After being injured in an auto accident is no time to start learning how to navigate the insurance world on your own. You may already be burdened with medical expenses and car repairs while being unable to work due to your injury. This is where a navigator or personal injury lawyer comes into play. They can help you file the proper paperwork and insure that everything is done by the book allowing you to focus on what you need to do to get better.

The insurance company is a business. They make their profits by paying out the least amount of money possible for your injury claim. They do this every day and have become successful for it. Likewise a good personal injury lawyer makes their profit by ensuring you get every cent that you are entitled to. In fact in my book “What Every Injured Victim In Washington State Must Know To Avoid Getting Ripped Off!”, I mention that Allstate paid out the average NON represented case at $3,464 while represented cases averaged $7,450.

If you are still wary about contacting a personal injury lawyer regarding your case there are four criteria in which I believe you should still at least speak with an attorney : If you have been seriously injured, or a loved one was killed as a result of an accident, the actions of the insurance company involved are unacceptable to you, your injury claim has been denied, or the at-fault party doesn’t have insurance. A quick consultation can help you decide if you are ready for legal representation.

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only.  You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

www.cunnanelaw.com

In the moments after an accident has occurred you may be disoriented or in a heightened emotional state. This is not the time to be making any type of formal statement to an insurance adjuster about the incident. In my book What every Injured Victim in Washington State Must know to avoid getting Ripped Off!, I discuss this as one of the common blunders that can destroy your accident settlement. You can find my book at www.cunnanelaw.com.

The insurance adjuster will want to get you to make your statement as soon as possible, not to help you but to increase the probability of you making mistakes that will decrease the settlement amount they need to pay. Simple statements such as “I’m Fine,” after an accident can be interpreted to mean that you were not seriously injured and therefore are not entitled to compensation.  Even the common courtesy of saying you’re sorry could mean that you have admitted guilt or fault for the accident while your intention could be that you are sorry the event occurred.

It is important to remember even in a heightened emotional state that the insurance company is not necessarily your friend. They are a business and their profits are based on paying out as little as possible for your claim. It is during these stressful times that legal representation can be most effectively used to protect you and your insurance claim.

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only.  You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

www.cunnanelaw.com

The coming of a new year brings a welcome discounts on used cars. Before you sign the paperwork there are a few things you should check out to ensure you start 2015 with a gem instead of a lemon.

History of the vehicle.

There are multiple online resources where you can get a detailed report of the history of the vehicle.  Be sure to note any collisions and to forward this information to a mechanic you trust to ensure that the repairs were done properly.  This information also gives you some ground to stand on when negotiating the price of the vehicle.

Inspection by licensed mechanic you trust!

Hire a good mechanic to inspect the vehicle before you purchase it. They will be able to give you a clearer picture on what maintenance or repairs are currently needed or may come up in the future. If the repairs are minor enough you may even be able to deduct their cost from the final price of the vehicle with some negotiation.

Is the price far for that model?

A quick check of Kelly Blue Book www.kbb.com can give you a rough estimate of the true value of the vehicle. The discounts you see could actually be specific to that dealer and not a true reflection of the value of the vehicle. Alternatively, if the price seems too good to be true, be weary as it could be the result of a known or suspected mechanical issue.

Having a properly maintained and functioning vehicle can mitigate the possibility of you being found at fault in the event of a motor vehicle accident.

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only.  You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

www.cunnanelaw.com

With a collective sigh of relief the holiday season has passed and with it hopefully came some fond memories spent with family.  Before you post your precious moment onto social media, consider who may be viewing those photos.

When around family we often find ourselves doing more than we might normally do under normal circumstances. It would be perfectly human to want to carry your child or play a game with them even while injured to preserve their holiday spirit. If you have an active claim and you post a picture of you playing with your children or grand children it may appear that you are not indeed injured or in pain. This information can then be used against you and could diminish your claim amount.

We believe you should refrain from any activity that could further aggravate your injury however we do understand wanting to do more for the sake of your family. Protect yourself and don’t let your act of selflessness compromise your insurance claim.

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only.  You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

www.cunnanelaw.com

Accidents can happen anywhere. They might be the result of nature, distractions or neglect. You can minimize injuries in your home by creating a safe environment.

Keep Medication and Chemicals out of Reach – If you have chemicals or medications in your home, clearly mark the containers and store them in a safe place out of reach by children and animals.

Maintain Property – Decks with broken floor boards or overgrown trees near power lines can be the perfect recipe for an accident. Keeping up with maintenance can help prevent accidents.

Pools and Hot Tubs – Keep pools and hot tubs covered when not in use. A fence will prevent unsupervised children and small animals from getting in.

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only. You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

www.cunnanelaw.com

After a car accident, driving can become stressful. Merging onto the freeway may raise your heart rate, change your breathing and put you into a cold sweat.

PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder may develop after experiencing a traumatic event such as a car accident that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless. So how do you deal with Post Traumatic Stress after an accident?

For most people symptoms are only temporary lasting days, weeks or months and decrease as time goes on. Symptoms may be triggered by something that reminds you of the original traumatic events. There are three types of symptoms: increased anxiety and emotional arousal, re-experiencing the traumatic event and avoiding reminders of the trauma.

Gradually exposing yourself to thoughts, feelings and situations that remind you of the trauma is one type of treatment called Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy.

A woman who was in an accident on the freeway experienced symptoms of PTSD every time she drove during rush-hour traffic, in unfamiliar areas and in bad weather. She began driving 20 minutes to and from yoga once a week. On the drive there she would feel stressed from a long day of work. On her return home she was relaxed and happy. Over time she began to associate driving with good feelings again. This story demonstrates how we can reprogram ourselves through replacing bad associations with good ones.

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only. You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

www.cunnanelaw.com

Stress slows healing by blocking the delivery of nutrients throughout the body. Elevated levels of cortisol can increase depression, obesity, insomnia, heart disease and digestive problems. So if you are recovering from an accident and are experiencing excessive stress then here are some ways to decompress and rid your body of the stress hormone, cortisol.

Exercise – Go for a walk though nature, do yoga or play a sport. Exercise helps circulate nutrients in your body and reduces levels of cortisol. Cortisol’s purpose is to promote the release of glucose, your body’s source of fuel.

Meditate – Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Slowing your breathing will also slow your heart rate and lower blood pressure. Be present, not thinking about the future nor the past. Set aside a time for yourself when you can truly relax because there is nowhere that you have to be and nothing that you need to do.

Eat Healthy – Fast foods with high concentrations of grease and sugar can make you feel lethargic and take your energy levels on a rollercoaster ride. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to give your body the right kind of energy.

Get Enough Sleep – A good night’s sleep allows the body and mind to recharge. When you are tired you experience more stress than when you are refreshed and full of energy.

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only. You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

www.cunnanelaw.com

After an accident, hospital bills may begin to pile up while you are out of work due to injuries sustained in the collision. Stress is a natural response when our outlook may seem bleak. In short durations, stress keeps us alert and helps us to avoid danger by giving us a burst of energy that allows us to run or fight; but what happens when this stress builds up without relief?

Stress hormones can slow the delivery of nutrients that heal the body. What this means is that wounds will take much longer to heal when a person is experiencing excessive stress. Furthermore, prolonged stress can lead to other physical problems. Stress can become harmful when it leads to physical symptoms such as headaches, chest or back pain, elevated blood pressure and problems sleeping. Stress also weakens the immune system leaving a person vulnerable to further illness.

The solution is to relax, stay in the present and clear your mind of all the mental chatter. In the next article I will explore ways to limit stress in your life.

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only. You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

www.cunnanelaw.com

If traffic lights are out due to a storm or power outage then drivers are to stop at the intersection as though it is a four-way-stop. Drivers must then proceed through the intersection one by one in the order of first-come-first-serve. This means that you must yield to the right of way to others who have arrived first. If two cars arrive at the same time, then the vehicle to the right will proceed first.

Pedestrians, cyclists and other road users may be confused by malfunctioning lights and signals. Be alert and aware of your surroundings. When a pedestrian is waiting to cross, they have right-of-way so vehicles must yield to all pedestrians crossing.

If traffic lights are down in your area, you may report them to your local department of transpiration. If you need to call to report an outage, please pull over to avoid driving distractions.

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only. You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

www.cunnanelaw.com

In the summer time we often don’t think about flooding because Western Washington gets substantially less rain this time of year; but did you know that flash floods can happen as a result of thunderstorms? The following are some tips on how to drive in a flood.

Avoid driving on roads covered by water. They are prone to collapse and may sweep away an average vehicle in only 12 inches of moving water. Driving through water may also stall your engine and cause irreversible damage if you try to restart the engine. If you come to a flooded street then take an alternate route.

If you must drive through water because there is no alternate route then take these extra precautions:
• Try to estimate the depth of water. Do so by paying attention to other cars driving through.
• Drive slowly.
• Avoid water if there are electrical or power lines down nearby.
• Look out for any objects that might be downstream. If they are moving then they may crash into your vehicle.
• If you have driven through water up to the wheel rims or higher, then test your breaks on a clear patch of road at a low speed.
• If your engine stalls in the rising water and you become trapped, immediately abandon your vehicle for higher ground.

The Cunnane Law Office has provided this content for informational purposes only. You should refer your questions to a personal injury attorney.

www.cunnanelaw.com