. They speed aggressively, they slam their brakes, and they change lanes quickly without engaging a turn signal. Remember when you are on the road other drivers need to be able to predict your behavior so that they can drive safely around you.

3. Drunk Driving – While there is a legal limit for alcohol content, I personally think that even a single alcoholic drink impairs decision making, reaction times, and motor control. With the advent of uber and lyft and other ride share applications, we should really be focusing on decreasing the amount of impaired/drunk driving.

4. Distracted Driving – When was the last time you pulled up to a red light and looked next to you, only to see the other drivers looking down at their cell phones? I’m surprised that billboards event exist anymore because I routinely see other drivers staring down at their laps as they drive. I personally think that this is the biggest threat to safety on the roads right now.

5. Speeding – Just about every driver thinks that they are a “good driver” and that speed limits are merely suggestions. The truth is that speed limits exist to help to keep traffic moving and to help prevent catastrophic injuries. Speeding even 5-10 mph over the posted limit doesn’t actually get you to your location any faster, but they do significantly increase your risk of injury.

6. Inexperienced drivers – As anyone who has been a teenager or who has teenagers can attest, experience is an important teacher when it comes to driving. Auto insurance rates are typically higher for teenagers because they are more likely to take chances or make poor decisions behind the wheel.

7. Road Hazards – Potholes, uneven road surfaces, cracks, and road debris also present a hazard while driving. It can force cars to react abruptly, causing a chain reaction of accident avoidance maneuvers which is dangerous for every other car on the road. These should absolutely be reported to 311 so that the city/county can work on correcting them.

8. Construction Zones – Typically these construction zones are littered with road cones and they force traffic into new patterns that we aren’t expecting. If drivers carry too much speed or are driving while distracted, they can easily crash or harm construction workers. There’s a reason why the speeds and penalties are drastically different in these zones, so please be aware.

9. Animals – This is more for rural areas and less for urban ones. But even in Baltimore I’ve seen deer and foxes that make their way into the roadways. They are usually scared and disoriented. They can dart into and out of traffic suddenly and without warning, causing crashes and aggressive driving.

10. Human Error – Despite driver’s education, yearly reinforcement for insurance purposes, and daily driving simply put we are all human and we make mistakes. As long as humans are the main operators of motor vehicles, there will always be human error, and there will always be auto accidents and injuries.

These top 10 causes of auto accidents in Baltimore are by no means the only reasons for auto accidents. Fortunately my clinics are conveniently located throughout Baltimore to help with the acute rehabilitation of these injuries. If you, or someone you know, has been injured as a result of a Baltimore auto accident injury, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at 443 842 5500. We would be happy to help!

Dr. Gulitz

Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic Set to Open Third Location in Southwest Baltimore In January

It is with great excitement and anticipation that we are announcing the grand opening of our third location on January 02, 2018. Dr. Joshua Levin D.C. and the team of Advanced Correction Chiropractic & Physical Therapy will be joining the Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab family moving forward. Dr. Levin and his team have been providing great quality chiropractic care for headaches, neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, and leg pain for over ten years and now he brings that experience to the Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab family. The move helps to expand Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab’s reach into Southwest Baltimore, Catonsville, Arbutus, and Halethorpe.

For now Dr. Levin’s location will remain the same at 4600 Wilkens Avenue Suite 102, Baltimore, MD 21229. His phone number (410) 737-8193 and office hours will remain unchanged as well. Those hours are as follows:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 9a-12p ; 3p-6p
Tuesday: 3p-6p
Thursday: Closed
Saturday: By Appointment
Sunday: Closed

Here is a little bit about Dr. Joshua Levin D.C. for those who don’t yet know anything about him.

Dr. Levin is originally from Westminster, Maryland, to which he returned after achieving a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and a Doctorate in Chiropractic in 2002 from Logan Chiropractic College in St. Louis, MO. He was Valedictorian of his graduating class and received the Award of Excellence from the Department of Radiology at Logan. He also attended Towson University prior to his Chiropractic education in their pre-med program. Dr. Levin is a licensed Chiropractor with Physical Therapy privileges in the state of Maryland. He is a member of the Maryland Chiropractic Association and is on the Board of Directors.  Most recently, Dr. Levin has been certified as a Graston Technique provider which is a myofascial release technique utilized by professional sports therapy staffs.

Dr. Levin likes to focus on the treatment and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders resulting from auto or work injuries, sports injuries or just daily wear and tear. He treats patients of all ages from infants to seniors. He also likes to counsel his patients on the benefits of healthy eating, supplementation, regular exercise and stress reduction. In his office he utilizes several Chiropractic techniques, physical therapy, myofascial release and exercise rehab to get the results that our patients are looking for.

Dr. Levin decided to go into Chiropractic as a profession after being treated as a teenager for back pain resulting from sports injuries. He played competitive baseball and tennis, but recreationally also enjoyed golf, water skiing and snow skiing. As a teenager he began training in martial arts and achieved a level of Second Degree Black Belt in Hapkido. He has traveled around the United States and even Australia teaching self-defense to men, women and children as well as helping to train security and police professionals.

Dr. Levin co-founded Advanced Correction Chiropractic and Physical Therapy in 2003 and is now part of the Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab and Chiropractic family of offices. We service the Catonsville/Arbutus/Southwest Baltimore communities and get involved with the community whenever possible.

When he is not at work, Dr. Levin enjoys watching sports ( football, baseball and golf), cooking, and spending time with his amazing wife of 10 years Laise and their two children Alexander and Bellamy.

So please join me in extending a warm welcome to Dr. Levin and his team as they help to enhance the Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic family of offices in southwest Baltimore. Be on the look out for an updated website with updated contact information for this newest clinic. Good news for existing patients of Dr. Levin: nothing will change. He will still be in the office to continue to serve you as if nothing has changed. We look forward to working together for many years to come.

Dr. Gulitz

Auto Insurance Rates Are Rising – Why? And What Can We Do About It?

As my avid blog followers are already aware, I am a Baltimore Chiropractor with two (soon to be three) Baltimore Chiropractic clinics. We routinely treat patients with predominately headaches, neck pain, and back pain. About half of these patients present to our offices due to acute Baltimore auto accident injuries. Many have whiplash symptoms and they require intervention to help get them back to pre-injury status. I spend my time on the internet looking for news and stories that impact these patients since they make up much of my practice. I stumbled across a story that confirms what we’ve all been experiencing – that auto insurance rates are rising. So it got me wondering why that was happening and what we can do to counteract the rising rates.

So let’s start at the beginning. Auto insurance rates are going up for a number of reasons. For one, the economy is good. More people have jobs compared to years ago, which means that by in large, more people are commuting to and from work. This leads to more road congestion and then more crashes. Auto insurers (AllState, StateFarm, Erie, etc.) need to charge increased premiums too offset having more claims and more money to pay out those claims. So they are passing that increase in their cost along to you and me, the consumers.

There’s also distracted driving. As we’ve discussed in past blog posts, people are busy texting, snapping, periscoping, facebooking, tweeting, selfie-ing and doing just about anything other than driving and focusing on the road. This leads to many more injuries due to distracted driving. This also causes insurance rates to go up. Keep in mind – human error has always been a contributor to fatal an non-fatal auto accidents in Baltimore and elsewhere, but having more electronics behind the wheel causes more distraction and ultimately does lead to more accidents.

Finally, the cost to repair people and cars have gone up. As cars have become more technologically advanced the cost to repair damaged vehicles has gone up. And you guessed it- those increases are being passed along to you, the consumer. Additionally, as injuries have gone up, so have the number of ambulance rides to the hospital, the number of x-rays, and the number of medical interventions/treatments that people require after an injury.

Like just about everything in life, the costs are going up. So what smart steps can we take to try and reduce our premiums (without unnecessarily diminishing our coverage)?

1. Use months such as December to re-quote your insurance. If you stick with one particular insurer they aren’t likely to get you the best rates year after year. Consider shopping your policy to see if you can save money. You’ll find that you typically can. Additionally, call your existing insurer and ask if you qualify for any discounts on your account. One such way to qualify for a discount is to bundle insurance. If you have your renters/home owner’s policy with the same insurer as your auto policy you can typically save a hefty percentage compared to having two separate policies.

2. If you drive a small amount (just to church and back) consider asking for a discount. Some carriers will discount your rate for lesser driving distances.

3. See if your insurer offers discounts for defensive driving courses. While these courses are boring and eat up typically a whole weekend, they do help to remind us of how we SHOULD be driving, and typically they come with a premium decrease for auto insurance.

4. Try and improve your credit – so much of your rate is credit dependent. If you are able to raise your credit score you can save lots of money a month for the same coverage. So pay down those credit cards and run your credit reports to make sure there are no false charges – your rates can improve significantly just by doing thos.

5. DO NOT cut coverage in an attempt to save money. All too often people just get “the cheapest thing available” in order to get their cars on the road. What they later find out is that their coverage limits are insufficient to handle a claim. Do not make this mistake. Speak to someone you trust and get a sense as to what policy limits would be beneficial to carry given your financial holdings and your car’s value.

Did you know that you can speak to both captive agents (those who work for one company) and non-captive agents (those that can quote multiple companies at once to get you the best price)? Don’t be afraid to ask us or your friends where they buy their insurance. You could be wasting money unnecessarily by spending too much.

If you, or someone you know, has been injured in a Baltimore auto accident, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic. We’ll be happy to have your back on the road to recovery.

Dr. Gulitz

Textalyzer Aims to Cut Down on Distracted Driving

As my avid blog followers are already aware, I am a Baltimore Chiropractor with two Baltimore Chiropractic clinics. We treat all types of patients with headaches, neck pain, and back pain. A lot of what we’ve been seeing recently are acute whiplash injuries such as cervical sprain/strain injuries and lower back sprain/strain injuries due to Baltimore auto accidents. As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts I enjoy working with these patients because their injuries typically respond quickly and favorably to our care.

We’ve seen a recent uptick in the number of our Baltimore auto accident injury patients. Many times while taking a patient history we hear something similar. Typically it involves a patient’s vehicle idling at a red light and getting struck from behind in a rear-end collision. Once the facts come out it turns out that the adverse drivers were driving while under the influence of electronics. That is, they were typically talking on their phone, texting, or posting on social media at the time of their crash.

A proposed solution to this problem is the “Textalyzer”. It is a “digial breathalyzer” that can hook up to your phone and determine if you were engaging with your phone just prior to the crash. If the law allows for this technology it would go a long way to helping to identify fault in Baltimore auto accident injuries. It would also go a long way to discourage the use of electronics by drivers.

The manufacturers of the Textalyzer say that it can determine which phone programs were in use, but not what was said or typed. Meaning, it would just have a time stamp of app usage without giving up any sensitive private data. Supposedly the textalyzer can tell the difference between voice command (blue tooth enabled phone prompts for phone calls and text messaging) and hand controlled input, but I think that remains to be seen.

While I like the intent of this technology, I wonder if it goes to far and intrudes on people’s privacy. Plenty of times while I’ve been driving I’ve given my phone to my wife and asked her to call or text someone on my behalf. This machine would indicate that I’ve been texting, but in this case, it wasn’t me. Would that lead to a ticket or a loss of my driver’s license?

What about apps that work in the background? Apps that help with GPS? What about uber and lyft driver’s that need this data to get their passengers between different locations?

All in all I’d like to learn more about the product and have some key questions answered before we see these Textalyzer’s on the road. I think they will likely help cut down on distracted driving, and as a result, we should see a decrease in Baltimore auto accident injuries.

If you, or someone you know, has been injured in a Baltimore auto accident injury, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842 5500. We would be happy to get you back on the road to recovery!

Dr. Gulitz

Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Plans to Connect New York and DC in 30 Minutes

As my avid blog readers are already aware I am a Baltimore Chiropractor with two offices in Baltimore City. We treat patients with various types of neck and back pain with conservative measures to help ease their muscle and joint pain in hopes of rehabilitating them back to health. We see plenty of patients who have acute whiplash symptoms as a result of Baltimore auto accident injuries. I enjoy treating these patients because they really need our services, they generally respond quickly, and they are usually very appreciative for the care that they receive in our offices.

One of the things that I enjoy doing is researching trends in driving and transportation, not only because I have an interest in technology and science fiction, but because it directly impacts everyone we know. Elon Musk has long been an inspiration to me as an entrepreneur and as a human being. He has been asking himself tough questions and has been using the best and brightest in humanity to bring us such amazing companies as Tesla, Space X, Solar City and most recently the Boring Company, to only name a few.

Some members of my family still reside in New York just outside of New York City. As much as I enjoy seeing family and friends when I can get away, I loathe the traffic on I-95 and I am always looking for ways to speed up my trip. I’ve taken a bolt bus, I’ve driven, and I’ve taken the train. The bus was packed like sardines and the times to depart were inconvenient. Driving gives me the most control but costs the most when you factor in tolls and attention. At any given time the trip can take me as little as four hours or as many as six and a half. The train was probably my favorite way to commute with about a three hour commute during which I was able to watch movies on my ipad and catch up on email.

I was perusing my newsfeed a few weeks back and I came across a news report stating that Governor Larry Hogan had already given Elon Musk the proverbial thumbs up to create a series of underground hyperloop tubs connecting New York to Washington D.C. (with stops in Philadelphia and Baltimore). These tubes, or hyperloops, would utilize a low pressure system and would utilize magnets to “float” vessels down long paths. The decreased drag/resistance could theoretically get occupants up to speeds of nearly 700 mph and would cut the travel time from New York to DC to around 30 minutes!

The goal of the Boring Company (the company that Elon Musk owns that does the drilling) would be to reduce traffic congestion and to increase our ability to travel without as much dependence on fossil fuels. This hyperloop may also solve the problem with his Tesla cars that generally get 300-400 miles per “charge”.

I, for one, welcome this degree of technological advancement and I thank Governor Hogan for throwing his support behind the project. I suspect it will create jobs both short term and long term and I think it would help to lessen the time and financial burden that it exists to travel to New York from Baltimore. If it becomes a financially viable option for Baltimore citizens it will undoubtedly cut down on traffic congestion and the resulting auto accidents.

Would you ride the hyperloop? Would it be safe? Would we be pinned to our seats? Would we have bathroom access? Would we be able to walk around or would we be strapped in like a roller coaster? These are just some of the questions that I’d want to know before I ever agreed to get on board, but I am excited by the technology and am interested in seeing if the construction can get started soon.

Until then, if you, or someone you know has been injured as a result of a Baltimore auto accident, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500 we would be happy to get you back on the road to recovery!

Dr. Gulitz

Nvidia Supercomputer At Forefront of Autonomous Driving Taxis

As my blog followers are already aware I am a Baltimore Chiropractor with two clinics where we focus on acute musculoskeletal rehab. We see patients with typically axial spine pain – headaches, neck pain, and back pain. More and more of our patients coming in have been injured as a result of motor vehicle collisions and Baltimore auto accidents. While I appreciate the opportunity to take care of injured citizens, it is becoming clear that we need to cut down on the number of injuries that we see. The roads are getting more and more congested each day with drivers. When you factor in human error, mechanical error, and distracted driving its no surprise that we are seeing more Baltimore auto accidents than ever before. In fact, on the way to work I was nearly hit twice along my twenty minute commute. Its scary out there!

Many technology companies are eager to solve this problem by creating semi-autonomous vehicles. Computer chip company Nvidia hopes to take it one step further by next year. They recently unveiled a new supercomputer codenamed Pegasus that it claims is capable of handling all of the complex calculations necessary to create a level 5 autonomous vehicle. To be clear, this means that there would be no need for a steering wheel, foot pedals, or mirrors. A truly “Jetsons” like experience where the car reacts in real time to all of the other vehicles on the roads.

Uber has been toying around with this technology with various degrees of success. You can read more about that in past blog posts. The difference here is that in the uber vehicles, the entire trunk is filled with servers and sensitive hardware to detect obstacles and other vehicles. Nvidia’s Pegasus is only about the size of a license plate and is expected to be able to handle 320 trillion calculations per second! What’s more is it isn’t expected to require the degree of power that the current technology is using, making fleets of vehicles that are more fuel or electrically efficient than ever before.

Its way too early to know for sure if this Pegasus card can deliver on its promises. In addition to use in robo-taxis and in other ride share applications, other companies can supposedly use this technology for package delivery. A UPS driver could walk down the street with packages in hand for three buildings and then at the end of the block his vehicle could be waiting for him, ready to deliver the next block’s packages.

This technology if perfected and safe could change not only the way we drive but the way we receive consumer goods. It could be truly revolutionary. But is it safe? Will laws catch up with technology to allow for it to become ubiquitous? What you get behind the wheel of a vehicle you couldn’t operate? Who would be responsible if there was a malfunction?

If you, or someone you know, has been injured as a result of a Baltimore auto accident, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to get you back on the road to recovery!

Dr. Gulitz

Traveling for the Holidays? Tips for Sleeping on an Airplane

As my avid blog readers are already aware, I am a Baltimore Chiropractor with two clinics in Baltimore. We will soon be announcing the location and grand opening of our third location – more details to come in a few short weeks! Its only 18 days until I’m set to get married and as as result I’ve been busier than ever trying to keep the clinics growing and preparing for my wedding and honeymoon. If you’re anything like me you probably don’t sleep well on airplanes. From the tight cramped quarters, to the uncomfortable seats and the turbulence it can be difficult to get some good quality shut eye on a plane. I was doing some research for myself as I prepared for my honeymoon and I figured I’d pass along some good tips that I came across in my research.

• The first tip is an obvious one. If you can afford first class/business class accommodations by all means do so. The seats are wider, they recline more (in some cases completely flat), and you can stretch out more comfortably with typically only two people per row. If those aren’t in your price range, try and get on the plane first to get emergency exit row seating. They typically offer a few extra inches of leg room.
• Leave plenty of foot room under the seat in front of you. Don’t cram the space with bags. Stretch your legs as much as you can and as often as you can to help promote proper blood flow during long flights.
• Walk around – Once the captain has removed the seat belt sign don’t be shy about walking about the cabin. The walking helps to promote blood flow and prevent clots. For any flight over 3 hours you should get up and use the restroom at least once to make sure you don’t put yourself in harms way.
• Use pillows to prevent muscle fatigue. Whether it be a neck pillow (that look like soft horseshoes), or lumbar support, try to make yourself as comfortable as possible.
• The best choice for sleeping is the window seat. Unlike the middle and aisle seats you won’t have to get up during the flight to move if someone else has to use the restroom, which will allow you to sleep more peacefully. Also, there will be a wall you can lean against if you crumple your jacket or bring a pillow.
• If you have to choose between leaning forward and sleeping on the seat-back tray or reclining backwards you should always recline backwards.This decreases pressure on your neck and back when you sleep so you can awake refreshed.
• Be prepared to sleep – You can easily purchase a sleeping mask and/or earphones to help drown out airline noise. While they look silly they can distract you enough to help you get some rest.
• Don’t drink too much alcohol or take any sedatives. While these substances may work short term they rob you of restorative sleep which can make you groggy. You should do your best to get sleep as close to your natural sleeping habit as possible.

While this is in no way an exhaustive list of the do’s and don’ts of how to get better sleep on an airplane there are a lot of good tips here. Typically this time of year between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year we see lots of patients who don’t take this advice and they arrive in Baltimore with neck and back pain. Don’t become one of them! Review these tips prior to your departure to help ensure a more comfortable flight and a pain-free trip.

If you, or someone you know has neck or back pain, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic. We would be happy to help!

Dr. Gulitz

I Got Injured At Work…Now What?

As my avid blog followers are aware I am a Baltimore Chiropractor with two chiropractic clinics in Baltimore. We focus on treating and rehabilitating acute musculoskeletal disorders. Typically we see a lot of trauma in our offices. Patients have either been hurt while participating in sports, while working, or while driving. A lot of these acute injures require treatment immediately following the injury. Often times patients come to ask questions about what rights they have following an acute injury. What steps should they be taking to protect their rights? Who will pay for their needed care? What is the process outlined from start to finish?

In our everyday lives we have a decent understanding of the process when it comes to using health insurance. That is, we go to the doctor when we are sick. Then, tests are ordered, results reviewed, and treatment and/or medications are given. We understand that process because we’ve been through it in our lives countless times. But what happens if you are hurt at work? What steps do you need to take to make sure your rights are protected? Of course this goes without saying – but I am not an attorney and none of what I’m writing should be considered legal advice. If you have specific questions about a specific case please contact us and we can do our best to refer you to a qualified worker’s compensation attorney who can answer your questions.

So you were injured at work – now what? The first thing you need to do is to inform your employer of the injury. They need to document what you were doing at the time of your injury. They may send you to an urgent care or emergency room for evaluation and treatment. By all means you should head there even during your current shift for prompt diagnosis and treatment. There they can do any blood work, diagnostic testing, and or x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs that may be needed depending on the extent of your injury. The treating provider can either place you on work restrictions (i.e. restricted activity or light duty work responsibilities) or total disability if your injury precludes you from working.

The next step is probably the most important. You need to make sure to make a claim with the Maryland Worker’s Compensation Commission. We’ve had plenty of patients over the years say that they don’t want to open to claim because their employer is “a nice guy” or that “they’ve agreed to pay all the bills.” If I had a nickel for every time I heard that one! Ultimately by filing a claim with the WCC you are protecting your rights as an injured worker – you are not necessarily suing your employer. Since it is legally required for all employers to carry worker’s compensation insurance it is not a big deal to open a claim, as your employer will have coverage already.

Here are some common questions and answers regarding worker’s compensation injuries in Maryland:

1. Do non-citizens and non-residents have rights to file worker’s compensation claims? – Yes they do. Citizenship or lack thereof does not preclude any injured worker from filing a claim. This is the same for motor vehicle collisions (auto accidents) in Baltimore as well.

2. Why should I file a claim? – You want to file a claim to protect your rights as an injured worker. If you do file a claim, you have the right to receive medical treatment. You can choose any provider you want to see. You do not have to go to treatment with a doctor that your employer or their worker’s compensation carrier sends you to. It is your choice where to go. You have the right to be paid 2/3 of your salary during the time that you are not able to work. If you have received permanent impairment such that you might not fully recover, you are entitled to compensation for that injury’s lifetime value. You are also entitled to future medical care if your injury requires it for the rest of your life. But again, the only person who knows how to protect your rights in these scenarios are worker’s compensation attorneys.

3. Can I be fired for opening a worker’s compensation claim? – No you can not. If you are fired for having opened a claim you may have other options and would need to speak to an employment lawyer.

4. Should I use my own health insurance to pay for care during treatment of my worker’s compensation injury? – No you shouldn’t. The Maryland worker’s compensation system is set up in such a way that there should be no out of pocket costs for injured workers. Having to attend chiropractic care and/or physical therapy alongside other medical doctor follow up visits can be costly and time consuming. If you were to use your own health insurance you’d have to come out of pocket for all applicable copays, coinsurances, and deductibles. Even if you did pay out of pocket, once the health insurance company realized that your injuries were the result of a worker’s compensation injury, they’d reject all bills and ask you to pay them back for everything they’ve already paid out on your behalf. So again, its best that you protect your interests by speaking with a worker’s compensations attorney who can advice you of your financial responsibilities if you are injured.

5. Do I need to hire an attorney to handle my Maryland worker’s compensation claim for me? Technically speaking you do not need to. If you were well versed in the proceedings and your rights, then by all means you can represent yourself. However I’ve found that most people are woefully under-prepared to handle their own worker’s compensation proceedings due to filing deadlines and commission hearings. Nearly every commissioner at the Maryland Worker’s Compensation Commissions advises unrepresented injured workers that they should consult with an attorney. These attorneys are specifically trained in handling worker’s compensation claims. There is no cost to hire one on your behalf and they only get paid if and when you receive an award for your injury. So like anything else – the cost of NOT having an attorney may well surpass the cost of having one when you factor in their expertise.

Being injured at work and suffering from a work-related injury is a terrible event. However, getting you back on your feet and back to work does not need to be such a difficult process. If you, or someone you know, has been injured while working and you require rehabilitation for these injuries please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We have two convenient locations in Baltimore and we can see you today to get you started on the road to recovery. If you have questions about your rights we can help refer you to a worker’s compensation attorney that can answer your questions and protect your rights.

Dr. Gulitz

Driver Injured While Working – Is it a Personal Injury or Worker’s Compensation Claim?

As my avid blog followers are already aware, I am a Baltimore Chiropractor with two Baltimore chiropractic clinics. In my clinics we focus on treating acute musculoskeletal injuries. We routinely treat patients with acute headache pain, acute neck pain, and acute back pain. While in some instances these presentations are insidious – meaning that the patient does not know where they come from, in many cases these injuries arise from trauma. Sometimes it is lifting a heavy bag of fertilizer while gardening and straining the lower back, in some instances it is a sports injury while play flag football causing neck stiffness, and in many cases it is acute trauma caused by a car accident in Baltimore. After nearly 10 years of practicing as a chiropractor both in Las Vegas, NV and Baltimore, MD I still enjoy the acute rehabilitation of traumatic injuries.

An issue came up late last week in my Fells Point clinic that I thought might serve as a good blog post. We had a new patient come into the office who reported to have injured while driving an errand for her boss at work. She reports that during her regularly scheduled work hours she used a company car to go to a hardware store and pick up supplies. On the way to the hardware store while stopped at a red light her work vehicle was suddenly rear-ended. To make matters more complicated, her vehicle was pushed into a vehicle in front of hers at a light.

My front desk staff is well trained to ask the appropriate questions of incoming new patients. We want to get all of the appropriate information gathering out of the way as quickly as possible so that the injured patient can focus on recovery from their injuries. In this instance, one of my newer staff members asked me if this type of injury would be considered a worker’s compensation injury or if it would be considered a car accident injury. It’s a good question, obviously, since it involved a car accident while working.

The answer is fairly straight forward – in this case, it is both a personal injury and a worker’s compensation injury. That is, when it comes to getting their injuries paid for, this patient has rights both under a personal injury (auto accident) claim and a worker’s compensation claim.

This patient had numerous questions. Which forms should she fill out? With which insurance company? Who should she talk to? Who shouldn’t she talk to? What are her timelines for filling out paperwork? The list went on and on…

I’m not in the business of giving out legal advice since I am not an attorney. We recommended that the patient speak with an attorney to discuss her particular situation. Interestingly, she told us that she had an attorney that she had represent her for an auto accident injury several years in the past. When she called and spoke to this office about her new injuries she was told that the lawyer did not want to represent her since it was both a worker’s compensation claim and a personal injury claim and the law office did not handle worker’s compensation claims. I was able to give her a few names of practices locally that handle both areas of law regularly and the patient decided to schedule a consultation with one for early this week.

Ultimately the practices of personal injury (auto accident) law and worker’s compensation law are complex and ever changing. While I am pretty familiar with both I wouldn’t presume to advise a patient on what to do. In this case we were able to find someone who could answer her questions and make her comfortable so that she could start on the road to healing.

If you, or someone you know, has been injured as a result for an auto accident whether or not you were working, please contact Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic at (443) 842-5500. We would be happy to help you start feeling better today.

Dr. Gulitz

Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic

Celebrates 5th Anniversary

As my avid blog followers are already aware I am a Baltimore Chiropractor with two Baltimore Chiropractic Clinics. We focus on treating acute injuries such as Baltimore auto accidents that result in whiplash, headaches, neck pain, and back pain. We also treat patients with chronic neck and chronic back pain.

Some may remember that I left a successful practice in Las Vegas, Nevada at the end of 2011 to embark on a journey to create a great practice in the Mid-Atlantic region. I moved to Baltimore without any friends, without any patients, and without any referral resources. Heck, I didn’t even have an office or any equipment! Yet I was clear in my mission and somehow I knew we’d get this far.

I am pleased to announce that we at Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic are celebrating our 5th anniversary in Baltimore. We’ve come along way since the company consisted of me and an office manager. We have blossomed into a 2-location office with 15 employees. We are one of the fastest growing chiropractic/rehab offices in the great Baltimore region. We continue to rank #1 on google and Yelp! for Chiropractic services in Baltimore. I am humbled by the outpouring of support and encouragement from this great community.

I think the next five years will be better than the first five. Be on the look out for additional clinics (announcements coming soon!) and more clinical offerings as we strive to continue to stay at the forefront of chiropractic/rehab in the Mid-Atlantic region.

So once again, sincerely, thank you to everyone who has made this dream possible. My life has been forever changed for the better. I will continue to pay it forward.

Dr. Gulitz