5 Water Safety Tips

Summer brings out those pesky bugs that drive kids crazy; and us too! Sunburns can not only spoil the fun, but can cause severe consequences to our health down the road. Therefore, whatever adventures you are considering, bring along a floppy hat, some bug spray, and UV protection.

Yes, summer is here in many places, or will be soon for others. Although bugs and the sun can be troublesome, the real danger for most will involve water. Many will enjoy spending their time either in or near the water. Unfortunately, this is also a time when the number of water accidents increases drastically.

Here is a look at 5 Water Safety Tips to consider this summer:

#1 Wear Life Preservers

You should always wear life preservers, such as a life jacket or life vest, when using any watercraft to ensure you stay afloat if you fall off or capsize. The life jacket should be the right fit. It should not be loose, and you must buckle all straps as instructed.

#2 Ensure Someone Is Always Watching Your Kids

Never leave your children unattended whenever they are playing in or around water. It takes active involvement. It only takes a few seconds for disaster to strike a child playing in the water. Whenever they are playing in the water or just near the pool, there should always be an adult actively supervising them. A small child can drown in a foot of water, so the time it takes to send a text could be more than enough time for a child to drown.

#3 Keep the Swimming Pool Safe

Be sure to surround the swimming pool with a fence that has lockable gates to keep children away from the pool when unsupervised. There should be a fence between the house and the pool. Additionally, it is important to keep rescue equipment such as life preservers, a shepherd’s hook, and a mobile or remote telephone nearby.

#4 Only Swim in Safe Public Areas

It is always advisable to swim at swimming areas that are patrolled by lifeguards. While at the lake or beach, always follow instructions from the lifeguards. Consult them on how strong the waves and currents are. Also, before going into the water, find out if there are sharp objects or coral in the water to avoid getting injured. You can use protective footwear when you suspect the presence of rocks or other dangerous objects.

There are usually warning signs and colored flags at the entrance to most beaches that indicate safety conditions; make sure you read them carefully. A broadly used system in America is based on the traffic light system, red is a high hazard, yellow is a medium hazard, and green is a low hazard. Black flags normally signal the beach is closed.

#5 Do Not Push Your Limits

Always be realistic about your swimming ability and your physical capability. Along with swimming ability is your body’s ability to adapt to the heat. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and take a break from your summer fun in the sun under a shade tree.

If you and your family plan to spend your summer around a boat, know the limits of each person you bring along. Look out for any signs of weariness to avoid injuries. Additionally, no one should go boating under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or prescription medicines that may cause drowsiness. Not only is it unsafe, it’s illegal. Operating any vehicle while under the influence is illegal. It’s also very important to know the condition of the driver before you get on a boat or other watercraft.

It is important to enjoy the summer moments, but remember water safety is equally essential. If you or your family members suffer a water-related accident or wrongful death due to someone else’s negligence, contact Robert Greening of GreeningLaw, P.C. immediately for a free, no obligation consultation.

GreeningLaw Is Your Connection for Justified Compensation

The summer months can be filled with fun and frolic, but even when you do everything safely, especially on the water, others can shatter your summer dreams through carelessness and negligence. Following the tips outlined above and staying prepared for emergencies can make your summer on the water safer and more fun. However, if disaster strikes and you or a family member is injured through the negligence of another or unsafe equipment, contact our office to set up a confidential free consultation with no obligation.

GreeningLaw, P.C. can provide you with expert advice and counsel for your family. We are personal injury lawyers that only represent our clients on a contingency fee basis. What that means to you and your family is that you can concentrate on recovery without the financial concerns of the process. We pay the fees for you and get reimbursed after settlement, whether that is through negotiation with the insurance company or at trial. We accept the risk of handling all the expenses and fees involved in the process, so your family can concentrate on getting better. We fight the legal battle so that you can focus on healing and renewal. We will go over everything before we accept your case, so there will be no surprises. Our fees are contingent on us receiving compensation for you; if we don’t secure compensation for you, we will not accept payment from you.

Call (972) 934-8900 for Robert Greening, your personal injury attorney. We will set up the free consultation with absolutely no obligation to you.

Brain Injury Awareness Month

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “An estimated 1.7 million people sustain a TBI annually” with injuries ranging from moderate to life altering.

The following is an overview of how a TBI can change your life, how these accidents and incidents may occur, their symptoms, and how a professional personal injury lawyer can help those injured in accidents receive fair and adequate compensation.

Accident Types

Motorcycle accidents

Commercial truck accidents
Car accidents
Slip and Falls
Sports injuries
Birth injuries
Medical malpractice injuries

Most are aware, even those who are not avid sports fans, of the problem with concussions and the billion-dollar class-action lawsuit brought by the National Football League (NFL) Players’ Association and others against the NFL. Very few injuries or lawsuits are this involved; however, it is important to establish proper liability.

TBIs become more problematic when the responsibility for the expense of aftercare cannot clearly be determined. This is particularly true when there is a disability or paralysis. Should the NFL be held liable for a lifetime of concussions that quite likely started as early as the football player’s eighth or ninth year? This could be difficult to determine.

Although most medical experts do not advocate an end to sports, as it is very beneficial in building the confidence of young players and providing a physical regimen to preclude obesity, when someone is injured or sustains a TBI, after treatment is started, the incident must be investigated to place the liability for the injury where it truly lies to ensure the best care possible or establish a shared responsibility if one exists, such as when the injury was due to a combination of faulty equipment and human error.

Once again, what appears to be a mild brain injury or concussion can be just as serious as an obvious severe head injury, although the symptoms may be less clear. A key indicator might be the location and the extent of the injury. A brain injury will not automatically develop into an impairment or an injury in need of long-term care or even disability. However, a proper diagnosis coupled with a treatment plan is necessary to minimize and control the damage and ensure stability and a period of recovery regardless of the source of the injury.

Brain Injury Symptoms

The symptoms associated with brain injuries depend on the force of the blow to the head and the area of the brain that was injured. The most common symptoms associated with these types of head injuries are:

Headaches
Shortened attention span
Memory loss
Trouble expressing feelings and thoughts
Difficulty understanding others

The effect or extent of a brain injury must be determined by neurological specialists through a thorough exam, utilizing computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as soon as possible after the incident or accident. A victim of potential brain injury should be stabilized immediately to prevent further injury by determining if sufficient blood flow sustains the necessary oxygen to the brain.

What Can a Lawyer Do for Accident Victims?

If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of another and sustained a serious TBI, speak with a personal injury attorney for advice. Some things a personal injury lawyer can help you do to obtain compensation for your injuries include:

Hiring accident investigators
Deposition of witnesses
Speaking with medical experts about your prognosis and medical treatment plan
Negotiating a settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company
Filing a claim for compensation in court, when negotiations fail to reach an agreement for fair and adequate compensation
Represent you at trial, if necessary

A lawyer can also help you develop a Life Care Plan to help you plan for future healthcare expenses. This document will normally be necessary to justify a compensation award. By obtaining a compensation award settlement, you can have the financial resources in place to care for your family as you move forward in your recovery and life or care for a family member who has a traumatic brain injury.

Contact Robert Greening, a personal injury lawyer, to learn what options you have available under the law that may allow you to obtain a settlement for a brain injury due to the negligence of another. While obtaining a monetary settlement cannot replace all that you have lost, it can help you or a loved one obtain the resources to lead a full life.

How to Get Professional Legal Assistance

Robert Greening of GreeningLaw, P.C. is a professional law firm that assists victims of TBIs in receiving the compensation they need to survive. Many victims of TBI are paralyzed or have had their lives cut short due to wrongful death. Those who survive this trauma will likely need some form of care for the rest of their lives.

We assist our clients using a contingency basis because we understand it is difficult for the victim or the victim’s family to bear the expense of expert witnesses, court fees, medical records processing, and the other necessary expenses required to ensure a proper conclusion. GreeningLaw, P.C. will not accept payment unless they receive compensation for you. If we do not recover, you do not pay.

Call (972) 934-8900 to set up a consultation with GreeningLaw, P.C., the personal injury attorneys you can count on to represent you every step of the way. At your free consultation, we will discuss every aspect of your claim, in plain English, we will agree on everything beforehand so there are no surprise fees or out of pocket expenses for you. At GreeningLaw, we fight the legal battle, so you have time for healing and renewal.

3 Things to Do If Injured in a Psychiatric Hospital

When a loved one is injured or dies in a psychiatric hospital, the conclusion drawn by the family is to blame the staff or owner. Although that is a natural assumption, it is not always the case. However, the ultimate responsibility for your loved one’s safety rests with the hospital. There are circumstances of shared responsibility, particularly when there are faulty medical devices, equipment, or pharmaceuticals. Still, when otherwise healthy patients are injured or die in care, it is frequently due to negligence.

#1 Documentation

You can begin to assist with the documentation process for your personal injury attorney by writing down or journalizing the details and circumstan ces of the event as soon as possible after notification. This type of chronicling of events should ONLY be done AFTER consultation with a lawyer.

#2 Witnesses

Make no mistake, GreeningLaw will conduct a thorough investigation into the events of the injury or death of your loved one. You can assist in the investigation by noting any conversation overheard or discussions you recall that may help pinpoint the actually cause.

Oftentimes the blame can only be assigned after getting statements from witnesses. The persons actually to blame for the injuries could be from the staff, another patient, or self-inflicted, the only way to find out as many details as possible is to speak with the people present at the time of the incident.

The psychiatric hospital like any other health care facility has a responsibility known as “Duty of Care” to its residents. That means the hospital is responsible for ensuring that its patients are not molested, neglected, or abused by other patients, contractors, or the staff of the hospital. The psychiatric hospital is responsible for making sure nurses, technicians, and staff are fully trained in every aspect of their responsibilities. Furthermore, the hospital is responsible for ensuring they hire enough personnel to safeguard and care for the residents so that no neglect of its residents occurs. Therefore, even in the case of self-inflicted injury or death, rape or abuse by other patients, staff, or vendors, the hospital bears the majority of blame through their duty of care responsibilities.

#3 Hire an Attorney

Often, patients in a psychiatric hospital are neglected, overmedicated, or not believed when they threaten self-harm. It is the responsibility of the care-givers to ensure they are protected from harm. Although others may share the blame for injury or wrongful death, the hospital owes the duty of care responsibility.

GreeningLaw, PC represents the victims of personal injury and wrongful death on a contingency basis. What that means to you is that you need no money upfront and we will never ask you to bear the expense or fees associated with your claim. We pay the expenses and take our fee from the compensation awarded. Simply stated, if you do not receive compensation, you will not have to pay. Bringing a personal injury suit due to the injury or death of a loved one is stressful enough without the added stress of financial concerns.

Call, (972) 934-8900 Robert Greening, personal injury attorney today, for a free consultation with no obligation pertaining to your loved one’s injuries or send us an email rgreening@greeninglaw.com

We fight the legal battle, so you have time for healing and renewal.