Charles J. Argento Houston Personal Injury Law Blog | Charles J. Argento & Associates2023-07-07T20:35:45Zhttps://www.charlesargentoblog.com/feed/atom/WordPressOn Behalf of Charles J. Argentohttps://www.charlesargentoblog.com/?p=472162023-07-06T20:35:52Z2023-07-07T20:35:45Z1. Call the police
One of the first things you want to do is call the police. A police officer can take and file an accident report, remain impartial and document the scene.
2. Get medical treatment
Even though you might seem fine, you should at least see a doctor. Sometimes, injuries do not show up until the next day or even a few days later.
3. Exchange information with the other driver
The act of exchanging information is also important. This way, you or your insurance company can find the other driver. The police also collect this information, but the report might not be immediately available.
4. Document the scene
Most people these days have a mobile phone with a camera. This makes it easy to document the scene of an accident. Take pictures of both vehicles, the area and anything else that might be important to your case.
You should also make notes as soon as possible. Write down as much as you can remember about the accident.
5. Contact a personal injury attorney ASAP
You should at least consult with an attorney as soon as possible. They can inform you of your rights and the possibility of recouping your losses.
With more vehicles on the road than ever before, there is a good chance that, despite your careful driving, you will be involved in an accident at some point.]]>On Behalf of Charles J. Argentohttps://www.charlesargentoblog.com/?p=470232023-05-16T01:56:01Z2023-05-16T01:56:01ZTraumatic brain injury symptoms
The physical signs of a moderate traumatic brain injury include persistent headaches, nausea, dizziness and fatigue. You might also experience blurred vision or light sensitivity. Mental symptoms like memory issues and mood changes can indicate a brain injury as well.
More serious injuries can result in confused, impulsive or agitated behavior that can cause social and personal difficulties. People with TBIs sometimes struggle with daily activities like driving, making decisions and communicating with others. Other signs of a severe traumatic brain injury can include:
Slurring while speaking
Dilated pupils
Seizures and convulsions
Vomiting repeatedly
Weakness and paralysis
Loss of consciousness can also occur if you have a traumatic brain injury. Some injured people even go into a comatose state.
Types of traumatic brain injuries
Many varieties of injuries can damage the brain. For example, a skull fracture can accompany and contribute to a TBI. Some brain injuries involve hemorrhage or internal bleeding within and around the brain tissue. Often TBIs lead to mass lesions in the brain, such as contusions and hematomas. However, some people with TBIs have diffuse injuries, which are smaller, less localized and distributed throughout the brain.
A traumatic brain injury can significantly impact your physical and mental health, causing symptoms like headaches, vomiting and behavioral changes.]]>On Behalf of Charles J. Argentohttps://www.charlesargentoblog.com/?p=470212023-03-28T01:20:01Z2023-03-28T01:20:01Zautomobile insurance companies may try to do after an accident to avoid paying out as much as they should.
These are some of the tactics that insurers may use after an accident in Texas.
Catching the opposing party off guard
One tactic that some insurers use is calling the opposing party while they are still freshly injured in an attempt to catch them off-guard. Although the person involved in the collision is aware that they are talking to the other driver's insurer, they may still divulge information that the insurer can ultimately use against them.
Disputing the medical bills
Another tactic is disputing the medical bills of the injured party in order to reduce the amount that the insurer has to pay out. The insurer might say, for example, that someone received unnecessary treatment or received treatment for longer than they needed.
Delaying payment for a claim
Sometimes, insurance companies are slow to respond or avoid responding at all in order to delay paying an approved claim for as long as possible. They might hope that the person involved in the accident with the approved claim will eventually get frustrated and quit trying to pursue the payment.
By being aware of some of the tactics that insurers might use after an accident, people can avoid falling for those tactics.]]>On Behalf of Charles J. Argentohttps://www.charlesargentoblog.com/?p=470192023-01-06T15:46:06Z2023-01-11T15:44:50ZAre trucking accidents really that dangerous?
It goes without saying that a large truck, especially one with a loaded trailer, carries massive weight and is unlikely to slow down even after colliding with a typical passenger vehicle. Trailers that tip over due to sharp turns or windy weather are also capable of causing tremendous crushing damage. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports 4,014 fatalities in large truck crashes for the year 2020, exemplifying the potential danger that big rigs can pose.
What are the main causes of large truck accidents?
Some big rig accidents are the result of dangerous habits on the part of truck drivers. Momentary distractions can lead to catastrophic accidents, and drivers who work long hours and continue to operate their vehicles while fatigued can create dangerous situations as well. Trucking companies can often be at fault as well, though, when poor maintenance or sloppy loading procedures create precarious circumstances that truck drivers cannot control.
Large trucks have size and power capable of bringing down traffic infrastructure, plowing through multiple smaller vehicles and severely harming the occupants within. Motorists who experience a large truck accident should take appropriate legal action to determine who is at fault and secure the compensation they deserve.]]>On Behalf of Charles J. Argentohttps://www.charlesargentoblog.com/?p=470172022-11-15T01:41:51Z2022-11-15T01:41:51ZThe risks of distracted driving
When people drive while distracted, they are not paying full attention to the road. Distracted drivers are more likely to cause accidents, which can result in serious injury or death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are nine fatal crashes each day linked to distracted driving and many more injuries. Accidents related to distracted driving can also harm or kill pedestrians and cyclists. Many states, including Texas, have laws that ban texting while driving. However, there are other forms of distraction that can impact drivers.
Common driving distractions
The use of mobile devices, including cell phones, is a major contributor to distracted driving. Texting, web browsing and reading emails can be especially dangerous for drivers. These actions are visually, physically and mentally distracting. Drivers who need to talk on the phone for work reasons should consider using a hands-free headset to reduce distraction. Similarly, eating, smoking or frequently changing the music while driving can divert attention. Passengers can also interfere with a driver's capacity to focus. Younger drivers, in particular, should take care when driving with friends in the car.
Distracted driving can lead to accidents, injuries and even death. Drivers should avoid actions that divide focus and cause distraction while operating a motor vehicle.]]>On Behalf of Charles J. Argentohttps://www.charlesargentoblog.com/?p=470142022-09-13T03:05:13Z2022-09-13T03:05:13ZSpeeding driver
According to the United States Department of Transportation, breaking the speed limit is a kind of dangerous driving that can come from frustration. A person who is running late can disregard stop signs and lights in order to try to make it to their destination.
Some may cut in front of other vehicles on highways or fail to use their turn signal before switching lanes. Even one missed sign can lead to this car slamming into another vehicle or hitting a pedestrian.
Angry driver
A person who targets another driver often tailgates, or closely follows, them in order to intimidate them. Trying to make this other person feel a sense of fear can lead to an aggressive driver continually honking the horn and yelling in order to distract them.
This behavior can often escalate into an intense encounter where the person tries to run the driver off the road or ram into them.
Territorial driver
An aggressive driver may also try to weave between multiple lanes of traffic in order to catch up with a person's vehicle. Once they are close, they could attempt to block them from turning off the road or exiting the lane.]]>On Behalf of Charles J. Argentohttps://www.charlesargentoblog.com/?p=468482022-07-15T22:24:22Z2022-07-15T22:24:22Zfinancial, physical and emotional damages related to your accident.
Specific damages
Specific compensatory damages refer to your economic losses, including:
Loss of income, including current and future lost wages, loss of earning capacity and loss of benefits
Cost of medical bills, including the cost of future medical treatments, medical devices, medication and ambulance costs
Cost of property damage, including repair or replacement
Cost of transportation to treatment
Costs associated with household help needed during recovery
These damages have an inherent monetary value. You can easily prove your claim using bills and estimates from the appropriate parties.
Non-economic damages
Non-economic damages are primarily psychological. They include:
Physical pain and suffering
Emotional distress and mental anguish
Depression and anxiety
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Loss of enjoyment
Loss of companionship
These damages require quantification. Some potential forms of evidence used to prove non-economic damages include your written statement addressing the effect the accident and your injuries have on your life as well as statements from those closest to you in your life.
Exemplary damages
Exemplary damages, also known as punitive damages, do not compensate for any losses. Instead, the court may order the defendant to pay exemplary damages if their actions were grossly negligent. For example, driving while intoxicated or any other excessively reckless form of driving.
The damages in a car accident case vary depending on both the severity of the case and the losses sustained.]]>On Behalf of Charles J. Argentohttps://www.charlesargentoblog.com/?p=468442022-05-21T16:28:29Z2022-05-21T16:28:29ZAccidents involving 18-wheeler trucks have key differences from those involving passenger vehicles. Damage to your vehicle and the severity of the personal injury is much greater, but so is the potential settlement. Here is what you need to know if you are injured in a trucking accident.
Damage
Because tractor-trailers are so much larger than your family car, accidents involving them are often more severe than other traffic incidents. A crash involving a fifty-thousand-pound truck has a high chance of totaling your vehicle. Additionally, injuries and fatalities are more common in 18-wheeler accidents. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2019 vehicle crashes involving large trucks resulted in over 4,000 deaths. The severity of the damage, however, means potential compensation is greater than other kinds of accidents.
Settlements
Trucking companies often have their own insurance adjusters and will try to settle a case without making an insurance claim. This could mean you need to fight to get the settlement you deserve. By working with an attorney who understands the laws surrounding your case, you can settle quicker than you would on your own. In general, motor vehicle injuries involving an 18-wheeler truck pay out the highest settlements. It is worthwhile then to have someone on your side to advocate for you.
Understanding what makes a semi-truck accident unique can help you get on the road to recovery sooner and get the settlement you deserve.]]>On Behalf of Charles J. Argentohttps://www.charlesargentoblog.com/?p=468412022-03-17T21:39:03Z2022-03-17T21:39:03Zepilepsy is a commonly known seizure disorder, factors like dementia, substance use disorders and high glucose levels could also lead to the occurrence of seizures.
Driving impairment
Individuals with extremely elevated levels of sodium or with a diagnosis of heart disease could have a seizure, just as could individuals having an incident of heat intolerance, withdrawal from street drugs or alcohol or toxic buildup. The loss of consciousness during a seizure renders a driver completely unable to maintain control of their vehicle. This puts everyone on the road in jeopardy and increases the risk of car accidents.
Driving restrictions
In the state of Texas, those who deal with uncontrollable or ongoing seizures have a driving restriction. There are specific instructions in place for obtaining a class C license, namely being seizure-free for at least three months. Applicants for a class A or B license must be off any anti-seizure medications for at least five years and without a seizure during that time period. For those with a diagnosis of a seizure disorder, these regulations are straightforward.
Medical practitioners are not required to report epileptic conditions to the Department of Motor Vehicles. The good-faith assumption that these drivers will not get behind the wheel could potentially create driving concerns for the public.]]>On Behalf of Charles J. Argentohttps://www.charlesargentoblog.com/?p=468382022-01-25T16:36:22Z2022-01-25T16:36:22Zserious personal injury or wrongful death.
Statins
Statins exist to reduce LDL cholesterol and have been heavily marketed to diabetic patients. However, these drugs have serious consequences, including but not limited to muscle deterioration and weakness.
Ozempic
In 2017, the FDA approved an insulin-stimulating drug derived from Gila monster venom. Ozempic is appealing because it controls blood sugar while promoting weight loss, which is important for diabetic patients. However, common side effects include abdominal pain, vision loss and kidney failure. Many health care providers ignore the listed side effects because of the chance they could be transient, but many patients suffer permanent and life-altering damage as a result of their diabetes medication.
SGLT2 inhibitors
SGLT2 inhibitors work to excrete excess blood sugar through the urinary tract. This class of drugs includes brand names:
Jardiance
Farxiga
Invokana
Steglatro
The concern with these medications is the strain put on the kidneys by high sugar levels. Over time, the drugs begin to cannibalize your major organs, leading to heart attack, kidney failure or chronic disease. Additionally, these drugs promote prolonged ketoacidosis, which can be extremely dangerous for diabetic patients.
The list of diabetes medications is ever-growing, but these expensive and problematic drugs often do not outperform traditional treatment options. If your doctor recommends a change in your medications, be sure to ask for specific reasons why.]]>