Qualities of a Good Personal Injury Lawyer

Picking out a lawyer can be hard. There are often little guarantees that ensure your personal injury attorney will handle your case the way you want, at least that’s what people think. But the truth is, there are qualities you can look out for when picking an attorney to improve your chances of winning the case. Here are the qualities of a perfect personal injury lawyer.

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Thorough

When looking for a lawyer, you need someone who pays a great deal of attention to detail and is a thorough worker. Legal matters are all about contracts, and the one word is legally binding. If you want someone you can trust to vet a contract for loopholes or to provide concrete, irrefutable evidence, you need to pick a meticulous lawyer. Not just that, but the better they understand the situation, the better they’ll explain it to you, and the better they’ll be able to come up with creative solutions. If there is a line of work to which the saying, “the devil is in the details” applies, it’s the legal sector.

Experienced

With experience comes wisdom, skill, and honed techniques. An experienced lawyer would have been subjected to all kinds of different opposition lawyers, insurance companies, and settlement cases. When presented with your case, it won’t be an unprecedented dilemma for them, but a standard procedure. They’ll be able to easily navigate their way around any roadblock the insurance company throws at them. Not to mention, they’ll have enough knowledge and confidence to demand a large settlement based on what they were able to get for similar cases in the past.   

Empathetic

You don’t want a lawyer who’s only after their own commission or after a perfect record. You want someone such as the Queens attorneys Bergman & Bergman who truly cares about your case and
about getting you the best deal. You want someone who truly cares about your case and about getting you the best deal. One way to know what type of lawyer you’re dealing with, according to personal injury legal experts, is to ask if they operate on a contingency fee basis. This type of payment procedure means that the lawyer doesn’t get paid if you don’t and it’s always a good sign, and it is quite common in Tampa, Florida as well as other states. Remember that during a hard time following an accident, you are going to want an understanding, compassionate attorney. The better they understand you, the better they’ll be able to communicate with you. Their ability to put themselves in your shoes will help them understand the type and amount of compensation you need.

Timely

Time is everything when it comes to legal affairs. If your attorney is late to file paperwork, your case might be dismissed. If they’re late for their first meeting, they will have to cut their following meetings short to keep up. A good lawyer should be able to stay ahead of their schedule. Any time management issues can indicate that the attorney is either taking on more work than they can handle or are simply uninvested in your case. Either way, a timely lawyer will save you time, money, and will contribute to the success of your settlement claim or your lawsuit. 

Good Listener

What is a lawyer if not a good debater? One can’t talk without listening. Not just that, but one can’t defend a cause without fully understanding it. A good personal injury lawyer will listen carefully to what you have to say. They will make sure they understand every little detail, and then they will ask one more time to be sure. In the negotiation room, or in the court of law, their ability to listen and quickly understand will show in the form of quick replies and quick refutations. Just by paying attention to what’s being said around them, a good lawyer can easily make a jury or an insurance company see your point of view.

Persistent

Insurance companies don’t give out settlements easily. If they did, they wouldn’t still be in business. Meaning, when your lawyer presents them with your case, they won’t just roll over and give you a good deal. A good lawyer knows when they’re being low-balled, and instead of letting it happen, they choose to fight for more. An average lawyer will take what they can get, but a good lawyer will persist until they get you what they believe you deserve.

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Some are lucky enough to find a good lawyer effortlessly, but for others, the search takes a little longer. If you haven’t struck gold on your first try, don’t give up. Look up more lawyers in your area and take up their free consultation offers, during which you should look out for the traits mentioned above. Before you decide, remember that you’re choosing to hire them as much as they’re choosing to take you on.

Elmiron Drug: Do The Benefits Outweigh The Risks?

Imagine you have to make a choice between being able to urinate without pain or permanently damaging your vision. It’s one patient who was prescribed Elmiron and was forced to make many of them without their knowledge.

These people have an uncomfortable and embarrassing condition known as Interstitial Cystitis or IC. IC is characterised by mild to severe pain in the bladder, sometimes encompassing surrounding regions and frequent urination. The symptoms are disruptive enough to curtail the patient’s quality of life. Some people with IC have been known to go to the bathroom between 40 and 60 times a day. Their social lives, sexual relationships and sleep are affected and this is something that they’ll likely experience for the rest of their lives. There is no cure for IC.

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Elmiron is one of the drugs used to treat this condition but it comes with a serious side effect. Long term use could potentially result in a condition known as Maculopathy. This causes damage to the eye’s retina. The retina translates the images we see. Damage to it can result in partial or total vision loss. As a result, several Elmiron disputes have been launched at the courts. These lawsuits maintain that Janssen, Elmiron’s manufacturer, was aware of the risk to patients’ vision and withheld this information.

There are at least 7 studies that link Elmiron to eye damage. Unlike other medications that have been recalled when links to serious disease have been found, Elmiron remains on the shelves.

People with IC who have suffered Elmiron related vision loss have the option of filing suit against its manufacturers once they can prove the connection. At Drug Guardians, we can help you establish this causal link and help you to be justly compensated. 

We have also put together the lists below outlining the pros and cons of continuing Elmiron use, for those who have not experienced retina damage.

Benefits of Elmiron

  • Mitigation of IC symptoms

  • Patients can have life returned to a semblance of normality. They will be able to sleep and take part in social activities 

  • Elmiron is one of a few drugs designed to treat this condition

Drawbacks of Elmiron

  • Elmiron can affect vision with long term use, possibly leading to partial or total vision loss. A doctor should monitor your progress on the drug regularly to see if your vision is being affected.

  • Elmiron is considered a weak blood thinner and persons taking it risk bleeding at the nose and gums.

  • Other side effects patients taking Elmiron were likely to experience include:

  • bruising

  • dizziness

  • nausea

  • diarrhea

  • hair loss (alopecia)

  • trouble sleeping

  • unexpected weight gain

  • skin rashes

  • bloody stool

  • headaches

  • gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)

  • abnormal liver function

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  • Elmiron is expensive

What should I do?

If after reviewing this list, you and your doctor decide to stop taking Elmiron, there are some alternatives the both of you can look into. This study suggests that rather than focusing on medication, a holistic approach should be taken when treating IC. This is because recent research is hinting at the systemic origins of the disease. Treatments should therefore include behaviour change along with oral medication and/or natural remedies.

If you or a loved one have been affected by vision loss because of Elmiron, speak with us at Drug Guardians to see if you meet the criteria to file suit against its manufacturer. You may be entitled to compensation if you:

  • Used Elmirond for 1-2 years before experiencing vision problems

  • Have experienced the following:

  • Unique pigmentary maculopathy (macular degeneration)

  • Paracentral scotoma

  • Impaired or blurred vision

  • Retinal atrophy

  • Ocular toxicity

  • Macular dystrophy

  • Night blindness

  • Bilateral or unilateral blindness

  • Permanent vision loss

It is expected that claims against Elmiron’s manufacturer, Janssen, will increase in 2021. Lawsuits are only at the beginning stages and there have been no trials or settlements yet. However, we are working with others across the country to file class action suits. and are experienced at this type of litigation. 

Before you hesitate about taking action, think of the loss of income and quality of life damage to your vision that represents you or your loved one. Drug Guardians may not be able to restore the peace of mind you had before your injury, but we can take you through the steps of filing your claim, gathering your evidence and preparing your case to receive compensation.

Effortless Ways To Effectively Lose Fat And Achieve Your Weight Goal

Weight reduction takes less effort if you stick to a diet plan and maintain a healthy lifestyle. You’ll want to follow a balanced diet plan that changes your unhealthy eating habits and satisfies your cravings at the same time so that you don’t end up quitting, rather than going on an extreme starvation diet that burns 6 pounds a week but might lead you to gain all the weight back when you return to your regular eating habits. 

That being said, you need to stay away from restrictive diets and low-calorie meal plans. If you can’t find the right diet that will boost your weight loss efforts, this article explains the main ways by which you can effortlessly burn fat and reach your goal weight.

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Eat Nutrient-Dense Food

The foundation of any person's diet should be nutrient-dense food that comprises a variety of vitamins, protein, and carbs. When you put your meal plans together, make sure your dishes or meals are made up of 50% vegetables and fruits, 25% protein, and 25% whole grains. Ensuring that your food has evenly dispersed nutrients will not just help you get rid of fat, but also strengthen your immune system and eliminate your chances of getting heart disease. 

After age 30, metabolism tends to slow down so you can consider taking supplements to boost metabolism and recover energy fast. Sean Newton, a Health And Fitness Writer provided a list of ingredients included in such a ‘reds’ type supplement if you're interested in learning more.

You should aim to reduce your saturated fats and avoid trans fats completely. While you should not eliminate foods from your diet entirely to avoid nutritional deficiency, some foods are considered unnecessary and are only harmful to the body such as sugar and trans fats. You should also aim to keep your fiber intake at 25 to 30 grams to stay full and avoid unnecessary snacking.

Reduce Your Intake of Refined Carbs

As mentioned previously, sugar is far more harmful than many people think and leads to weight gain and obesity. A quick way to lose weight is to stop consuming sugars, carbs, and starches. While cutting back on carbs completely is not ideal, you can stick to a low-carb diet that eliminates sugars to stay in shape. You can also replace refined carbs with whole grains to make your diet healthier and include fiber in your nutritional intake. Cutting back on sugars and refined carbs lets you curb your hunger and control the number of calories you eat per day.

Avoid Liquid Calories

The problem with drinking juices, teas, and other sweetened beverages is that you can end consuming hundreds of calories without even noticing.

 Nutritionists at Fintys define empty calories as those that come from drinks that only give you energy while providing no nutritional value. Simply put, these drinks make you gain weight without feeling full after consumption, no matter how high they are in calories. So, unless you’re replacing a meal with a fresh and highly nutritious smoothie, you should not be drinking sweetened juices, coffees, or alcohol. When it comes to reaching your goal weight, water is your best friend. 

Move More Often

Sure, exercise helps speed up shedding the extra weight in your body. Moving more often is not a must but if you do so, you’ll gain lean muscles that tone your body and make you look healthier especially if you lift weights, where you’ll be burning more calories and maintaining a steady metabolism rate. Most people suffer from a decreased metabolism after shedding a few pounds off, they usually end up hitting what is called a weight loss plateau. 

You can go to the gym three to four times a week to prevent that and keep your metabolism running. You can also try doing some cardio exercises like running and jumping jacks to keep your heart rate healthy and burn off some extra calories.

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Control Servings And Food Portions

It’s important to control your food portions and know exactly how much your ideal food serving size is as overeating any type of food can lead to weight gain. Try monitoring your food portions by comparing the meal’s size to golf balls and tennis balls to make it easier when you’re not at home. For example, half a cup is as big as a tennis ball, while a full cup is as big as a baseball. A teaspoon can also be compared to playing dice in case you’re trying to monitor your sugar intake.

Most people find it difficult to stick to a diet, usually due to the extreme restrictions and hard-to-follow requirements. To successfully reach your desired weight, all you need to do is to reduce your sugar intake and include all food varieties in your diet to consume the recommended doses of nutrients. You should also drink water more often to stay hydrated and boost your metabolism.