Had Habits that Develop Over Time

 1. Ignoring blind spots

 Checking your mirrors and adjusting them to avoid any blindspots is one of the first things you learn when driving. It only takes a few seconds to adapt and only a fraction of one to do a head-check. Maybe not having an instructor double-check these every time could have led people to fall out of this habit. 

Some new cars include technology that monitors blind spots and makes either noise or has a flashing light to warn the driver, but don’t rely on these. Keep the habit of making sure you can see as much of your surroundings as possible; you can never be 100% sure if there’s another car in your blindspots if you don’t look. 

 2. Poor steering wheel control

According to a study, after just a few weeks of passing their driving tests, many drivers stop putting the hands on the correct “10 and 2 o’clock” or new “9 and 3 o’clock” positions. Most of them start driving with one hand on the wheel. New studies show how having both hands on the “9 and 3 o’clock” position can yield even better control over the movement of your car. Set down your morning coffee and pay attention to the road and your car. The last thing you want is to cause an accident, so be aware and prepared at all times.

 3. Lack of indicating

 Failing to indicate a turn or lane change can land you a ticket and create an unsafe environment for other motorists or pedestrians as they won’t expect you to turn or change lanes. Other vehicle drivers and pedestrians should be able to see what you’re planning on doing; that way, they can be prepared, and there would be a lower chance of an accident. 

 4. Keeping your distance

 If the car in front of you would come to a sudden stop, it’d be best to have some distance from them, so you have less of a risk of going into the back of them. It’s essential to keep your distance even at a standstill as a car could rollback (especially on hills). On main roads, try to stay one or two cars’ length (~40 meters) away. A good rule of thumb while at a standstill is to make sure you can always see the car’s rear tires in front of you.

 5. Driving on low fuel

Not only is this harmful to your engine, but some people even believe the lower the fuel, the less weight and, therefore, go further. But they run the risk of running entirely out of fuel which, would be a terrible hazard in the middle of an interstate. Not to mention how awful it is on your engine to run your car out of fuel. 

Avoid this habit by pre-emptively filling up your car’s fuel as soon as it drops below a quarter tank.

 6. Not wearing a seatbelt

 Not wearing a seatbelt is by far the worst bad habit that new drivers pick up the quickest. In fact, according to a study, this happens after just two weeks of passing their test. It’s imperative to wear your seatbelt at all times, as it can be quite fatal to sustain a high-speed impact without a seatbelt. Make it a habit to put on your seatbelt the second you get into the car.

Most Common Injuries

Through recent years, road fatalities have been declining in Utah, an injury from a car accident could still be catastrophic. We see a wide range of injuries from minor soft tissue injuries to the spinal cord and brain trauma injuries that leave victims paralyzed. The following are among the most common car accident injuries:

Whiplash

You may experience this if your head undergoes a rapid back-and-forth impact in an accident. Whiplash is extremely common in rear-end accidents. Keep in mind that it could take a couple of days before you start noticing pain and stiffness in your neck after the accident.   

Back Injuries

A back injury can range from a sore back to herniated discs or even spinal cord injuries. Even a minor injury can leave you with residual pain. If a herniated disc starts pressing on a nerve, you may experience some decrease in your quality of life. You may experience numbness, a reduction in the range of motion, problems walking, or bladder control problems. 

Head Injuries

Depending on the severity of the accident, a head injury could range from a mild concussion to a traumatic brain injury. Some of these injuries are hard to diagnose and can easily fly under the radar. If you suffer any blunt trauma to the head, you should seek medical attention straight away, no matter how mild. 

Bone Fractures

The force of a collision could easily result in fractured or broken bones. 

The most common involve fractured bones in the arms, hands, legs, and ribs. If unsure, the symptoms of a broken bone include redness, swelling, bruising, loss of function, deformity, and in most cases, severe pain. 

Emotional Trauma

Car accident injuries are not just limited to physical injuries. Some people develop psychological problems after a car accident, especially if another person in the vehicle died or was left seriously injured. It’s not uncommon for catastrophic accidents to leave survivors with anxiety, depression, or even a phobia of driving. 

Did You Get Injured in a Car Accident?

If you have been injured in a car accident, you may experience some shock immediately after. The rush of adrenaline and panic may leave you unaware of the extent of the injuries you may have. 

Your number one priority is to get all the medical help you may need. Afterward, you should consult an experienced car accident attorney to help you obtain the compensation you deserve so you can relax and focus on recovering.

Don’t want to speak with a legal professional.

You want to preserve evidence

Evidence can disappear as quickly as it was formed. If the wrongdoing or negligence of another has injured you, it is important evidence is gathered quickly and efficiently. For example, surveillance videos can be overwritten, injuries can heal before pictures are taken, and emails can be mistakenly deleted. By speaking with an injury lawyer, you can learn about the potential evidence in your case and what can be done to gather and collect this evidence.

Insurance agencies won’t wait until you are represented.

Many insurance companies want to push personal injury cases in an attempt to obtain a settlement before that person speaks with a lawyer. Unrepresented individuals are less likely to understand the long-term effects of their accident. People in this situation may feel alone and can agree to terms that are unfair based on the circumstances of the accident and the damages. People can often negatively affect their case by the things they say to insurance agents without considering that these statements can be taken out of the context or misrepresented.

Use online resources for help.

Finding the right attorney is usually not a simple process. You don’t want to make your decision based on the most recent advertisement you saw. Use the power of the internet to your advantage. Look for positive online reviews, the firm websites, and any awards and accreditations a particular attorney has achieved. Most injury firms are happy to offer a free consultation to discuss your case. Base your decision on the strength of these meetings. Pick an injury attorney that makes you feel comfortable, one that has experience with your type of claim, and one that will fight for your legal rights above all.

So, how severe must your injuries be to file a personal injury claim?

If the injury has caused you pain and suffering or negatively impacted your life in a noticeable way, then it is worth pursuing. Pain and suffering are referring to the different traumas the injury party may have suffered from after an accident. This includes mental trauma as well as physical pain, including insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

However, a bruise is not enough to win a case. Such minor injuries don’t have lasting effects, and it won’t hinder your quality of life or ability to work. On the other hand, if you have an injury sustained by anything more minor, you should consider hiring an attorney to file a personal injury claim.

Below are some simple questions to help you determine if a claim is right for you:

Did your injuries need medical attention?
Are your medical costs more than you can afford?
Did your injuries keep you from working?
Are you suffering from continual pain?

If your answer is yes to any of these questions, your case is worth pursuing.

What is vaping?

Vaping is the most common term for smoking an aerosol solution burned through a handheld electronic device. This solution is usually a mixture of liquid nicotine, water, food-grade flavoring, a choice of nicotine levels or zero nicotine, and propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerin (VG). At least, that is what users have been lead to believe. ABC 4 has recently released articles that show findings from The Utah Department of Health. As part of their study, they pulled 17 random samples from local sellers in Utah County. Twelve of these samples contained opioids, barbiturates, and even traces of THC and PCP in them.

What are lawmakers doing about these concerns?

So far, there have been 42 cases of individuals being hospitalized due to lung damage from vaping. Most of these cases stem from vaping a mixture of e-juice of e-liquid with a combination of a marijuana product. The disease’s signs consist of coughing, lack of breath, upper body pain, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. Nearly all individuals have had to obtain medical care. US federal government wellness authorities stated recently there are 380 verified and potential instances, including six fatalities. All reported situations have a background of e-cigarette product use or vaping.

Representative Paul Ray held a news conference at the Utah State Capitol Wednesday to go over the potential restriction on the sale of e-cigarette items in the state. In this conference, he states that he would do so if he could have an all-out ban on these products. Ray said he would request the Utah Attorney General’s Office to consider filing a lawsuit against e-cigarette companies, if advisable, to recover healthcare costs of those sickened by e-cigarettes.

Have you been injured while vaping?

There are, of course, opponents to the current ban. Many users feel that the dangers are virtually non-existent and claim that explosions and lung damage are due to user error. For example, using batteries that are not set to the correct watts or voltage for the mod, they are using. They also claim that the user bought a black market or non-regulated juice that contained large amounts of vitamin e. Regardless of the situation, you may have a strong case against manufacturers or relators of either e-juice or vapes themselves. If you or a loved one has been injured in or around Salt Lake City by vaping, contact The Ault Firm at (801) 839-4411 today to speak with a legal professional.

Was someone negligent that caused the fire?

Fires happen for a large variety of reasons. Salt Lake City and surrounding areas of Utah are known to have an impactful fire season, usually starting towards the middle of summer. But fires are not always just a force of nature; sometimes, they are caused by people either due to neglect or intentionally. Below is a quick list of scenarios in which you may have cause to seek compensation.

1. If arson was involved. Although this is relatively rare compared to other circumstances, people do start fires out of spite, to seek revenge, or because they deal with mental issues such as pyromania. Regardless of the reason, fire inspectors and marshals should perform an inspection to determine the cause of the fire.
2. Someone being negligent with fireworks. It seems like every season, the regulations around fireworks change here in the valley. If someone was playing with fireworks, using them in an unsafe way, or lighting fireworks in an off-limits area, you probably have good cause to speak with a personal injury attorney about your home fire case.
3. Perhaps it was the fault of a contractor or the city. Maybe the home you purchased was not up to code, or a contractor performed subpar work that caused the fire. These regulations are put in place to keep everyone safe, and when they are either disregarded or neglected, a cause for concern is warranted. Other examples can include a gas meter breaking leaving a situation where a gas leak was not correctly detected, and a fire started.

Speak with an attorney about your case.

Experienced attorneys can look at cases differently than the average person. If you live in Utah, we suggest requesting a case review with a Salt Lake City home fire attorney to discuss your case’s details. When tragedy strikes, you need someone on your side to help you recover from a financial standpoint from all that you lost. This includes the loss of your home, personal property, time lost from work, and any medical bills resulting from the fire.

Safety recommendations when driving around a truck

Truck drivers have many blind spots. As a driver in a passenger vehicle, you want to get out of those blind spots as quickly as possible. A good rule of thumb is to remember that if you cannot see the truck driver’s face, they can probably not see you either.

Pass on the appropriate side

Whenever you pass a truck driver, always try to do so on the left-hand side. You should do your best to get around the truck as quickly as possible without driving too fast. As a responsible driver, you should be able to get out of the driver’s blind spot without speeding or endangering anyone else.

Remember how long it takes trucks to stop.

Do not cut a truck off to try and get ahead of them. You should never put your vehicle less than 20 feet in front of a truck; there is a large blind spot directly in front of a tractor-trailer due to their large hood. Trucks take 40 percent longer than normal vehicles to stop entirely. If their driver cannot see your car, they are also likely to speed up and read-end you because they are not aware you are in front of them.

Don’t tailgate an 18 wheeler.

It is dangerous to drive closer than 30 feet behind a semi-truck. Most vehicles are not large enough to see anything directly behind a large truck. This causes you to experience a lapse in vision, including traffic lights, sudden stops, or other dangerous items that require you to stop quickly. It is also important to remember that large trucks tend to kick up many debris and rocks. Staying further than 30 feet back will ensure your vehicle does not suffer from damage due to these materials.

What to do should if you’re involved in a truck accident?

Even if you drive as safely as possible around trucks, accidents can and will happen. This is especially true if the truck driver was irresponsibly operating their vehicle. The attorneys at The Ault Firm can help you get the compensation you deserve for medical bills. Call our office at (801) 839-4411 to speak with a truck accident attorney today.