Car accidents can occur in the blink of an eye. One moment you are happily driving. In the next moment, everything is a mix of motion, noise and confusion—even a fender bender can leave you shaken and in a state of shock.

However, thanks to modern technology, most people involved in car accidents now have smartphones—a technology that can be of great assistance following an accident.

Call for Help

Not every accident requires an ambulance or law enforcement to come to the scene. Still, you may need help. Whether it is calling 911 or contacting a friend for a ride after an accident, your smartphone can make it easier to obtain the help you need.

Take Pictures of the Scene

Most mobile phones are much more that just a phone—they are also equipped with a camera. Law enforcement does not investigate every Connecticut car crash. However, you can use your smartphone to take pictures of everything from the damage to the cars to the entire intersection. In some cases, you may even want to take pictures of your injuries.

The more information and pictures you can take of an accident’s aftermath, the easier it may be for your attorney to assist you in getting the compensation to which you are legally entitled.

Get Contact Information

Immediately following a car accident is generally the best time for obtaining any information about what has happened. Drivers in Connecticut are required to exchange information after a car accident. You may not have a pen and paper, but a smartphone can be used to record any insurance information for the other driver or drivers involved. Additionally, you can use your phone to store contact information from any witnesses. Once you leave the scene of the accident, you may never hear from the witnesses again.

Share Your Insurance Information

Many insurance companies have smartphone apps that make it easy to always have your insurance information with you. If you utilize one of these apps, you can then easily share your policy information with police officers and involved drivers. Moreover, within the app, you will have the phone number you need to notify your insurance company of the accident. Some carriers even let you begin filing a claim right from the app.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a car accident, protect your rights by contacting a knowledgeable Westport personal injury lawyer right away. Call Richard H. Raphael, Attorney at Law at 203-226-6168 to schedule your consultation today.

Source:

https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/title_52.htm

In 1980, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) began receiving reports of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). The disease was a newly recognized one, discovered by a physician at Children’s Hospital in Denver. The doctor’s findings were published in the British medical journal The Lancet in 1978.

TSS occurs when bacteria present in the body begins to produce toxins which spread throughout the body. Symptoms include a sudden high fever, a rash resembling a sun-burn, low blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, muscle aches and seizures. Victims of TSS may go into shock or suffer from a shutdown of the renal system. Many victims of TSS have died from the disease.

During the eighties, as more and more cases of TSS were reported, research showed a direct correlation between the use of tampons during menstruation and developing TSS. By the end of 1980 the CDC had received 890 reports of TSS, with 812 of those cases determined to be caused by tampon use. Of those cases, 772 of the victims died.

A study by Yale University pointed to the change in the ingredients used to manufacture tampons as a major contributor to the development of TSS. Instead of using cotton, many companies began to produce tampons made of synthetic ingredients, like rayon and plastic, which creates a possible breeding ground for the types of bacteria which cause TSS. These deaths led to warning notices being placed on tampon packages, advising users to “change tampons every four to eight hours, including overnights.”

However, one woman and her family say that warning is not clear enough, especially to younger girls who have different sleep patterns than older women. The 27-year-old professional model had to have her leg amputated after she developed TSS brought on by using a tampon. The victim says she is lucky to be alive—she was found by a friend and rushed to the hospital. According to her doctors, when she arrived at the hospital, her internal organs were shutting down and she was just 10 minutes from death. She had also suffered a massive heart attack. The infection in her body later turned into gangrene and she needed to have her right leg amputated below the knee. Doctors say her other leg may eventually need to be amputated as well.

Although TSS does not garner the media headlines like it did in the 1980s, there are still victims of TSS, such as this young woman. If you have suffered illness or injury from toxic shock syndrome caused by a tampon, or other defective product, please contact an experienced Westport personal injury attorney to discuss your case and available options.

Sources:

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00001651.htm

http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20077725,00.html

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/toxic-shock-syndrome/basics/risk-factors/con-20021326

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3128606/She-ten-minutes-death-Model-lost-leg-toxic-shock-syndrome-files-massive-lawsuit-against-tampon-manufacturer-says-warning-labels-like-cigarettes.html

http://www.vice.com/read/meet-the-model-who-lost-her-leg-to-toxic-shock-syndrome-611

A recent study by Texas A&M Transportation Institute and the traffic monitoring firm INRIX concluded that there are areas in the state of Connecticut which have some of the worst traffic in the country.

One area, Bridgeport-Stamford, was placed as the second worst area in the entire country when it comes to traffic jams and tie-ups. The study says that commuters in that area spend an average of 49 hours every year sitting in traffic.

According to the Urban Mobility Scorecard, Hartford is number five in the country of medium-size cities with horrific traffic jams. Motorists in Hartford spend approximately 45 hours sitting in traffic every year. Another medium-size Connecticut city, New Haven, made the list. New Haven shows up as the 11^th worst city, with drivers in that area sitting in traffic jams for nearly 40 hours per year.

Connecticut also made the list for large cities. Drivers who commute through the Connecticut-Newark-New York area spend 74 hours every year waiting for traffic to move. Those hours equal approximately 35 gallons of extra fuel idling vehicles are consuming.

What causes all of these traffic tie-ups? According to a spokesperson from the Connecticut Department of Transportation, more than half of the state’s traffic jams are caused by poor driver behavior. One of the most common results of these traffic jams are vehicle accidents.

Tragically, too many of these auto accidents result in fatalities. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 276 people killed in traffic accidents in Connecticut in 2013. Just over 180 of those victims were passengers, and 53 of victims killed were on motorcycles, 36 victims were pedestrians, and three were on bicycles.

Sixty-four victims were killed in speed-related accidents, while another 114 victims were killed in accidents which were alcohol-related.

The loss of loved one is devastating to a family, and that loss is only compounded when it is caused by the carelessness or negligence of another. If you have lost a family member in a car crash, please contact an experienced Westport wrongful death attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have against those responsible for your loss.

Sources:

http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/report/

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-ctm-connecticut-traffic-0828-20150827-story.html

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/nrd-30/ncsa/STSI/9_CT/2013/9_CT_2013.htm