Know Your Rights Regarding Hospital Errors

In the unfortunate event that you or someone you care about has to go to the hospital, you no doubt hope that the attending medical personnel will be able to promptly and correctly treat the illness or injury. However, in some cases, doctors and nurses make mistakes. They may be in a hurry, or overworked, or simply make an error.

If something goes wrong during a hospital stay, it is important to know your own rights. The first thing to do is to prevent complications by following your doctor’s pre-treatment instructions regarding the number of hours before treatment when you must refrain from eating, the kind of sanitation procedures to take, and any other directions. It is important to recognize that the nurses at your hospital provide the first line of advocacy for you and your needs. You should try to maintain a good relationship with your attending nurse so he or she can help you when you are in need.

If you cannot prevent problems from occurring in the first place, you may need an advocate. There are peer advocacy groups that you can access online, such as Mothers Against Medical Error. If you cannot get the assistance you need through this kind of organization, you may need to seek legal recourse. You can look for a lawyer in your own area. In Florida, you can employ the services of a Florida personal injury attorney.

A good advocate can assist you in getting help after your experience, in the unfortunate case that you and your medical practitioner cannot prevent it from happening in the first place.

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Filed Under: Safety Tagged With: , ,

Safe Road Trip Car Checklist

Road trips can be a lot of fun. They are a great way to travel the country and experience new sights and sounds. However, they can also be very dangerous if you are traveling in an unsafe car. There are a few things you can do to make sure the car you are using is in good working condition.

If you’re planning a road trip, here’s a look at some things you should check on your car to make sure you have a safe trip.

Check the Fluids

You will want to check all the fluids within your car. Make sure you have enough oil and that your transmission fluids are coming out clean. Many mechanics will run tests and check to make sure all the fluids in your car are at the proper level and help you replace any that need to be replaced.

Check Belts and Hoses

A loose belt or hose might not seem like it could cause a lot of problems but the last thing you want to deal with on your road trip is a broken belt or hose. Check that all belts or hoses fit properly and are not in jeopardy of breaking.

Check the Tires

Of course, you can’t get anywhere if your car’s tires give out on you in the middle of the trip. Make sure you check your tires’ treading, check them for leaks and also check the air pressure.

Doing these quick checks on your car will allow you to have a safe and fun road trip.

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How to Check Your Car’s Oil

Checking your car’s oil is not only an essential car maintenance task but it is also one of the easiest car maintenance tasks out there. You can save yourself hundreds of dollars by checking and refilling your own oil, you just need to know how to do it.

Here’s a look at a quick oil check guide for anyone who wants to learn how to check his or her car’s oil.

Dipstick for measuring the level of motor oil ...

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 Step 1 – Park your car on a flat level surface. Any other surface will give you incorrect readings for your oil levels.

Step 2 – Let the engine cool. If you check the oil levels when the engine is hot you can get lower readings than when it is cool.

Step 3 – Open the hood. Your car’s oil is located in the front of the car under the hood. The release level for your car’s hood should be located under the dashboard.

Step 4 – Use the dipstick to measure the oil’s level. Every car has a dipstick that is located near the engine. Pull on the loop and remove the dipstick. You will want to wipe off the dipstick before using it but after that you can place it back in and pull it out slowly.

Step 5 – Read the oil level. Once you have pulled the dipstick out you can check to see if you have the proper oil level. If the oil is at the line that says full you have enough, if it’s below the line you can add a little oil to your engine to make sure your car is at the proper oil level.

Doing this simple car maintenance will ensure your car’s engine will operate properly.

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The Five Minute Tire Check

A flat automobile tire.
Image via Wikipedia

Tires are the most important part of anyone’s car. Without tires on a car you would not be able to drive or operate your vehicle that is why auto industry experts recommend that you conduct an exam of your car’s tires.

A brief five minute check of your car’s tires can help you determine if they need to be replaced or if they are still safe to drive on. Here’s a look at how you can conduct the five minute tire check yourself.

Conduct a Visual Car Tire Inspection

The first step to conducting a tire inspection is to do a quick visual inspection of the tires. You will want to look for shiny areas on the tires as this is an indication that the tires are balled and need to be replaced. You will also want to look for any nails or pieces of glass that might have become embedded into the tire, as these can also cause problems in the future.

Check the Tire Tread

A tire’s tread can tell you how worn the tire has become. Over time, the ridges of the tire become worn down and will require that the tires be completely replaced. You can check the tread of the tire with a small penny. Just place the penny between the ridges with the head upside down. If you can see the head of the penny, the tread is too worn and will need to be replaced.

Conducting this inspection on all four tires will help keep you safe while driving.

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What You Should Do After a Vehicular Accident

If they were deliberate, accidents wouldn’t be called accidents. They’d be called something else. Still, in an accident, someone is usually responsible, if only because of negligence. Perhaps a moment of distraction passes by and suddenly there are disastrous consequences. Regardless of the reasons, there are a few things you should do at the scene of any accident.

  1. Check if anyone’s hurt. If you do find that someone is injured, then quickly call an ambulance and watch over them until it gets there. If you know first aid try to apply this skill to the injured person. If not, quickly find someone else who does.
  2. Get the other guy’s details. You need contact details and personal information to be sure you can get your car fixed or claim damages. Phone numbers are a must.
  3. Inform those who need to know. If you happened to be on your way to work, a meeting or any other important appointment, it is a good idea to call ahead and let them know what has happened. A phone call is all it takes to save face, or even save your job!

There is one other thing you should do as well, that is to call a good accident insurance attorney. If you are in the San Jose area then a good san jose personal injury lawyer is a must.

You might feel fine after the accident, but some injuries don’t become apparent until later. Getting yourself checked at the hospital can be really expensive and you might find yourself fighting to get your insurance company to pay for your medical expenses.

It might sound strange to call your lawyer after an accident, but really it’s about making sure that you do the right things and making sure that the right things are done for you.

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Filed Under: Driving Tagged With: , ,