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[ No Comments ] Posted on 05.18.10 under CAR ACCIDENTS, CHILDREN, Power of Attorney, SAFETY, Uncategorized, WILLS AND ESTATES
Every parent has had at least one person say “they grow up before you know it”. This is true in many ways. Very few people would say an 18 year old is an adult. However, for purposes of Florida law they are an adult. More importantly, the parent no longer has the right to any information about the child– even if they still live at home. If your child is hurt in an accident, the parent has no right to information and no right to participate in any decision regarding the child.
The only way a parent can assist the child is if the child has executed powers of attorney. No one wants to think of their child being hurt or incapacitated, but preparation is the best you can do for your child. Every person over age 18, regardless of financial circumstances, needs a durable power of attorney and medical power of attorney. With Summer at the doorstep and kids heading off to school and jobs (often out of state), the time to act is now.
Tracy Troutman Cheek at Billings, Morgan & Boatwright offers a special Power of Attorney package for young adults that costs only $100. Call Tracy at 407-679-9900 for an appointment.
[ No Comments ] Posted on 05.18.10 under Uncategorized
What happens to online accounts when you die? As we move toward a paperless society with the majority (or all) of our accounts online, accessing these accounts after someone dies can be a nightmare.
For example, a soldier may die on the battlefield and the family wants to place a posting on the soldier’s facebook. This is impossible without the appropriate passwords. There are two new websites that allow you to post your passwords and make them available to “beneficiaries” after death. These sites provide a level of service for free. However, be aware that websites can come and go. In addition, the site could be subject to “hacking” and your passwords compromised.
No matter what you choose, having a list of your accounts and vital information is essential to any estate plan. A will does not generally include a listing of your accounts and, without a list, assets can fall through the cracks. For more information on the online accounts to disclose passwords, please see Entrustet.com and LegacyLocker.com.
[ No Comments ] Posted on 05.04.10 under Uncategorized
With summertime rapidly approaching and temperatures back in the nineties, now is a good time to review safe practices for the Summer. Most people are familiar with applying sunscreen, but heat-related illnesses are a major concern. The Centers for Disease Control estimates 300 people die annually due to excessive heat exposure.
The American Red Cross offers the following tips to avoid heat-related illness:
* Change your activity level according to the heat.
* Take frequent breaks.
* Dress appropriately for the environment.
* Drink large amounts of fluids before, during, and after activity.
The best fluid to drink before, during, and after activity is water. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that sports drinks often contain unhealthy amounts of sugar and caffeine. For more information, please consult: www.cdc.gov
[ No Comments ] Posted on 03.25.10 under Uncategorized
Everyone is familar with the alleged problems of certain Toyota automobiles. However, there are hundreds of recalls on products that go unnoticed by the public. Too often people do not return warranty cards on products or the product is not of a type where one would have a warranty card. Fortunately, there is a website that lists recalls of products. Below is the link to the Consumer Product Safety Commission
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html.
Recent recalls of infant items include baby slings by Infantino, high chairs by Graco and Cybex strollers. Recalls are not limited to infants and children. It is not unusual to have forty or more recalls in a month. Be aware and stay safe.
[ No Comments ] Posted on 03.15.10 under CAR ACCIDENTS, CATASTROPHIC INJURIES, CHILDREN, SAFETY
BACKOVER ACCIDENTS
Vehicle backover injuries and deaths occur when someone is positioned behind a vehicle as the driver is backing out of a driveway or other parking spot. Most victims of backovers are the elderly and children and the driver is often a neighbor or relative.
Keeping your children out of harm’s way requires ongoing education and supervision. However, safety experts advise employing the following strategies to help reduce the risk of a backover tragedy:
* Ensure your children are properly supervised at all times, especially wherever motor vehicles might be present.
* Teach children NEVER to play in, under, or around vehicles.
* Always assume children are present and carefully check the area around your vehicle before backing out.
* To prevent curious children from ever putting a vehicle in gear, never leave vehicles running and keep all vehicles locked.
* When backing up, always know where all children are and have them stay in your full view and away from your vehicle.
* Look behind you as you back out S-L-O-W-L-Y with your windows rolled down to listen for children who may have dashed behind your vehicle.
Finally, if you drive a truck or SUV, remember that the blind spot behind your vehicle can be especially large and requires greater care whenever you back up.
[ No Comments ] Posted on 10.28.09 under ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES, CAR ACCIDENTS, MOTORCYCLES, Uncategorized
The experience of an auto accident stays with an individual throughout their life. The majority of people believe they are fine as long as they did not suffer a cut or broken bone. They fail to associate emotions of fear, nervousness or anger with the automobile accident. However, this is a common and often overlooked problem known as Post-traumatic Stress.
If these problems begin to interfere with your normal life, seek professional help. For more on this condition, see
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/mentalhealth/anxiety/449.html.
[ No Comments ] Posted on 10.14.09 under Uncategorized
It is important for each individual to be well informed as to the consequences of any medical procedure they receive. Prior to the test, you should ask about possible side effects or injury. Even the most basic of procedures, such as an X-ray or CTscan may have side effects.
Recently it has come to light that a major hospital in Los Angeles was performing CT scans that resulted in patients receiving eight times the regular dose of radiation. The hospital did not detect the incorrect setting for eighteen months. More disturbing is the fact that this problem may not be isolated to this one facility.
The moral of this story is to be proactive and ask questions. Your health is at risk. To read more about this problem see: http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/13309 .
[ No Comments ] Posted on 09.03.09 under CAR ACCIDENTS, CATASTROPHIC INJURIES, DAMAGE CONTROL, MOTORCYCLES, PROBATE LITIGATION, WILLS AND ESTATES
Everyone faces risks every day of their life. Some risks are small and some large. The risk of injury while riding a motorcycle unfortunately has increased over the last few years. If you were severely injured and could not handle your own affairs, what would you do? To a limited extent a spouse can manage your affairs, but what if you are single? A parent or sibling or child does not have an automatic right in Florida to step in and handle things.
What you can do is prepare Powers of Attorney and designate who will help you if you are incapacitated. We recommend that every adult have three important documents. First, everyone needs a Durable Power of Attorney. This allows someone chosen by you to handle all of your financial affairs. They can pay bills, manage money and represent your interests. Second, each person should have a Medical Power of Attorney. A medical power permits someone chosen by you to make your medical decisions if you are unable to do so. They can talk with doctors, move you to another hospital, and even deal with health insurance if necessary. Finally, every person needs a living will. The living will lets everyone know your wishes if you have a terminal illness or have suffered a massive brain injury and cannot live without machines.
What happens if you do not have these documents and the unthinkable happens? In Florida, a guardianship must be obtained from the court. Guardianships cost thousands of dollars versus a couple of hundred for Powers of Attorney. With a little planning, you can be covered.
[ No Comments ] Posted on 09.01.09 under DAMAGE CONTROL, INSURANCE, INSURANCE FOR CYCLISTS, MOTORCYCLES
Florida is a “no-fault” state, which means that motorists must carry minimum insurance of at least $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) to reimburse accident related medical bills. This requirement does not apply to motorcyclists. A motorcyclist must either carry health insurance or pay accident expenses out of his/her own pocket. With the rising costs of health care, an accident can be financially devastating.
This may not be new information for the experienced rider, but the rider may believe they can recover against the motorist who caused the accident. However, the economic downturn means more motorists than ever are driving without insurance. It is believed that one-third of drivers do not have insurance. Add to this the fact that Florida does not require a driver to carry bodily injury liability coverage (the insurance that pays for injuries you cause to someone else) and it is clear the roads are very dangerous indeed.
In order to protect yourself, it is necessary to carry uninsured motorist coverage. This provides coverage when the other driver has no insurance or cannot pay your damages. In addition, if you own more than one vehicle, you should also make sure the uninsured motorist coverage is stackable.
If you are not sure of your insurance coverage, we are happy to discuss your insurance situation. The time to act is now– before you discover that you don’t have the coverage you need.
Mary Ann Morgan
[ No Comments ] Posted on 08.26.09 under CAR ACCIDENTS, CATASTROPHIC INJURIES, SAFETY
Most of the population realizes the dangers of drinking alcohol and driving, but recent statistics show cellphones may be even more dangerous. These devices are believed to be the cause of more than a thousand fatalities and crashes every year.
Researchers at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimate that cell phone use by drivers caused approximately 955 fatalities and 240,000 accidents in 2002. More frightening is the fact that hands-free devices do not decrease the risk of accident. Research shows that motorists talking on a cell phone are four times more likely to crash than other drivers, and are as likely to cause an accident as someone with a .08 blood alcohol level.
The NHTSA recommends that drivers never use wireless communication devices—whether or not they are hands-free—except in an emergency.