A recent poll found that 36.4% of Americans plan to travel once this summer, and 44.80% plan to travel multiple times. With this increase of people on the move, there will inevitably be an influx of accidents and injuries. Once injured, you may have complex current and future medical needs that have to be addressed. This is where MacKenzie Life Care Planning can help. Our certified life care planning (CLCP) experts are committed to providing understandable and comprehensive care plans that promote the best outcomes for an individual’s recovery.
Before detailing the role of a life care planner in creating a post-injury care plan, let’s go over some safety tips to help prevent injuries during your summer travel.
Summer Travel Safety Tips
While not all accidents are preventable, these tips will help you reduce your risk and have an enjoyable vacation.
Get Enough Sleep
Do not neglect sleep while traveling. Research shows that getting fewer than seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period makes you 15.1 times more likely to cause a car accident. Not getting enough sleep increases your risk of injury by reducing your cognitive abilities. Insufficient sleep can cause reaction time lags, declination of reasoning skills, difficulty concentrating, and a reduction in reasonable judgment .
Make sleep a priority while traveling by staying vigilant for jet lag and scheduling downtime. Allow your body time to recover and adjust by not planning intense or mentally demanding activities on your first day after arriving at your travel destination.
Prioritize Road Safety
A survey of those planning a vacation found that 26% planned to drive to their travel destination this summer. With the expected increase of drivers on the road, the risk of car accidents and their associated injuries also increases. During travel, you face driving with additional people in the car, in unfamiliar areas for long periods. These all increase your risk of an accident.
Reduce your risk of injury by avoiding alcohol, performing routine vehicle maintenance, reducing distractions, and not driving during peak traffic times.
Practice Boating Safety
The top two contributing factors for boating injuries and death are operator inattention and inexperience. Both are preventable. Other common causes of boating injuries include hazardous weather conditions and lack, or improper use of, safety equipment.
If you plan to go boating, take a safety course first. 74% of boating deaths occurred where the operator did not take a boating safety course. Learn about the local water topography and pay attention to the changing weather conditions. Avoid or limit your alcohol intake to ensure the helmsman is sober while operating the vessel. Finally, always have enough life vests for everyone on the boat. Even strong swimmers are no match for potentially powerful currents.
Diligence During Activities
Do not take unnecessary risks while on vacation by participating in an activity without doing your due diligence. Common travel and vacation activities present a risk of injury if the vendor servicing the activity is not reputable. Examples of potentially risky activities include snorkeling, waterskiing, water tubing, parasailing, zip lining, or rock climbing.
Ask for the credentials and proof of insurance for any vendor whose services you plan to utilize. Ask about the experience and training of the employees running the activity. Look at the safety equipment yourself to determine the condition.
Common Injuries
There are common catastrophic injuries that happen when people get injured during summer travel. At MacKenzie Life Care Planning, we have an experienced team familiar with these injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
A traumatic brain injury is a deterioration or dysfunction of the brain’s function due to an impact to the head. No two brain injuries are alike, and symptoms can be immediate or delayed. These injuries can significantly impact quality of life.
Burns
A burn occurs when an individual is exposed to fire, chemical, heat, extreme sun, or electricity. The injury can range from minor to extensive and life-threatening; long-term effects include pain, disability, decreased quality of life, and additional injuries.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves extending from the brain to the lower back. It is the central signaling system between the brain and the rest of the body. It can become injured from an impact or cut. Injury results in permanent loss of function and completely changes how the injured individual lives their life.
Amputations
An amputation is the removal of a limb. This can happen through trauma, surgery, or illness. The individual will experience a significant change in their quality of life as they adapt to life without a limb. In some cases, prosthetics can provide aid to improve functionality.
Neck and Back Injuries
Neck and back injuries include bone fractures, herniated discs, cervical dislocation, nerve damage, and spinal cord injury. No two injuries are the same. An individual could experience this type of injury from improper movement, repetitive movement, impact, or fall.
Role of a Life Care Planner and Vocational Expert
If you experience a catastrophic or life-altering injury while traveling, you may seek advice from a personal injury attorney. During this process, your lawyer may employ the assistance of a life care planner or vocational expert. Our team of life care planning and vocational professionals provides several services:
Determine Future Care Needs
One of the most common services our CLCP experts provide is determining future care needs of the injured party and estimating medical care costs. Because each individual’s injuries are unique, it’s crucial to take a customized approach to care costs and needs. We collaborate with the team of medical professionals providing care and treatment. The result is a comprehensive plan that addresses current and future needs to ensure the injured individual’s needs are addressed.
Vocational Assessment
When an individual suffers catastrophic injuries, it impacts all areas of life, including the ability to work. Our vocational assessments determine how the injuries affect an individual’s future earning ability. A vocational analysis includes an assessment of these factors.
Pre-injury earning capacity
Calculation of past lost wages
Analysis of transferable workplace skills
Determination of post-injury earning capacity
Future loss of earning capacity
Stay Safe This Summer
With careful preparation and diligent attention to safety, you can reduce your risk of injury this summer. Get plenty of sleep, take necessary safety and operational courses, and do your due diligence when engaging in activities. If you get injured, our life care planners can help your personal injury attorney determine your needs with a comprehensive life care plan.
Speak with the experienced team at MacKenzie Life Care Planners about your injury, or call us directly at 903-595-6777.
For more information, visit our website: www.mackenzieclcp.com