GA Injury Advocates - May 2022

GA Injury Advocates - May 2022

Auto Injury T R I B U N E

May 2022

How to Safely Hit the Open Road The road trip is a quintessential American experience. Modern America is built around roads, and for better or worse, we have a lot less public transportation than other countries. We’re also a very large nation with a lot of

Distracted driving is one of the top causes of all motor vehicle collisions, but it’s particularly likely during a road trip. It’s difficult to concentrate for long periods and maintain your focus. Your eyes might start drifting away from the road as the highway stretches on unchanging for miles. You’re also more likely to use electronic devices or eat during a long trip. And that’s not to mention the kids capturing your attention by making a ruckus in the backseat. Fatigue can similarly rear its ugly head. Also known as drowsy driving, this is another top cause of car accidents. And anyone who has ever been on a road trip knows how easy it can be to get sleepy. Plus, many people like to leave early for road trips or drive well into the night to reach their destination faster — a recipe for sleepiness. Road trippers also have to contend with unfamiliar sites or traffic patterns. It can be hard to pay attention to everything going on when you’re struggling to decipher a previously unseen road sign or determine which lane you’re supposed to use. These problems can also lead to poor, drastic, or last-minute decision-making that might cause accidents. Finally, there are the problems of speeding and tailgating. As we’ve already discussed, driving for long stretches can be dull, so, naturally, many people want to get it over with quickly. It can lead to aggressive behavior, breaking the

speed limit, or driving too closely behind other cars. That can make it difficult to stop quickly when traffic conditions change. So, how can you keep your family safe? Start by recognizing your limits. You can’t change the radio station, calm the kids, eat a burger, or program your GPS while you’re driving. If something is distracting you from the road, you have two safe options — save it for later or pull over. Next, if you start feeling tired, it’s time to stop driving. Rolling the window down or turning up the music won’t work. Switch out with another driver or take a break — or even a nap — until you feel up to driving again. Finally, remember that it doesn’t matter how quickly you arrive at your destination if you don’t get there in one piece. Speeding subtracts little time from your overall journey but adds significant risks. And if you miss an exit, it’s unfortunate, but not the end of the world. A good, old-fashioned road trip might be just what your family needs to unwind, bond, and take in the majesty of our great nation. But before you set out on your next big adventure, remember to treat the road and your fellow travelers with respect. Nothing will spoil a vacation faster than a life-altering injury.

geographic diversity. With so much to see and do, it makes sense that we want to get behind the wheel and go. Compared to air travel, road trips are cheap, accessible, and as much about the journey as the destination. This favorite pastime entered our culture almost as soon as cars were invented but became truly accessible in the 1950s with the advent of low car prices and the national highway system. Soon, people could travel places they’d never dreamed of before, and entrepreneurs found ways to capitalize and make a lot of money. But as we enter America’s traditional road trip season, it’s worth remembering the darker side to this wholesome tradition. Driving a car to your destination is much less expensive than flying, but it’s also much more dangerous — potentially leading to collisions, injuries, and even fatalities. Oddly enough, studies report that 77% of all car accidents occur within 15 miles of a person’s home. At the same time, road trips combine many of the riskiest driving behaviors at once, making for a potentially dangerous situation.

El Abogado Ramiro (El Abogado Amigo) y su equipo hablan español

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(770) 233-7400

Turn Your Rainy Day Around — With a Fort! 3 Transformative Blanket Fort Tips

BIG BENEFITS OF CANOEING AND KAYAKING PADDLE YOUR WAY TO BETTER HEALTH The weather is getting warmer, which means you can do more activities in the water. Canoeing or kayaking is an excellent way to get outdoors and be active. Besides looking at the beautiful scenery around you, taking to the water confers several physical and mental health benefits.

April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, but when the rain keeps pouring, there’s only one thing for a family to do: Build a blanket fort! Blanket forts have been a low-cost, low-tech form of entertainment for centuries, and over that time, generations of enthusiasts have perfected them. Use these tips to transform your next rainy day into a family adventure: 1. BUILD HEAVIEST TO LIGHTEST. Once you’ve gathered your materials — including blankets, sheets, pillows, binder clips, and movable furniture — it’s time to build. Start “heavy” with the largest piece of furniture, like a couch or table. That will be the anchor of your fort. From there, arrange the other furniture in a circle around the anchor and drape it with blankets. Use heavier blankets for the walls and the lightest sheets for your roof to avoid a collapse. Use the binder clips to hold the sheets and blankets together! 2. LIGHT IT UP. Light is crucial for you to do activities in your fort! Dig out your holiday string lights if you have them or bring a lamp or two into the space. You can also use flashlights and even glow sticks to make things especially fun! 3. PICK A THEME — AND A NAME. Is your fort in the jungle? On a beach? In the woods? Pick a theme and decorate accordingly! You can bring in beach towels and toys or cut leaves and trees out of construction paper. Don’t forget to name your fort, too. The more creative you get, the better.

PHYSICAL BENEFITS

• Paddling can help improve your upper-body strength and muscle tone — because you’re using your arms to guide yourself through the water with the paddle. Paddling helps strengthen your arms, shoulders, chest, and back. • You use your legs to balance, maneuver, and change directions in the vessel. In turn, this movement helps s trengthen your lower-body muscles. • While trying to stay centered and balanced on the water, you will develop more core strength. Paddling helps work your lower back, abs, and oblique muscles. • It’s a form of cardiac exercise that will help your heart circulate more blood throughout your body. It will also improve your endurance , enabling you to go longer distances faster.

MENTAL BENEFITS

• While canoeing or kayaking, your body releases serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins from neurotransmitters. This will help boost your mood and self-confidence and improve your focus. • These activities can enhance your memory and learning ability . This is because it exercises your hippocampus, one of the largest portions of your brain that is responsible for verbal memory and learning. • If you have trouble sleeping, this activity can improve your sleep. Exercising during the day can make you naturally tired, which helps you fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. • Since you’ll be in the sun, your body can produce more vitamin D. This vitamin is essential for strong bones and an effective immune system.

So, now you have your fort —what should you do in it? We’re glad you asked! The answers are almost unlimited, but here are a few favorites:

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Drink hot chocolate Tell ghost stories

Read (out loud or separately!)

Do a puzzle

Canoeing and kayaking are great outdoor activities to help you get your daily dose of physical activity and a mental health boost. So, enjoy the warm weather and be one with nature — this may be your new favorite summer hobby this year!

Play a board game/card game

• Pretend you’re on an adventure in another country • Make a craft project • Have a family jam session (if you’re all musical) • Eat your favorite snack • Snuggle • “Camp” overnight • Perform a shadow puppet show

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It’s More Real Than You Think There’s a day to celebrate everything, no matter how small. May 11 is dedicated to celebrating one of the most enduring television shows, “The Twilight Zone.” Those old enough to remember — or lucky enough to catch the reruns on cable — will never forget classic episodes and their pointed irony. YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE TWILIGHT ZONE

According to the Sleep Foundation, sleepy workers are 70% more likely to be involved in workplace accidents than those who are well-rested. Too little sleep has many health consequences and leads to cognitive impairment on par with intoxication. Therefore, it’s no wonder that workers on very long shifts are more likely to be injured. The twilight zone has also been used to describe the early hours well past sunset but still before sunrise. These are especially dangerous times to drive or engage in other risky workplace activities. For evidence, consider that several nuclear plant disasters, including Chernobyl, occurred between midnight and 6 a.m. The Exxon Valdez oil spill and the Challenger explosion have also been attributed to sleep deprivation. Your work might not be that high profile, but your safety is still important. As the show told us, the twilight zone is “a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind.” Make sure yours is well-rested to avoid a workplace injury. And if one does occur, don’t hesitate to contact a workers’ compensation attorney to help you win the compensation you deserve.

From William Shatner screaming about a gremlin on an airplane wing in “Terror at 20,000 Feet” to learning that we’re our own worst enemies in “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” these moments are embedded in our popular culture. The lightly creepy and sometimes silly twists and turns that kept audiences engaged in the 1960s still resonate today, as demonstrated by the 2019 revival. But believe it or not, the twilight zone is a real place, though it’s not narrated by Rod Sterling or Jordan Peele. Before it was the name of a classic television show, it was used to describe a type of consciousness between fantasy and reality or between wakefulness and dreams. You’ve probably been there at least once or twice, but not always after a peaceful slumber. The twilight zone also appears when you’re awake but dangerously tired.

ONE-PAN BAKED SALMON AND VEGGIES

SUDOKU

RECIPE:

It’s asparagus season! Celebrate with this easy one-pan salmon dish for two.

Ingredients

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1 lb spring potatoes, halved

Directions

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2 tbsp olive oil (divided)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 2. In an oven-proof dish, combine the potatoes and 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes. 3. Remove the dish from the oven and add the asparagus. Toss, and bake for 15 more minutes. 4. Remove the dish from the oven and add the cherry tomatoes. Toss. Drizzle with balsamic, then nestle the salmon fillets into the vegetables. Drizzle with the remaining oil, and bake for 10–15 minutes. 5. Remove the dish from the oven, garnish with basil leaves, and serve!

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8 asparagus spears, trimmed and halved 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

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2 5-oz salmon fillets

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1 handful fresh basil

(770) 233-7400 3 If you or a loved one has been injured, call our office today for a free consultation.

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Inside

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Have a Safer Summer Road Trip

Turn Your Home Into the Ultimate Playhouse

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Strengthen Your Entire Body!

The Dangers of the Real Twilight Zone

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One-Pan Baked Salmon and Veggies

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The Origins of Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is almost here, and for many Americans, that means tacos and discount margaritas. Surprisingly, the holiday is more celebrated in the U.S. than in its home country of Mexico, where it’s not even a federal holiday. How did this come to be, and was the day always just an excuse to enjoy good Mexican food? Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day. That holiday falls on Sept. 16. Instead, Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of a specific battle during the French-Mexican War. The Battle of Puebla took place a year after France invaded Mexico and attempted to colonize the nation. After forcing the Mexican government into exile, the French continued their war campaign throughout the country and, on May 5, 1862, set out to attack the city of Puebla de Los Angeles. It was a small town, and with the French

troops 6,000 strong, victory should have been swift. But Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza quickly gathered an impromptu army of 2,000 and fortified the town. Against the odds, the Mexican fighters won, killing 500 French and losing only 100 of their own. It took five more years for France to withdraw its troops from Mexico. But while the Battle of Puebla was not a major tactical win, the success of a ragtag group of untrained Mexican soldiers against the well-armed French served as a morale boost. The resistance strengthened, and more citizens became willing to fight. Cinco de Mayo was meaningful because of what it symbolized — the ability to overcome the odds and the resiliency of the Mexican spirit. Cinco de Mayo celebrations began the year after the battle and slowly spread. While Puebla was the primary location to celebrate on the

Mexican side of the border, newly minted Americans in the southwestern states identified with its victory. Though they had become citizens in 1848, they quickly saw that they did not have the same rights as white Americans. Cinco de Mayo represented resistance in the face of oppression, a sentiment that strengthened in the 1960s. Thanks to cross-pollinating cultures and commercialization, modern American celebrations barely resemble those in Mexico. This year, enjoy your free guacamole. But take a moment to remember that you owe it to brave freedom fighters.

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