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The Causes of a Traumatic Brain Injury

Posted on February 22, 2017July 26, 2024 by YostLaw

Headaches, dizziness, concussion, loss of consciousness, forgetfulness, depression and nausea are some of the symptoms of traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries, or concussions, can be caused by blunt force to the head. According to the Centers for Disease Control, car accidents are one of the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries. Car accident victims who hit their heads on headrests, steering wheels, windows or windshields may have traumatic brain injuries. Even if a car accident victim does not hit their head, they could have a traumatic brain injury from the movement their head made at the time of impact.

Unlike other injuries from car accidents, a victim may not notice the signs of a traumatic brain injury for several days or even weeks. Even if a victim has a normal MRI or CT scan they could still have a traumatic brain injury or concussion. Doctors diagnose traumatic brain injuries by evaluating the symptoms a patient is experiencing.

The effects of a traumatic brain injury can be permanent or long-term. The treatment for traumatic brain injuries may include medications, speech therapy, occupational therapy, psychological therapy and, in severe cases, surgery.

If you believe you or a loved one are suffering from a traumatic brain injury, you should:

Seek Medical Treatment: A doctor may order MRIs and CT scans to determine if there are skull fractures, bruising, or swelling around the brain. A doctor will also review your symptoms to determine whether a traumatic brain injury is likely.

Document Symptoms: Keep track of your symptoms so that you can tell your doctor about headaches, memory problems, emotional problems, nausea, difficulty speaking, dizziness, or any other symptoms you are experiencing.

The Yost Legal Group is here to help auto accident victims diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries. If you or a loved one is seriously injured in a car accident that was not your fault, call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529). When you call, you will speak with an experienced, compassionate Maryland Car Accident lawyer absolutely FREE.

We will investigate every detail of your accident and fight hard to ensure that your rights are protected. At The Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s free up front and we don’t get paid until you do.

“Drowsy Driving Prevention Week” Starts this Sunday 11/6

Posted on November 4, 2016July 25, 2024 by YostLaw

Now that fall is in full swing, the sunsets come earlier and the nights are longer. That means that it is almost inevitable for us to feel sleepier earlier in the day, and that can be a dangerous combination when paired with driving.

Sunday, November 6^th is the start of Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, a national movement aimed towards the elimination of sleepy driving. While many Maryland drivers are familiar with the risks associated with impaired driving and distracted driving, it is not widely known that drowsy driving holds many of the same risks, such as slower judgement, delayed response time and wandering thoughts.

Below are some disturbing statistics about the severity of drowsy driving in the United States, according to the National Sleep Foundation:

100,000 police-reported vehicle crashes are caused by drowsy drivers every year
Drowsy driving is linked to approximately 1,550 deaths and 71,000 injuries every year
The total value of drowsy driving accidents is nearly $12.5 billion per year
11 million drivers admitted that they were in a crash or a near crash due to being too tired behind the wheel

Here are a few important tips recommended by the National Sleep Foundation that can help prevent drowsy driving:

Be well rested: There is a lot of responsibility that comes with driving, so make sure you are as alert as possible while operating a vehicle.
Pull over: If you notice yourself drifting off, make sure you are in a safe location and take a 15-20 minute nap.
Bring a buddy if you are planning a long road trip. Not only will you be able to drive in shifts, your driving buddy can pick up on signs of fatigue if you start to drive dangerously due to drowsiness.
Drink caffeine: This can increase your alertness for several hours. Please note you should not solely rely on caffeine to get you through long road trips.

Don’t get behind the wheel if you are drowsy, the risks are simply too high.

If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries in a car accident that was not your fault, call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential consultation.

The attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. When you call, one of our experienced Baltimore Car Accident attorneys will investigate every detail of your situation at no cost to you and fight hard to protect your rights.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

National Teen Driver Safety Week Starts This Weekend

Posted on October 15, 2016August 2, 2024 by YostLaw

According to the most recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death of young people between the ages of 15-19. It is extremely important to speak with young people in our community about the importance of practicing safe driving behavior at all times, and National Teen Driver Safety Week is the perfect time to start the conversation.

National Teen Driver Safety Week started in 2007 following a series of tragic car accidents involving young drivers. For nearly a decade, Teen Driver Safety Week has been held during the third week in October with the goal of raising awareness of safe driving behavior among teenagers, and reducing number of tragic and preventable car accidents.

Teenagers face serious risks every time they go out on the road due to a number of factors:

Teenage drivers are inexperienced: It takes time and practice to fully learn the rules of the road and to be able to react quickly in dangerous situations. Many young drivers that only have their driver’s license for a few months or a year are not yet aware of how and when to react to certain situations on the road.
The teenage brain is still developing: Research shows that our brains do not fully develop until we reach our early 20’s. That means that teenagers are operating motor vehicles while the parts of their brains that influence reflexes, impulse control, and decision making, are not fully formed. This can lead to poor decisions, unsafe behavior, and an inability to react to danger in time.
Teenagers face more distractions than ever before: Whether teenage motorists are talking with passengers, adjusting the radio, sending text messages or posting to social media, there is a lot of temptation to become distracted behind the wheel. Any one of these behaviors can distract a driver and keep their eyes, and mind, off of the task of driving. When drivers are distracted, even for a moment, the results can be devastating.
Risk-taking behaviors: All young people have a lot of lessons to learn about the consequences of their decisions. Due to a combination of youth, inexperience, and biological factors, teenage motorists are more likely to engage in risky behaviors while driving. This could include speeding, disobeying posted stop lights or stop signs, driving while intoxicated, or not wearing a seatbelt. All of these behaviors increase their risk of being involved in a serious traffic accident.

At the Yost Legal Group, we want to do our part to make sure that every driver, regardless of age, reaches their destination safely. For parents, this is a very important time to speak with the young drivers in your family about how important it is for them to drive defensively and protect themselves at all times when out on the road.

Click here for resources that can help parents discuss safe driving with your teenager.

If you or a loved one are involved in any type of traffic accident that not your fault, the Yost Legal Group may be able to help. Call us today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential consultation. When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Car Accident attorney at no cost to you.

At the Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front, and we don’t get paid unless we recover for you.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

NHTSA Reports a Sharp Increase in the Number of Traffic Fatalities in 2015

Posted on October 11, 2016August 2, 2024 by YostLaw

Traffic fatalities continue to be a widespread public safety issue across the U.S., causing thousands of preventable deaths each year. In the first half of 2016 alone, traffic-related fatalities rose by 10.4% compared to last year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).

To read more about these shocking statistics, click here.

The 2015 Motor Vehicle Crash Report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides an annual overview of traffic accidents throughout the U.S. This year, the report indicated that traffic-related fatalities increased by 7.2% from 2014 to 2015. This means that over 35,000 more people were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2015 compared to 2014.

Together, these reports point to a disturbing trend regarding driver safety.

Here at The Yost Legal Group, we want to do our part to help reduce fatalities related to motor vehicle accidents. We remind all motorists to:

Drive attentively at all times.
Never get behind the wheel if you are drowsy
Never drive after consuming alcoholic beverages.
Never text and drive, this is deadly!
Follow the speed limit signs.
Always wear a seat belt.
Make sure your child is safety and correctly safe in a car seat.
Watch out for motorcyclists and bicyclists on the road.

If you or a loved one is injured in any type of motor vehicle accident that was not your fault, call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential consultation.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Emergency Road Crews Battle Icy Conditions Across Maryland

Posted on January 20, 2015July 25, 2024 by YostLaw

Emergency crews were left scrambling over the weekend to respond to multiple vehicle accidents caused by severe and unexpected icy road conditions. The National Weather Service issued a freezing rain advisory on the morning of Sunday, January 18^th, and cautioned drivers to stay off the roads wherever possible.

However, with temperatures reaching their coldest point between 7 and 8 am, many drivers were already out on the roads at the time of the alert. Dangerous road conditions in Baltimore and the surrounding counties led to what police have called “way too many [accidents] to count,” and at least one fatality.

The worst incident took place on the eastbound lane of Route 40 near the border of Baltimore and Harford Counties. The Maryland State Highway Administration estimates that as many as 49 cars were involved in a pileup which left all lanes of traffic closed for hours as crews fought to clear the roads and divert traffic.

In Baltimore and Harford Counties, some emergency crews were left “paralyzed” to deal with the overwhelming amount of reported accidents. Emergency vehicles were slowed by the icy roads and had trouble reaching many injured or stranded drivers.

One such early morning accident in Harford County left one driver fatally injured and three other drivers taken to a local hospital for evaluation. Another weather related accident caused six passengers on a Maryland Transit bus to be injured after the bus slipped off the icy roads in the Milford Mill area.

These accidents illustrate just how severe, rapid and dangerous the deterioration of road conditions can be during periods of ice and freezing rain.

The safest thing to do in situations such as this is to simply stay off the roads, but when this is not a possibility, winter driving precautions can go a long way towards preventing an accident. See our previous tips on safe driving in the winter and stay up to date on the local weather forecast.

If you or a loved one are injured in an automobile, motorcycle or truck accident that was not your fault, contact The Yost Legal Group to handle your entire claim. You can trust the experienced car accident lawyers of The Yost Legal Group to examine the details of your case and determine the best course of action to achieve the justice you deserve.

Call us today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a free, confidential and no-obligation consultation. If you were injured due to the negligence or recklessness of another driver, The Yost Legal Group will fight to get you the compensation and justice you deserve.

The Yost Legal Group: Experienced Lawyers Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights.

Snow and Heavy Winds Expected During Tuesday Morning Commute

Posted on January 6, 2015July 26, 2024 by YostLaw

Winter weather is expected to impact the commute of thousands of Maryland drivers on the morning of Tuesday, January 6^th. The New Year is wasting no time in providing Baltimore commuters with hazardous road conditions, and at The Yost Legal Group we want to ensure that everyone in the area arrives to work and school safely.

Temperatures are expected to drop sharply beginning Tuesday morning as a frigid air system known as a “clipper” moves in from Canada, bringing with it up to 2 inches of snow and heavy winds. The National Weather Service expects the snow to start around 7 AM, and winter weather advisory is already in effect for Central Maryland starting at 4 AM Tuesday morning. Most estimates expect the worst of the snow to pass through by noon or 1 PM, and while this system may not bring much in terms of snow accumulation, it will certainly make the morning commute more difficult.

Here are a few helpful winter weather-driving tips to keep in mind tomorrow morning:

Prepare your vehicle before the snow begins:

o   Make sure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated
o Make sure your battery is fully charged
o   Make sure your front and rear windshield-wipers are functioning properly.
o   All of these will help to navigating through hazardous winter driving conditions.

Get a head start: Stay up to date on the weather forecast

o   Try to avoid driving during the peak of the storm.
o   If you cannot stay off the roads, allow yourself some extra time to arrive at your destination.
o   The risk of skidding is highest during the winter months, and keeping your speed under control makes your car easier to handle and provides you with extra time to react to obstacles and other drivers.

Pack an emergency kit:

o   Keep some crucial tools in your trunk or back seat
o   A good ice scraper, sand or kitty litter will help you escape a snow bank
o   Road flares
o   Extra antifreeze
o   Windshield washer fluid
o   A flash light
o   A first aid kit
o   A shovel

At The Yost Legal Group, we know that accidents can happen even with the proper preparation. Exercise caution on the roads, especially during bad weather like snow and ice, and call the experienced Car Accident and Personal Injury attorneys at The Yost Legal Group if you or a loved one are injured in a Maryland car accident.

Contact the experienced car accident lawyers at The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a free confidential consultation. If you are injured in an accident that was not your fault, we will fight to get you the compensation and justice you deserve.

The Yost Legal Group: Experienced Lawyers Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights.

Tag: car accident law firm baltimore

The Causes of a Traumatic Brain Injury

“Drowsy Driving Prevention Week” Starts this Sunday 11/6

National Teen Driver Safety Week Starts This Weekend

NHTSA Reports a Sharp Increase in the Number of Traffic Fatalities in 2015

Emergency Road Crews Battle Icy Conditions Across Maryland

Snow and Heavy Winds Expected During Tuesday Morning Commute

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