Posts Tagged ‘action’

WV Veterans’ Benefits Attorney Says Military is Taking Right Approach to Head Injuries

August 21, 2011 | Author Jeffrey Kellner

New policy that pulls soldiers out of action after they are exposed to blasts shows that the military is giving proper attention to serious and potentially disabling head and brain injuries, says West Virginia Veterans’ benefits lawyer Jan Dils.

It is encouraging to see the military taking steps to prevent potentially disabling injuries to soldiers who are currently in service, West Virginia Veterans’ benefits attorney Jan Dils says.

According to a recent USA Today report, the U.S. military has adopted a policy to pull from the battlefield any soldier caught within roughly 50 yards of a blast, including those in vehicles and buildings, so those troops can be examined for signs of head and brain injuries.

“Among the leading causes of long-term disability among Veterans are head and brain injuries, such as a concussion or multiple concussions that lead to traumatic brain injury,” says Dils, whose law firm, Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, L.C., assists Veterans in collecting disability benefits.

“I think our military leaders should be applauded for taking on this policy, which gives proper attention to the seriousness of head and brain injuries,” she says. “We should keep in mind that many Veterans might have been spared permanent brain damage if this policy had been in place when they bravely served our country.”

The goal of the Pentagon’s new policy is to prevent soldiers from suffering traumatic brain injury (TBI) that may result from suffering a second concussion before the first one is healed, USA Today reports. Soldiers exposed to a blast must be sidelined for at least 24 hours and may end up being examined for weeks or months before being allowed back into combat action.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be caused by bullets, explosions, falls, motor vehicle crashes and assaults. The widespread use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Iraq and Afghanistan, such as roadside bombs, increases the likelihood that military personnel may be exposed to blasts that could cause traumatic brain injury.

Veterans with TBI may experience physical symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating and sleep disturbances. Mild traumatic brain injuries can have lasting effects on veterans’ ability to return to work.

If a Veteran suffers from a service-connected disability, such as TBI, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or injuries caused by exposure to chemicals such as Agent Orange or other herbicides, the Veteran may be eligible to receive tax-free monthly payments, or disability compensation. A Veterans’ benefits attorney can assist in the claims process, according to Dils.

“We believe Veterans with disabilities deserve all of the benefits offered by a grateful nation,” Dils says.

About Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, L.C.

Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, L.C., focuses exclusively on helping individuals with disabilities get the financial help they deserve from the government by seeking benefits from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Social Security Administration. The firm features West Virginia offices in Charleston, Parkersburg, Huntington, Logan and Beckley and one office in Charlotte, North Carolina. To learn more about Veterans’ benefits and Social Security disability benefits, contact the firm by calling (877) 838-3726 or using its online form.

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Posted On: Parkersburg, WV November 23, 2010

Posted in Driving Record | Tags: action, after, approach, attention, attorney, benefits, brain, disabling, exposed, giving, head, injuries, military, policy, potentially, proper, right, says, serious, shows, taking, that, they, virginia, west | 1 Comment »

Washington Personal Injury Lawyer Hails Gains in Traffic Safety, Urges More Action to Prevent Car Accidents

August 21, 2011 | Author alex.soltani

Focus on speeding, drunk driving and distracted driving could accelerate an improving trend in Washington’s statewide traffic fatalities, Seattle personal injury attorney Dean Brett says.

Even though Washington’s traffic-related deaths dropped to an historic low in 2010, raising public awareness of the dangers of speeding, drunk driving and distracted driving could prevent even more fatalities, Seattle car accident attorney Dean Brett said today.

On March 30, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission announced that the state’s traffic fatalities dropped from 492 in 2009 to 448 last year, marking the lowest number of crash-related deaths in Washington’s history.

“These numbers show that our roads are safer today than ever before, but there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done,” said Brett, a founding partner of the personal injury law firm, Brett & Coats, Attorneys at Law, PLLC, which represents car accident victims and their families throughout Seattle, Tacoma, Bellingham and Spokane.

In 2009, the law firm secured a .5 million verdict in a case involving a drunk driving accident, which was the largest jury verdict ever recorded in Skagit County (French v. Parker, et al.; Skagit County Cause No. 08-2-00530-8).

“That number – 448 – is not so low when you consider that 448 families lost a loved one to a car crash during the past year,” Brett said. “Even the loss of one life to an auto accident that could have been prevented is one too many. That’s why our state needs to continue to focus on putting an end to the types of reckless driving that cause accidents, injuries and deaths.”

Brett said the emphasis should be on speeding, distracted driving and drunk driving because they are three of the leading causes of car accident deaths.

Speeding accounted for nearly 40 percent of all Washington traffic fatalities between 2004 and 2008, according to a Washington Traffic Safety Commission study. Drunk driving accounts for nearly one quarter of the state’s driving fatalities, 2009 state data shows, while distracted driving has become a growing concern due to the growing number of people who talk on cell phones or text while behind the wheel.

“We need to be aggressive in raising awareness of the dangers of reckless driving, especially in our message to younger drivers,” Brett said. “And reckless drivers need to know that they will be held fully accountable for their conduct.”

If a person or their loved one is harmed by a reckless driver, Brett said it is important to contact an experienced Washington car accident attorney in order to discuss their legal options.

“Our law firm’s main concern will always be on promoting safe driving and protecting the rights of innocent victims and their families,” he said.

About Brett & Coats

Brett & Coats, Personal Injury Attorneys, PLLC is a Washington personal injury law firm with offices in Seattle, Tacoma, Bellingham and Spokane. The firm represents car accident victims, including those injured in DUI/DWI accidents, and other personal injury victims throughout the state of Washington. The firm’s practice areas also include motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, boating accidents, construction accidents, railroad collisions and aviation crashes. For more information, call the firm at (800) 925-1875 or use its online contact form.

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Posted On: Seattle, WA (Vocus/PRWEB) April 04, 2011washington state driving record

Posted in Driving Record | Tags: accelerate, action, attorney, dean, distracted, driving, drunk, fatalities, focus, gains, hails, improving, injury, lawyer, personal, prevent, safety, seattle, Speeding, statewide, traffic, trend, urges, washington, washington’s | No Comments »