My Civil Advocate

Auto accident injuries are wide-ranging, but some are more common than others. They can be influenced by seatbelt usage (or lack thereof), airbags, the direction the impact came from, the speed of impact, or the position of the occupant's body when the impact occurred (facing straight ahead or turned). Soft tissue injuries - those involving ligaments, muscle, or tendons - are most common car accident injuries. Whiplash is a noticeable one. Muscles and ligaments of the neck and shoulders are unnaturally stretched to due to sudden, high-energy movements caused by impact. These forces are responsible for many back injuries as well, including serious ones involving the spine. Scrapes and laceration can result through contact with something solid inside the car; loose, flying objects, such as a cell phone, eyeglasses, or a bag of groceries; or getting smacked in the face by an airbag. A blow to the head can cause a concussion, as the brain is slammed against the interior of the skull...

It's a scenario we see all too often: Let's say you're involved in a wreck that wasn't your fault, suffered some pretty serious injuries, and are filing a personal injury claim to receive compensation for those injuries. Now, let's also say that you were in an accident years ago or have some old, pre-existing injuries or conditions that you feel hurt your claim, so you're thinking about withholding that information from your lawyer. We've got some absolutely critical advice for you: DON'T DO IT! The reason why is that you can be sure that the insurance company will be digging into your past to discover any old accidents or injuries, and trust us, their investigators will find out that information and they will use it against you to minimize or deny your claim altogether. The good news is that if you share that information with your lawyer right from the start, he or she can be completely prepared to deal with those kinds of issues and can build ...

Rollover accidents are among the worst for occupants of a vehicle. Although rollovers account for only 3 percent of all serious crashes, they are responsible for roughly 30 percent of fatalities. Any vehicle can roll over, but taller, narrower vehicles (e.g., SUVs, pickups, and vans) are more susceptible since they have a higher center of gravity and tend to be more top heavy. In addition, rounding a curve or a sudden turn at the wrong speed- or overcorrecting for a sudden turn- renders these vehicles more vulnerable to weight shifts that, when combined with gravity, can lead to rollovers. Steering maneuvers aren't the primary cause of single-vehicle rollovers, however. Bumping into a curb at significant speed, striking a pothole, or two wheels countering a soft roadside shoulder can cause a vehicle to "trip." The government estimates that 95 percent of rollovers are due to "trips". Drivers have a say in minimizing rollover danger. Avoid placing heavy load...

If you have been involved in a car accident, your immediate focus should be on your physical health. Right away, you should begin the process of documenting your injury if you are considering filing a personal injury claim. Here are some tips: First, visit a doctor as soon as you can. Delaying a doctor's visit after you've been in an accident can give the insurance company all of the ammunition it needs to deny or minimize your claim (the assumption is that you must not be that hurt if you could put off seeing a doctor). You will want to communicate with your doctor openly and inform them of any pains, bruises, or bumps that have occurred as a result of your accident. Discuss your daily activities with your doctor. If you experience pain and discomfort while completing your normal daily activities, let your doctor know and get documentation. It is critically important to keep all follow up appointments after your initial visit. If your doctor recommends physical therap...

It's not just major, violent auto collisions that lead to injuries to drivers and passengers. Seemingly minor fender-benders can cause significant injury, too. Injuries sustained from an auto crash might not be noticed initially - sometimes for hours, days, even weeks - for a variety of reasons. A car crash induces a rush of adrenaline and endorphins, chemicals that raise a person's energy level and frequently block pain. Once the "high" dissipates, pain may kick in. Soft-tissue injuries cause harm to tendons, muscles, and ligaments and are precipitated by sudden, jarring stops, and when bodies get tossed around inside the car. Whiplash injuries are common. Soft-tissue injury symptoms- pain, swelling, and reduced mobility - might not present themselves immediately, and injuries are not visible on X-rays. Concussions occur when the brain strikes the inside of the skull with great force. Some concussion symptoms are obvious from the outset. Others may be subtle an...

According to a North Carolina Department of Insurance study, over 3.5 million child injuries occur on school grounds or during school-related activities each year in the United States. Sometimes an accident is just that - an accident. Other times an injury may be caused by an intentional act, or the negligence of the school or one of its employees. Bullying is an example of an intentional act. In some instances the school may be held responsible if it knew the bullying may tak place but did not respond appropriately to prevent it. Teacher abuse of a student may leave a school district vulnerable to liability for failing to conduct thorough background checks, offer proper training, or implement acceptable oversight. Schools are obligated to provide shelter, food, transportation, and a safe environment for its students. Generally speaking, if a school fails to follow accepted standards of care in providing these services, and it causes harm to a child, then the school is negligent. ...

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic disease of the colon that affects as many as 700,000 Americans, can be a painful and debilitating condition- one that may make you eligible for SOcial Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Benefits. With US, a person's colon becomes inflamed and develops small sores, also known as ulcers, that produce pus or mucous. Essentially what happens is that the body's immune system malfunctions and attacks the colon by sending white blood cells there to fight off what it thinks are foreign invaders but are, in fact, just ordinary things like food, bacteria and other materials. Symptoms of UC can include: Loose bowel movements and greater urgency with bowel movements Bloody diarrhea Abdominal pain and cramping Weight loss Anemia Rectal Bleeding Anal fistula ( an infected tunnel between the skin and the anus) In order to qualify for SSDI as a result of UC, you must meet all of the qualifications for inflammatory bowel disease. Diagnosing ...

"Pain and suffering" is a key component in many personal injury cases. There are two types: physical pain and suffering, and mental pain and suffering, and mental pain and suffering. Physical pain and suffering covers not only the ill physical effects that a claimant has suffered to date, but also what they are likely to endure in the future as a result of the defendants negligence. Mental pain and suffering is an offshoot of the claimant's physical injuries and the trauma of an accident. It can include anxiety, anger, depression, humiliation, sleep disorders, fear, and loss of enjoyment of life, among other negitive effects. It encompasses what hte victim has suffered to date as well as what they will likely endure in the future. Calculating compensation for pain and suffering is an imprecise task; there are generally no set guidelines. In most states, judges simply instruct the jury to utilize good common sense and to draw upon their individual backgrounds and exper...