South Atlanta Injury Lawyers - April 2021

South Atlanta Injury Lawyers - April 2021

SOUTH ATLANTA

A DIVISION OF OBIORAH FIELDS, LLC

404-994-6218 | SOUTHATLANTAINJURYLAWYERS.COM | APRIL 2021

You Don’t Have to ‘Sweat the Small Stuff’

How I’ve Learned to Handle Stress

For most of my life, I would say I’ve probably been predisposed to stress. “Going with the flow” has never been one of my strong suits. Fortunately, for about as long as I’ve known myself to be predisposed to stress, I’ve also known that I should do what author and motivational speaker Richard Carlson famously wrote about in his book of the same name: “Don’t sweat the small stuff … and it’s all small stuff .” I couldn’t think of a better reminder for our daily lives, both in light of the events of the past year, and in light of the fact that April is National Stress Awareness Month. I think I’ve always known subconsciously that I shouldn’t “sweat the small stuff,” but when I read it (or listened to it in audiobook format; I can’t remember which) for the first time in Carlson’s book, it was a novel

concept to me. Nothing, not even the most traumatic experiences I can think of, have to break or offend me. To me, not sweating the small stuff (or any problem of any size, for that matter) means realizing that all things will work out as they’re supposed to. That means that if a cashier is rude to me, or if my car breaks down and makes me late for work or ruins my plans, I don’t have to treat it like a disaster. I used to think that getting stressed out about things was somehow a mark of intelligence. I figured that my stress was a result of my knowledge of how dire the situation was and that my stress would therefore be what prompted me to complete certain tasks and fulfill certain responsibilities. But then I would see other people take in stride those same things that would invariably stress me out. I wondered if I could ever be like that. When it’s all small stuff, though, I know that I can. Now, I’m not saying that I’ve achieved the perfect ability to take everything in stride. I am still very much learning how to do that on a daily basis. I definitely am guilty of wearing my emotions on my sleeve sometimes. However, so long as I remember that as much as I don’t always like it, life is inevitably going to be stressful sometimes. If I remember

to take the small stuff in stride, I can progress toward becoming a person that is better and better at going with the flow. I once thought that stress would keep me productive and ensure that I completed all the important work that I have in life, but it turns out I don’t like living in a mindset of stress all the time. It’s not for me or for anyone to constantly have to live with stress. If you feel like that’s you, I just want to give you the same advice that I have to give myself on a daily basis: Don’t sweat the small stuff and remember that things will work out like they’re supposed to.

“To me, not sweating the small stuff (or any problem of any size, for that matter) means realizing that all things will work out as they’re supposed to.”

–Teri Fields

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The realization that you’ve been rear-ended comes all at once. From one second to the next, you go from sitting calmly in traffic to both your car and body lurching uncontrollably and uncomfortably forward. In the immediate aftermath, you’re probably able to discern that your vehicle will need repairs. However, one thing that might not be certain right away is whether or not you suffered one of the most common injuries that can result from a traffic collision: whiplash. Whether or not the accident gave you whiplash might not be apparent until a few days later. If you’ve never had it before or you don’t know much about it, let’s cover some of the basics. KNOW THE FACTS ABOUT THIS COMMON INJURY Did That Accident Give Me Whiplash?

HOW INTUITIVE EATING CAN HELP YOU QUIT DIET CULTURE

The concept of mindfulness has fully saturated mainstream culture at this point. Though it’s more likely to conjure up an image of someone sitting cross-legged with closed eyes than sitting at a table looking wide-eyed at mealtime, it’ll serve you just as well on your dinner plate as it will on your yoga mat. What is intuitive eating? Eating mindfully, also known as intuitive eating, is trending in the health and wellness world. But it couldn’t be more different from fad diets or other trends like fasting and cleanses, which have restrictive lists of rules and foods to eat or avoid. Intuitive eating starts by simply tuning in to your body’s needs and cues, but it goes further than that. As a Harvard Medical School article put it, “In essence, mindful eating means being fully attentive to your food — as you buy, prepare, serve, and consume it.” And that includes focusing on how different foods and eating habits make you feel, both physically and mentally. While this may feel … intuitive ... it’s easier said than done in a culture with consistent and often confusing messaging around what constitutes healthy eating. Even the tried-and-true method of calorie counting has raised doubts in recent years due to inaccuracies in calorie calculations for the nutrition labels and research on how calorie restriction can backfire by changing your hormone levels and even slowing down your metabolism. Kristen Smith, a registered dietitian and the spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says it’s also linked to disordered eating habits. Intuitive eating may just be the antidote. Singer Demi Lovato, who has been open about her struggles with an eating disorder and body-image issues, credits a more mindful approach to eating with helping her overcome harmful eating patterns. How does it lead to better health outcomes? Having a regular exercise routine and eating well have long been known as the two pillars of physical health. When it comes to the latter, intuitive eating helps you create healthy and sustainable eating habits. The upshot is that when you eat better, you’ll feel better. Being attuned to that connection is the foundation of mindful eating. Most of us know that we should eat whole foods, including lots of fruits and vegetables, but feeling the outcome of increased consumption of these foods will help you stick with and build the habit.

Whiplash is the term for an injury in the neck and surrounding tissues that is caused by a sudden back-and-forth movement of the head while the rest of the body stays relatively secure. The medical terms for this back-and-forth movement are hyperextension and hyperflexion, respectively. The specific injuries that fall under the whiplash umbrella include dislocated cervical vertebrae, herniated discs, pinched nerves, and strained or sprained muscles. The unsavory symptoms that you

might experience in the short run as a result of these injuries include stiffness in your neck and shoulders, headaches, dizziness, and ringing in the ears. You might think that a vehicle needs to rear-end yours at high speeds for you to suffer from whiplash, but the truth is that a majority of auto accident-related cases of whiplash are from accidents where the back car was only going 6 to 12 mph. Many cases of whiplash result from accidents where vehicles were going even slower! All this is to say that even if it doesn’t seem like you’ve suffered any injuries from an accident beyond general soreness, make sure to see a medical professional as soon as you can. At the same time, if you want to make sure you’re not footing the bill for an accident that wasn’t your fault, call South Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyers today at (404) 476-6414 for a free consultation.

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If You Rear-End Someone, Is the Accident Your Fault? Not Always!

The car in front is changing lanes recklessly. Whether it results from a plot to get insurance money (which is uncommon, though not unheard of) or just run-of-the-mill reckless driving, sometimes drivers will change lanes quickly, cut you off, and then immediately hit the brakes. This is a dangerous combination of actions that might cause you to rear-end them. It would be surprising if the blame fell solely with you in that case, since you might not have had a reasonable amount of time to brake. Even the simplest of auto accidents can be full of nuance. That’s why it’s always wise to review your case with an experienced personal injury attorney. Give South Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyers a call today for a free case evaluation, or visit SouthAtlantaInjuryLawyers.com for more information!

In a rear-end collision, the driver of the vehicle that rear-ended the other vehicle is always at fault, right? Well, not necessarily. While a rear-end collision might seem open and shut, there are situations where fault may actually lie, at least in part, with the driver of the vehicle that got rear-ended. Still don’t believe us? Well, here are a few examples. The car in front backs into you. If a driver pulls too far into an intersection and decides to back up a little bit but doesn’t check their side or rearview mirrors and backs right into you, the result would be a rear-end collision that you probably didn’t have a lot of power to stop. That’s especially true if there is a car behind you that prevents you from backing up. In any case, the other driver’s failure to check their surroundings will probably mean that the fault of the rear-end collision rests largely with them. The car in front has broken brake lights. Driving without working brake lights is dangerous. It means the driver can’t adequately signal to other drivers when they’re stopping, and you won’t have as much of a warning if they suddenly have to brake on the road. If broken brake lights are part of the reason why you rear-end somebody, they may share some of the blame for the accident.

At South Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyers, we’re not your standard, run- of-the-mill law office. We don’t just do what’s required of us — we go the extra mile to make sure justice is served in every case we take on. If you’ve worked with us before and know somebody who could benefit from taking us on as their legal team, please don’t hesitate to give them this newsletter and show them who we are! We want to help as many people as we can. We’re just one phone call away from new potential clients. If they contact us through our website and give us their name, contact info, and a brief description of their situation, we will give them a free case evaluation and report. Don’t hesitate to refer us! DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO NEEDS OUR HELP? GIVE THEM THIS NEWSLETTER!

NEED A SPEAKER? If you are interested in having Teri Fields speak to your organization about legal issues, please contact us at 404-994-6218.

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SOUTH ATLANTA

157 South McDonough St. | Jonesboro, GA 30236 404-994-6218 | SOUTHATLANTAINJURYLAWYERS.COM

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 | You Don’t Have to ‘Sweat the Small Stuff’ 2 | What Is Intuitive Eating?

Did That Accident Give Me Whiplash?

3 | If You Rear End Someone, Is the Accident Your Fault?

Do You Know Someone Who Needs Our Help?

4 | A Tail That Inspired Thousands

Winter the Dolphin

A TAIL THAT INSPIRED THOUSANDS

Photo: Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Winter the dolphin was only 2 years old when rescuers found her with a crab trap line wrapped so tightly around her tail it was cutting off the circulation to her flukes. Unfortunately, this led to the eventual loss of her tail. In most cases, dolphins can’t survive without their flukes. When Winter first arrived at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, her caregivers worried about her overall health. The infection that had taken over her tail due to loss of circulation was spreading, and if it reached her spinal cord, they knew she would die. Fortunately, her spinal cord remained

untouched. Winter adapted to her situation, but then a new problem arose. Without flukes, Winter began moving her body side- to-side to swim, which caused scoliosis in her spine. However, an expert created a custom prosthetic tail for her, enabling her to swim normally again without impacting her spine. Since then, Winter has thrived! The story of what Winter went through, her struggle to recover, and how she fought to live has inspired thousands of people. Children and adults who have lost their limbs or were born with disabilities travel from around the world to meet her. She

encourages people to keep fighting, and many feel that if Winter could overcome her obstacles, they can, too. There was even a film made about her called “Dolphin Tale.” In fact, many of the scenes from the movie were shot at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and Winter starred as herself. The film captures her triumphant story and chronicles how she inspires people around the world. To learn more about Winter, read inspirational stories, or donate to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, visit CMAquarium.org. And, of course, “Dolphin Tale” is a great film for your next movie night!

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