Drivers in Mississippi should know that drowsy driving accounts for nearly a tenth of all car accidents in the U.S., according to a traffic safety study by AAA. The same organization has just released a study suggesting an increase in drowsy driving right after Daylight Saving Time. The reasons are obvious enough as springing forward cuts out an hour of valuable sleep time. However, AAA does have some good suggestions for avoiding drowsiness on the road.

Until the body becomes adjusted to the change, drivers should try to get to bed earlier. Once on the road, they should exercise greater caution since other drivers, after all, may not have obtained that extra hour of sleep. When changing lanes, drivers should use their turn signals and double-check their blind spots. They may also want to watch out for pedestrians in the early morning when it’s darker than usual. Pedestrians should make themselves visible through bright colors and flashlights.

Since the sun will be rising later, drivers may experience more glare during morning commutes. The best ways to reduce it are to use the sun visor and, if possible, invest in glasses with polarized lenses. Because the longer days encourage people to stay out longer, evening commutes may be hindered by greater car and pedestrian traffic.

When a car collision occurs due to driver negligence, the victim might want a lawyer to assess the case. The victim could file a claim for damages like medical expenses, vehicle damage and lost time from work. Through the findings of accident investigators and other experts, an attorney could build up a case and estimate a fair settlement. If the insurance companies refuse to pay, the client and lawyer can discuss litigation.

Injuries to soft tissues, such as the muscles, tendons and ligaments, are all too common in car accidents. The impact of a crash followed by the bracing of the body and sudden braking can lead the soft tissues to stretch, resulting in soreness, strains, sprains and even tears. Victims of soft tissue injuries in Mississippi will want to know more about the nature of this type of trauma.

One of the most important things to know is that soft tissue injuries are hard to diagnose compared to hard tissue injuries, which involve the bones and cartilage. X-rays cannot detect them, and the symptoms themselves may not be felt until days after the accident. The symptoms of soft tissue injuries can range from bleeding and persistent swelling to a loss of motor functions.

Whiplash is probably the most well-known example of a soft tissue injury. Victims of rear-end collisions often get whiplash when their heads snap forward and back, straining the tissues in the neck. They may suffer from chronic pain, stiffness and headaches or even a herniated disc in the spine. The pain could even reach down to the shoulders and back. In serious cases, victims report neurological issues like memory loss as well as increased moments of nervousness, fatigue and depression.

Soft tissue injuries should be treated as soon as possible. Getting treatment quickly will not only facilitate healing but also help victims in the event that they file a personal injury claim. When these injuries arise from the actions of a negligent driver, victims can consult with an accident attorney, who can, in turn, hire investigators to find all the proof required for a valid claim. Lawyers could also bring in medical experts if necessary. They can then negotiate on their clients’ behalf with the auto insurance companies, taking the case to court if a settlement cannot be agreed upon.

If you are one of the numerous Mississippi residents who has had to make the painful decision to put your aging parent in a nursing home, his or her health and safety are always on your mind. You worry that (s)he may suffer neglect or even abuse by nursing home employees.

Sadly, even in the best, most well-staffed and well-managed nursing homes, accidents do happen, and falls are the accidents that most often happen to nursing home residents. To make matters worse, the older your parent becomes, the more likely it is that (s)he will fall. Once that happens, (s)he then is likely to fall more often as time goes on. While not all falls are life-threatening, they are the most common reason for the high incidence of traumatic brain injury among older adults. A TBI happens when a person receives a blow to the head that causes the brain to dysfunction.

Often nursing home falls and their consequent TBIs happen because the elderly resident does not receive the help (s)he needs to get out of bed, walk to the bathroom or dining room, or do other normal daily activities. If your parent becomes tired of waiting for someone to answer his or her call light, (s)he may well decide to do what (s)he needs or wants to do without assistance.

TBI statistics among the elderly

During a recent five-year period, 142,000 elderly people went to an emergency room because of a TBI. Of this number, approximately 81,500 of them had to be admitted to the hospital due to the severity of their injury. At least 14,300 of them died. Even for those who survived their injury, their TBI symptoms lasted longer than they did for younger people who had received similar TBIs, and their prognoses were considerably poorer.

TBI symptoms

No two TBIs are alike, and symptoms can vary from victim to victim. In addition, symptoms may not appear until days or even weeks after the injury occurs. Consequently, if your parent falls or otherwise hits his or her head on something, (s)he may not even realize (s)he has suffered an injury. However, if the nursing home calls you to report a fall or if your parent mentions one on your next visit, be on the lookout for the following symptoms:

• Unusual difficulties thinking, reasoning or remembering
• Unusual difficulties speaking
• Unusual difficulties understanding what you say
• Inappropriate responses to your questions and comments
• Unusual depression, anxiety, crankiness, aggressiveness or other behavior changes

Any of these symptoms could be a sign that your parent has suffered a TBI. If you notice any of them, insist that your parent receives an examination from a doctor if he or she has not already had one. If necessary, insist that the nursing home call an ambulance to take your parent to the emergency room where a trauma specialist can examine him or her. Even if (s)he shows no visible signs of a head injury, such as a bruise, bump or swelling, approximately 50 percent of elderly TBI patients require surgery to repair bruised brain tissue, a/k/a contusions, and/or ruptured blood vessels, a/k/a hematomas.

Left untreated, a TBI can cause your parent to lose consciousness or slip into a coma. It also could lead to your parent lapsing into a persistent vegetative state and/or dying. If your parent is 75 or older when he or she suffers a TBI, his or her risk of dying from it is substantially higher than if (s)he were younger.

Even though you probably cannot visit your elderly parent every day to make sure (s)he is being well treated and well taken care of by the nursing home staff, you need to be proactive about his or her safety and well-being. Do not hesitate to ask questions of the staff and do not be satisfied with evasive or unresponsive answers. If you believe your parent is suffering abuse or neglect, call your local elder abuse hotline and report your suspicions.

Mississippi drivers who text and drive aren’t the only ones who cause accidents. Motorists who drive while they’re sleepy cause accidents, too. The problem of drowsy drivers apparently is worse than people think.

Federal statistics indicate that only 1 percent to 2 percent of vehicle accidents are caused by drowsy drivers. A new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, however, says accident rate caused by sleepy drivers may be as high as 9.5 percent. Researchers monitored 3,500 drivers at six locations around the United States between 2010 and 2013. Drowsy drivers are three times as likely to be involved in car accidents at night, the study said. The study used in-vehicle cameras to count how many times a person’s eyes closed while they were driving.

While drowsy drivers are a serious problem, drunk and distracted drivers are bigger problems. The National Safety Council says more than 20 percent of car accidents in 2013 involved drivers using their cell phones. In 2013, a third of all car accident fatalities were the result of drunk driving; 10,265 people died in alcohol-related auto accidents. Drivers who go without sleep for long periods will experience the same effects as if they’ve been drinking, AAA researchers found.

Accidents caused by drowsy, distracted or drunk drivers can be prevented if these drivers let someone else take the wheel. People who have been injured in car accidents caused by negligent drivers may be entitled to compensation for their injuries. Such compensation can include present and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages if the victim is unable to work during the recuperation period.

Health care facilities in Mississippi and throughout America may benefit from a new Trump administration policy. He is rolling back fines that were levied against nursing homes that had been cited for abuse or neglect in the past. During the Obama administration, two-thirds of nursing homes that were cited for severe violations received fines. Under the new policy, homes will either not be fined or will receive smaller ones.

According to a New York Times report, one nursing home that was fined $282,954 during Obama’s time in the White House would be fined less than $21,000 under President Trump. Some believe that this new policy may discourage nursing homes from adopting methods to keep patients safe. A Los Angeles Times report found that 75 percent of nursing homes were cited for poor infection control over a period of four years.

Sexual abuse may also be a problem in nursing homes. This is partially because it is hard to spot or prove as most crimes take place at night with no one to witness it. Patients themselves may not have the mental ability to remember what they experienced or to understand that they had been abused. While some are against this decision, the American Health Care Association has been advocating for it since 2016.

If a nursing home fails to provide a reasonable standard of care to patients, it may be engaging in negligent behavior. If such negligence results in a patient’s condition worsening, there may be grounds for a lawsuit. The victim’s family could file a lawsuit on behalf of the patient in some cases. If successful, appropriate compensation could be awarded. People who are in this position might want to discuss their situations with an attorney.