Have you heard the song “Driving Home for Christmas” by Chris Rea? I had never heard it until this year, but it actually has some great advice for driving home for Christmas and so do we. There are not many more days before the holiday so get ready now to make the drive safely. Here are our top 10 tips: Continue reading
At this time of year, especially with a shortened season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Shopping, wrapping, addressing, baking and all the other things that need to be squeezed into our already busy schedules can become stressful. But it is important to take a step back, take a deep breath and realize that this type of overwhelmed is rooted in something joyful. We buy the presents, send the cards, bake the cookies, etc. because it is part of a season of joy and festivities. But, there is another type of overwhelmed. Continue reading
Yes, you read that right – John Day is on jury duty this week and next. On Wednesday, John was put in the jury box but ultimately he was excused from serving on that particular jury via a peremptory challenge (explained below). He may get another chance before his term expires. The phrase “jury duty” does not illicit a positive response from most people. We get it. It can be a little vexing – from the inception of the process when your heart skips a beat because you have pulled from your mailbox an official letter from the Sheriff’s Department until the end when you may not even get to vote on the case because you were the alternate juror in the event another juror got sick, etc. But here are some things you should know if you do get called for jury duty. Continue reading
Everyone can let out a collective sigh of relief. The weather apps are now saying the rain will stop in time for trick-or-treating. If your house is like ours, Halloween is the second biggest holiday of the year and postponing it because of rain would be catastrophic in kid-dom. But in all seriousness, the biggest tragedy, of course, would be an unavoidable accident that leaves a child injured. That is why, we wanted to give you just a few quick reminders of how to stay safe this Halloween. Here are 5 important things you can do to help make the night all treat and no trick: Continue reading
After heart disease and cancer, accidents are the number three cause of death in the United States. Of course, accidents is a broad category that encompasses a lot including medical malpractice. In fact, more than 250,000 people die each year from surgical errors and other medical negligence. So what is medical negligence? Many folks think that if they have a bad outcome then someone must have committed malpractice, but actually that is not correct. Here are 5 basic facts you need to know about medical malpractice. Continue reading
Whether we walk to work or walk from our car into the grocery store, all of us are pedestrians at some point. And, pedestrian deaths are on the rise with last year reaching a 30-year high. More than 6,000 people are dying each year in pedestrian accidents and thousands more are seriously injured. Experts believe several factors are contributing to the increase in pedestrian deaths. And while new vehicle technology claims to help prevent pedestrian accidents, recent testing by AAA shows otherwise. Continue reading
According to a recent study, Nashville has the unlucky distinction of having two of the most dangerous roads (out of a list of 30) in the country. Interstates 40 and 65 both made the list. For our readers in East Tennessee, don’t feel left out; Interstate 75 was also included in the list so Knoxville is home to two deadly roads too. These interstate exchanges are already dangerous but they almost certainly will become worse under new rules being proposed by the Trump administration. Continue reading
Did you know that for children ages 5 and older car accidents are the number one cause of death? Every single hour of every day, 150 kids will be treated in an emergency room for serious injury due to a car or truck accident. I am proud to report Tennessee became the first state in the nation to enact a child restraint law. Since 1979, Tennessee law has required that children be properly restrained in a car, truck or SUV. Because next week is Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week, we thought it would be a good time to review the requirements of Tennessee’s child restraint laws and give you some tips on how to keep your child passengers safe. Continue reading
Fatal car accidents caused by aggressive driving have risen over 500% in the last ten years. The worst of these road rage incidents make the news often accompanied by incredible videos of obnoxious drivers doing crazy things. Let’s analyze this road rage incident that turned physical and was caught on video and assess how both drivers could have handled the situation better. Continue reading
The New York Times published an article this week detailing how many hospitals, one of which is in Tennessee (LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis), have started suing their patients by the thousands for unpaid medical bills. Many of the patients had insurance and the hospitals were suing for deductibles and co-pays. According to the article, more than half of the reports to credit bureaus were a result of unpaid medical bills. Of course, in addition to the cost of litigation and the underlying medical bill, this affects people’s credit rating and overall financial health. Consider this from a study by the Commonwealth Fund:
43 percent had used up all their savings to pay their (medical) bills, 43 percent had received a lower credit rating as a result of their debt, 32 percent racked up debt on their credit cards, 18 percent said they had delayed education or career plans. People with lower incomes were particularly affected: 37 percent said they were unable to pay for basic necessities like food, heat or rent as a result of their (medical) bills.
Clearly, medical bills can be devastating to many families – even those with medical insurance. So how does this relate to a car accident or other injury-producing accident? Continue reading
