If you experience a car accident near your Baltimore home , an emergency kit could be an essential part of mitigating injuries for yourself and your passengers. The right time to think about an emergency kit is now, before a car accident occurs. Here are some tips for putting together a kit that has the things you need in the event of an accident.

First-Aid Kit

A first-aid kit is the foundation of any good emergency kit. Make sure yours is stocked with Band-Aids, gauze, antiseptic creams and wipes, and aspirin or another pain medication. If your family has special medical needs, these supplies should be in the kit as well. For instance, if someone in your family has diabetes, keep glucose tablets or gel or another non-perishable source of sugar on hand. You will still need to get emergency care after a car accident injury, but having basic first-aid supplies can help you cope with an injury until the first responders arrive.

Basic Repair Tools

Whether after a car accident or during a roadside emergency, having basic repair tools can be handy. Keep things like jumper cables, tire foam, and a multipurpose utility tool in your kit. You should also have things that can assist with repairs and general safety, such as gloves, rags, duct tape, and a flashlight with extra batteries on hand. A tire gauge is also a useful tool.

Charged Cellphone

Having a charged cellphone is essential every time you get behind the wheel. Charge your cellphone every time you get in the car, and keep a spare charger in your emergency kit. Some people find it helpful to have a backup phone with a portable charger in their kit as well. Because you never know what is going to happen on the road, consider programming the number of a car accident attorney into your phone so that you can always reach a lawyer when you have been injured and need to act quickly to preserve your rights.

Workers’ comp law in Baltimore is a no-fault system. This means that an employee may be covered under workers’ compensation even if he or she made a mistake that led to the injury. However, it’s still important to take precautions in the workplace to protect yourself and reduce the possibility of having to file a workers’ compensation lawsuit.

When you watch this video, you’ll learn about some of the most common office hazards and how to eliminate them. This video identifies tripping hazards like cables, loose flooring, and recycling bins or other items placed in walkways. You’ll also get some tips on preventing falls from elevated positions. Unfortunately, not all accidents are preventable. If you do become injured, consider speaking with a workers’ compensation lawyer right away.

Traumatic limb loss affects countless individuals. It can be difficult to move forward after a car accident or other incident that costs you a limb. During such a difficult time, you need a strong network of support. Ideally, your support network should include an accident lawyer in Baltimore who has prior experience handling cases that involve catastrophic injuries. Your accident attorney can help you seek the compensation you’ll need for your medical care and future expenses.

Making Financial Arrangements

When limb loss occurs as a result of a car accident or other sudden incident, there is no time to prepare for it. And immediately after waking up in the hospital, you’ll have many other issues on your mind than paying the medical bills. Ask a relative to find an experienced accident attorney who can get started reviewing your case. Later on, you can take a more active role in the accident lawsuit. Compensation from a settlement or jury verdict can allow you to meet your care needs despite your reduced capacity to work.

Seeking Mental Health Counseling

It is quite a shock to wake up in the hospital and discover that a limb is missing. For this reason, it’s customary for mental health professionals to meet with amputees as quickly as possible. Even if you never considered speaking with a psychologist before the accident, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of mental health resources while you adjust to your new realities.

Coping with Physical Limitations

You may be in the hospital for quite a while after the amputation. Before you are discharged, you can expect to meet with a physical therapist and perhaps an occupational therapist. Your therapists will develop a rehabilitation program for you, which will include teaching you how to overcome your new physical limitations . Your occupational therapist will help you relearn important self-care skills such as dressing yourself and climbing stairs.

Defining a New Self-Identity

As you progress with your recovery, you may need to redefine your purpose in life. You may no longer be able to work and you may need others to provide care for you, especially if you’ve lost multiple limbs. But this certainly doesn’t mean that your life no longer has a purpose. Your life has taken an unexpected turn, but you can find new meaning and purpose that allows you to move forward.

A car accident in the Baltimore area can leave survivors with serious injuries such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), also known as concussions. If you sustained a concussion in a car accident, the most important step to take is to get plenty of physical and cognitive rest. There is no way to speed up the recovery process for this particular type of car accident injury . Healing takes time, especially for moderate to severe concussions, and trying to rush your recovery will only worsen your health.

Watch this video and consult your physician for more tips on recovering from this serious car accident injury. This expert explains that it’s important to refrain from stimulating activities, which include reading, texting, watching TV, and doing any other activities that involve screen time. She also explains what patients should do in the event they do return to activity too quickly.

The possibility of a car accident is one of the most common fears that parents of teens have when their kids begin learning how to drive. Watch this video to get some tips on how to keep your teen safe from car accident injuries and from the possibility of being named as the defendant in an accident injury lawsuit filed in Baltimore.

This interview with a car accident expert explains that studies show that parents generally do well when teaching their teens how to accelerate, park, and otherwise maneuver the car. However, parents also need to teach teens how to scan the road for potential hazards, judge the distance and speed of oncoming traffic, and drive in adverse conditions like bad weather and traffic jams.

Workers’ compensation is an invaluable benefit for injured employees who need medical treatment and time off from work. In most cases, employees are able to return to work once they are sufficiently recovered. The doctor who is handling your workers’ compensation injury in Baltimore will let you know when you are cleared to return to work and whether you will need any workplace modifications. If you have any concerns about returning to work, you can consult your workers’ compensation attorney .

Making Notifications

Ask your workers’ compensation lawyer about whether you are legally required to make any notifications about your change in work status. You or your attorney may need to notify your employer’s workers’ comp insurance carrier and the Workers’ Compensation Board.

Receiving Wage Loss Benefits

It is possible for an injured employee to return to work before he or she is completely recovered. If this applies to you, then the doctor who handles your injury case will let you know if you must work shortened hours, avoid certain activities, or make any other adjustments to your work situation. Because of these modifications, you may be earning a reduced wage than you were before the injury occurred. If so, you may be entitled to continue to receive some workers’ comp benefits. Continuing benefits after returning to work is known as receiving wage loss benefits or reduced earning benefits.

Continuing with Medical Treatment

Some workplace injuries require long-lasting medical care. If you must continue with physical therapy or take medications, or if you require any other type of medical care because of a workplace injury, then you will still receive medical benefits. Medical treatments that stem from covered injuries are paid for entirely by the workers’ comp insurance carrier. You can also request reimbursement for travel expenses to and from medical appointments. Additionally, if you must miss some time from work to go to medical appointments, you may be eligible for benefits for “intermittent lost time.”

Reopening Your Case

There can sometimes be discrepancies between what a doctor says you are capable of and what you’re actually capable of. If, after returning to work, you find you cannot fulfill the demands of your workplace, you should consult your attorney promptly. It may be possible to request changes to your job, ask for a short-term position, or extend your period of disability and collect full benefits again.

Have you been told that your injury might not qualify for workers’ compensation ? If so, it’s time to talk to a workers’ compensation lawyer in Baltimore. Your attorney can review your case to determine if you are eligible to file a workers’ comp claim. First, your workers’ compensation lawyer will check your type of employment. If you are an actual employee, rather than an independent contractor, then you should be covered under your employer’s insurance carrier.

Next, your lawyer will consider whether your injury or illness arose out of the course of your employment. It isn’t always necessary for an injury to occur at the worksite. For instance, if John drives a delivery truck and is responsible for unloading heavy crates at the destination, then a back injury from lifting those crates did indeed arise out of the course of his employment and so it would be covered under workers’ compensation. Another requirement of workers’ comp is that qualifying injuries cannot have been intentionally caused by the claimant. For example, if John intentionally drives the delivery truck into a utility pole for the purpose of filing for workers’ comp, his injuries would not be covered.

Workers’ compensation claims are based on a no fault system. This means that workers who sustain injuries in the workplace can file a workers’ compensation claim in Baltimore without having to prove that the accident occurred because of fault or negligence. Usually, the no fault nature of workers’ comp means that employees give up their right to file lawsuits against their employers because of workplace injuries. However, there are exceptions. After sustaining injuries because of your job, you have the right to consult a workers’ compensation lawyer to determine if you might be able to recover greater compensation through a lawsuit. This will depend on whether the incident was accidental or caused by negligence.

Differentiating Between Accidents and Negligence

By definition, an accident is an unplanned, unexpected event that causes bodily injuries and did not occur due to someone’s fault. For example, an office worker could be carrying a heavy box of copy paper. He or she might stub a toe, fall to the floor, and break an arm. Assuming that nothing except pure chance caused the stubbed toe, this is an example of an accident. In contrast, an accident caused by negligence might not necessarily be an intentional effort to injure someone, but it does occur due to someone else’s fault. A freshly mopped floor might result in a slip and fall incident. If an employer failed to provide safety equipment like wet floor signs, then this might be an example of negligence. Negligence can be broadly defined as conduct that falls below the standard of care that a person could reasonably expect to maintain.

Identifying the Types of Workplace Negligence

When your workers’ comp lawyer evaluates your claim to determine whether it might be appropriate to file a lawsuit, he or she will look for acts or behaviors that fall below the widely accepted standard of care. Negligent acts can include any types of violations of OSHA standards. An employer might be negligent in failing to properly train employees in safety procedures or the use of safety equipment. Sometimes, an employer might even be found to be negligent in hiring or employee retention procedures if an improperly screened hire harms others in the workplace.

Car accidents can occur anywhere at any time and sometimes it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact cause. However, determining the cause and contributing factors to a car accident that occurs in Baltimore is an essential step in the recovery process. This is because a car accident lawyer will need to assess liability for the crash to help the victims recover maximum compensation for their injuries and other losses. Police reports are often very helpful in uncovering crash-related issues such as the following.

Teen Drivers

Drivers aged 16 through 19 are most at risk for a crash compared to all other age groups. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2,163 teens in the U.S. were killed and 243,243 were rushed to the ER for serious injuries because of motor vehicle crashes that occurred in 2013. The CDC further notes that young drivers aged 15 through 24 comprise just 14% of the U.S. population, yet they are responsible for 30% of the total costs stemming from motor vehicle crashes. Male teens represent the highest risk and this risk increases further when male passengers are in the car. The presence of passengers of either sex in a car driven by a teen driver of either sex is also a significant risk factor for a crash. This could be because teens are more likely to try risky driving behaviors when their peers are present and/or because passengers are a considerable source of distraction while driving. The risk associated with teen drivers is also attributed to their relative inexperience with handling a car.

Driving Distractions

In addition to the distracting influence of passengers, there are many other sources of distraction that can contribute to car accidents. It’s common knowledge that cellphones, GPS devices, and other electronic gadgets can easily distract a driver. However, many other activities can be incredibly distracting, such as eating and drinking, grooming, rubbernecking at crash sites and at billboards, reaching for fallen objects, and even daydreaming.

Busy Roadways

Another factor that can increase the risk of a crash is a very busy roadway. Experienced drivers already know that they ought to exercise greater caution during rush hour traffic, but sometimes even the most cautious of drivers can forget to check a blind spot before changing lanes. During rush hour, it’s particularly important to actively and continuously monitor the changing traffic patterns.