Men's Health Month is celebrated in June to raise awareness about health issues that commonly affect men and boys. These concerns can range from attending annual check-ups to practicing safe habits that prevent catastrophic injuries.
With International Men’s Health Week active now and ending on June 16, which is also Father’s Day, let’s take a closer look at the physical and mental injuries the month’s organizers have focused on. This can help avoid spending a holiday in a North Georgia or Tennessee emergency room.
Avoid Catastrophic Vehicle Accidents in GA and TN
With Father’s Day coming up this weekend and summer just around the corner, many dads will be behind the wheel. Whether you are hauling cargo in a truck, road trippin’ with the family or voyaging in one of the many lakes in North Georgia and Tennessee, drivers must be completely focused on navigating or steering.
Distracted driving has deadly consequences, and has become a top concern among advocacy groups and state and federal agencies. As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are three main types of distraction:
- Visual distractions occur when you take your eyes off the road
- Manual distractions happen when you take your hands off the wheel
- Cognitive distractions involve taking your mind off the task of driving
The worst distracted driving behaviors involve all three types of distraction. Texting and driving are a prime example, and causes an increasing number of preventable crashes, injuries and fatalities. Always remember that Georgia and Tennessee are hands-free states, prohibiting drivers from holding a mobile device with any part of their body while operating a vehicle.
Car Accidents. The National Safety Council reports that distracted driving accidents cause the deaths of at least eight individuals per day in the U.S. A significant number of Pritchard Injury Firm’s motor vehicle accidents and catastrophic injury cases in Tennessee and North Georgia are caused by distracted and reckless driving.
Truck. Reckless drivers who weave in and out of lanes, for example, frequently cause truck collisions that also impact other cars on the road. The force of a truck collision will damage a passenger car beyond repair and can be deadly, or cause life-changing physical injuries. Determining liability is critical in truck accident cases to identify who should be held responsible for the resulting damages and injuries.
Boating. As recently discussed, boating accidents caused multiple fatalities and hundreds of injuries in Georgia and Tennessee last year. These incidents primarily involved collisions, capsizing, and falls overboard, with operator inattention and inexperience being major causes. Open motorboats are the most common vessel involved in boating accidents in GA and TN, so before embarking on a voyage, make sure the operator is sober and can focus solely on driving and navigation.
Use the Father’s Day weekend as a time to reacclimate yourself with increased traffic and brush up on your defensive driving skills. This way everyone can reach their destination safely and also enjoy themselves.
Mental Health and Emotional Trauma
The physical toll exacted on a catastrophic injury victim can be followed by mental and emotional trauma. And though you cannot see or feel emotional or psychological trauma does not mean it is not present.
Brain injuries caused by common incidents like concussions and falls often lead to mental trauma, and it is well documented that symptoms such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can have long-term effects if untreated.
If the mental trauma was caused by a physical injury due to the negligence of someone else, you should contact a North Georgia or Tennessee injury lawyer to provide representation and secure justice.
A Father’s Day Message
There are often two types of men: the proactive and the “I’m fine”-type. Following an injury, avoid being – or allowing the behavior of – the latter.
As a husband, father and business owner – and a lawyer who has represented clients suffering from various types of traumas – I encourage anyone who has sustained physical or mental injuries to take immediate action. This extends to the families of a victim.
Do not “shake it off” or expect time to heal the wounds on its own. And furthermore, stubbornness in avoiding any doctor’s visit will only be detrimental. Without a proper care plan, an injured person could experience long-term and permanent suffering and ultimately miss out on spending events like Father’s Day with their friends and loved ones.
Your GA/TN Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one were injured in any accident due to the negligence of another, our North Georgia and Tennessee attorneys are here to help. The mission of Pritchard Injury Firm is to provide you and your family with the highest quality of legal help available and a professional, stress-free experience. Contact us today.