Never Say These 3 Things After a Car Accident

Car accidents are caused by various reasons including brake failure, other cars, speeding, humans, animals, drunkenness, inanimate objects, etc. We hear of car accidents every day of our lives and hope we don’t get into one.  Car accidents can be very frightening and can cause great damages to cars, humans, and others involved. But when they happen, there are certain things we are not supposed to say. Below are three things we shouldn’t say after a car accident.

It’s my fault

When an accident happens, never used the sentence “it’s my fault. This is because you might not have a clear picture of the accident and then taking the blame for it can put you in serious trouble with the authority. You may falsely be admitting to someone’s fault without knowing it. Do not admit the accident was solely your fault because aside from being in trouble with the authorities, you might end up been depressed or feeling guiltily for the accident which can affect your mental health. Check immediately on the well-being of the involved parties of the accident if you can do so but never accept it’s your fault.

I’m fine

After an accident happens, aside from physical injuries, there might be internal injuries that may appear days or weeks after the accident. When involved in an accident, never say “you’re fine”, “you’re okay”, “you’re not hurt”. Make sure you get checked properly by the medical team and also run some tests before you declare yourself as “okay”.

I’ll settle the bill

Immediately after an accident, never say you will settle the bill or pay for damages involved.

Make sure you have the facts right and every detail concerning the accident. Ask for insurance covering the damaged vehicles. Consult with an attorney before you try to pay for an extra cost concerning the damages.

Conclusion

Accidents are unplanned for and they can be difficult to manage when it happens especially in severe cases. After an accident, it is important you know the right things to say and not to say so it won’t be used against you especially when a court case is involved. Don’t blame yourself for the accident, make sure you are medically fit and don’t try to explain how the accident happens, be sure you get enough details about the accident before admitting anything and don’t say you’ll settle the bill invoking damages.

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Keep These Items In Your Car — AT ALL TIMES!

Getting stranded on the road is not something any car owner plans for, but it always seems to happen when you’re not expecting it. So, as a car owner, it is important that you are ready for any moment to fix any issue that arises. This is why certain items need to be in your car at all times in case of an emergency. These items help you avoid being stranded for long which makes you vulnerable at the roadside.

Spare Tires

Everyone who owns a car should have a spare tire because your tires can fail you at any time. Spare tires become very essential when there is difficulty in locating a tire shop or where you have an emergency meeting to keep up with.

First Aid Kit

A first aid kit should be available in every car at all times to provide a quick treatment when there is an accident. With a first aid kit, you can treat injuries to the body until the victim has access to better medical treatment.

Flashlight and Extra Batteries

When in an emergency with your car, especially at night, you can only use your phone’s torchlight for a little while before the battery goes off. To help you see better you will need a flashlight with durable battery life. Don’t forget to have extra batteries in case the battery in the flashlight becomes weak.

Emergency Window Breaker

Where there is an accident or maybe the car runs into a body of water, getting out fast is very important. Here, you might not have all the time to get out through the doors or even locate where it is. With an emergency window breaker, you can break through the windows quickly and save a life or your life.

Energy Bars/Snacks

Driving for long hours can be exhausting and make you hungry. This is where having energy bars or snacks reserved becomes important. With this, you have something to munch on to get the energy you need to keep driving.

Basic Tool Kit

Every car owner is expected to have in their cars at all times a basic tool kit. With these tool kits, they can check mild issues with the car and address them until they can have access to a professional car repairer.

Disposable Gloves

Your car can breakdown at the roadside or just as you are heading for an appointment. You would not want your hands to get soiled trying to figure out or address the issue. With disposable gloves available, you can put them on to check and fix the issue at hand.

As a car owner, you don’t have to wait for an emergency before you start thinking of what to do. You can have these basic items in your car at all times to handle any of such emergencies.

You don’t have to remain stranded on the roadside for long with the right tools and knowledge of their usage.

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How to Use Zoom for a Legal Consultation

Many people have come to know Zoom, the online video conference tool, during the coronavirus pandemic. Here at Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C. we have adopted the use of Zoom for remote legal consultations between our Texas personal injury lawyers and our existing and prospective clients.

If you are not already familiar with Zoom, you may have questions about how to use Zoom for a meeting on the computer. We think that you’ll find that the Zoom meeting software is extremely easy to set up and use and that it provides the security necessary to ensure attorney-client confidentiality during a remote legal consultation.

If you are getting set up for a Zoom meeting with Herrman & Herrman and need assistance beyond the information below about how to use Zoom for a meeting, feel free to contact us at (361) 882-4357 for help. We can conduct a video conference in English or Spanish

How to Get Set Up for a Zoom Video Conference

To use Zoom, you must download the Zoom app. It’s available to download free of charge. Versions are available for Windows, Mac, and Linux computer platforms and for iOS, Android, and even Blackberry mobile devices. Once you have the app, you can launch it and be ready to join a meeting. 

For your initial consultation with Herrman & Herrman, we will email you a meeting invitation after you contact us by phone or online. To join the meeting, at the appropriate time, you will need to click on a link in the email invitation labeled “Join Zoom Meeting.”

When you click on the link, you will get a message prompting you to either download or launch Zoom. Since you’ve already downloaded the app, click on “open zoom.us.” 

When you click to join the meeting, a screen will ask for the meeting ID. Every scheduled Zoom meeting has an ID number, which is in the email invitation. You can copy and paste this number from the email.

Then you will be given options to turn off the video or audio. Please do not select either of these. Instead, click the “Join” button.

Understanding Zoom Basics & Zoom Features

During our Zoom meetings, Herrman & Herrman will serve as the “host” and you will be an “attendee.” As host, we’ll handle most of the chores of making sure the meeting is set up properly and happens as it should once you join.

There’s little an attendee must do beyond participating in the conversation. There are a couple of helpful features to know about as we meet for a legal consultation.

The Zoom Mute button. There will be several control buttons on a bar at the bottom of the Zoom meeting video screen. At the far-left is the “Mute” button. The Zoom mute button is simply an on/off toggle switch that mutes and unmutes your microphone with each click. When your mic is muted, the microphone icon will appear with a line through it.

In meetings with many participants, it is proper Zoom etiquette to mute your mic when you are not speaking. In a one-on-one legal consultation, it shouldn’t be an issue but, again, it’s just an on/off switch.

Use “Chat” to share files. Zoom allows you to share photos, documents or other information from your computer/device during a meeting, such as photos from the scene of a car accident.

On the meeting screen, look for the “Chat” button on the bottom bar. When you click on it, a chat window will open to the right side of your video screen. At the bottom right of the chat window, find the “File” button. Click on it, and a window will provide several options for retrieving files from the device you are using.

Navigate to the file you wish to share. Click on it and follow the onscreen prompts to share. The document should appear in the chat window like any other typed message. We can then click the link to download the file or open it in a browser window. 

Another basic of Zoom meetings to keep in mind is that the attendee’s view of himself or herself in a Zoom meeting is, by default, like looking in a mirror. This is because it’s more natural to see yourself reflected back at you that way. We will see you normally. You can turn this mirroring feature off under Video settings, but it’s disorienting unless you are used to it.

Video Appearance in a Zoom Meeting

In a legal consultation, we’re here to help you and get the particulars of your case. How you or your background looks on screen is not a pressing concern. But there are a few tips to setting up for a video conference that can help.

First, consider lighting. Your light source should be above or to the side of the camera on your computer or mobile device. If it is behind you, your face may be cast in a shadow. Natural light is better than electric lighting, which casts an unnatural color.

Set up your computer/device so its camera lens is just a little higher than eye level and has a clear, unobstructed view of you. Sit about three feet away from the camera.

Zoom allows you to use virtual backgrounds that it provides or that are made from a photo you upload. That can be fun but it is unnecessary for a business meeting. If you move in front of a virtual background in Zoom, it creates distortion that can be distracting.

Zoom Privacy and Security

We are confident that Zoom meetings are secure. 

Zoom’s 5.0 release supports encrypting content up to industry-standard AES-256, and the company says it will soon offer an end-to-end encrypted meeting mode to all paid accounts, according to CNET.

As of May 7, Zoom had acquired the secure messaging and file-sharing service Keybase. Zoom said Keybase would provide important contributions to Zoom’s 90-day plan to enhance security and privacy capabilities on the platform. 

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by someone else in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, McAllen, Brownsville or anywhere in south Texas, contact Herrman & Herrman for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. Our injury attorney will review the details of your accident and discuss your legal options. You may be entitled to seek compensation if your injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence.

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What To Do If You Are Injured By Fireworks

Aside from the excitement and fun associated with throwing fireworks, people do happen to get injured sometimes. Now, since firework injuries are probably not one of the most common everyday injuries, only a few people tend to know exactly what to do when it happens.

According to reports, however, there are now increasingly more firework injuries than there used to be. This is why it has now become important for almost everybody to have an idea of what they’re supposed to do when a night of fireworks turns ugly.

If you have a firework injury case on your hands, here are a few recommended ways to manage and take care of it.

Common firework injuries and how to manage them

Although you might need to get an injured person to a medical facility for proper treatments, there are the immediate actions that you can take once the incident has occurred. Usually, firework injuries range from minor to severe skin burns, eye injuries, etcetera.

The following are some useful recommendations for managing different firework injuries:

Minor and severe burns

When the injuries are cases of heat or fire burn, the first thing to do is place the burnt hand or leg under running cold water. The purpose of this is to cool down the affected area. When doing this, you should leave the hand or leg under the tap, for a minimum of ten minutes. Severe or bigger skin burns may require cooling using a water hose or a bath shower.

Once the affected area is cooled off, you may then apply cling film to the surface. As much as possible, try not to touch the burn area while the first aids are ongoing. Also, don’t make use of lotions or any ointment and cream. If the burns are bigger, you may also need to calm the victim, as it’s not unlikely that they may sometimes show signs of shock.

Fireworks injuries to the eye

Fireworks may also cause injury to the eyes. If you discover that particles or debris from the fireworks have entered the eye, make sure your hands are well cleaned before attending to the victim. Check their eyes to see the extent of injury caused. If you can see the moving particles or debris, then you may flush it out with plenty of eyewash. If not, ask the injury victim to keep their eyes closed, until an expert arrives.

Before administering medical aids to a victim of burn injury, always remember to call for expert medical attention. If the injuries are severe and you’re alone with the victim, you may try to keep them as calm as possible, before making the call.

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10 Mother’s Day Ideas — How to Celebrate Your Mom During Quarantine

Settling into our “new normal” during the COVID-19 pandemic means taking a new approach towards pretty much everything, including how holidays are celebrated.

With Mother’s Day less than a week away, most of us are being forced to rethink how we can celebrate our moms — some of whom are in the high-risk age range — as we are being advised to keep a safe distance from our loved ones.

Fortunately, in the age of technology, there are a few ways that you can still send your mom a gift for Mother’s Day, spend some virtual time with her and make her feel special.

From video-chat dinner dates to virtual workouts to custom made cards — here are 10 creative ways to celebrate your mom during quarantine:

1. eGift cards

Most retailers offer online gift card options that can be purchased and sent virtually. Mother’s Day during quarantine would be a great opportunity to take advantage of this option by checking the website of your mom’s favorite store to see if they offer eGift cards. You can also checkout Giftcards.com where you can buy a gift card and email it. For those of you in the Pittsburgh area, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership is offering a way to celebrate your mom while supporting local businesses through the Gift Card Give Back initiative. For every gift card purchase from a range of Downtown and Strip District businesses, PDP will add an extra 25% bonus towards its revenue.

2. Video message

Although you may not be able to wish your mom a Happy Mother’s Day in person, you can always record you and your family members saying a few nice words and send her a video. You and your siblings can each record yourself on your phone sending your mom well wishes and edit the clips together in a nice compilation. Mobile apps like iMovie, Wave and Filmora allow you to easily slice videos together on your phone and add graphics or music to customize the video even further.

3. Send a personalized message from her favorite celebrity

If you think your mom would be enamored by a video message from you, imagine her reaction when she gets one from her favorite celebrity. Cameo is a digital company that lets fans book a personalized video message from a range of talent of their choosing. From professional athletes, to musicians, to actors to reality TV stars, you can purchase a customized video from someone famous to wish your mom a Happy Mother’s Day. Cameo has also launched a COVID-19 Relief Campaign in which its donating proceeds from select video requests towards coronavirus relief efforts.

4. Create your own eCard

If you want to save yourself the hassle of running into the store, armed with a mask, pacing up and down the greeting card aisle, you can always create your own Mother’s Day card online. Sites like Canva allow you to customize a virtual card that you can send to your mom by email or by phone. Blue Mountain also offers a range of greeting card templates.

5. Virtual dinner date

There are plenty of ways to video chat with your mom on Mother’s Day (FaceTime, Zoom, Skype etc.), so why not set up a date for you both to enjoy? Since restaurants are offering take-out only during the pandemic, maybe try taking an online cooking class with your mom. Or, you can order from an ingredient meal-kit service like Blue Apron or Freshly and go through a dinner recipe step by step with your mom on the other end of you mobile phone or tablet screen.

6. Send a Mother’s Day basket or care package

Easter isn’t the only holiday where baskets can be gifted. Quarantine Mother’s Day is a great opportunity to package a bunch of self-care items together to send to your mom in DIY basket form. Grab a bottle of wine, some bubble bath, her favorite snack, and her favorite scented candle to create a nice basket to be delivered to her front door. If you’re in the Pittsburgh area, Fresh Nostalgia in Downtown is selling curated gift boxes filled with speciality items of your choosing.

7. Host a Netflix Party

Netflix and chill … but with your mom. Google Chrome has launched an extension called Netflix Party that allows Netflix account holders to stream and binge the platform’s content simultaneously with a group. If your mom has her own Netflix account and Chrome installed on her laptop or desktop, the two of you (or the whole family) can watch a movie or binge a show together on Mother’s Day. The party really starts with its group chat function where you all can comment live within the platform to discuss the movie together from wherever you are in the world.

8. Decorate your mom’s front door

If you have the ability to do a drive-by at your mom’s house, a great way to say Happy Mother’s Day would be to surprise her with a creatively decorated front door. Spring season is the perfect time to add a nice plant or wreath to your mom’s porch decor. For all the fathers with young children, maybe have them create some special arts and crafts dedicated to mommy that she cant flaunt on her doorstep. Pinterest has a ton of ideas for Mother’s Day door decorations.

9. Run a virtual race together

Since the start of the pandemic, marathon organizers have curated a ton of virtual run options that can be done while practicing social distancing. You and your mom can find a trail near each of your houses and start your race at the same time. If you can have a conversation in between catching your breath, bring along your headphones or video call your mom once you both complete your distance goals. Check out mothersdayrunwalk.com to sign up for a virtual 5K or 10K on Mother’s Day.

10. Take a virtual tour of a museum, zoo or theme park

We may not be able to visit any historic museums or take a trip to Walt Disney World in the near future, but you and your mom can tour dozens of places together from your own homes. There are over 30 museums, theme parks and zoos that are offering virtual tours during the pandemic. Set up a Mother’s Day date for you and your mom to visit The Louvre, the National Women’s History Museum or the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History through online exhibits. You can also virtually check out the Cincinnati Zoo, the National Aquarium and more.

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Trucking Under The Influence

What it means

Alcohol and narcotics effect reasoning, coordination and reaction. For these reasons, anyone driving a vehicle should avoid them. Trucking under the influence basically means driving a truck while impaired by these substances, which can lead to serious accidents.

Impairment due to the consumption of these substances is directly proportional to the amount consumed. While the maximum blood alcohol concentration for truckers is 0.04% (same for all commercial drivers), at about 0.02%, their visual acuity becomes limited. Beyond 0.02%, other functions like concentration, reaction, and muscle coordination begin to drop, increasing the probability of a drunk driving accident.

The risks of trucking under the influence

Truck drivers spend a lot of time alone. In order to cope with being alone and the ennui that comes with it, they consume these substances. However, doing so is not without consequences.

Alcohol and narcotics may cause the trucker to sleep off while driving. Also, they may affect the trucker’s ability to react to traffic or apply brakes. Ultimately, these limitations lead to collisions.

The average truck weighs 20 times more than a car. Most times, when a truck collides with a car, the car and the passengers of the car take the most damage. Aside from the risk posed to drivers of smaller vehicles, the truckers are also at risk of injuries from such collisions.

Damages from such collisions include internal injuries, irreversible disabilities, and even death. Non-human damages include the destruction of cars and public properties.

In the USA, an average of 1 person dies every hour due to drug/alcohol-related crashes. Over 50 billion dollars are lost every year as a result of driving under the influence.

The penalties

With truck drivers and other commercial drivers, a lot can be lost due to mishaps. For this reason, they are subject to stricter regulations.

In the first instance, a trucker found to be driving under influence will have their license suspended for a year. Any other offense after will lead to the permanent suspension of their license.

Also, a trucker who refuses to use the Breathalyzer on request by the appropriate authorities will have their license suspended for a year. Refusing to use a Breathalyzer after the first instance will lead to a permanent license suspension.

Truckers will receive stiffer penalties depending on the gravity of the damage caused because they drove under the influence.

Conclusion

The best concentration of drugs/alcohol that should be in a trucker while driving should be 0. The risks associated with consuming these substances are usually very dire. Avoiding them before or during driving is the best way to preclude disaster.

If you have been injured as a result of a truck driver’s negligence or other motor vehicle accident, contact us now. An experienced attorney at Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C., is prepared to help you through your situation.

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Athletes and Traumatic Brain Injury

Sport are one of the most popular recreational activities as well as exercises in the world today. This is probably because of its active and participatory nature. Today, it is estimated that more than a quarter of the world’s population are involved in at least, one type of sport, either for professional or leisure purposes.

The benefits of participating in sports are almost unable to count; from helping you to maintain top-tier health, to keeping you fit, among many other reasons. However, there are also a few disadvantages that are associated with sports, and one of them is being at risk of a Traumatic Brain Injury.

What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Traumatic Brain Injury is a form of injury to the brain that is often caused by the impact of an external force on the head, which is very likely to lead to a temporary or permanent impairment of physical, cognitive, or psychological functions of the brain.

What Causes Traumatic Brain Injury

Oftentimes, Traumatic Brain Injury occurs as a result of a violent jolt or blow to the body or head of an individual. It can also be caused by the penetration of brain tissue by objects such as a bullet, shattered skull pieces, pellets, etc.

Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury

The symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury can be categorized as follows.

Mental and Cognitive Symptoms: constant mood swings and changes, concentration problems, depression, and anxiety, etc.

Physical Symptoms: headaches, problems with finding sleep, difficulty with speaking, frequently losing consciousness for a few seconds, etc.

Sensory Symptoms: blurred vision, sour taste in the mouth, too much sensitivity to sound or/and light, etc.

How to Prevent Traumatic Brain Injury for Athletes

To reduce the chances of contacting Traumatic Brain Injury during sports, athletes are advised to:

Learn and practice proper techniques to avoid hits in the head;

Limit or control the possibilities of making body contacts during sports;

Put on required safety wears while participating in sports;

Watch out for and avoid impending dangers while participating in sports.

Abide by general safety rules during sports.

Just as earlier mentioned there are many benefits to playing sports, and there are a few disadvantages, also. In this article, we have discussed all you should know about Traumatic Brain Injury for athletes and how to avoid it in sports.

If you have experienced an injury to the head or other part of the body, and are seeking legal counsel on the best actions to take, call the experienced injury attorneys at Herrman & Herrman now.

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