Driving on black ice: Tips that can save your life

Black ice.  One of the dangers of winter.  Driving on ice is dangerous enough but when you can't see it...it becomes more dangerous.  




Black ice is called black ice because it is transparent and you can see the asphalt through it...so it looks like the road. The one difference is sometimes it is "shiny" compared to the rest of the road.

What to do when you hit black ice:

1. Remove your foot from the pedal immediately!  The last thing you want to do is give your car more acceleration while sliding.
2. Press on the brake.  This part is complicated because what you do will be determined by what your brake system is.  Most newer cars have anti-lock brake system so you would press down on the brake pedal and allow your Anti-lock brakes to do the "pumping" for you.  You will feel the pumping action.  If your car doesn't have Anti-lock brakes than you will have to manually pump your brakes in a smooth even fashion.  
3. Look ahead.  You want to do this so you can avoid any "trouble" spots ahead of; on-coming traffic, a light pole or tree, ditch, etc.  If you are driving and not sliding always be looking for black ice.  If you see it lift your foot off the brake and shift down.
4. Turn your steering wheel into the direction you are sliding.  So, foot off the gas, brake pedal (as your car requires) and steer into the direction of the slide.  This will give you better control.

Remember:  Four wheel drives are not any safer on ice.  Drive safe and be careful...winter is coming.

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Spinal Cord injuries

Understanding your spinal cord and what happens if it is injured in a car accident.

Your spinal cord is made up of a bundle of nerves from the waist that connects to the bottom of your brain which makes up your Central Nervous System.

It carries nerve impulses to and from the brain that initiates movement and sends sensory information to your brain; such as heat, pressure, texture, etc.

Your spinal cord is protected by vertebrae that surround the spinal cord.  This vertebrae plays an important role when you are in a car accident.  If just the vertebrae is injured than paralysis and/or disabilities may not be permanent so think of it as your guard dog. 

Car accidents are the cause for about 35% of spinal cord injuries which is the leading cause of spinal cord injuries.  It is estimated that about 10,000 people suffer spinal cord injuries PER YEAR. 

When you have a spinal cord injury:  these type of injuries can result in the loss of feeling, mobility or both.  These symptoms can come from just "damaging" the spinal cord.  Paralysis is determined on where the spinal cord is damaged or severed.  If the spinal cord injury is higher up to the neck it can affect both your arms and legs where damage lower will often only affect the legs.  

Other than paralysis injuries to the spinal cord include organ malfunction, loss of bowl and bladder control, ability to control body temperature, blood pressure and sexual functions.

As much as I wish I had the ability to control all factors while I'm on the road...this is not possible.  What is possible is what you do before.  You can keep your body healthy.  Strengthen your body with exercise.  Vertebrae are protected by muscle.  Certain exercises can help you strengthen the muscle and providing you a little more protection.

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Post-traumatic headaches and/or migraines

Small car accident:  Big injuries.  I have talked about this before.  I can personally tell you that the injuries that you can sustain from a car accident can follow you forever.  

I never used to get "headaches."  Now I don't know what a day is like without one.  My injury: whiplash caused a major neck injury which has lead to my "headaches."  I use the quotation marks around the word headache because many tell me to "take an aspirin." Ah, if it was only that simple.  

The technical part of headaches after an injury:  (Provided by dcdoctor)

CERVICOGENIC HEADACHES
Cervicogenic headaches refer to headaches which originate from tissues and structures in the cervical spine or neck region. The headache is generally a very constant, strong, yet dull pain. The most common location of pain is around the orbital (eye) region and upper neck area but may also include other areas of the face, head and neck. The headache will typically last for one to three days and reoccur ever one to four weeks until properly treated. The headache may also be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, ringing of the ears, and sensitivity to light and sound - similar to migraine headaches.
Cervicogenic headaches are caused by irritation or injury to the structures of the upper neck region, resulting in local neck pain as well as referred pain to the temporal and facial regions. This headache is often precipitated or aggravated by head and neck movements and by applying deep pressure to the muscles of the upper cervical area.
Chiropractic management of cervicogenic headaches is the best way to eliminate these headaches. Without addressing the problems in cervical spine the headache will continue to persist and worsen. Individuals should be warned that relying on analgesics to remedy cervicogenic headaches does nothing to correct the cause of the headache and generally worsens the headache in what's known as the "rebound effect".

This injury is often "overlooked" by the patient because we just assume a headache is part of the deal, right.  We complain about a headache....but our friends get tired of hearing about it and, as I said earlier, take an aspirin.  

If you have headaches that followed a car accident tell you Doctor!  It can be treated.  I will always have a "dull" headache unless I want surgery (which I'm doubting will happen).  Chiropractic management has kept me from the severe, blinding, "leave me the heck alone" headaches. 

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Hiring an Attorney: What you need to know

What do you tell your Attorney?  
Everything!  I could end this here but I will go on to explain:

Don't "hide" anything from your Attorney.  What they don't know can come back and hurt you.

1. Previous injuries:  You may not think it is important to tell your Attorney that you were in a car accident 10 years ago because your injuries are healed BUT if they are not aware of your past injuries than they can't fight the insurance companies when they tell them that your current injuries are pre-existing and aren't covered....and trust me the insurance companies will try.  Forewarned is forearmed.  
2. Injuries since the accident:  If you are injured after your car accident you do not want that to cause problems for your current case.  Let your Attorney know of all injuries you sustain after the car accident so they can be prepared.
3. How's your marriage?  Are you divorced or getting divorced?  If you were married at the time of the accident your spouse may be entitled to compensation and your Attorney needs to know this.
4. Bills, Bills and more Bills:  They are a headache without a car accident and get even worse afterwards because you may have medical bills and may not be able to work.  If you have filed bankruptcy or thinking of filing tell your Attorney as your settlement could become part of your estate and your settlement could go to your creditors.
5. Criminal History:  You may not think it is important that your Attorney knows you got a DUI seven years ago but the Insurance Company's Attorney will think it is important.  Most Criminal History will have no relevance to your case but you do not want your Attorney to be "surprised" by what is discovered.

In order for Insurance Companies to avoid paying you...they have to find reasons not to.  Don't let any of those reasons be something that could have been avoided had you been honest and forthcoming with your Attorney.  And, don't think that your history cannot be discovered because to avoid paying our settlements Insurance Companies DO THEIR RESEARCH!!  Don't let your Attorney get caught by surprised. 

One very important warning:  If an Attorney says they can't represent you because of xyz, do not leave xyz out when meeting with other Attorneys.  XYZ may be something that the first Attorney is not experienced in fighting where another one is.  EVERYTHING about you is important for the Attorney to know.  I have said this before but it is worth repeating.  Don't hide anything from your Attorney.  They are there to FIGHT for you, you just need to provide them with all the ammunition that can be used against you.

This is not to be construed as legal advice.  If you need any legal advice contact a personal injury Attorney in your area.  

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A hidden danger that can kill you

In recent blogs I have discussed some injuries that you may receive if you are in a car accident. Some of these injuries you may not even know you have for weeks after the accident.  Today I want to discuss the injury you cannot SEE but could kill you if not treated.

Internal bleeding

We can all see when someone is bleeding when it is caused outside the body.  Simple, right?  Get it treated.  What happens when you are bleeding internally and can't see it, therefor, you don't know.

According to Medicine Net:

Internal bleeding occurs when damage to an artery or vein allows blood to escape the circulatory system and collect inside the body. The amount of bleeding depends upon the amount of damage to an organ and the blood vessels that supply it, as well as the body's ability to repair breaks in the walls of the blood vessels. The repair mechanisms available include both the blood clotting system and the ability of blood vessels to go into spasm to decrease blood flow to an injured area.

When you are involved in a car accident internal bleeding is a risk factor that needs to be known about.  If your head hits the steering wheel, windshield or something in the car flies up and hits your head you could experience internal bleeding in the brain.

If your chest hits the steering wheel your lungs could fill up with blood.

If your knee bumps the dash you could have internal bleeding in that area also.

No matter where your internal bleeding is you must get medical attention immediately.  

Stay tuned for symptoms of internal bleeding....it may save your life or the life of another.

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer.  Those two words will take your breath away.  Those two words will make you stop what you are doing.  Those two words.....kill.

We in Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October 2012) and there are some facts that just need to be known:  Thank you to BreastCancer.org for this information:

• About 1 in 8 U.S. women (just under 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.
• In 2011, an estimated 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 57,650 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.
• About 2,140 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in men in 2011. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000.
• From 1999 to 2005, breast cancer incidence rates in the U.S. decreased by about 2% per year. The decrease was seen only in women aged 50 and older. One theory is that this decrease was partially due to the reduced use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) by women after the results of a large study called the Women’s Health Initiative were published in 2002. These results suggested a connection between HRT and increased breast cancer risk.
• About 39,520 women in the U.S. were expected to die in 2011 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1990 — especially in women under 50. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness.
• For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.
• Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. Just under 30% of cancers in women are breast cancers.
• White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than African-American women. However, in women under 45, breast cancer is more common in African-American women than white women. Overall, African-American women are more llkely to die of breast cancer. Asian, Hispanic, and Native-American women have a lower risk of developing and dying from breast cancer.
• In 2011, there were more than 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in the US.
• A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. About 15% of women who get breast cancer have a family member diagnosed with it.
• About 5-10% of breast cancers can be linked to gene mutations (abnormal changes) inherited from one’s mother or father. Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common. Women with these mutations have up to an 80% risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime, and they are more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age (before menopause). An increased ovarian cancer risk is also associated with these genetic mutations.
• In men, about 1 in 10 breast cancers are believed to be due to BRCA2 mutations, and even fewer cases to BRCA1 mutations.
• About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations.
• The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are gender (being a woman) and age (growing older).

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Understanding MedPay

Do you understand or even know what MedPay is and what it covers?  Most people don't until it's too late.

MedPay:  A type of auto insurance covering medical and funeral expenses resulting from an accident for the policyholder and any passengers riding with the policyholder. MedPay also covers the policyholder for any accident in which he is a pedestrian. MedPay provides coverage regardless of who is at fault. (Investorwords.com). 

For a few dollars more a month you can add this to your insurance policy.  Personally I have $25,000 in MedPay (and used up most of it with my car accident). 

Why?

Because....I don't want to worry about my medical bills while I'm trying to heal from my injuries!!!  MedPay makes good on paying your bills.  If you are hurt in a car accident it could take months before your medical bills are paid.

Here's what most people think:

MedPay is redundant to health insurance.  This is not the case.  Health Insurance comes with a deductible that is paid out of your pocket!  MedPay comes with no deductible.  Now let's look at the thousands of people who do not have Health Insurance.  How important is it to have MedPay now?  The cost of MedPay added to your auto insurance averages about $20.00 PER YEAR per $10,000 of coverage.  

If you are involved in a car accident and accrue $10,000 in medical expenses and you turn it over to your Health Insurance to pay.  The most common health coverage is 80/20 so you are looking at $2,000 out of YOUR pocket to pay for injuries that may not be your fault!  Even the best health insurance may be 90/10 but that is still $1,000.00 out of your pocket.

Take that $1,000.00 you just paid for one accident.  If you had taken that money and added or increased your MedPay that same $1,000 would pay for.......FIFTY (50) YEARS of MedPay! and you would not have had any out of pocket expenses.  

Now here is something else to think about.  MedPay doesn't have the cap on it like your policy limits.  Whatever your MedPay limit is...it is for each person that it covers; so if you have $10,000 in Med Pay and three people are injured...that is $30,000.

So when you are shopping insurance or trying to cut expenses dropping or reducing your MedPay is NOT THE WAY TO GO!

Knowledge is Power!

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