My Car is Totaled! Will Gap Insurance Help?
A car is “totaled” when you have been in a car accident that caused more damage to the car than it is worth or is so badly mangled that it isn’t repairable. Your car insurance provider will owe you the cash value/retail market value of your car. An appraisal of the value of your car will be made by referencing independent auto-value guides such as Kelley Blue Book and NADA.
Once the value of the car has been established your car insurer may choose to:
- Replace the car with a comparable car for sale in your area, increasing the search in 25 mile increments if one is not found close by.
- Offer a cash settlement
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Read MoreExercise Equipment Injuries Up 45%
Exercise equipment Injuries are a real risk for people seeking fitness at a home or gym. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission there were 1500 visits to the emergency room from gym fitness equipment related accidents and 50,000 visits from home fitness equipment related accidents in 2009. Injuries caused by exercise and exercise equipment increased almost 45 percent between 2007 and 2010, according to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS).
Read MoreZumba Sports Injuries Skyrocket
With the rush back to the gym in January, the cardio-dance fitness trend Zumba is more popular than ever. More than 12 million people participate in classes every week and this has led to an increase in Zumba sports injuries. Orthopedic surgeons and hospital emergency rooms see Zumba related injuries on a weekly basis. New Zumba participants should be aware of the risk of injury in the sport as well as how to protect themselves.
Zumba Sports Injuries Skyrocket
There are several reasons for the increase in Zumba sports injuries:
Read MoreTop 10 Slip & Fall Tips in Snowy & Icy Conditions
Winter is almost here but the temperatures are already dipping well below freezing. Snow and ice are always a possibility once the cold weather has arrived. A slip on snow or ice can mean serious injuries including fractures, dislocations and bruising to the wrists, shoulders, and ankles. There is the potential for medical care costs and/or lost wages due to time off of work. If you have slipped on ice or snow on someone else’s property you may be wondering if you can sue for damages. Slip and fall personal injury laws vary from state to state but if you have experienced a legitimate slip and fall injury do not hesitate to pursue an injury case against the property owners.
A slip and fall injury case falls under premises liability. Premises liability is an area of negligent torts that holds a public or private property owner responsible for acts or omissions in care of their property that lead to an injury. A slip and fall accident that happens on private property is typically a more complicated case.
An owner of a store, for example, owes a duty of care to his customers that he will use all reasonable care to protect his customers from injury on the store premises.
Common hazards that can lead to valid slip and fall accidents include:
- A wet floor without proper warning signage
- Products stacked high on a shelf that fall on the customer
- Broken doors or shelving
- Boxes stacked in the middle of a shopping aisle
- Icy or snowy parking lots*
*In Washington, store owners are not legally required to remove snow and ice that are naturally accumulated but if they choose to remove it, it cannot be done in a negligent manner.
Top 10 Slip & Fall Safety Tips in Snowy & Icy Conditions
A slip and fall on snow or ice can cause a serious injury, especially if you fall on concrete. Winter months can see a ten-fold increase in emergency room visits due to outdoor slip and fall accidents in icy conditions. Be aware that black ice is hard to see so a surface can look clear when it isn’t and that many slips and falls happen on front steps to your house or while walking a path to your car.
If you can, just stay home but if you are forced to go outside follow these 10 safety tips:
1. Walk with slow, deliberate, short steps with your knees slightly bent; do not jog in the ice!
2. Wear shoes with rubber soles or add shoe ice grippers around your shoes.
3. Wear bright clothing and reflective clothing if it is dark.
4. Bring a flashlight to light the path if it is dark.
5. Do not wear anything on your face that could restrict your vision.
6. Walk with your hands out of your pockets and wear gloves so you will be more likely to break your fall if you do slip.
7. Watch for overhead dangers such as hanging icicles.
8. If provided, use a handrail when descending or ascending steps.
9. Walk on a footpath or if there isn’t a footpath then walk on the right side of the road toward oncoming traffic.
10. Consider using a walking stick or ski pole.
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. today for a FREE consultation! You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
Read MoreThanksgiving Cooking Safety Tips
When we think of Thanksgiving most people picture a big, juicy turkey, stuffing, gravy, and mashed potatoes. A great meal is at the heart of Thanksgiving Day and that means plenty of time spent cooking in the kitchen. With extra people in the house, more alcohol consumed, and multiple cooking elements going at once, it’s no wonder that cooking fires are almost double that of any other day. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries on Thanksgiving Day and Thanksgiving Day is the number one day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment. Thanksgiving Day home fires are particularly dangerous as they cause more property damage and claim more lives than home fires on other days.
Cooking Safety Tips For Thanksgiving
Kids love to help in the kitchen which makes it especially important to follow good safety procedures while cooking. Even if you have no children around, it is still important to stay vigilant about Thanksgiving cooking safety.
- Stay in the kitchen while your stove burners are on to keep an eye on the food.
- Do not leave your home while a turkey is in the oven and check on it often.
- Keep children at least three feet away from the stove.
- Keep kids away from hot food and liquids.
- Be cautious around steam or splashing water from cooking vegetables, gravy, or coffee as it could cause serious burns.
- Offer activities that keep kids out of the kitchen during cooking. Keep the kitchen floor clear of toys and bags to avoid a tripping hazard.
- Check that electric cords from an electric knife, mixer, coffee maker, or plate warmers are not dangling off the counter where a child could grab them.
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working. You can test them by pushing the test button.
Deep-Fry Turkey Safety Tips
Deep frying a turkey can be particularly dangerous if proper safety procedures are not followed. Observe these safety tips to avoid a house fire:
- Deep fry the turkey outside, a fair distance from the house and never under an enclosure.
- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and dry when placing it in the fryer (oil and water don’t mix).
- Keep animals and kids away from the deep fryer for their own safety and so they don’t accidently knock it over.
- Do not drink or do drugs; you will need all your wits about you.
- Do not use too much oil as many accidents occur when excess oil spills over the pot.
- Oil should be no more than half an inch above the turkey.
- Turn off the fryer immediately if any smoke appears.
- Never leave a fryer unattended.
- Center the pot over the burner.
- Raise and lower the turkey slowly to reduce the chance of splatters and burns.
- Make sure your skin is completely covered when you deposit, check on or remove the turkey.
- Check on the oil temperature frequently.
- If a fire ignites, call 911 immediately. DO NOT attempt to extinguish the fire with water.
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. today for a FREE consultation! You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
Read MoreThanksgiving Most Dangerous Holiday for Car Accidents?
Thanksgiving Day is the most dangerous holiday for car accidents. Using traffic fatality data from NHTSA tracked since 1982, averages of 550 people are killed each year on Thanksgiving Day compared to 100 people on a typical day. In 2008, Thanksgiving Day deaths were down from their 26-year average; experts believe it was because unusually high gas prices prevented/detoured families from traveling. Whether it’s a holiday or not, car accidents cost taxpayers more than $100 billion each year and an estimated $36 billion is paid out annually by insurance companies.
Contributing factures to a high rate of car accidents are in increase in alcohol consumption during the holidays, a lot more drivers on the road, and longer road trips. About 91 percent of Americans travel by car to reach their Thanksgiving gathering. The Department of Transportation reports that the number of people on a road trip longer than 50 miles increases by 54 percent on the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The number of road trips over 50 miles between Christmas and New Year’s only increases by 23 percent. Part of the reason for the disparity in road trips is that Thanksgiving always falls on a Thursday with many having a four-day weekend, compared to the way that Christmas and New Year’s jump around.
Thanksgiving Day Driving Safety
If you are planning to take a road trip for Thanksgiving this year, here are some safety tips that could save your life:
1. Make sure that your car is tuned up and your tires have adequate tread.
2. Carry tire chains in your trunk in case the roads are snowy.
3. Drive at, or slightly below the speed limit. Follow the flow of traffic but allow extra space during wet, snowy, or icy conditions.
4. Ensure that everyone in the car is restrained properly. Children under two years should be in rear facing car seats and those under four years should be in forward facing car seats. Booster seats should be used until the child is 4’9″ tall.
5. Get a good night’s rest before starting out on the road. Take regular breaks and pull over if you are feeling fatigued.
6. Never consume alcohol or drugs before setting out on a road trip.
7. Be careful when passing other cars; be sure you can see oncoming traffic clearly.
8. Do not text and drive and if you need to make a call; use the speaker phone.
Keep yourself and your loved ones safe for Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving from Tario & Associates!
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. today for a FREE consultation! You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
Read MoreSpace Heater Safety Tips
The cold weather is here so people are thinking about heating their homes and the bill that comes along with keeping the cold at bay. Many people turn to space heaters as an alternative to residential furnaces as they are an effective way to warm a room and they are surprisingly energy efficient. Other advantages to space heaters include their ability to heat a space as large as 300 square feet both rapidly and evenly.
Space Heater Accidents
Between 2005 and 2007 space heaters were the direct cause of about 3,800 house fires a year. These house fires were responsible for 115 deaths and 250 injuries. Space heaters are responsible for 82 percent of deaths in house fires caused by heating devices. Children under the age of five and the elderly over the age of 65 are the most common victims of space heater accidents. Homes in the south have a higher rate of space heater accidents because so many people can’t afford to heat their homes and because there isn’t as much demand for furnace heat due to a warmer climate.
Home heating equipment is the second leading cause of home fires behind cooking equipment although the fires are more common in the winter when cold temperatures emerge. The good news is that fires and deaths caused by home heating equipment are on the decline. In fact, fires caused by home heaters in 2008 were down by 72 percent from 1980. New technology has helped to decrease the safety risks in home heaters. A modern space heater comes with a circuit breaker and automatic shutoffs when it is toppled or clogged or when it overheats. Still, we should follow portable heater safety tips to avoid fires in our home.
Portable Heating Safety Tips
- Keep flammable items at least three feet away from the heating device.
- Teach your children about the heat that heaters put out and have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around your space heaters.
- Have a qualified professional check and clean your heating equipment and chimneys each year before use.
- Do not leave portable heaters running when leaving the room or going to bed.
- If you are using a fuel-burning space heater, only use the type of fuel recommended by the manufacturer
- Test smoke alarms on a regular basis.
- Store fuel containers, piping, and regulators upright in a safe and dry area where they will not be damaged; preferably outdoors.
- Protect valves from physical damage.
When used correctly, space heaters are a safe, cost-efficient, and effective way to heat rooms within your home. Be sure to follow safety tips to avoid a space heater accident.
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. today for a FREE consultation! You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
Read MoreCold Weather Survival Tips
The cold weather is here-colder and earlier than normal. With the sudden drop in temperature we can be caught off guard when outside for long periods of time. In addition, many people don’t know that cold weather can lower their body temperature to dangerous levels until it has happened. The bottom line is that dressing in warm layers can go a long way to preventing hypothermia and frostbite when we need to be outside to get things done.
A drop in body temperature causing hypothermia can cause a coma or even be fatal, especially if the body is also wet. Hypothermia can also cause stiff joints, slurred speech, mental confusion, shivering, slow pulse, and a loss of coordination. Frostbite can result in the loss of limbs, toes and fingers are especially susceptible. When skin is frostbitten it will become white and circulation will decrease. In the worst cases, blisters form on the skin.
Prevent Frostbite & Hypothermia
The most important thing to preventing cold weather maladies is to cover your skin with warm cotton or lightweight wool layers, starting with long underwear. We lose a lot of heat out of our neck and heads so wearing a warm hat and scarf or other neck covering is important. Warm gloves will also help to protect your hands and fingers. Your clothing should be loose, not clingy. If you are out in the cold and realize that you haven’t dressed warmly enough than cover yourself with anything that you can to preserve body heat including paper, pillows, blankets, and jackets. If you body gets wet then immediately take your clothes off so you can dry; it is safer to be naked than wet. Prevent getting wet by having access to proper raingear including a good raincoat and boots. Bring an extra pair of warm, dry socks and gloves. If you find that you are getting too warm then you can always remove a layer.
If you get into a car accident when the temperature is at or below freezing, protect yourself from the cold while you wait for help. If you have extra clothes, put them on immediately. If you have a garbage bag then cut holes for your head and arms and wear it to retain body heat. If your car is still able to run then ensure that the tailpipe is clear and turn on the heater. Let it run for 15 minutes at a time and then wait 30 minutes to preserve gas. Do not leave the vehicle.
Caring for Frost Bitten Skin
- Do not ever rub the frozen part of the body with snow.
- Use extra layers like a blanket or clothing to cover the frozen area.
- If possible, get out of the cold and inside somewhere warm.
- You can run warm water or immerse the skin in warm water but NEVER in hot water.
- If the area is not regaining color and circulation, seek professional medical attention.
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. today for a FREE consultation! You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
Read MoreGutter Cleaning Safety Tips
Budgeting for a professional gutter cleaner could be a smart investment; more than 28,000 people are injured every year in falls off of ladders in home cleaning projects. If you do decide to take on gutter cleaning on your own, be very careful to scope out hazards such as wet leaves on the roof and exposed electrical wires.
Gutter Cleaning Safety Hazards
There are many risks present when cleaning gutters including slipping, tripping, and falling off a wet roof or ladder and being shocked by electrical wires.
Ladders pose a particular risk of injury. There are many reasons that ladders pose a risk including:
- The ladder being unstable. Common causes of an unstable ladder include placement on uneven ground or insecure positioning on a roof or against the wall or gutter.
- The ladder being in poor repair. Old ladders that sit out in the shop year after year without proper maintenance will start to break down and become unstable and unsafe.
- Experiencing vertigo or dizziness. It is common for people to become dizzy when working at a high height.
Gutter Cleaning Safety Tips
Ladder Safety
Only use a ladder that is tall enough to reach where you need to clean and keep it within a comfortable distance of the spot you are cleaning. Leaning too far over to one side increases your risk of falling of the ladder. If you are using cleaning tools while on the ladder, carry them in a bucket or bag and be careful not to get them tangled on the ladder as you climb.
Safe Clothing
Always wear hard sole, non-slip shoes. Wear safety gloves when setting up and disassembling your ladder to avoid pinch point injuries. Avoid wearing lose fitting clothing as it can became entangled with the ladder. Wear clothing appropriate for the temperature; you don’t want to be freezing cold or over-heating.
Electrical Wire Safety
Look up to see if electrical wires will be in your path before positioning your ladder. Always keep ladders at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines. Wires should never be contacted or touched under any circumstances; overhead power lines are not insulated to prevent electrical shocks.
Dizziness and Vertigo
Be careful not to get up too fast when climbing up or off a ladder as it can cause dizziness and vertigo with could mean a dangerous fall.
Ladder Injuries Increase with Age
The dangers of gutter cleaning become more acute with increased age. People aged 65 and older are more likely to get into an accident due to decreasing balance and increased illnesses. According to The U.S. Consumer Product Safety, people aged 65 and older accounted for half of all deaths associated with a ladder in 2002. They also accounted for 16 percent of emergency room visits involving ladder-related injuries but 39 percent of those hospitalized for these injuries. If a person feels nervous about cleaning their gutters, it is in their best interest to hire a professional gutter cleaner.
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. today for a FREE consultation! You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
Read MoreTop 10 Woodworking Safety Tips
Woodworking is a popular hobby and the woodworking industry employs thousands of workers across the country. Woodworkers use woodshop tools that carry risks of woodworking injuries. A survey of amateur and professional woodworkers conducted in New Mexico took a look at the history and rates of woodshop tool related injuries. Sixty-four percent of all woodworking injuries involved woodshop tools. The tool with the highest rate of injuries associated with its use was the jointer-planer at 4.9 injuries per 1000 person-hours of use. Chisels and gouges accounted for 3.3 injuries per 1000 person-hours of use and drill presses for 3.1 injuries. Hammers and table saws were also frequently associated with woodshop injuries. One third of the reported injuries required professional medical care and five percent of respondents experienced partial amputations.
Top 10 Woodworking Safety Tips
Apart from taking a woodworking safety course, following some basic safety tips can help you avoid a woodworking injury.
1. Wear Safety Glasses
You should put your safety glasses on when you enter the woodshop and keep them on until you leave. Do not take a chance with your eyesight!
2. Wear Appropriate Clothing
Avoid loose-fitting clothing and dangling jewelry as it could become tangled in a saw blade or cutting head. Wear clothes that will protect your body from flying wood chips.
3. Avoid Drugs and Alcohol
Hobby woodworkers should avoid using drugs and alcohol while working on their project as they are using dangerous tools.
4. Disconnect Power before Blade Changes
Always disconnect the power from a power tool before changing a bit or blade. Turning off the switch is not safe because it could get bumped back on accidentally.
5. Less Extension Cords
Try using one extension cord for all 110-volt power tools in the shop. This way you will be forced to switch the cord from tool to tool before the tool can be used. This will also help awareness to disconnect the power when making bit or blade changes.
6. Use Sharp Blades & Bits
Dull cutting tools are dangerous as the tool has to work harder to cut and is more likely to kick-back or bind.
7. Check for Nails, Screws, or Other Metal before Cutting
Check the stock for metal pieces such as nails or screws and remove them before cutting. If the cutting tool bumps into a piece of metal it could damage the cutting head and the stock; worse, it could cause kick back which is a common cause of injury. Using a metal detector is a great way to check for metal.
8. Work Against the Cutter
Always ensure that the router bit or saw blade is cutting against the motion of the wood and not in the same direction. The cutter should cut into the stock, not with the stock.
9. Do Not Reach Over a Blade to Remove Cut-Offs
Never put your hands in front of or near a moving blade; be particularly cautious when removing waste or cut-offs. Wait until the blade has stopped moving before reaching in. If possible, use a piece of scrap or stick to push the waste away from the blade. To be absolutely safe, a blade should be unplugged before risking putting your hands close.
10. Avoid Distractions
When you work in a woodshop you are surrounded by potentially dangerous tools so it is important to focus on your task and avoid distractions such as conversation. If you are working with a power tool, finish the cut to a safe conclusion before looking away.
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. today for a FREE consultation! You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
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