Do you get distracted while driving when you see a billboard? Emotionally charged billboards actually affect people's ability to drive according to researchers at the University of Alberta. Driver distraction is the primary cause of car accidents and studies have shown that when subjects see emotional stimulus as opposed to a neutral one, they are slower in reaction times slower at visually searching. A study involving 30 college students simulated driving past 20 billboards. Each one contained a series of words that were emotionally positive, negative or neutral. Positive words included excitement, fame, happy cash, love, sex and win. Negative...[ Read More ]
As cliché as it might sound, honesty is the best policy. Do not fake or exaggerate information about your injury. Doing so is the best way to ensure that your personal injury claim is ruined because one way or another the lie will be discovered. Some people believe that they will receive a higher settlement if they stretch the truth and lie to a doctor about their injuries, but the fact of the matter is that this type of mentality will destroy your case. Insurance companies routinely employ private investigators to do video surveillance on people who are claiming to...[ Read More ]
Providing a recorded statement can have a negative impact on your case. The insurance company for an at-fault driver is not on your side nor are they looking to help you in any way. The insurance company will commonly request a recorded statement from the person who could potentially make an injury claim. These companies know that the faster they can obtain a recorded statement, the easier it will be for you to make mistakes that could potentially damage your claim. As an injured person you are under no obligation to give a recorded statement to a claims adjuster without...[ Read More ]
You're driving on the freeway in steady traffic and your exit is coming up so you look in your blind spot to change lanes. While your head was turned the car in front of you hit their breaks and now your fight or flight instincts kick into full gear. You couldn't avoid the impact but the physical damage was minor. Months later you begin to feel anxiety every time you get onto the freeway. It worsens during high traffic, in unfamiliar terrain and at night. The effects of such anxiety can be crippling as your heart races and your hands...[ Read More ]
Medical records are a way for doctors and medical assistants to communicate a patient's history including any allergies, symptoms and medications they might be taking; but they are also key evidence in your personal injury case. These medical records document how you are feeling on a day-to-day basis and may become quite extensive including multiple doctors, physical therapists and assistants. These documents will include MRI reports, various diagnostic results and laboratory findings. Look through your medical records from time to time to ensure that the doctors who are treating you have taken accurate notes. This helps to ensure that your...[ Read More ]
Driving on prescription drugs can be as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. With certain medications you may never realize that your reaction times or motor skills are compromised because you still feel okay. When taking prescription medication, be aware of the phrase "may cause drowsiness" on the label. Pertinent information is usually located right before dosage and directions. Watch for these active ingredients in allergy medications: diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, brompheniramine, clemastine and doxylamine. Additionally, you will find these antihistamines in cough medicine, cold tablets, flue therapies, or just about any drug that helps you rest. We all force ourselves to work...[ Read More ]
We all know that person in our families that refuses to seek medical attention no matter how much pain they are in. After an auto accident it is important to receive timely medical attention for injuries because a person might have adrenalin pumping through their body and simply not realize they have sustained an injury. This type of injury does not present itself right away and that is why you should never decline being taken to the hospital for an evaluation. Some symptoms do not display immediately. A concussion or internal bleeding might not show up until hours or even...[ Read More ]
Organization is your best defense for your personal injury case. Hold on to all paperwork that will be presented to the insurance company including all communications and evidence from the accident. I recommend keeping a binder to store all important documents in one place. The following are important items for you to hold on to: All prescriptions given to you by the emergency room doctor and your treating physician. Letters from your doctor that state you are unable to work. Collect all receipts for out of pocket expenses including a rental car, prescriptions, co-pays, funeral expenses, etc. Keep the names,...[ Read More ]
All of us have depended on our GPS Systems one time or another to get us somewhere when we are driving in an unfamiliar area. You may have experienced technical difficulties with your GPS such as the screen changing over to a battery recharge screen while mid path or maybe it thinks you are on a road that is actually an overpass. I have even had my GPS tell me to turn onto a one-way road going the wrong way. All of this brings me to one question, do GPS Systems cause distracted driving accidents? The answer is yes. The...[ Read More ]
You just returned home after being in a car collision and your mind is racing. Though it is difficult, before too much time passes you want to document all of your recollections about the incident. The sooner you start, the better because as time passes you may forget the details. I recommend that you keep a spiral notebook as your "accident journal" Inside, write down everything you recall from beginning to end: Did the other car have the right of way? Did the other driver cut you off? Did the other driver admit being at fault? What were the weather...[ Read More ]
