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.

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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

Here’s what a good Personal Injury Lawyer can do for you:

• Remove the constant stress and hassle of having to deal directly with the insurance company adjuster. (You’ll finally be able to focus on getting well with greater peace of mind).

• Stop harassing phone calls from collection agencies about your unpaid medical bills. (Make sure that the insurance company pays for all your outstanding medical bills).

• Have a strong advocate on your side making sure that the insurance company plays by the rules. (You’ll finally have someone who will watch your back).

• Hire economic experts who will evaluate your future loss of earnings. (Maximize a just and fair settlement in the event you are unable to function at 100% capacity at work).

• You’ll have someone to explain what your legal rights are in plain everyday language. (You won’t find yourself being taken advantage of by a fast talking insurance adjuster).You’ll know how the legal system works. (You’ll never find yourself blindsided by the insurance company).

• Collect critical evidence including: police reports, statements from eye witnesses, photographs, and videos, if available. (Cases are won or lost by the amount of evidence that is presented, and now you will have someone who will invest in making sure all the bases are covered).

• Make sure that you don’t sign any unnecessary documents that could potentially damage your case. (This is critical when it comes to obtaining a fair settlement).

• Determine the amount of insurance coverage that’s available. (You’ll never be fooled into taking a low ball offer because the other side says there is minimal coverage).

• Provide letters of protection to treating physicians if you don’t have adequate insurance coverage. (You’ll be able to get the medical treatment you need).

• File a bad faith lawsuit against the insurance company should they fail to pay your claim. (Avoid all the endless hassles of unpaid medical bills).

• If your case can’t be settled, file a lawsuit or demand arbitration. (This one is pretty straight forward).

• Prepare client for trial in the event that the case can’t be settled. (Remove your stress from appearing in court).

• Make sure that your medical records are updated. (Your medical records are a key component to settling your case, and everything must be accurate).

• If you are unable to return to work an attorney will help you collect disability benefits. (You’ll be able to put food on the table in the event that you are unable to return to work).

• Collect medical records from treating physicians and hospital. (Take care of all the leg work for you).

• Send your medical reports to the insurance company.

• Prepare you for independent medical evaluation. (Help you to understand what the insurance company doctor will be looking for to undermine your claim).

• Send a registered nurse with the injured victim to assist them during the independent medical evaluation. (This helps them to feel comfortable knowing that someone else is on their side)

• Prior to sending records to the other side make sure that they have been properly reviewed.

• Keep you informed as to how your case is progressing. (You can call or make an appointment to stop by to see how your case is moving along).

• Prepare and present medical experts (treating physicians) at trial. (This will help the doctor present evidence that is beneficial for your 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 most common type of personal injury case is a road traffic accident, but did you know the term personal injury also includes medical and dental accidents? Depending on the intent or negligence of the responsible party, the injured party may be entitled to monetary compensation through settlement.

General damages may be emotional stress or pain and suffering whereas special damages are measurable costs which can be itemized. These may include medical bills, property damages and lost wages. Injuries sustained may last a lifetime and in some cases result in an inability to do one’s job.

Personal injury is usually covered by liability insurance, aka “auto insurance”. The term “personal injury” does not mean bodily injury damages but instead refers to mental injury damages. However, personal injury protection (PIP) does cover medical expenses from bodily injury. PIP is designed to be paid without regard to fault.

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

We have all read prospective employment resumes that state, “I’m great under pressure and handle multi-tasking efficiently.” As a nation, we pride ourselves for being able to accomplish multiple things at once. Furthermore, all of us believe that we can improve productivity by doing so. What really happens when we begin doing more than one thing at a time?

Researchers have utilized MRIs to observe the human brain while multi-tasking and performing various interrupted tasks. What they found is that when working on one task the brain devotes both frontal lobes to managing the work. When two tasks are performed each half of the brain manages each task. When a third task is introduced the brain starts crashing and mistakes begin to rise. Additionally this causes longer response times so productivity goes down.

So how does multi-tasking affect your ability to drive? A study by the University of Utah psychologists found that multi-tasking can be more dangerous than drinking and driving. “Talking and driving are mutually exclusive because the same part of the brain that is used in phone conversation is also used to focus on the road.” This means that when a person is in phone conversation they are paying less attention to what is happening visually in front of them. To learn more about the effects of multi-tasking, visit: http://www.multitaskingtest.net.au/the-science/impacts-of-multi-tasking

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 texting and driving on the rise, there are now a number of simulators and games that have been released recently to show young adults just how difficult it is to text while maintaining complete control of a moving vehicle. The New York Times published one simulator that measures your reaction time and how it is affected by external distractions. You can find the link to test out your skills at: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/07/19/technology/20090719-driving-game.html?_r=0

I tested out the simulator and found that there is a delayed reaction when switching between viewing something close up and then something further away due to focusing your gaze. There is an additional delay that results in processing the information you are viewing.

Now of course the more you play the simulator the better you will get at it however this does not translate into getting better at texting and driving. Texting is a distraction that increases your risk of an accident by 23%. Try out the simulator to see just how much texting affects your reaction time.

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

Here in Seattle a lot of us commute to and from work. During long commutes we might get tired from a long work day mixed with a warm car. Sleepiness slows reaction time, decreases awareness, impairs judgment and increases your overall risk of crashing.

Factors that may affect your level of tiredness while driving include: sleep loss from restriction or too little sleep, interruption or fragmented sleep, chronic sleep debt, driving patterns or work schedules, undiagnosed or untreated sleep disorders, time spent on a task, and the use of sedating medications.

Sleepiness and fatigue can impair judgment, vision and reaction time. It may also cause problems with information processing and short-term memory. Sleepiness will decrease your performance and motivation while increasing moodiness and aggressive behaviors.

Many states now allow police to charge drowsy drivers with criminal negligence if they injure or kill someone while driving without adequate sleep.

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