The Harper Law Blog
The Harper Law Blog offers news, announcements, thoughts and articles on life, law and our practice areas of emphasis.
After a car accident, getting your bills paid
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 by Ed Harper.
Car accidents injuries can be debilitating for any person. However, when medical bills are stacking up, you expect your auto insurance company to help you. In the state of Washington, most people injured in an accident have personal injury protection or medical payment coverage. This is first party coverage. As an occupant of a vehicle with PIP, or even a pedestrian injured in an accident from a vehicle with PIP the medical bills should be paid for by your own insurance. If you do not have PIP, then your health insurance coverage will become primary. However, you may need to provide your health insurance company with a letter indicating you do not have PIP or an exhaustion letter if all of your PIP benefits have been used.
You have to use your PIP coverage first. This is not typically a problem and PIP will cover many other items of loss as well after a car accident. For example, it will cover loss of essential services, i.e. household expenses which you have incurred due to your injury. It will also cover wage loss after the first 14 days up to $10,000 (typical amount of PIP) for the first year after an auto accident. You can recover payment for your injuries even if you are at fault for the collision.
Ed Harper, over the last 17 years has assisted his clients in obtaining their insurance benefits following an accident. Ed Harper seeks to ensure that his clients are fully compensated for their injuries. An insurance company is not likely to explain the nuances of the insurance policy. Claims adjusters usually are adept at cutting off claims after a certain amount of treatment or if you have a pre-existing condition. Do not expect an adjuster, even if he or she is employed by your insurance company, is going to be your advocate. Do not give any statements or sign any authorizations to allow the insurance company unfettered access to your medical records without seeking legal advice.
At Harper Law PLLC we have represented hundreds of individuals who have been injured in auto accidents. We would like to represent you if you have been injured through no fault of you own, and we will answer all of your questions stemming from a collision. We are located in Kirkland, Washington and have represented car accident victims throughout the State of Washington and many other states, including California, Hawaii, Tennessee, and Texas.
Recovering from a car accident
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 by Ed Harper.
There are a wide variety of schools of therapy to choose from to recover from an injury obtained in a car accident. Automobile insurers in Washington provide personal injury protection coverage for health care needed following a collision involving an automobile in a car crash. So, the insured (the person who is covered by the insurance policy) can choose just about any form of treatment provided it is reasonable, necessary and due to the collision. Here are some examples of the types of care one can obtain benefit from:
Acupuncture
Acupressure
Anti-inflammatories
Aqua therapy
Biofeedback
Chiropractic
Counseling
Heat
Ice
Injections
Massage therapy
Meditation
Muscle relaxants
Neurology
Neuropsychology
Orthopedics
Osteopath
Physical Therapy
Pilates
Prayer
Surgery
Tens
Traction
Yoga
This is not an exhaustive list. A variety of treatment types exist and each person recovers from injuries sustained in a car accident differently. Call my office to learn more about making an insurance claim arising from a car accident or other type of injury.
Spine injury prevention
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 by Ed Harper.
Injury prevention
Activity and regular physical exertion can help prevent serious back injuries when they do occur. Having a strong core, strong abdominal muscles can help relieve the strain exerted on the lumbar spine. Being in good shape and having an exercise program in place may help alleviate the detrimental effect of the collision when it does occur.
Good posture and having more flexibility will help as well. Here are some examples of exercise programs.
1) Put the spine to work on a regular basis.
a. Forward bends and toe touches for flexion
b. Arching back for extension
c. Lateral side to side bending
d. Rotation of trunk in a clockwise and then counterclockwise motion over a fixed pelvis
Try these exercises starting out slowly and gradually working up over time with weights. This will help increase your comfortable range of motion.
2. Loading and working the spinal muscles. Start with isometrics (w/o weights) and use force and pressure performing each exercise without actually moving. For example, try arching your back against a wall, applying force but not actually performing the exercise.
Injuries in Motor Vehicle Collision #2
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 by Ed Harper.
Car Accidents
Side impacts have a tremendous potential for causing serious back, neck and brain damage. Little protection for the driver and/or passenger exist to withstand the force of a direct impact on the doors of most vehicles. Side air bags help but the twisting motion exerted on one’s body cause damaging effects. The torque in these collisions, (a rotating force) on the spine often causes long-term consequences. Vehicles that have seats that reducing any sliding movement and absorbs the force will help in a side impact.
Injury prevention
Activity and regular physical exertion can help prevent serious back injuries when they do occur. Having a strong core, strong abdominal muscles can help relieve the strain exerted on the lumbar spine. Being in good shape and having an exercise program in place may help alleviate the detrimental effect of the collision when it does occur.
Good posture and having more flexibility will help as well. Here are some examples of exercise programs.
1) Put the spine to work on a regular basis.
a. Forward bends and toe touches for flexion
b. Arching back for extension
c. Lateral side to side bending
d. Rotation of trunk in a clockwise and then counterclockwise motion over a fixed pelvis
Try these exercises starting out slowly and gradually working up over time with weights. This will help increase your comfortable range of motion.
2. Loading and working the spinal muscles. Start with isometrics (w/o weights) and use force and pressure performing each exercise without actually moving. For example, try arching your back against a wall, applying force but not actually performing the exercise.
Injuries in Motor Vehicle Collisions
Posted Saturday, June 30, 2007 by Ed Harper.
When you have been injured through no fault of you own, what signifies a significant injury from an insignificant one?
Certainly, pain is an indicator but a physician is likely to downplay its significance unless it progresses for some time. Also, numbness is important, but by itself does not indicate a truly threatening condition. However, when you have weakness which comes on suddenly and is severe, you must be examined immediately and if related to a spinal injury you may require surgery on an emergent basis.
When one has numbness emanating from the cervical spine and radiates to the index finger and thumb it is noticeable almost immediately. However, when one has numbness stemming from an injury to a nerve in the low back it is much harder to diagnose.
Some important facts about injuries:
When you neck is injured, the occipital muscles that attach along the back of the base of the skull can be strain and spasm. This can cause headaches and pinched nerves causing painful symptoms.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Injuries to Scalene muscles can pinch nerves that emerge from the thoracic outlet in the base of the neck. Many of the major nerves, arteries and veins headed to the arm and hand pass through this V or triangle. this is termed Thoracic Outlet Syndrome as compression in this area can lead to hand weakness, clumsiness and numbness, which most commonly affects the little finger and ring finger.
Herniated disks in the spine, cannot be ignored and adjustments to the vertebrae should not be performed.
Vertebra 33 bony segments make up the spine
Cervical 7
Thoracic or Dorsal 12
Lumbar 5
Sacral 5
Coccygeal 4
Vertebral Disc disks of fibrous cartilage enclosing a central mass, the nucleus pulposus. The disks separate the successive vertebrae and provide some cushioning and allow for movement.
Herniations and ruptured disk. The herniation to the disk occurs when the nucleus pulposus pushes out through the annulus, the tough cartilage allowing the disk material to protrude. A herniated disk can cause exquisite pain by pushing on the nerves and nerve roots coming from the spinal canal.
Pain takes on many forms
Somatic a pain that arises in the body, typically associated with injury or trauma
Neuropathic pain that comes from the nerves and may not respond to routine pain medications
Chronic long and drawn out, and the opposite of acute
Medication for pain relief include:
Anti inflammatories also known as NSAIDs Non steroidal anti inflammatories work by counteracting or diminishing inflammation or the effects of irritation
Steroids mediation that mimics a natural body material and reduces inflammation
Compounding utilizing more than one part to produce a more powerful medication
Anesthetics can be local or general. Local: medication that reduces sensation as well as pain. General: medication that tends to produce deep, painless sleep.
Narcotics Opiate medication used for treatment of pain
Motor vehicle collisions are a huge cause of injuries which affect the spine.
Rear end collisions typically cause a flexion and extension injury to ones neck and cervical region.
Improvements in the motor vehicle designs as far as reduction of vehicle damage through roll bars, seat belts and air bags have decreased the risk of death in collisions. However, in certain types of accidents, the laws of physics ensure injuries to people due to the forces exerted on the occupants. The newly designed bumpers which absorb a large majority of the impact, reducing the property damage, however, have done little to reduce the effects on ones body. The plastic bumper shells pop back into place and do not completely absorb the impact due to shock absorption type devices attaching the bumpers to the vehicles. Low property damage estimates reduce the possibility ones vehicle will sustain damage, but person sustains just as much of an injury, if not more severe injuries.
Rear end collisions cause injures as the car is propelled forward suddenly with little if any warning. The body is thrust back in the seat in a split-second of time an the head and neck snap back in a delayed whipping motion. Hence the word whiplash is used to connote the head being whipped forward and back. The neck muscles and ligaments become stretched in a flexion and extension motion. The head weighs approximately the same as a gallon of water and the neck muscles of most people cannot withstand the shearing forces exerted in the 1/10 of second.
The mid-back and low back can sustain injury when there is separation or distance from the seat back as the body is propelled and tossed about within the vehicle.
Front end or head-on impacts impart significantly more force on the occupant in the opposite motion. The force is intense as ones vehicle likely comes to a complete stop. Seat belts and air bags have reduced the likelihood one will go through the windshield or strike the steering wheel. The forces exerted on the spine can cause significant injuries, especially to the less physically strong person.
Air bag injuries can occur due to the explosive mechanism utilized to propel the bag out. The speeds of these air bags can exceed 100 mph and elderly and young people should sit in the back seat. The air bag can cause burns to the face and arms as well as trauma to the chest. Hearing loss and heart problems can also occur from the explosive forces exerted from the air bag.
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