Highway Hypnosis Can Cause Truck Accidents

Highway Hypnosis Can Cause Truck Accidents

Most people think of hypnosis as something that happens on a stage and involves a magician swinging a pocket watch back and forth in front of another person’s face. However, there is another type of hypnosis that probably just about everyone has experienced.

Highway hypnosis occurs when a motorist zones out behind the wheel. Highway hypnosis is also sometimes referred to as “white line fever” after the white painted lines on the road. When a person drives for long distances on the highway with little or no stopping or stimulation, they can lapse into a relaxed state that is similar to sleeping.

Although anyone can experience highway hypnosis, it’s more common among truck drivers, who spend hours at a time behind the wheel and often drive long routes with repetitive scenery. If you’ve been injured in a truck wreck in Texas, the best thing you can do is speak with a Dallas personal injury lawyer like Attorney Zach Herbert of Herbert & Eberstein, as soon as possible.

How Does Highway Hypnosis Happen?

According to experts, anyone can fall into something of a hypnotized state when they are very relaxed. For example, a train engineer reported feeling like he was in a daze prior to a fatal train derailment in New York City.

Sean Meehan, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Michigan, stated. “When we’re tired, effectively there’s a change in the state of our brain that results in that information just not getting to those centers where we actively, consciously process it.”

This change in state is why some people can even become hypnotized while reading. If you have ever read the same paragraph over and over again because you’re simply not absorbing the text, it’s possible you were experiencing a mild form of hypnotism.

When people experience highway hypnosis, however, they don’t have the benefit of just snapping out of it and safely rereading a page they overlooked. When you’re behind the wheel, highway hypnosis can lead to a serious car accident. A driver who is zoned out has a slower reaction time, and they may not even realize they’re in danger until the accident is in progress.

Highway hypnosis falls under the general umbrella of “drowsy driving.” According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are over 100,000 drowsy driving car accidents every year, with over 1,500 of those accidents causing a fatality.

Tips for Avoiding Highway Hypnosis

Truck drivers operate huge vehicles that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. With a vehicle this massive, it’s incredibly important for truckers to stay alert behind the wheel.

Highway hypnosis can cause a truck driver to space out and cause a catastrophic accident, which is why it’s important for semi-truck drivers to do everything they can to avoid driving drowsy. These tips are also useful for any motorist who drives long distances or boring routes that can lead to highway hypnosis.

Keep Temperatures Cool

Many people get sleepy when they’re warm, and there are a couple of different reasons for this. When you’re too warm, you can actually become dehydrated, which can make you feel tired. This reason is why it’s important for truckers to drink plenty of water.

Being warm also causes your blood pressure to drop, which makes you feel groggy. Warm temperatures also coax many people into feeling cozy and comforted, which is great if you’re trying to sleep but a serious safety hazard when you’re driving a semi-truck.

Take Frequent Breaks

Truck drivers are required to take certain breaks under federal law. However, they should also change up their routine by making stops for quick rest breaks as they drive.

Even if it’s just a few minutes of brisk walking or some light stretching, getting out of the truck and getting your blood flowing can help reduce the drowsiness that comes with driving for too many hours in a row on the highway.

Listen to Music or Talk Radio

Many truckers enjoy listening to music or the radio as they drive. With satellite radio, there are more options than ever for listening to interesting programs and talk radio. You can even download audio books or podcast so you can listen to something interesting or entertaining as you drive.

In some cases, however, music can lull you into drowsiness. If you find this happening, it’s a good idea to switch up your favorite station and try listening to something new or outside your regular interests. This shift can help keep your mind engaged, which will increase blood flow to the brain and stop you from feeling tired.

Avoid Heavy Meals Before Driving

There’s a good reason why many people feel so tired after Thanksgiving and similar gatherings. The body must work overtime to digest a large meal, which can make people feel sleepy.

To stop drowsiness behind the wheel, truckers should avoid heavy, carb-based meals like pasta before they get on the road. Instead, opt for healthier options like salads and fresh fruit. It’s not always easy to find fresh food choices on the road, which is why many truckers pack a cooler with fruit, salad, and healthy menu items before they leave home.

Help for Those Injured in Truck Accidents

If you have been injured in a truck accident, it’s in your best interest to discuss your case with an experienced Dallas truck wreck lawyer.  Call the personal injury law firm of Herbert & Eberstein in Richardson, TX today, and schedule a time to review your case with our compassionate team.

 

Media Contact:

Attorney Zach Herbert

(T): 214-414-3808

zachherbert.attorney

 

Sources:

  1. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/highway-hypnosis/story?id=21098081
  2. https://www.sleepadvisor.org/why-heat-makes-you-sleepy/

5 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney

5 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney

Hiring an attorney is a challenge that many of us have never had to face before.  Here are some questions to ask when hiring a personal injury lawyer in Dallas.

1.  How Many Clients Are You Personally Responsible For?
First, this question assumes that you are talking to an attorney.  If the attorney’s office that you called does not have an attorney handling your call, do you think you will have access to an attorney throughout your case?  It is not unreasonable to speak with an attorney, especially when you are hiring that attorney to handle your case! Ask to speak with an attorney, then ask them how many clients they are responsible for.  Ask how many clients total they are responsible for, including pre-litigation cases. There is no magic number here, but if it is more than 100, or the attorney refuses to answer, then consider how that will affect communication in your case.  If communication is important to you, consider going with another attorney with fewer cases.

2.  How Often Can I Expect Updates on My Case?
Look for attorneys that have a ready answer to this question.  If they do not have a specific plan for updating clients, beware.  Also, ask for the methods by which clients are updated. Do they have the ability to text clients?  Email? Is there a client portal? Attorneys that focus on communication will likely have all three.  Get a commitment to update you at least once a month, or look for attorneys that promise this level of communication.

3.  Do You Have Jury Trial Experience?  If So How Many Jury Trials Have You Tried as First Chair to Verdict in the Last 3 Years?
While not all cases go to trial, and while you probably aren’t excited about that proposition either, attorneys that go to trial are the ones that have a reputation for fighting.  Insurance companies track everything. This includes attorneys. They know that they can settle cases for cheaper to the attorney that never goes to trial versus the attorney that isn’t afraid to fight.  Notice that we aren’t asking about whether or not they win. You are looking for an attorney that is known for fighting, that will get your case resolved. That attorney goes to trial. If the answer is zero, then consider going with an attorney that has fought at least once in the last three years.  There is a flip-side to that coin, however. If the attorney you are speaking with goes to more than 10 trials per year, you might have an attorney that doesn’t have enough time to focus on your case.

4.  Is My Type of Personal Injury Case One That You Typically Handle?  
Make sure that the attorney that you are hiring has handled your type of case before.  For example, some personal injury attorneys only handle medical malpractice or cases against doctors and hospitals.  Others only handle car wrecks or truck wrecks. Get specifics and ask for numbers. You might have a unique case that few attorneys have handled before.  Just because your case is one that this particular attorney hasn’t handled doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hire them. If you get an honest answer, that may be just the thing you need from the attorney.  A simple, “no I haven’t, but I have handled many cases that deal with the same issues as your case” is way better than an evasive or vague answer that doesn’t begin with yes or no.

5.  How Are Your Expenses Handled?
Every personal injury case has expenses that are the responsibility of the attorney that you are hiring.  Remember that he or she is taking a chance on you to be able to hopefully get paid later. Make sure there are no surprises in the expenses.  For instance, does the attorney charge a flat handling fee for office supplies and such? Does the attorney finance their expenses through a finance company?  If so, do they pass the interest charge on to their clients? What this means is if the attorney spends $1,000.00 on your case and settles it, they will take $1,000.00 out of your settlement.  This is normal. But if they finance $1,000.00 through a bank, will they take the interest out of your settlement as well? Neither option is a negative one. However, it is good to know up front so there are no surprises.  Also, ask if the expenses are taken out of the settlement before or after the contingent fees. Most of the time contingent fees are taken out of the settlement first, then expenses, then any liens or doctor’s bills. Make sure you understand this before hiring your attorney.  You don’t want any confusion when it comes time to close out your case.

If you are in need of a personal injury attorney in Dallas, contact attorney Zachary Herbert at Herbert & Eberstein today at 214-414-3808. 

Media Contact:

Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer Zachary Herbert

(T): 214-414-3808

http://zachherbert.attorney

Four Excuses Insurance Adjusters Use To Not Pay

Four Excuses Insurance Adjusters Use To Not Pay

“Insurance companies don’t want to pay claims. The business model of an insurance company is simple: take in more money than they pay out.  So they hire people called adjusters that are rewarded for finding reasons not to pay claims. These reasons usually make no sense in the real world. However, the insurance world is so large, and the insurance companies are so big, that they can literally shape the way people think about personal injury lawsuits and claims. Here are some examples of excuses that insurance adjusters use:

1.  Gap in Treatment – Insurance companies constantly measure how long it takes to get to a doctor, or how long between visits to a doctor, and have created a term of their own, called “gap in treatment.”  Adjusters will say “there was a gap in treatment, so we reduced our valuation.” The thought process here is that if you were really hurt, you’d be sitting in a doctor’s office all day every day. Which brings us to our next example:

2.  Overtreatment – Even if a doctor recommends physical therapy for a certain amount of time, adjusters will still consider more than x number of weeks of treatment to be “overtreatment.” No matter how different we all are, no matter how old or young, regardless of our medical history, adjusters typically apply some sort of “one size fits all” approach to medical treatment based on the next example:

3.  Low Property Damage – This is mostly based on what the adjuster sees in a picture. If you have a lot of damage to your car, then they will just ignore it and look for other excuses. If your car held up pretty well despite the wreck, then that’s all the adjuster will talk about. Things like, “well property damage was minimal, we feel you overtreated, so we reduced our offer” are often said when the car only has a dent in the bumper.  

4.  Not Accepting 100% Liability – when all else fails, then the adjuster will find something that you did wrong to be able to reduce the offer. Even if the other guy ran a red light and t-boned you when you had a green light, the adjuster will say, “you had a duty to enter the intersection cautiously, so we only accepted 90%.”  What this means is they will offer 90% of whatever they decided the claim is worth.

Fight them! Fight them at every turn.  Don’t give an inch. Call them out on their hypocrisy!  And if they don’t budge, file suit! Insurance companies ultimately don’t decide cases – juries do. And juries are made up of regular people. People that know we all put off going to the doctor even when we are in pain. People that know we do what our doctor tells us because we want to get better. People that know you can be fine when the car is demolished, and hurt when the car has a few dents. People that know running a red light or rear-ending another person is negligent! The answer is to fight.” 

Call 214-414-3808 today if you need an insurance claim attorney in Dallas to fight for you. Attorney Zach Herbert is a Marine Veteran who loves fighting for his clients. Don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with Herbert & Eberstein LLC to discuss your case.” Source

 

Media Contact:

Dallas Insurance Claims Lawyer Zachary Herbert

(T): 214-414-3808

https://zachherbert.attorney/

Sources:

  1. https://www.zherbertlaw.com/blog/2018/3/6/four-excuses-adjusters-use-to-not-pay