5 personal injury crash statistics YOU need to know before Memorial Day

               Avoid a personal injury crash!

Do you have travel plans for Memorial Day weekend? Let’s also plan to avoid a personal injury crash!

According to AAA news, Memorial Day weekend kicks off the “100 Deadliest Days” for newbie teen drivers — with a 15% increase in deadly car crashes in this age group between this holiday and Labor Day weekend.

In fact, the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Statistical Analysis Center tracks the 6 leading major car crash circumstances in Missouri.  Out of these 6 circumstances, 5 will most certainly be a large risk factor for all ages with the coming holiday weekend.  Knowledge is power, right? So let’s start with the aforementioned new teen drivers.

Yes! Inexperienced teen or young drivers rank in the top 6 circumstances for deadly car crashes.

Memorial Day weekend also coincides with high school graduation celebrations and end of school parties. Pools open. Summer fun begins for the young and the restless!

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol statistics, drivers under 21 caused 8,647 personal injury crashes in 2014. So, actually, driver inexperience ranked 2nd in the top 3 causes for personal injury crashes in Missouri for 2014. (Wait until the end of this article to find out number 1 — what a surprise to this researcher!)

While we’ve certainly addressed this topic on the blog before, the “100 Deadliest Days” epidemic helps nudge us to review driving safety tips with our teens. In fact, the AAA suggests that you talk to your teen frequently about safe driving and have them sign this agreement.  Talk specifically about the three major personal injury crash factors that most affect them:

  • Distracted driving. Driving with young, carefree friends in the car, singing, chatting, and having a great time don’t mix with safe and alert driving. When you’ve lived long enough, you understand the deadliness of a distracted moment on the road. Then add the temptation of a smart phone to this mix.  What’s a parent to do?  Try parental control apps on their cell phones, for starters. You will have to carefully discuss and decide for whom your teen may drive — when, and where.
  • Failure to buckle up. This one’s squarely in your laps, parents and guardians. If you don’t enforce this early and often and set the example — don’t be surprised if your teen won’t buckle up. Sadly, the AAA reports that a whopping 60% of teens killed in a car accident were not wearing their seat belt!
  • The Invincible Inner Speed demon.  Some people are just born with this gene, it seems! Combined with teen hormones and incomplete brain development, speeding is a significant risk factor for teen car crashes. It’s a gender-neutral gene, too. However, young males are still considered a higher risk factor for car insurance companies then females. Unfortunately, many adults fail to tame their Inner Speed Demon in their youth. Again, your example as a parent or relative of a teen matters more than you may realize.

Speed is a very significant contributing risk factor in personal injury crash accidents — across all age groups. Those who speed don’t “drive to survive”.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that speeding killed 10,111 people in 2016 nationwide. Missouri statistics for 2014 show that speed is the 3rd major circumstance, causing 6,911 personal injury car crashes in our state.

A holiday weekend means places to go and people to see. You may either have a long list of errands to run. Or you and your fellow drivers are just in a hurry to get to where you are going.

The “hurry up and get there” factor is a major reason most folks are tempted to speed. 

Many drivers don’t slow down and consider that speeding is considered a form of aggressive driving. NHTSA defines aggressive driving as, “The operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property.”  Even though Missouri — unlike many states — doesn’t have aggressive driving laws on the books, you can still be charged with “careless and imprudent” driving.

Depending on the circumstances, “careless and imprudent driving” may land you in jail for 6 months. If you cause a car accident due to these charges, the jail time potential escalates to a year. You won’t be going anywhere in a hurry for a good while.  Once again, you also face the potential of a Class A or Class B misdemeanor on your record.

Motorcycle-related personal injury crashes weighed in at 1,734 in Missouri in 2014.

According to a researched article on our blog, these statistics have risen slightly in recent years. For the summer season,  expect more bikers out enjoying the roads!  Motorcyclists caused only 1,734 personal injury crashes in 2014 in Missouri as compared to speeding or inexperienced drivers.

Why do motorcycle accidents still rank in the top 6 category? Probably because alcohol causes more than 50% of motorcycle-related accidents. Those are undeniably preventable motorcycle crashes!

Most surprisingly, only 2,424 personal injury crashes in Missouri during 2014 were alcohol related — significantly less than the top three crash circumstances.

Still, don’t let this statistic make you less proactive in warning your young drivers. Memorial Day weekend is party time! Temptation for young drivers to drink and drive multiply.

Even more significant, other drivers on the road will be driving under the influence. Count on it. Be alert for signs of a drunk driver and pull over to call the police if you spot an impaired driver. What to look for? Here are a few possible signs.

  • Weaving quickly or dangerously in and out of traffic.
  • Driving left of the center line
  • Erratic speed and steering
  • Braking often for no apparent reason

Quite surprisingly, according to the statistics for 2014 collected by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, drivers aged 55 and older caused 10,903 personal injury car crashes.

This age group leads the pack by over 2,000 personal injury crashes — shocking!  It’s hard to imagine why the most experienced group of drivers on the road is also the most dangerous, at least in Missouri.

Logically, this could mean an abundance of older senior drivers per capita in Missouri. Or it could infer a large portion of folks over 55 are driving while taking their needed medications — driving impaired by pain medications!

Whatever the case, this statistic is cause for an entirely different article and some serious research.  Meanwhile, maybe you should volunteer to drive your elderly relative to the family gathering this Memorial Day weekend.

If you or a loved one have been injured in car accident, you need an experienced, aggressive personal injury crash attorney. You also need someone with a thorough knowledge of state and local laws. For prompt, personal attention, call Nathan A. Steimel at 636-244-3737!

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

 

Firefighters and heart disease — why you need an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer

Firefighter or first responder injured in the line of duty? You put yourself in harm’s way for us. Are you being fairly compensated?

Your job is tough — rough on the back, muscles, ligaments, nerves, joints, lungs, and even your heart!

It’s more than fair that your workers’ compensation should cover all of the damages you suffer due to your job.  However, some of your body’s wear and tear might be hard to see and possibly harder to prove.

Take your heart, for instance. While it’s busy pumping about 90 gallons of blood a minute, you may be giving it the shock of its life, inhaling burning chemicals from a burning vehicle or a building on fire.  These toxins take their toll.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration,  in 2015 there were 94 firefighter fatalities in the line of duty.  Sixty of those deaths were stress-induced — fifty-four of those fatalities due to a heart attack.

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/ff_fatalities_2015.pdf

In simple terms, heart attacks were responsible for at least half of the “line-of-duty” fatalities among firefighters in 2015! 

So, if you’re a firefighter,   you need your good doctor to be keeping a close eye on your heart health.   The unique combination of stress and toxins you  may be exposed to certainly make you a canidate for heart disease!

How can you make sure your workers’ compensation will cover you for any heart-related issues? 

Good question!  Heart disease is often not considered a workers’ compensation issue.  Unfortunately, it’s a leading cause of death among firefighters!

While there are no guarantees in life,  there are certain steps you can take to improve your chances of getting compensated for job-related heart issues or occupational disease.

  • Ask your doctor to run baseline tests for heart disease.  If you have evidence of a healthy heart to begin with, then changes in heart functions may be easier to trace to work-related hazards.
  • Don’t ignore the many different possible signs of heart disease.  Take time to go the doctor!  WebMD lists more than a dozen symptoms,  chest pains, squeezing, and tightness being only a couple of the many possible signs.  https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-symptoms#1
  • Get an accountability partner for diet and exercise!  If you have a certain amount of “proof” that you’ve been good,  you have a better chance of being  on the “nice” list, not the naughty.  However, if you’re known to de-stress by always partying hard during your time off, this may not sit well those reviewing your workers’ compensation case!

If you know you’ve been exposed to carcinogens or experienced smoke inhalation in the line of duty,  you need the help of a legal expert with your workers’ compensation case!

Heart disease or a heart attack could change the rest of your life. To survive, you will absolutely need time off of work to heal!  Worrying about the future of your job only adds to the stress.

The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC will fight for you, firefighter or first responder !  They are licensed  to handle workers’ compensation cases in both Missouri and  Illinois.   You will get a free and fair evaluation of your case when you call 636-244-3737.

http://steimel-law.com/workers-comp.html

Do you want the best possible outcome for your future and your family? Don’t let heart disease defeat you.  Call 636-244-3737 today!

 

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

 

 

Job injury? Don’t become a statistic!

Back injuries can change your life forever!

Is a slip-and-fall accident at work making your life miserable?

Maybe you can relate to Jimmy, the  bus boy (names  and details changed to protect the innocent).  He worked in a ten bucks-an-entree upscale burger joint.  Jimmy was a big guy —  friendly and eager to please. Maybe that’s what got him into trouble in the first place.

So when someone called in sick, Jimmy waited and bussed tables and unloaded heavy boxes of supplies off the truck. All in a day’s hard work, right?

Jimmy didn’t see the greasy spot on the floor due to the supplies he was carrying that day.   He slipped. He ended up flat on his back groaning in pain!

However, the manager was desperate to keep the  doors open. So Jimmy continued to work the rest of the day. The back pain was so unbearable he called in sick the next day and the next.  In a few weeks he lost his job.

Insurance didn’t want to cover his medical bills.

He ended up needing disability pay to cover months out of work.  Getting disability pay was a nightmare.  Insurance tried to wiggle out paying saying that his size was to blame for the extent of his back pain. Really? What about doing everyone else’s job all by yourself? `

The chronic back pain continued, and his life felt like it was over even though Jimmy was only in his early twenties.

According to studies cited by WebMd, chronic back pain is responsible for over a third of all disability cases in North America.

https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/news/20140325/low-back-pain-leading-cause-of-disability-worldwide-study#2

It doesn’t matter where you’re at in life. Chronic back pain levels the playing field.  Losing your ability to function normally is bad enough.

When your job and income is at stake, you worry about living under a bridge somewhere.

Truth be told, people do live under bridges due to chronic pain ruining their lives. The homeless population in North America is full of disabled people.

For families and individuals struggling to pay the rent, a serious illness or disability can start a downward spiral into homelessness, beginning with a lost job, depletion of savings to pay for care, and eventual eviction. – National Coalition for the Homeless (www.nationalhomeless.org)

If you’ve been injured on the job, there is hope. 

There are important steps you can take to keep yourself from joining the homeless population.

First:  ASK for help. It’s okay to ask. No one gets through this life successfully without a helping hand.

Where do you find strength and energy to fight a court battle when you’re in continual pain and completely broke? You need help!

Did you know that an experienced personal injury lawyer or workers’ compensation lawyer will fight for your rights without compensation unless they WIN your case?

Next:  LIsten to your lawyer’s advice. He or she will guide you through each step you need to take.

An experienced personal injury/workers’ compensation lawyer will research all the details of your case and leave no stone unturned to help you!

Don’t give up.  Prepare for a marathon, not a sprint.

Document everything. Get a dollar three-ring binder and fill it up with every medical report.  Ask for print-outs from your doctor’s office.  With the push to have all medical records accessible online, you have to ask if you want a printed copy.

If you live in the greater St. Louis area, The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC will give you a free evaluation of your potential  personal injury.Their office is also licensed to try workers’ compensation cases in the neigboring state of Illinois.

http://steimel-law.com/personal-injury.html

Don’t wait to fight back against pain and financial strain! Call Attorney Steimel at 636-244-3737  today. 

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

 

How you can help prevent work-related back pain

Sometimes your job is just plain a pain in the BACK!

According the Mayo Clinic’s website, back pain is one of the leading causes of disability! It’s also a very common reason people miss work.

Truthfully, neither you nor your employer win if you miss work.  Even if you have paid time off, it’s no fun if you’re miserable!

While many factors aggravate back pain, there are some common causes for work-related back injuries.  Know your possible back pain triggers and protect yourself!

Believe it or not, sitting at a desk all day is a common cause of back pain.
Not using good posture is one key reason for this.  Poor back support is another aggravating factor.   Your boss can take the rap for cheap office chairs. Only you can prevent poor posture!

Here are a few tips to help you take control of your posture:

Lots of repetitive motion is another key factor in work-related back pain.

If you work in a factory doing assembly-line work, you know exactly what this means. The list of jobs requiring repetitive motions  is seemingly endless.

One summer I lost a lot of sleep for months due to pain from  repetitive motion injuries to my neck and upper back.

Here is a small list given to me by my physical therapist that helped me to recover.

  • Gently strengthening core muscles is key to helping with back pain due to repetitive motion.
  • Listen to your bodyChange up the direction of your motion if you can.  Always bend with your knees.
  • Give yourself a daily massage or ask a friend! Stretch and rub sore muscles  during breaks.  Make sure you take those required breaks, too!

Heavy lifting is the most obvious pain-in-the-back culprit.

It’s a double whammy to work at job in which you must do both repetitive motions and heavy lifting. UPS and FedEx, anyone?

Movers, mechanics,  nurses and medical staff, child-care workers, and almost everyone in the construction industry — our vital “movers and shakers” are everywhere!

Proper back support is key. Most companies that require a lot of heavy lifting will provide a handy back brace. In fact, check your workplace regulations if in doubt.

Practice proper lifting techniques. Thankfully, my summer job at an upholstery shop years ago emphasized this.  “Bend with your KNEES, not your back.”   Have you ever hauled seven couches in one afternoon?  Knees bent– back saved!

Have you injured your back due to your line of work? You want to work, but your back screams at you every day?

Do you have  back pain that lasts for more than two weeks? This is considered chronic back pain. Chronic back pain is often debilitating and can lead to depression.  You just want to be able to function, right?

Seeing a doctor for an evaluation is vital. Doctor’s records and notes are also a genuine evidence of your work-related back pain if you need to apply for workers’ compensation.

Is your workplace ignoring your back pain? Are you out of paid time off? Are you unsure if you qualify for workers’ compensation?

If you are struggling to work due to back pain caused by your line of work, you may qualify for workers’ compensation to give your body time to rest and heal. You need the help of an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer!

http://steimel-law.com/workers-comp.html

 

At The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC  we  aggressively help employees win workers’ compensation and personal injury cases in both Missouri and Illinois.

Attorney Steimel says, “Under the Missouri and Illinois laws governing workers’ compensation, you can be compensated for most types of injuries suffered at work, no matter who was at fault for the injury.”

Call 636-244-3737 for your free consultation today.

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

 

How to protect yourself when you need prescription pain meds at work

Maybe you’re an employee that operates heavy equipment. You’ve also been diagnosed with a long-term auto-immune disease that causes chronic pain.

Chronic pain from your disease keeps you awake at night, sometimes all night. You can’t run the risk of being sleepy on your job. One misstep with the heavy equipment you drive, and someone else’s life is on the line. Most certainly your job is on the line!

Thankfully, your doctor realizes managing your disease requires sending you to a pain management doctor, too.

Together you discuss the options ahead of you. You discuss your job with the pain management doctor, and he still prescribes an opiod pain medicine in addition to other meds needed to fight inflammation in your body. It’s long-lasting pain relief, but you only take it before bedtime.

Your pain management doctor goes the extra mile and writes a note of explanation for your boss.

Yes, you are on opioids. But, yes, your dose is also carefully managed to allow you to safely do your job without creating the risk of a work-related accident. Both you and your doctor are trying to be responsible!

You breathe a sigh of relief because getting a good night’s sleep is a MUST.  You just want to function like a normal human being, right? But, you don’t want to lose your job!

Now for a conversation with your department manager or boss. What DO you say? Should you say anything?

You know random drug testing is always lurking!

You know you will fail the drug test at work even though your pain managment doctor has carefully prescribed what you need to function safely on the job.

Here’s where the rubber meets the road.  Prescription pain medicines are a hotly-debated topic, especially in the workplace. In fact, many companies are struggling to come up with a fair and safe workplace drug policy.  Some simply opt for a “drug-free workplace” which leaves no room for those who struggle with chronic illness and pain!

http://www.safetynewsalert.com/prescribed-drugs-what-can-companies-do-about-this-safety-hazard/

Interestingly enough, the state of Missouri does not legislate workplace drug testing for private employers.

This actually means that your workplace in Missouri is not prevented from running random drug tests. However, they cannot violate the Americans with Disabilites Act.

If you are able to legitimately claim a disability,  testing  positive for certain prescription drugs, even opioids, cannot be held against you.  ( Please note: in Missouri, this would not include medical marijuana.)

This is good news for the disabled who truly need their medicines to function!

What if you haven’t yet qualified for disability?

Many of those who suffer from extreme chronic pain still fall into this category.  And yet, you also need those pain meds to function!

In this case, an ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of cure. The best place to start would be a discussion with an experienced Missouri criminal defense  and workers’ compensation lawyer.

Since testing positive for opioids in  “drug-free workplace” can require entering a drug-rehab program,  a reduction in workers’ compensation benefits, or even the loss of your job you need sound legal advice from a criminal defense lawyer. You don’t want to be charged with a crime you never intended to commit!

Missouri’s drug-testing laws in the workplace can be confusing! If you deal with chronic pain and prescription meds, you need to know your legal rights and put a plan in place to protect your job.

You will find the Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC, to be both compassionate and aggressive defenders of the everyday employee.   Call for a free initial consultation today at 636-244-3737. Get your questions answered!

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

 

 

3 ways to avoid a work-related accident…

A family friend loves to circle the children around him, especially when he meets new people.  It’s story-time!

He flashes his hand with the stubby thumb  and says, “Guess what I ate for lunch?” The littlest ones eyes grow big,  while the older ones give “Bob” a knowing stare.  There’s more to this story — can’t fool the tweens!

After all,  if you only have a stump of a thumb left, you might as well milk it for all its worth.  Gotta make some lemonade with that lemon. “Bob’s” thumb is not going to grow back!

While “Bob’s” accident was related to a home-improvement project on his own property,  many other work-related accidents occur in the U.S. each year. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics for 2015,  some manufacturing businesses were listed as having the highest numbers of work-related injuries.  https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/os/ostb4741.pdf

We’ve come a long ways since the horrors of the 1911 Triangle Factory (clothing manufacturer) fire in Manhatten. Workers were locked inside this high-rise building to prevent theft.  As the fire spread,  most of the young women factory workers jumped out of the windows to their death rather than being burned alive.

Safety and concern for human life seem to be hard-earned lessons for the human race!

With careful thought and planning,  most companies in the U.S. today work hard to provide a safe working environment for their employees.

Still, almost any job has work-related hazards. You could even trip and fall over poorly installed computer wires!
I spent a summer working in a country store deli as kitchen help. Since I was just over 18, I had the joy and privilege of running the giant electric meat slicer!

I was duly warned about the dangers and given training on equipment safety techniques. Still, every time I was sent to slice I breathed a sigh of relief when the job was done.  I really enjoy using both of my thumbs to this day. (Sorry,  “Bob”.)

Based on what I learned to safely operate the meat slicer, here are a few basic work safety tips for every job requiring  the use of tools.

1.) Don’t let co-workers distract you while you work with tools!

Yep! Your fellow man can be both your greatest help and your biggest liability! Talking with your co-worker about weekend plans while running a potentially dangerous tool is a seriously bad idea. It’s like texting and driving.  Just don’t  do it!

2.) Write a list of basic safety procedures needed to do your job if your company doesn’t already provide one!

Refresh your memory often.  Take your list to work if need be.  Being prepared is so much better than operating blindly! Sometimes  on-the-job safety training is simply inadequate. It’s rushed. You only practice once. You come into work the next day a bit puzzled, trying to remember the right steps in the right order.

Ask questions!  Be a pest. It’s okay.  Safe is better than sorry. That’s what your momma always said, right?

3.) Let your boss know when you are under the weather, or seriously “off your game”.

Obviously I couldn’t run the meat slicer if I was coughing and sneezing — a germ hazard for others, for sure.  However, having a headache and slicing meat is an equally bad idea. If you are not “on your game”,  no boss should want you operating heavy or dangerous equipment.  if they do, well, …

If you or a loved one has been injured on the job even if you are at fault,  you need an experienced workers’ compensation attorney  in your corner to fight for your rights. Work-related injuries can change your life forever!

The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC is licensed to handle workers’ compensation cases both in Missouri and Illinois. You will  receive experienced and aggressive legal help for your work-related injury case. You can find more information here:  http://steimel-law.com/workers-comp.html

The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC wants you to know that  even if you have been denied workers’ compensation, you may still have a personal injury case!  Call for a free consultation at 636-244-3737.

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.