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In Hialeah and across Florida, patients who have been in a serious car accident turn to hospitals, clinics, and healthcare professionals to get help. Healthcare practitioners are supposed to be partners in health care and are supposed to be able to provide a high standard of care that helps patients stay healthier. After a Hialeah traffic accident, the last thing you want to worry about is a medical mistake or complication that can make your injuries even more severe. Unfortunately, for many Hialeah car accident patients, medical mistakes cause expensive and painful complications. To help prevent this, there are several things you can do:

1) Take a friend or family member with you to the hospital or emergency room if you can. If possible, consider having a friend or family member meet you at the emergency room to act as an advocate. This person can fill out the medical paperwork, can discuss your condition with physicians, and can generally stand by to ensure that doctors are informed about any pre-existing conditions or situations. In many cases, after a Hialeah pedestrian accident or traffic accident, you may be confused or even unconscious part of the time. Having someone there ensures that the right decisions are made about your care and ensures that doctors understand your medical conditions so that they can make the best decisions about your treatment.

2) Follow-up about your condition with your regular doctor. If you are rushed to an emergency room after a Hialeah car accident, make a follow-up appointment with your regular physician to discuss your situation. Your physician will want to be apprised of what has happened in your own words and your injury may need follow-up care. You will want to discuss this follow-up care with your physician, as he or she likely knows your medical history better than emergency room doctors. Meeting with your doctor also allows you to address any concerns or questions you may have about your emergency room visit and your condition.

3) Be an informed patient. Learn as much as you can about your medical condition and about your health, using valuable resources such as books and medical magazines at your local library. The Internet can also be a powerful resource but keep in mind that the quality of information online varies widely. Ask your doctor for recommended books, online resources, and other informational resources that can help you stay healthy.

4) Keep a record of your medical treatment. This will not only help you to understand what has happened, but if a medical mistake or medical negligence does occur, a record can help your Hialeah personal injury attorney apprise you of your rights and help them take action in your case.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Halloween night presents a number of challenges for drivers, the biggest challenge being the groups of trick-or-treaters out on the streets. Hialeah pedestrian accidents are in fact a much greater threat to trick-or-treaters than injuries caused by candy. To avoid a Hialeah traffic accident this year, consider the following tips:

1) Consider a curfew and other rules for teen drivers. Teen drivers are most at risk because they are less experienced. Set some rules or consider having new drivers avoid driving entirely on Halloween night to prevent Hialeah pedestrian accidents.

2) Consider a party instead of trick-or-treating. Hosting a party rather than having children trick-or-treat can be a safe alternative that still stays fun. If you are hosting a Halloween party that is not just for kids, either make it alcohol-free or have a safe transportation option for your guests to avoid the risk of Hialeah drunk driving accidents.

3) Have everyone outfitted with visible costumes. If you have children who are trick-or-treating, ensure that the costumes are safe. The costumes should not have long hems that can pose a trip hazard or masks and hoods that block visibility. Costumes should be highly visible and should have reflective strips to make them more visible to motorists.

4) If your children go trick-or-treating, insist that they go with an adult and in a group. An adult can supervise to ensure that children do not run out into the road while a group of children can ensure that they are more visible.

5) If you are taking children trick or treating, walk along one side of the street before crossing at a crosswalk and working down the opposite side of the road. Children often want to run back and forth across the road, but this can increase the odds of a Hialeah car accident.

6) If you will be driving on Halloween night and Halloween afternoon, exercise extra caution. Children may start trick-or-treating early and not all will follow safety rules or cross at crosswalks.

7) Consider a night in. If there is nowhere you have to drive on Halloween night, consider renting movies or staying in on that night. The fewer cars are on the roads, the safer the streets will be with the extra influx of pedestrians.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

According to a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, teenage drivers between the ages of 16 and 17 increase risky driver behaviors as the number of young passengers in the car increases. The study also concluded that teen drivers who have at least one teenage passenger are more likely to drink and drive, speed, or drive late at night. Male teen drivers have a higher risk of risky behaviors when driving with passengers when compared with female drivers.

About half of fatal car accidents involving young drivers with at least three teen passengers involved speeding. In fatal car accidents involving teen drivers in the car alone, about 30% of accidents involved speeding. In cases where a teen driver had two passengers, speed played a role in 44% of accidents. Across all age groups, speed played a role in 33% of accidents.
According to the study, teen drivers who had three teen passengers saw late night driving rise 11 percentage points while drunk driving increased five percentage points when compared with teen drivers driving alone.

To reach their conclusions, the AAA examined available fatal car accident data dating from 2005 to 2010. Researchers found that 9500 collisions in that period involved 16 and 17-year-old drivers. In about 4000 of the accidents, the car had at least one teen passenger.

In May of this year, the AAA released research suggesting that teen drivers with a passenger under the age of 21 have a 44% increased risk of being in a fatal collision. The same study found that the risk doubled with two teen passengers and quadrupled if the car had at least three teen passengers. However, when there was an adult passenger in the car, the risk of a collision actually decreased.

Most parents realize that car accidents are a leading cause of death for minors in the US. In order to prevent Hialeah car accidents, parents may wish to speak to their teen drivers about passengers and the risks that passengers pose. To prevent Hialeah traffic accidents, parents may also wish to limit the number of passengers in a new driver’s car – at least until a teen driver gains more driving experience and skill. Since adults in the car can actually improve teen driving habits, parents may want to spend some time in the car as a passenger to help teens build driving confidence and the skills needed to prevent Hialeah truck accidents and car accidents.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Florida has the unfortunate distinction of being a hotbed for car insurance fraud. While authorities have been taking steps to crack down on fraudsters, many innocent victims are still duped by insurance fraud. Even if you have no intention of committing fraud after a Hialeah truck accident or car accident, being duped could mean that you are accused of taking part in fraud. You may also see your insurance rates rise if you are in an accident caused by a fraudster.

If you have been in a Hialeah car accident, there are many steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of fraud:

1) Visit legal and medical professionals you trust. Most attorneys and medical professionals are honest and professional, but some in both industries have been involved in fraud. Ask for recommendations or do some quick research if you do not know any professionals in Hialeah. Honest professionals will welcome questions and will have abundant proof that they are honest professionals.

2) Be wary of any offers that seem too good to be true. If someone offers an advance payment or a settlement in person or through the mail that seems very high, be wary. An honest Hialeah personal injury attorney will evaluate your case, will be able to explain how much your case may be worth and why, and will be able to advise you of the strength of your case. No attorney, however, can guarantee a settlement or compensation.

3) Get documentation. If you can, take photos of the car accident site, the damage, and the other car. Keep careful records of witness contact information, contact information for other drivers involved, the time and date of the accident, and any other information. Note how many passengers were in the other car and get contact information for each person. Keep detailed notes about medical treatments received and get copies of any medical records and police records you can.

4) Check your documentation. Compare any statements received against the records you keep. This will help you see whether medical claims are padded with treatments you did not get or if more people are claiming injuries than were actually in the car. Both are common red flag signs of fraud after a Hialeah truck accident or car accident, but many people miss these signs because they do not check the records.

5) Report to the police even if the accident was not major. Any accident involving minor damage and injuries should be reported, since you will get an accident report, which will be important when you file an insurance claim. It is another step in the documentation process. You should also contact the police if you feel that you have been the victim of insurance fraud.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

As with every three-day weekend, the Labor Day weekend is a cause of concern for law enforcement agencies across the state when it comes to drunk driving. Unfortunately, even with all the law enforcement checkpoints in place and all the public awareness about the dangers of drunk driving, every Labor Day weekend there are Florida and Hialeah car accidents and traffic stops caused by DUI.

This year, the Florida Highway Patrol is taking part in a national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” initiative that will continue through September 3. In addition, police will be more vigilant during the holiday weekend in order to try to prevent Florida and Hialeah drunk driving accidents. To avoid a tragedy this holiday weekend, follow these tips:

1) Do not assume a small amount of alcohol is OK. In Florida, the legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.08%. For a woman who weighs 120 pounds, it may take only two to three drinks to exceed this limit. For a 190-pound adult man, it may take three to four drinks to exceed the limit. Depending on the physical condition of the person and the strength of the drinks served, however, it can take less. As well, some experts question the 0.08 percent limit, noting that for some people by the time they approach this limit their reasoning, peripheral vision, depth perception, and reflexes may be affected. In fact, most European countries have set their blood alcohol limits much lower and some nations have eliminated any drinking for drivers. Experts believe that even if you are below the official blood alcohol limit, you may still be affected enough by the alcohol to cause a Hialeah car accident. The best option is to avoid driving if you have been drinking at all. Keep in mind that secondary factors such as the heat or fatigue after a late-night Labor Day party can amplify the effects of just one drink.

2) Do not belittle other risk factors. Some drivers assume that as long as they are not drinking and driving, they are being responsible. However, if you are driving distracted or tired, you may be just as much risk on the road. For example, if you stay out late after a Labor Day party and then drive you may be just as liable to fall asleep at the wheel and cause a Hialeah pedestrian accident as someone who has been drinking.

3) Have multiple options for getting home. You are more likely to choose a safe route home if you choose several options. Designate a driver, but also have money and taxi company phone numbers to get home safely, for example. The more options you have, the more likely you are to make the right choice.

4) Remove temptation in the first place. If you are attending a Labor Day event where you know you may drink, consider taking a taxi or a bus to the event in the first place, so that driving home in your car is not even an option. Or, consider an alcohol-free event.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog