I have been a practicing nurse for 24 years. In that time, I have had many patients who have been sexually abused.

Recently, I received a story from a friend, who wishes to remain anonymous.

She believes that health care professionals do not listen to the needs of those patients who have been raped.

The question was raised in my mind: Do we really listen to any of our patients?

May the following story remind us to “listen.”

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I am a victim from childhood rape. I stay away from doctor’s offices as much as I possibly can.

A trip to the hospital is out of the question. I found a dentist who “gets it” and simply knocks me out.

My medical doctors do the same.

But it is very very difficult to make the medical profession hear all that.

The big problem for me with the medical and dental community is that everyone thinks they can help me get past my fears. If that could be done, it would have been done long ago.

This is not rational fear, and it is not born of ignorance.

What I go through is Post Traumatic Stress and I can’t do anything to stop my reactions.

The biggest issue is the dern “down their nose” attitude. One nurse in the hospital one time (I was there for tummy problems, and knew the nurse from the nursing home, but she had forgotten me).

She came in and very “down her nose” said to me “Mrs. Z, are you under any unusual stress?” I wanted to pop her one.

I said, “well, yes, I am. I direct five counties of volunteers for the United Way, I have two teenage children and my husband is blind and is a trucker. I’d say I am a bit stressed.”

She left me alone after that.

The overall attitude of the medical community is “get over it.” And I have been treated psychologically by the best.

I have led a good life. I have two beautiful adult kids, both happy productive members of society.

The only two things I cannot do without great difficulty are medical and dental. I have been told by therapists that those two things probably will never resolve.

I am a senior citizen now and all of that was very long ago.

So what do I want? I had a perfect doctor one time, who was an older fellow, who did not have to touch me to treat me. He did everything by running blood work, etc. (Needles are not my favorite thing, but I am not terrified of them and can do that relatively easy).

But he took the time to listen to me tell him what I could and could not do, and he worked with me from there. Sadly, he has now left town.

One more story.

One time I had to have a stress test and EKG, a horrid experience for me to try to get through. My doctor had talked to the heart doc and explained, but when I got to the office, somehow the tech had not gotten the message.

And oh, it was bad, very bad. I never even entered the room. She and I had serious words before I ever got back there.

When I realized the doctor wasn’t there and hadn’t said anything to her about me, I said, “Well, you are going to have to work with me on this.”

(I started out smiling and pleasant as I could be with my anxiety so high.)

She said, “You are the one who has to cooperate with ME!”.

I left.

Office staff chased me to the car to sign a dang release. It was a big scene. I went straight to my doctor’s office and we rescheduled at the hospital, where the nurse /tech and staff were all aware, let me be in charge, and we did it my way and it all worked out just fine.

It’s all about listening and being heard. I don’t want some big emotional event, for me or for the staff. But I do know what I can tolerate and what I cannot. Most of them just simply do not take the time to listen and do not want to deal with anybody who has special needs. When I had gallbladder surgery, I talked very bluntly and directly with the anesthesiologist beforehand, and briefly told him my story and my needs. I had two special requests:

1) – I wanted to bring earphones and tape player to listen to angel music while in that holding room.

2) – I did not want to see or hear anything. Nothing. Especially not see any silver equipment, etc. I wanted to be out long before I ever left that holding room.

He heard me and he was agreeable.

I was not afraid of the surgery. I trusted the surgeon totally. I was afraid I would see something that would set me off.

Silver things do that (medical equipment).

No, I was not raped by medical people but they had to repair the damage of my 6 year old self with sterile metal tools.

When he came in, he could tell I was upset.

“Where is your tape player and earphones?”

Me: “Well, they would not let me bring that back here”.

He ran out of the room.

He was livid, and came back quickly with my earphones and my little tape player full of angel music.

All was well. The surgery was a success! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Thank you, my friend for sharing what must be a difficult story for you to tell.

However if it helps our profession to “get it,” then you have served a great purpose.

Having an auto accident that involves a truck can be a life-changing experience. It can be devastating – especially if one or more of the members of your vehicle were killed or seriously injured in the accident.

When a tractor trailer or delivery truck smaashes into your car, the odds are stacked heavily against those riding in the automobile: they will likely incur some sort of physical or mental trauma as a result. At minimum, having an accident with a truck will often leave the passengers of the automobile severely affected and in need of medical, legal and financial assistance.

If you have been involved in a truck accident, it is important that you take all of the necessary steps to ensure the best emotional, physical and financial outcome for you and your passengers.

Here are 7 tips for what to do if you have been involved in an accident with a truck:

Tip 1: Contact the authorities: Immediately following the accident – provided that you are able to move and that it seems safe to do so – contact the police or state patrol. It is essential that you summon one of these city or state-level authorities to be present in order to attend to any injured or potentially injured people, as well as to take witness statements and gather evidence concerning the causes and nature of the accident.

Tip 2: Do not admit fault: Some people who have just suffered the shock and emotional trauma of a truck accident feel the need to immediately talk about their experience with others. It is very important that while you remain at the scene of the accident you avoid admitting any degree of fault concerning what happened. Unless you are a lawyer, it is likely that you are unaware of all of the potential ramifications related to determining fault in an accident. Even if you feel you were partially at fault, it is generally your right to refrain from making any statement to police or to other drivers that might be self-incriminating. Just give your contact and driver information, and ask the authorities if you are free to leave the scene. If the answer is no, then request that you be given the opportunity to have an attorney of your choosing be present during any questioning, and do not answer questions after that point.

Tip 3: Obtain the insurance information of the truck driver: Whether or not you are able to contact an authority right away, be sure to request the driver’s license, insurance, and vehicle plate information from the driver of the truck. These will be important items to have on record. Remember, even if you, your passengers and your vehicle seem to have made it through the accident relatively unharmed, it is always important to document the event. Some of the effects of the accident may show up later.

Tip 4: Check your car and the surrounding area for damage: If you happen to have a camera at the scene of the accident, be sure to take as many pictures as you can. Get photos of your car, the truck with which you collided, and any relevant surrounding items such as telephone poles, other cars, etc. Specifically, take photographs of the accident scene, any tire tracks or skid marks, and any damage to either vehicle. Cell phones with cameras have made this easy to accomplish. It is best to share those photos only with your lawyer, until the attorney informs you that you are required to furnish them to anyone else.

Tip 5: Visit a physician: Once you leave the scene of the accident, your first stop should be at the office of your doctor or a nearby hospital, depending upon the severity of your injuries. If you feel you are unable to drive, request an ambulance or have a friend or relative take you somewhere that you can receive medical attention right away. If you do not immediately feel that you have been injured, you may find that in the days or weeks following your accident you begin experiencing pains in your body. If this is the case, be sure to visit a doctor and to report your problems at that time. The longer you wait to seek medical attention after the accident, the more difficult it will be to substantiate a claim for personal injuries, should you or any passengers suffer injuries from the collision. It is safest to seek medical attention immediately, because you may be injured and not be capable of knowing it due to increased adrenaline or even shock.

Tip 6: Notify your insurance company: In Texas, you should notify your insurance company as soon as reasonably possible after having had an accident. Different insurance policies have different “Duties after Loss” provisions and requirements. It is best to send a letter giving written notice of a claim as soon as possible, even after you have called to report the collision. Once your immediate medical needs have been attended to and you have adequately documented the accident, notifying your insurance company should be your first priority. You may share details of your accident with your insurance company as reasonably requested. It is almost never a good idea to give any statement, recorded or otherwise, to the trucker’s insurance company.

Tip 7: Contact an injury lawyer: It is always wise to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible following an accident. There are many possible ramifications of being involved in an automobile accident with a truck, including those that can affect your long-term health, your finances, and your mental well-being. In most cases, your lawyer will conduct his or her own thorough investigation in order to determine where you stand legally as a result of the accident. Your lawyer will want immediate access to any and all documentation you may have made of the accident. Your lawyer acts as your ally in making sure that you are fairly compensated and that your legal rights and financial standing remain in the best possible condition as a result of the accident.

Being involved in a truck accident is something that can change your life in the blink of an eye. Taking the right steps at the scene of the accident and during the days and weeks afterward can make a world of difference in your quality of life for years to come.

Gets your attention, doesn’t it? The unfortunate thing though, is that most people will react negatively to this intentionally inflammatory, media-ready, title statement. Has some Wall Street virus attacked our financial experience memory chip? Bouncing around unpredictably is precisely what the markets have always done. In the last forty years, there have been no less than ten 20% or greater corrections followed by rallies that brought the markets to significantly higher levels. Volatility is not a bad thing— a non-event, even.

Ironically, it is this routine volatility (caused by hundreds of human, economic, political, and natural variables) that is the only real certainty existent in the financial markets. Would anyone be happy with market prices that didn’t change? Should anyone expect market valuations that only go up? So what’s all the anxiety, scrambling, and crying about? As absurd as this may sound at first blush, you will never become a successful investor until you are able to embrace market volatility as your dearest and closest friend.

The Wall Street media is also your friend, because it fans investor emotions to the point where rational thinking becomes impossible for most participants. My observation the other night at dinner (that the 400 point drop in the DJIA had provided an opportunity to purchase dozens of IGV stocks at bargain prices) was met with vacant stares. When I added that nearly half of those stocks had been sold profitably in recent weeks— you can imagine the shocked silence that followed.

Investor perceptions of volatility need to be rearranged. When you allow more than an up-only smiley face into your understanding of the markets, you will be able to position yourself to actually take advantage of the volatility while it is happening. When you realize that the causes of market gyrations are not nearly as important as the opportunities for bargain hunting and profit taking that they produce, you’ll be able to grow and to protect your portfolios from your emotional dark side.

Let’s talk about reality. There are many different ways that professional investors and speculators make their fortunes in the financial markets. The key is to know whether the path you are following is too speculative for the destination you are seeking. Over the past twenty years or so, the stock market has provided the best returns for most investors— yes, even better than commodities, currencies, and ETFs (which didn’t exist even ten years ago). But balanced investment portfolios, those containing both investment grade value stocks and income generating securities have probably surpassed all others.

Let’s talk about causation. There are far too many variables affecting the movement of security prices to allow for accurate prediction of either the scope or duration of short-term gyrations. Every rally produces both a bubble of some kind and the pin that will eventually do the bursting. Hindsight identifies all the culprits and promises to regulate them out of the system so that the future will be different. Don’t kid yourself. The next rally will come to the same bloody end as its predecessors. Volatility Rocks!

But this year we have the opportunity to assure that our economic future will be better. Much of the current skittishness in the financial markets is caused by multiple economic concerns and the incredibly naive resolution ideas being spouted by the presidential candidates. And there are other, somehow out of the limelight, economic issues that politicians are afraid to even consider. The primary economic issues (jobs, energy, and economic growth) need to be joined by Social Security reform, corporate tax reform, and term limitations in congress.

No president, no matter how bold, can bring about meaningful change without a less self-serving cast of characters in the legislative branch. But this kind of change can’t happen until we replace the current batch of pork barrel politicians with a new group of change orientated decision makers. Today’s congress legislates mind-numbing regulations that stifle creativity and economic growth. Investors need to support fewer “taxors” and to elect a whole new group of economic facilitators. Throw out the incumbents this November.

You just don’t create jobs by taxing, regulating, and otherwise strangling the job creators. In most communities, local governments think of their non-voting corporate citizens as ratables instead of as job providers. Serious jobs would be created, and general price reductions produced (good or bad for the GDP?), through a controlled elimination of all income taxation on legitimate corporate job providers. Of course it would have to be regulated to assure jobs, price reductions, and shareholder benefits, and not just more perks for obscenely paid executives.

Similarly, taxing gasoline production and delivery organizations is not going to bring down the price per barrel of crude oil. But “taxing” the cartel that fixes the prices instead of bribing them with protection from their enemies could work almost as well as tapping into our own abundant supply and adding some long-needed refining capacity. Eliminating state and federal gasoline taxes and fees and taxes on interstate truckers would produce many cost/price benefits as well.

Economic growth, more jobs, and lower prices could be the immediate result of two relatively simple changes that neither of the Presidential hopefuls have the courage to even whisper about. Without nearly enough detail: (1) Over a five-year period, change Social Security to a mandated-contribution, deferred, individual fixed annuity program managed on a flat fee basis by 15-year experienced insurance companies. No variable (stock market) benefit plans would be allowed; all citizens would be eligible to participate, and all employed persons (Congress included) would be enrolled automatically. Contributions would be reduced and employer participation eliminated.

(2) Eliminate all taxation on any form of retirement income immediately, and phase out all taxation on all forms of investment income over a five-year period. Replace those taxes with a 1% Federal sales tax an all goods and services except food, shelter, clothing, and health care.

Then, we can start to replace the Internal Revenue Code with something simple, protect shareholders from unconscionable corporate executive compensation, and come up with a solution for providing adequate healthcare to everyone.

We have met the enemy and he is us— Walt Kelly, Pogo

Being on the road is no walk in the park. In fact, the romance of the road can be highly overrated when you factor in mishaps and perils that make you lose valuable time. And not even your best designer mechanical pocket watch can recoup the time lost (not even Big Ben itself). Here then are practical travel tips to help you avoid common time wasters on the road.

Avoid Shortcuts

Unless you know the terrain like the back of your hand, you should avoid alleged shortcuts through dirt roads and unmarked paths. You might not see anything of interest on the interstates but at least you can go from coast to coast on good roads, hopefully without too many hassles.

Besides, Hollywood movies do have a grain of truth to them. You certainly do not want your mechanical pocket watch to be the only thing left as you explored a dirt road with a maniac at its end. Then again, if the purpose of your travel is to see the back roads of America, then you are welcome to them.

Take the Train

Between traveling by car and traveling by train, the latter is often more desirable. At least, in terms of time since train systems can be timed to the last minute of your mechanical pocket watch. No more flat tires, overheated radiators, busted air conditioners, psycho hitchhikers and other perils of the road, which use up your time.

Unless Bonnie & Clyde’s successors exist, you also avoid highway robberies and road rage. And you do not have to drive! The downside is that you cannot get out of a train to admire the scenery up close but it is a disadvantage well worth it.

Bring a Bandage to Airports (And Your Acting Self)

You are probably incredulous about the connection between a bandage and saving traveling time. Well, it is quiet simple really. When you are in a very busy airline hub, you can wrap the bandage around your ankle and then limp like your life depends on it. If you are lucky, and dumb luck plays a big role in traveling, you will probably get an electric cart for the disabled. No more running around chasing after the time on your mechanical pocket watch! You will be whisked to your flight, which certainly beats missing it as you have often done in the past.

Be Picky About Where You Eat

If it is possible, stick to reputable fast food chains. Even if your stomach is growling in hunger, never risk your health on road side shacks posing as diners. You will almost certainly get diarrhea and stomach cramps, which will hold you back holed up in a motel’s dingy bathroom. Now those illnesses will take many revolutions of your mechanical pocket watch, yet another timewaster.

If you can, you should stick to diners with trucks parked outside. These usually serve palatable food and passable coffee, and if you are lucky, you will get good company with truckers and friendly staff.

Remember that even the best traveler among us will commit mistakes. But if you follow these tips, you might actually make good time and arrive in your destination ahead of time. Safe traveling!

Here is a great question. What vending locations give the best results?

Obviously there are some of the big hitter ones, like the public areas where Schools, recreation centers, places like that. Arenas where people seem to frequent the most. Any kind of business that has a steady flow of traffic going in, but those are also harder to get and find.

I have always found that local businesses like offices and factories are great locations. Those are places that I have seen good results with. It does vary and it depends on the make up of the people at the location.

When you are prospecting a location you should take a look at a few things. First you should take a walk around the building to see how many cars are in the parking lot. This should give you an idea of how many employees work there.

Also try and find out if the company had already had a vending service on their premises and if so what was the reason for termination of the vending service?

I always do this because I want to know if I am going to be setting up machines at a location that has potential or is it going to be a dud location and not make me any money. I am all for helping out local businesses in my area but at the end of the day I have to turn a profit at each location.

So if I don’t then I will keep sourcing out other locations for that machine until it makes me a profit. Another thing to consider when looking at a potential location is look at the make up of the people that work there. Are the people in the age group of 21 to 35?

You could sell a lot more pop and chips there. When you get into the staff members that at a location that are into say their 40′s and 50′s, some of them are looking for more healthy varieties of products. This is because the older crowds are more health conscious. I have always found that the younger crowds buy the most snacks.

For the most part, the higher traffic locations are ones where there is more walk through traffic. Say, for example like a trucking station where truckers are coming in and out. Also let’s look at inside versus outside locations.

Inside locations in my personal opinion are the best. I have had a couple of outside locations before at a few storage facilities. There was time, I made good money there because there were steady people coming in and out of there all the time renting their trucks and getting storage, but because it was outside, I also opened up myself to the threat of vandalism.

Yes, I had a good run for a while, but then eventually the machine got busted in to. I repaired and kept it going and then they busted in to it again. One even had a security gate and security cameras and they still did it. I have always found inside locations, like factories and offices to be the best.

Truck insurance protects the owner and vehicle from harm. Owners who purchase their own truck insurance get the most competitive rates but there are many ways to reduce premiums even further by reading articles and tips given on the internet written by insurance specialists.

Factors that do affect truck insurance premiums are: driving records, age of driver, age of equipment, commodities hauled, location of activities and areas of operation, losses incurred in running and so on.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Keep safety in mind at all times and ensure that the truck, its mechanics, and tires are kept in prime condition. A well maintained truck means lowered insurance premiums.

2. Find out what the Department of Transportation inspection entails and make sure the truck will pass the inspection with flying colors.

3. Keep a blemish free driving record. Your driving record will affect the insurance premiums. Insurance companies will consider how many years you have driven trucks and what trainings you have chosen to undergo.

4. Take a comprehensive insurance ask about cargo insurance.

5. Insurance companies will ask about previous truck insurance policies and the reasons for discontinuing. Keep records carefully and give honest answers to questions.

6. Make a financial plan and pay the maximum possible deductible. The greater the deductible the lower the premium payable.

7. Adopt all recommended safety features like warning stickers.

8. Undergo recommended safety programs and trainings. This will reduce truck insurance premiums greatly.

9. Buy truck insurance from a leading company. Look for online offers and discounts. Very often insurance bought online is more cost effective than policies bought through agents.

10. Do a comparison by using online quote tools and getting a quote from three different companies.

11. Find out whether the company that covers your home and health sells insurance for trucks. Often companies offer better rates to people who buy multiple coverage from them.

Truck insurance is sold by leading insurance companies as well as smaller players. Always check the credentials and financial standing of the insurance company. Points to consider are: the number of years experience in the trucking business; financial standing; coverage offered; the company’s standing with the Better Business Bureau; coverage offered.

Buy a truck insurance that costs the lowest but also consider the terms, conditions, and extent of coverage. Don’t choose low premiums by compromising on coverage. Always check the A.M. Best company rating this will tell you about financial strength and claim settling ability.

Ensure that the truck insurance covers: primary liability coverage; physical damage coverage; and cargo coverage. In addition do consider: accident insurance, general liability; and garage liability.

In order to be a successful trucker you will need to protect your truck by taking comprehensive insurance and make sure that the premiums are always paid on time.

1. It was foggy, so I stopped in the middle of the road.

2. It was foggy so I sped up to get to the nearest exit sooner.

3. You mean I caused all of that? That’s not possible, is it?

4. I thought truckers were supposed to be able to avoid accidents.

5. Wow, so that’s what happens when they all jackknife at the same time.

6. That’ll teach them for all driving in the truck lane.

7. Could have fooled me that all of that would happen.

8. I had to stop in the middle of the road. My boyfriend just had the disc jockey on the radio read a dedication to me.

9. Don’t they all have CB radios to avoid this sort of thing.

10. Golly, you’d think I was at fault here the way they’re all looking at me.

Here are ten actual tips of advice from a truck accident attorney to follow if you have been in an accident. You can also learn more about how to handle a personal injury in Anaheim, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learning how we can assist you.

Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, it may have been a few hours since the accident. However, if you ever have another accident, or if it’s only been a few hours since you were hurt, here’s what you should do from the start.

First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most important thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, it’s just good manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get angry or start a fight.

Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, put them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and move them more safely at a later point.

Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didn’t know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.

Fourth, get the other driver’s information including their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.

Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you aren’t too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you can’t do it right away, do it after you are released from the hospital.

Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Don’t decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, don’t get treatment you don’t need. However, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plan that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.

Seventh, call a good truck accident lawyer as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the attorney can gather other important evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A good truck accident lawyer can save you from making a great deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you think you will save money by not having an attorney, think again. A good truck accident lawyer can almost always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most truck accident lawyers advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.

Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driver’s insurance company, it’s good advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.

Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This almost never works out to your advantage. Don’t agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his story and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.

Tenth, don’t pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you weren’t at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.

If you’ve had a truck accident in Orange County, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Santa Ana, Orange, Fullerton, costa Mesa, Westminster, Buena Park, Mission Viejo, Garden Grove, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, Chino Hills, or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your Anaheim Truck Accident Lawyer and your Irvine Truck Accident Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learn how we can assist you.

1. Mattresses.

2. Sofas.

3. Road debris.

4. Tire debris.

5. Inattentive drivers.

6. Loose tools and construction items falling off of trucks.

7. Side view mirrors of cars coming too close.

8. Truckers falling asleep.

9. Merging cars.

10. Trash.

Here are ten additional tips of advice from a motorcycle accident lawyer to follow if you have been in an accident. You can also learn more about how to handle a motorcycle accident in Westminster, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learning how we can assist you.

Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, it may have been a few hours since the accident. However, if you ever have another accident, or if it’s only been a few hours since you were hurt, here’s what you should do from the start.

First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most important thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, it’s just good manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get angry or start a fight.

Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, put them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and move them more safely at a later point.

Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didn’t know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.

Fourth, get the other driver’s information including their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.

Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you aren’t too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you can’t do it right away, do it after you are released from the hospital.

Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Don’t decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, don’t get treatment you don’t need. However, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plan that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.

Seventh, call a good motorcycle accident attorney as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the lawyer can gather other important evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A good motorcycle accident attorney can save you from making a great deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you think you will save money by not having an attorney, think again. A good motorcycle accident lawyer can almost always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most motorcycle accident lawyers advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.

Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driver’s insurance company, it’s good advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.

Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This almost never works out to your advantage. Don’t agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his story and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.

Tenth, don’t pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you weren’t at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.

If you’ve had a motorcycle accident in Orange County, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Santa Ana, Orange, Fullerton, costa Mesa, Westminster, Buena Park, Mission Viejo, Garden Grove, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, Chino Hills, or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your Westminster Motorcycle Accident Lawyer and your Orange County Motorcycle Accident Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learn how we can assist you.

1. Blame the trucking industry unless their votes are needed.

2. Blame the opponent for being soft on the trucking industry unless truckers are contributing heavily to the campaign.

3. Make sure you’re not wearing an expensive designer outfit the national party bought for you to wear only on campaign stops.

4.Eat a mooseburger.

5. Have two beers and a shot to look like a regular guy.

6. Fire the limo driver.

7. Hire Joe the Plumber to replace the limo driver.

8. Hold the press accountable.

9. Blame the liberal media if they report you had any fault.

10. Blame the effect the price of oil is having on truck accidents.

Here are ten more useful tips of advice from a truck accident lawyer to follow if you have been in an accident. You can also learn more about how to handle a truck accident in Joshua Tree, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learning how we can assist you.

Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, it’s probably been at least a few days since the accident. However, if it’s only been a few hours or if you ever have another accident, here’s what you should do the next time from the start.

First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most important thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, it’s just good manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get angry or start a fight.

Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, put them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and move them more safely at a later point.

Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didn’t know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.

Fourth, get the other driver’s information including their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.

Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you aren’t too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you can’t do it right away, do it after you are released from the hospital.

Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Don’t decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, don’t get treatment you don’t need. However, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plan that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.

Seventh, call a good truck accident lawyer as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the attorney can gather other important evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A good truck accident lawyer can save you from making a great deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you think you will save money by not having an attorney, think again. A good truck accident lawyer can almost always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most truck accident attorneys advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.

Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driver’s insurance company, it’s good advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.

Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This almost never works out to your advantage. Don’t agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his story and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.

Tenth, don’t pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you weren’t at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.

If you’ve had a truck accident in Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indio, Coachella, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, Indian Wells, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Thermal, Yucca Valley, Twentynine Palms or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your Joshua Tree Truck Accident Lawyer and your Joshua Tree Truck Accident Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learn how we can assist you.

1. Truckers with less business have little to be cheerful about.

2. To make ends meet, truck drivers may be tempted to drive longer hours and with less rest.

3. Car drivers who are worried about the economy may get lost in their thoughts and find themselves plowing into a slow moving truck.

4. Drivers of cars who are worried about their jobs may drive more erratically and without regard for trucks on a run across the country.

5. Truck drivers have little room to maneuver when a depressed or careless driver who is thinking about their next house payment suddenly cuts in front of them to make a turn off.

6. Drivers in general who are thinking about their diminishing savings are likely to drive more carelessly as they forget about what they are doing.

7. People who are worried about how to make ends meet may fail to see road hazards until it’s too late.

8. Truck drivers who are generally among the safest on the roads, may not act as quickly as they would otherwise do when faced with road construction signs and detours.

9. With states having less money for road construction and repair, truck drivers who make a living driving will be the first to notice more road hazards but may not be in the right frame of mind to react quickly enough.

10. Anyone thinking about the economy while they are driving will tend to have a lot on their mind and little time to react when another driver lost in thought makes a dangerous maneuver.

All of these things cause drivers to drive less carefully as they get lost in thought or drive while depressed.

Here are ten useful tips of advice from a truck accident lawyer to follow if you find yourself in an accident. You can also learn more about how to handle a truck accident in Thousand Oaks, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learning how we can assist you.

Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, it’s probably been at least a few days since the accident. However, if it’s only been a few hours or if you ever have another accident, here’s what you should do the next time from the start.

First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most important thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, it’s just good manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get angry or start a fight.

Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, put them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and move them more safely at a later point.

Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didn’t know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.

Fourth, get the other driver’s information including their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.

Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you aren’t too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you can’t do it right away, do it after you are released from the hospital.

Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Don’t decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, don’t get treatment you don’t need. However, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plan that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.

Seventh, call a good truck accident lawyer as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the attorney can gather other important evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A good truck accident lawyer can save you from making a great deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you think you will save money by not having an attorney, think again. A good truck accident lawyer can almost always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most truck accident attorneys advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.

Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driver’s insurance company, it’s good advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.

Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This almost never works out to your advantage. Don’t agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his story and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.

Tenth, don’t pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you weren’t at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.

If you’ve had a truck accident in Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Camarillo, Torrance, Carson, Brentwood, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Oxnard, Cambria or San Luis Obispo, or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your Thousand Oaks Truck Accident Lawyer and your Ventura Truck Accident Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learn how we can assist you.