The hours and days after a vehicle crash are undeniably challenging and are a prime time for injury victims to unintentionally make poor decisions.
If you’ve recently suffered harm in a crash any potential missteps that you make could affect your ability to secure the full amount of compensation to which you’re rightfully entitled. Here are three common errors to be wary of.
1. Saying too much to the wrong people
The other party’s insurer will look for ways to reduce how much compensation they must pay you. Tactics could include calling you and trying to record you saying something that a court could perceive as you admitting fault. Or scouring your social media for posts or comments that suggest your injuries are not as bad as you or a doctor claim. They might even send a private investigator to follow you around.
2. Underestimating the cost of your injuries
One of the most urgent things you should do after a crash is to get a full medical check-up. This rule of thumb applies even if you feel and look fine. Some potentially life-threatening injuries will not make themselves known straight away. Examples of “silent” harm include a damaged spine, an internal bleed or a traumatic brain injury.
A medical check can root potentially dangerous conditions and allow you to get treatment for them. Detailing everything in a medical report also enables you to claim compensation for all the costs you can expect, rather than just the ones you’ve already incurred.
3. Trying to handle your claim alone
Insurers will rub their hands with glee if they see that you have no legal representation, as it increases the likelihood that they will get away with underpaying your injury claim. To avoid this particular challenge, seek legal guidance as soon as you can.
After a major crash, people often look for compensation to help cover their expenses. They may have lost out on multiple days of income, maybe even weeks of wages because of their injuries. They may have thousands of dollars in hospital bills and also property damage expenses.
Those who are at fault for a crash have financial liability for the wreck they’ve caused. They may need to provide insurance coverage to pay someone’s cost, and when they can’t cover those expenses with insurance, they might end up in civil court.
Lost wages are often one of the biggest contributing elements to a personal injury claim following a crash. Those directly affected by a crash need to quantify their losses and use that estimate as a baseline when negotiating with the insurance company or filing a claim in civil court. What if the person who has been hurt doesn’t work a job but provides numerous services for their family?
Homemaking services have significant value
Anyone who has tried to hire a cleaning service or a childcare provider can quickly tell you how incredibly expensive such services actually are. Families save tens of thousands of dollars annually by having a parent or other family member provide services like child care, cleaning, meal planning and cooking.
When an injury leaves a parent unable to take their children to school every day or prepare meals for the family, the household may have to absorb massive expenses. A personal injury lawsuit can potentially include the cost of someone’s lost services during the recovery or in the long-term future when their injuries will lead to permanent limitations.
Putting a price on an injury can be hard
The average person may struggle to understand the true financial impact of their injuries after a crash. It is easy to underestimate the cost when people only look at the first round of bills they get from the hospital.
Those who partner with a lawyer after a car crash will better understand the financial consequences of their injuries and will have the support that they’ll likely require to get the maximum amount of compensation possible. Recognizing the true financial effect of a recent car crash will help those who need to pursue an insurance claim or lawsuit, regardless of whether they work or not.
Anyone can get hurt at work, as job injuries range from predictable, industry-specific trauma risks to fluke accidents related to criminal activity or inclement weather. People of all ages and backgrounds engaged in gainful employment could potentially end up suffering from a work-related injury or a job-acquired illness.
However, certain groups weather greater risk (at least, statistically speaking) on the job than others. When looking at federal workplace injury data, two specific groups tend to navigate greater risk for injury on the job when compared with the rest of the population.
Older workers are at elevated risk
With people living longer and retirement ages rising, more people work later in life. Having older adults in the workforce can be beneficial in many ways, but those workers are more likely than their younger coworkers to end up hurt.
According to a report from the National Safety Council, older adults are at elevated risk for two kinds of work injuries. Specifically, they are more likely to slip, trip and fall. Many older adults end up seeking emergency medical care because of broken bones or brain injuries caused by a same-level fall at work. They are also more susceptible to contracting infectious diseases at work.
Younger workers also have elevated risks
With many jobs, an individual’s degree of risk decreases as they become more familiar with the equipment they use and industry safety practices. As with driving a motor vehicle, experience is often the only means of ensuring someone’s competence and overall safety.
Younger workers have their own risks, including a greater chance of injury caused by contact with objects/equipment and a greater chance of getting cut on the job. Mistakes on the job and sometimes an inability to consider long-term risks may factor into the increased injury risk for young adults. In certain industries, like construction, younger workers may actually be at the highest risk of an on-the-job fatality.
Employees hurt at work and those who lose a loved one in a work incident may have grounds for a workers’ compensation claim and/or a civil lawsuit. Recognizing personal risk factors, including personal characteristics that may increase physical risk, can help people avoid work injuries and take appropriate action after one has manifested.
Does driving become more dangerous with age?
It’s well known that younger drivers are some of the most accident-prone because of their inexperience and reduced maturity.
How do things look at the other end of the scale? Do people keep on getting safer and safer? Or do they reach a point where their driving deteriorates in older age?
Traffic statistics show that in 2020, over 6,500 adults over the age of 65 died in car crashes. A further 230,000 were injured enough as a result of motor vehicle collisions to need hospital treatment.
Age isn’t everything
As you age, your body’s ability to keep you safe while driving will lessen. Your eyes and ears won’t be as able to spot the early signs of trouble, and your brain and muscles won’t be able to process that information and react as quickly.
But that is not the whole picture. Even the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirms that it is someone’s ability, not their age alone, that determines whether they are capable of operating a motor vehicle safely.
You might think that why someone was injured or killed in a crash is irrelevant because it is the consequences of the crash that impact lives. Yet it is highly relevant when seeking compensation. If one of your older family members was injured or killed in a crash, you might need legal help to counter claims of the other driver and their insurer that your relative’s age meant they drove poorly and caused the crash. Attributing fault correctly can help you get the compensation your loved one deserves.
If you have a workplace accident, you need to fill out certain paperwork and provide relevant supporting evidence before you’ll qualify to receive workers’ compensation benefits. However obvious the extent and effect of your injury may be, you will not get a cent of workers’ compensation until you complete these tasks correctly.
Form 18 is the document that you’ll need to submit in order to give official notice of your claim. Once completed, you must submit it to the North Carolina Industrial Commission. This form alerts the Commission to several important pieces of information that will allow it to process your claim.
You’ll need to detail what happened that caused your injury as well as when it happened. You’ll also need to mention what parts of the body were injured. Details of your work hours and wages will also need to be included. Omitting details could lead to delays in the processing of your claim.
What if I cannot complete and sign the form?
Someone else can do it for you if you are unable, which could happen if your injuries have affected your hands, your cognitive functions and/or your ability to process information sufficiently while you’re on specific medications.
How long do I have to file the form?
You must do so within two years of the injury or occupational disease occurring. Otherwise, you’ll likely lose all rights to claim.
Remember, you’ll need to report the original incident to your employer within 30 days of sustaining harm or you may be barred from receiving compensation. Sending your employer a copy of this form would count as notice. The sooner you file, the sooner you can get compensation. Note that if you’re claiming for asbestosis, silicosis and business, you’ll need a different form.
Filling out the form correctly is not always a straightforward process. Consider legal help to do so and to help you prepare the appropriate accompanying evidence to increase the chance that your workers’ compensation claim will succeed the first time around.
Medical researchers are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible. There are more therapies available for cancer than ever before, and advances in neurological science and prosthetics can help people recovering from an amputation or a spinal cord injury maintain more function than would have been possible years ago.
Brain injuries, however, have long remained a near-impossible hurdle for researchers. Despite advances in understanding neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to rewire itself), the adult brain doesn’t grow much and therefore has limited healing abilities.
Surgery and rehabilitative care can reduce the impact of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), but no real “reversal” treatment exists at this time. However, cutting-edge research has just created a new hope for those who are struggling with a TBI themselves and those who have a family member who has a brain injury.
What researchers were able to do with mice
As previously mentioned, the brain largely stops developing new tissue once the human body finishes growing. New neurons continue to develop throughout life, but the brain has a limited ability to rebuild or repair itself. Although sections of the brain do continue maturing and developing into people’s 20s, new growth and major neurological changes after that point are uncommon, to say the least.
However, what medical science knows about treating brain injuries may soon change dramatically. Researchers have been able to successfully transplant human brain tissue into living rats. The rats in the study were able to use the transplanted neuron tissue. The transplanted tissue ended up integrating into the rats’ brains, receiving blood supply and cooperating with the pre-existing brain tissue. This advancement could provide hope for countless individuals impacted by TBIs.
Cutting-edge care requires financial support
Those hoping to undergo brand new, experimental treatments or to help their loved ones get such care often learn that there is a financial barrier to such treatment. Insurance claims and personal injury lawsuits are ways for individuals with brain injuries or their caregiving family members to seek financial compensation that could potentially help secure the best care possible.
Learning more about medical advances and personal injury claims can help those adjusting to life after a brain injury. As can seeking legal guidance from a professional.
The North Carolina workers’ compensation insurance program will cover the cost of necessary medical care when a worker gets hurt on the job. Unlike private health insurance, workers’ compensation coverage will cover the costs without any patient responsibilities, like co-pays and prescription fees.
Generally, workers should not have to pay anything for the treatment of a work injury. Whether they need surgery, physical therapy or medication, workers’ compensation should cover 100% of their expenses. They could also potentially qualify for disability benefits if they need to take time off of work to heal.
Sometimes, workers do not agree with the treatment plan suggested by the doctor managing their care. What happens in that situation?
You may need to request a second opinion
You can pick your own doctor for your care if the Industrial Commission approves the request or see a physician recommended by your employer. Either way, no one medical doctor has infallible medical knowledge.
There are gaps in any doctor’s expertise and hands-on work experience. If you believe that the treatment recommended by the doctor overseeing your care would not benefit you, you will need to follow the correct protocol. You can formally request a second opinion about the treatment you need to recover.
You should not simply refuse treatment. If you do not comply with medical orders, you could potentially compromise your right to benefits in the future. The insurance company could claim that your failure to follow the doctor’s orders is really why you can’t work or need additional care, not the original injury.
You have every right to disagree with a treatment plan suggested by a doctor, but it is important that you respond appropriately during that disagreement. Knowing your rights while receiving workers’ compensation can help you avoid claim-ending mistakes.
Intersections are one of the most dangerous spots on any road. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has determined that “More than 50 percent of the combined total of fatal and injury crashes occur at or near intersections.” Speeding and reckless driving vastly increase the risk of a crash wherever motorists engage in these behaviors. When they take place at an intersection, the risks to everyone near that site increase significantly.
That is a concern some Greensboro residents have been bringing up with local councilors for some time, and not without reason.
A particularly scary spot in town
For example, the Randleman Road and Meadowview Road intersection has a 35 mph speed limit. Yet, residents claim many people are going way faster. A news crew took speed guns to the site and found many speeding drivers, with the fastest one they clocked traveling at 47mph.
Sadly, the residents’ concerns have not been addressed sufficiently enough to prevent tragedy from striking. Earlier this month, an allegedly reckless driver killed someone who was traveling as a passenger in a vehicle near the intersection. Residents are not surprised, as many of them have already had their mailboxes or fences knocked down by irresponsible drivers going too fast along the road.
Police say the driver that killed the passenger also jumped a red light, contributing to many residents’ opinion that drivers do not respect the laws on this stretch of road and do not show due concern for those who live there. Suggestions to improve safety by putting cameras on the lights, extending the duration of the yellow light or adding more streetlights have so far not been implemented. Until they are, you need to take extra care when around this interaction lest someone else who is not taking sufficient care injures you in a crash.
How Do I Report A Work Injury In North Carolina?
If you get hurt on the job, one of the first steps you’ll typically need to take is to report the issue to your employer. Proper reporting is crucial so that your employer can notify any safety organizations about the issue and make sure the company maintains any records it needs, such as security camera footage that may otherwise end up deleted.
Making a report is also crucial if you need to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. These are the primary steps you need to take to properly report an injury on the job in North Carolina.
Notify your team lead, supervisor or manager
As soon as an incident on the job leaves you hurt at work, your will typically want to notify management about the situation. Reporting to a direct supervisor is standard practice at most businesses. However, your employer may specifically provide instructions for an alternate reporting system, such as going through an internal health center or contacting human resources.
You should make sure that you follow your company’s policy in addition to telling your supervisors. Those who work with you need to know because you need to seek out a medical evaluation and must, therefore, leave before finishing your shift.
Tell a medical provider about your claim
Even if you have not yet initiated a workers’ compensation benefits claim, it is usually best to communicate the origin of your injury with healthcare providers overseeing your treatment. They can ensure that they include the right details in their records that will facilitate direct billing for a workers’ compensation claim.
After they evaluate you, it will also be important that you abide by their recommendations throughout your treatment. Otherwise, insurance adjusters may try to blame you for your failure to improve and your need for ongoing wage replacement or medical treatment.
Provide written notice to your employer
After a diagnosis of a medical condition related to your employment, you have 30 days to formally notify your employer. Those hospitalized may want to ask a family member or coworker to communicate such notice to the company on their behalf, as delays could potentially affect the right to benefits.
Learning more about the requirements for the workers’ compensation claim process will help those who get hurt on the job in North Carolina more easily complete the benefits application process. But keep in mind that injured workers can also seek legal guidance at any time as well.
What is the most dangerous occupation?
People often wonder what the most dangerous occupation is, perhaps out of pure curiosity or maybe because they want to avoid going into that line of work. Perhaps they’re trying to discover what the safest occupation is so that they can take steps to work in that career.
What you’ll find is that it really depends on how you define the danger. But you can always use statistics to discover which occupations are the most dangerous.
The highest rate of fatal injuries
The first way to define this is by looking for the job that has the highest rate of fatal injuries. How many workers lose their lives for every 100,000 people in that occupation?
When you do this, the most dangerous job is logging. There were 56 total deaths in 2018. That provides a death rate of 111 fatal accidents for every 100,000 workers. You can see that the rate is higher than the total, and this is just a reflection of the fact that the logging industry is a relatively small one with under 50,000 workers employed in it. These workers have to do very physical tasks, and that has led to a fatal accident rate that is a staggering 33 times as high as the nationwide average.
The highest number of fatal injuries
The second way to look at this is by looking for the highest number of total fatal injuries in any industry. When you do this, the most dangerous industry is construction. This is true year in and year out. Construction workers have very dangerous job sites that they have to work on, they use power tools and heavy machinery and the highest number of employees pass away on the job every year.
The only reason that construction doesn’t rank higher than logging or other similar Industries is just that it is much larger. Because of how many people are working in construction, the rate of these fatal accidents is much lower.
Understanding the risks
If you work in one of these industries, it’s very important to understand the risks. This is also true if you have a family member who works in these industries, and you’re worried about them suffering fatal injuries in an accident. If this happens, then you need to know exactly what legal options you have.
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