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Author: Anthony Proffitt

Categories
catastrophic injuries

What happens after an amputation?

Traumatic injuries such as amputation can impact your life in numerous ways. Physical pain, emotional trauma and mental strife might take years to learn how to effectively manage.

Having a basic knowledge of amputation might help you identify your next steps. Setting realistic goals for your recovery can give you the opportunity to live a happy and successful life despite your condition.

Get educated

A situation so severe, that you end up needing an amputation, can leave you feeling fearful of the future. Losing a limb might feel like the end of your life as you once envisioned. According to John Hopkins Medicine, traumatic injuries cause nearly 50% of amputations. Because your situation is entirely unexpected, you may feel lost about what to do next.

Learning about your condition can improve your understanding of its impact on your body, health, and life. Staying educated might improve your outlook and your resolve to heal. You can also help others learn more about amputation so they too, can help you reach your goals.

Seek support

Look for a support group. Connect with individuals who might have undergone a similar procedure. Read about amputees who have successfully accomplished their goals. When you rely on the encouragement of others, set goals for your recovery and your future.

A traumatic injury can introduce significant challenges from a financial, physical and mental standpoint. If your condition results because of someone’s negligence, taking legal action might alleviate some of the damages you have to deal with. With the right strategy and a strong legal team, you may have the chance to recover compensatory damages.

Categories
motor vehicle accidents

What are signs of a lack of attentiveness on the road?

You may try your best to drive defensively but fail to prepare for some forms of distraction that lead to crashes.

When other people on the road look away from oncoming cars or do not check before turning, you may wonder what you can do to notice these signs. Learning about signs of distracted driving can help you stay safe on the road.

Hands moving freely

According to the United States Department of Transportation, if you notice someone in a car near you continually taking their hands off the wheel in order to pick up food or a phone, then this could be the start of distracted driving. If you try to turn onto another road, this person could ignore your signal and proceed as normal without realizing this could cause a crash.

Having both hands on the wheel at all times is important for keeping control of the vehicle. This lack of attention leads to sideswiping and other preventable accidents. Even simple distractions such as opening a drink with one hand can lead to problems.

Continual talking and glancing around

If someone is attempting to put on mascara or is twisting around in their seat to talk to a passenger, their attention is not fully on the road. Wild hand gestures or a lack of concentration on the other cars around them are other signs of distracted driving.

Actions such as using cigarettes or trying to calm a crying baby also involve a person looking away from where other drivers are. When you begin to notice these signs of distraction, you can better pinpoint the source of car crashes.

Categories
motor vehicle accidents

What should you do if your tire blows out?

When driving, you cannot always predict every incident. If you hear a loud noise while driving, there is a chance you can blame your tire. Tire blowouts are common but according to Allstate, can force your car to swerve out of control.

After an accident, many drivers benefit from understanding how to prevent future collisions. Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself after a blowout.

Why do tires blow out?

Most of the time, tires blow out because of underinflation. If your air pressure stays too low, the tires can flex beyond their normal limits. As the rubber flexes, it heats up and the rubber separates from the tire’s cord and fabric reinforcement.

Drivers have a higher likelihood of having a tire blowout when driving at higher speeds, particularly on the interstate. In stop-and-go traffic, you do not build up much heat, so you have fewer chances of a blowout.

What can you do during a blowout?

If you hear a loud boom while driving, try to stay as calm as possible. A lot of people instinctively step on the brake. Unfortunately, when you hit the brake, your wheels lock up and you can lose complete control of your vehicle. Instead, accelerate a little and steer as straight as you can. After accelerating, begin to slow down by lifting off the accelerator.

When you manage to pull over, turn your emergency lights on immediately. Do not try to change the tire unless you have room to do so safely. Often, you may not have room when on the interstate.

Categories
Injuries

What is the most dangerous highway in Tennessee?

Anytime you get into a vehicle you take a risk. Car wreck deaths in Tennesse in 2020 exceeded 1,200.

Though driving in a car always presents a certain threat, some roads have proven more dangerous than others. I-40 in East Tennessee saw many crashes between 2001 and 2011 of which 97 resulted in a death.

Why is this stretch of highway so treacherous?

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, seven of the eight most dangerous miles of I-40 are in Knox County. Contributing factors causing wrecks include traffic flow, distractions such as phone use and social media and failure to pay attention. Another element that adds to the danger of driving on I-40 is the congestion. With so many cars in one area, accidents are bound to happen.

How can you remain safe driving on it?

While there are no guarantees of safety, driving cautiously can help. This means leaving ample room between your vehicle and the one in front of you and checking your mirrors and over your shoulder before switching lanes.

Additionally, you must refrain from using your phone as you drive. You can set most phones to a driving mode to automatically let others know that you cannot respond because you are operating a car. Lastly, taking a few seconds to buckle your seatbelt and request your passengers to buckle up can make a huge difference in the event that you are in a wreck.

I-40 is a dangerous highway, but if you live in the area it is tough to avoid. Drive safely and remember to fasten your seatbelt before hitting the road.

Categories
Uncategorized

What are punitive damages, and when are they awarded?

In a personal injury case, the plaintiff may collect compensation for losses they incurred due to someone else’s carelessness.

In cases involving more egregious behavior, the court may award punitive damages. However, the circumstances must meet specific requirements.

Difference between compensatory and punitive damages

Compensatory damages refer to the economic and non-economic losses associated with a personal injury case. For example, if you suffered injuries in a car accident, you may file a claim to recover the cost of medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. Recovery of those damages compensates you for the financial, physical, and emotional losses associated with the injuries.

Punitive damages do not compensate for any tangible or intangible losses. The court orders payment of punitive damages as a form of punishment expected to deter the defendant from similar behavior in the future.

Actions that warrant an award of punitive damages

Negligent actions, such as standard carelessness, are not enough to warrant punitive damages. However, if the defendant acted with complete disregard for the lives and safety of others, the court will likely order them to pay punitive damages. For example, a car accident caused by distracted driving, such as looking at the phone, shows negligent behavior and warrants payment of compensatory damages. A car accident caused by a drunk driver displays gross negligent behavior and warrants payment of punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages.

An award of punitive damages in a personal injury case is rare. However, the circumstances surrounding every personal injury case are different and require special consideration.

Categories
motor vehicle accidents

How do crashes relate to drowsy driving?

Drowsy driving is one of the biggest risks on the road, and one of the most dangerous forms of distraction. In fact, it is even more of a risk in many ways than texting while driving, which takes a huge number of lives yearly.

But how do crashes and drowsy driving correlate? What is the tie between the two, and what determines how much of a risk drowsy driving poses?

How drowsiness affects the body

NHTSA looks into the impact of drowsy driving. First, it is important to understand that drowsiness is more than just simply feeling a little tired. True drowsy driving can easily result in the driver nodding off without meaning to, or engaging in microsleep. This involves falling asleep for brief periods of up to three seconds. These are completely uncontrollable and a driver cannot predict when they will occur.

Deadly highway crashes

This might not sound like a big deal until it comes to freeway driving speed versus distance. The average driver on a freeway travels fast enough to cover the length of a football field in five seconds. This means that a three-second microsleep is enough to cover almost an entire football field’s worth of space.

Needless to say, it is all too possible to crash into other cars in that time. It is also possible to veer off the road entirely, or into oncoming traffic, which can lead to often fatal and serious head-on collisions.

Drowsy drivers cannot react to dangers quickly or prevent accidents from happening. Because of the risks that drowsiness poses, it makes drowsy driving a huge problem for all drivers.

Categories
Car Accidents

How does drowsiness contribute to crashing?

Drowsy driving is one of the riskiest behaviors that drivers could engage in. At the same time, it does not seem to garner as much media attention or pushback as other forms of distracted driving, like intoxicated driving or texting while driving.

Why is it that drowsiness is such a problem? And why do people tend to treat it so differently from other, similar issues?

The impact of drowsiness

The NHTSA discusses the way drowsiness impacts crash statistics. First of all, drowsiness actually affects the body in a way similar to intoxication. Drivers will experience slowed reflexes, a lowered problem-solving capability, trouble recognizing and reacting to dangers, and a reduction in speed both physically and mentally.

In fact, officers often pull over drowsy drivers on suspicion of drunk driving because of how haphazardly they behave on the road. However, as they do not have a BAC above the limit, police officers will often let these drivers go.

How the public views drowsy driving

Many experts speculate that this type of distracted driving does not get as much attention because almost everyone has engaged in it at least once in their life. No one gets a perfect night of sleep every single time, but everyone must commute to work in the morning. Some people simply consider drowsy driving in the morning as an inevitability, rather than a danger to avoid.

On top of that, many people have driven while drowsy before and made it through the drive without issue. This creates a false sense of security, which can lead a driver into believing they can drive drowsy without issue. In reality, all it takes is one mistake to ruin or end a life.

Categories
motor vehicle accidents

NHTSA’s annual report reveals some alarming trends

Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its 2020 report on motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. According to the report, 38,824 individuals died in car crashes in 2020. Sadly, this is the highest number of traffic fatalities in a single year since 2007.

Because many Americans worked from home for much of 2020, one would expect there to be fewer traffic fatalities that year. Still, the NHTSA report reveals some alarming trends in driver behaviors that likely caused the uptick in traffic fatalities. These behaviors continue to put the lives of all Tennesseans in jeopardy.

Speeding

Many Americans seem to be virtually incapable of following posted speed limits, as excessive speed played a role in many fatal motor vehicle accidents in 2020. Put simply, the faster a vehicle is traveling, the greater the chances one of its occupants will die or suffer a catastrophic injury in a crash.

Alcohol impairment

Some drivers continue to endanger others by driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Just as speed factored into many of the fatal car accidents in 2020, impaired driving remained a leading cause of these crashes.

Seat belt usage

In 2019, approximately 91% of Americans claimed to use their seat belts regularly, leaving about 9% of drivers who refuse to buckle up. Still, wearing a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle is one of the more effective ways to survive a car accident. Regrettably, many of those who died in traffic accidents in 2020 were not wearing seat belts.

The NHTSA’s 2020 annual report should remind all Americans of the dangers of irresponsible driving. Ultimately, if someone you love dies because of someone else’s irresponsible driving, you may have grounds to pursue substantial financial compensation.

Categories
Injuries

Understanding dangerous drugs

Prescription drugs marketed to patients should be safe. These medications undergo an extensive research and testing period known as a clinical trial, and the FDA approves pharmaceutical drugs prescribed to patients. Each state also regulates which drugs doctors can prescribe.

What happens when a drug is not safe?

What are dangerous drugs?

In Tennessee, the commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services must consider several factors to determine whether a drug is safe. These factors include the potential for abuse, scientific knowledge about the drug, and public health risk, among others. Rushing this evaluation process for new drugs can lead to doctors inadvertently prescribing dangerous drugs. Some of these new drugs may present significant health risks to patients, even if the side effects are not known right away. If taking a dangerous drug causes negative health consequences, you should consider filing a personal injury lawsuit to seek compensation for your injuries.

Prescription drug interactions

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than half of overdose deaths in the US occur because of prescription drug misuse. This includes mixing prescription drugs. If your doctor prescribes you a drug that you should not combine with other medications you take, you can experience serious side effects. This negligence may give you grounds to pursue a personal injury or medical malpractice claim.

Prescription drugs are powerful substances that can cause immense harm when they are not formulated and prescribed properly. Government officials and doctors who take these side effects lightly should be held accountable.

Categories
motor vehicle accidents

Tennessee semi-truck accidents: calculating damages

Life may never be the same for Tennessee residents involved in a collision with a semi-truck. The size and weight difference often result in catastrophic injuries and permanent disabilities. If you sustained injuries in a crash that prevent you from living the life you had before the accident, you might have grounds for a claim.

According to the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization, more than 2,200 accidents occurred locally between 2016 and 2019, resulting in fatalities or life-altering injuries.

Catastrophic injuries

Severe injuries that result in functional disability typically require extensive, long-term medical treatment. Some of the most common semi-truck accident injuries include the following:

  • Severe burns
  • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
  • Disfigurement
  • Crushed limbs resulting in amputation
  • Traumatic brain injuries

Medical expenses begin building immediately after the crash with emergency and trauma care. After the initial treatment, your injuries may need many surgical procedures and teams of medical specialists. In addition, prescription medications and pain management techniques can become costly over time. Ongoing pain and frustration with your new circumstances might affect your mental health.

Calculating damages

Physical limitations may prevent you from working at the job you had before the crash. They might also prevent you from living independently or enjoying life as you once did. Disabling injuries result in both economic and noneconomic losses. The value of a claim depends on various factors. Calculations often include past and future medical expenses, emotional trauma, loss of your enjoyment of life, pain and suffering.

Understanding your options for pursuing a claim is critical for its success. A settlement may help you pay for home health care, rehabilitative therapy, and necessary medical devices.