First, if you know that it is supposed to snow or sleet, check on the road conditions before you leave. If travel advisories have been issued, it is best to remain home until those get lifted. Of course, there might be vital errands you need to run, so plan for some extra time on the road if you need to head out. Consider these tips to help you remain safer on the roads:

• Make sure you have at least half a tank of gas in your vehicle. This helps prevent the gas lines from freezing. It can also allow you to stay warm if you end up getting stranded.
• Check your tires. They need to have appropriate tread to be able to grip the road. They should also all be one type as you shouldn't mix radials with other types.
• Don't try to drive the speed limit. These limits are set for ideal conditions. You will need to drive slower in the snow and ice.
• Remember that four-wheel-drive helps with acceleration but it doesn't impact stopping distance. You shouldn't try to stop suddenly when the roads are slick.
• Never use cruise control when the weather and roads aren't clear. Cruise control can't account for the upcoming road conditions and could contribute to a crash.
• Try not to accelerate on snowy hills. You might find that your car's tires start to spin if you hit the gas when you are going up an incline.
• Ensure the windshield wipers are in good shape and that the windshield is clear. Trying to see through windshield grime that is often present in winter can make safe driving impossible. You need good wipers to brush off anything that sprays up on your vehicle as you drive.

There is a chance that other drivers won't be as safe as you are this winter. If you are involved in a crash, stay as safe as possible. Remaining in your vehicle can put a barrier between you and other vehicles that might careen toward your car. Contact the police department to file a police report and get medical care if necessary. As you are handling things with the police, the other driver and insurance representatives, don't say anything that might impact your right to seek compensation for the injuries you suffered.

Construction work is physically demanding and comes with many hazards. As a result, construction workers face an unusually high likelihood of incurring traumatic spinal injuries.

Danger for construction workers

A recent study from an Australian university has important implications for construction workers in New York City. Researchers at the University of New South Wales found that 50 percent of workplace spinal cord injuries occur in the construction industry. Of these, 78 percent were caused by falls from ladders, scaffolding or tall structures. This study, while not specific to the United States, demonstrates that construction work is a dangerous industry for people all around the world—including New York.

What to do if you experience a spinal injury

If you are at work and injure your spine, it is important to seek medical treatment immediately. You should do this before anything else. Then, you should gather the names sand contact information of any witnesses—including your supervisor, coworkers or bystanders.

After you take these steps, you should consider taking legal action to seek compensation for your injury. You may be entitled to compensation for damages including medical treatment, emotional trauma and lost wages.

No construction worker should have to experience a spinal injury. If it happens to you, know your rights. Your employer is required to provide a safe workplace, and you deserve compensation for your damages.

Think about how a concussion happens. Your brain itself impacts the inside of your skull. It's a violent impact. Getting into a car accident can cause it, for instance, or getting thrown off of a motorcycle and hitting your head -- helmet or not -- on the pavement. Your brain still takes that impact. You could lose consciousness. It's that bad.

So, with that in mind, what symptoms should you watch out for to know if you have a concussion?

1. Losing consciousness for any amount of time

As noted above, you may be unconscious for a moment after the impact. Sometimes, it's just for a second or two. Other times, people lose consciousness for a minute or more. The length of time does not matter -- do not take it less seriously because you "came to" quickly. If you're missing any time at all, you could have a concussion.

2. Mental confusion and memory loss

Immediately after you get the concussion, you may feel confused. You may not know where you are or what day it is. When people try to talk to you, you could feel like your brain is trying to fight through a heavy fog.

In some cases, people actually cannot remember things that happened. You may wake up after the impact and think it is the previous day. Hours may be missing. Sometimes these memories come back and sometimes they don't.

3. Lasting headaches

A headache is one of the main symptoms that tends to go on, possibly for days. Your brain is physically bruised and you feel that pain endlessly as it heals. This is especially obvious if you're not the type of person to get headaches for other reasons, but now you always seem to have one that you cannot shake.

4. Seeing bright lights

Did you feel like you saw stars or flashing lights during the impact? Even if you did not lose consciousness, that could still be a concussion. This may make you feel dizzy after the fact. Even without other physical injuries, your dizziness may make it hard for you to walk.

On top of that, the dizziness can get so bad that you feel nauseated or you actually throw up. Everyone's body responds to trauma in different ways. These symptoms indicate that your brain took a serious blow and needs time to heal.

Your rights

If you do suffer from a head injury in a car accident, make sure you know all of your rights to financial compensation.

The first and most immediate concern is to seek medical attention, but what happens next? You may have a long physical recovery ahead of you that will leave out of work and looking to claim workers’ compensation benefits or file a personal injury lawsuit. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself.

See a doctor

Depending on your injury, you may be rushed to an emergency room or you may have a chance to select a doctor. If you don’t need emergency services, your employer may have a list of required Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) to choose from. If not, you are free to select your own doctor, but make sure the Compensation Board.

Notify your employer

You will also need to notify your employer of your accident or injuries. Your workers’ compensation benefits could be denied if you do not notify your employer within 30 days of your injury.

Keep records

One of the most important things you can do is to keep records. Record the date and severity of your injuries. Keep medical records. Make notes of doctor visits. Take photos of your injuries. Anything you can do to document your injuries will be to your benefit.

You will also want to keep financial records to help ensure that you are recovering all the losses you are entitled to.

Consult an attorney

It is important to work with an attorney to make sure you don’t miss anything. Trying to go through the process without the assistance of a lawyer could mean you don’t get the compensation you deserve.

When it comes to the law there are some known attractive nuisances. These can be items on private or public property and can even include company vehicles. Attractive nuisances are typically man-made, so lakes and trees do not qualify. Some common attractive nuisances include:

• Swimming pools and fountains: They are a drowning hazard
• Ice cream trucks: Children run out to them without looking for cars
• Machinery and farm equipment: Children climb on them
• Wells and tunnels
• Dangerous animals
• Play equipment
• An accessible rooftop or climbable building

An owner's responsibility

The person or company who owns an attractive nuisance is responsible for knowing the risk these attractions involve and taking responsibility for protecting children and others from harm.

For example, if your neighbor decides to build an in-ground swimming pool in his yard he will also need to put up a tall fence. This is to make it more difficult for babies and young children to wander into his yard and fall into the pool. If he merely posts signs that say "no trespassing" this is not enough to stop curious children. Typically children under about eight year of age (depending on the state) cannot be held responsible for trespassing or "negligent" behavior. This is why a tall fence is often a required barrier (often by the municipality) to keep unsupervised children from entering a neighborhood pool.

Likewise, if your neighbor decides to get a large dog, it is in their best interest to put up a fence.

Ice cream trucks

Ice cream trucks present a potentially dangerous hazard to children. They play enticing music and offer sweet, cold treats. Children are often too young or so overwhelmed by the desire for ice cream that they do not look before running to or from an ice cream truck. Depending on which side of the street the truck pulls over on and the flow of traffic, there may not be a protective arm to stop traffic. However, to have a case of wrongful death or injury (also known as actionable negligence) there must be "legal duty."

The role of insurance

When a person, such as a homeowner, or a company, such as an ice cream truck vendor, owns or operates a known attractive nuisance they must take precautionary measures and have appropriate insurance coverage in the event that someone does get hurt. Most pools, for example, are covered under the "other structures" portion of a homeowner's insurance policy. If you, your child or someone you care about was injured because an owner or company was negligent then a personal injury attorney can offer advice on your next best steps.

Imagine heading home to the Bronx after work on a Friday. You are looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend after a hard week at work. Unfortunately, not far from your home, the start of your weekend makes an unexpected turn. As you enter an intersection on a green light, you get hit on the passenger side by another driver. Now, you have a very damaged car and some aches and pains that might be more than simple bruising from the impact.

You probably already know what to do immediately after a car wreck, such as calling the police, exchanging information and talking to witnesses. But, what about when you get home and in the days following the collision? Keep the following post-car accident tips in mind when it comes time take the next steps.

Contact your insurance company

Even though you were not at fault for the car accident, you still need to notify your insurer of the incident. By taking this action, you will make a good-faith effort to report the accident. This can go a long way to help you if the other driver's insurer denies your claim and you have to rely on your insurer to cover your losses.

Choose your battles

If the at-fault driver's insurance company refuses to pay your claim, your insurance company might choose to fight for compensation. If not, you have the option of doing so on your own, but you will generally need legal help to have any chance of success. Even if the other driver admitted fault at the scene, he or she probably did not tell the exact same story to the insurance company. Unless you obtain a police report that clearly shows the other driver at fault, then your claim could be a he-said-she-said situation.

Know your coverage

You should also take the time to refresh your knowledge of your own car insurance policy. In general, insurance companies do not like to pay claims, even for their own policy holders. It is up to you to ensure that your insurance company is upholding its obligations to you according to your policy.

The above tips can help you during the claims filing process after a car accident. If you have suffered an injury due to a wreck with a negligent driver, it is important to understand your rights and options, especially in terms of your own insurance coverage. However, if you are facing a claim denial, you might be able to take legal action and fight for the compensation you deserve.

There are many risks involved in construction. It often involves moving through unfinished buildings, which creates the risk for a fall. There are many moving pieces of machinery, as well as heavy materials, which can cause crushing accidents. However, one of the most dangerous things at a construction site isn't something you can see.

Electricity is a necessary utility when using machinery and power tools to build an edifice. It will also end up installed via wiring into just about every new building constructed. Construction workers have constant potential exposure to electricity. Unfortunately for some of them, that can turn out to be a deadly risk.

Electricity can strike without warning

Chemical spills and machinery may have tell-tale warning signs, such as strong odors, flashing lights or loud noises. Electricity, on the other hand, is invisible and won't make a sound like you hear it make on television. It can move through wiring, water and many construction materials in an instant, causing severe burns or even stopping the heart of anyone in its path. In some cases, electricity can cause fires, which can injure or kill people while also causing massive property damage.

There are countless ways for an electrical accident to happen on a job site. Perhaps a wire gets ripped or frayed during daily work. Maybe something comes into contact with something else that shouldn't touch it, resulting in unsafe conduction of electricity.

Follow safety protocol to keep yourself safe

Thick-soled shoes can provide grounding during minor electrical incidents. Safety gloves and goggles can also help reduce the risk of burns. However, there is no gear that can protect you from each and every risk factor involving electricity. Instead, you will need to ensure that your employer has adequate safety protocols in place.

In general, the people actually installing or working with electricity are the ones at greatest risk on a construction site. They represent about a third of all total electrocution deaths on site. General laborers represent another 16 percent, while carpenters round out the top three risky positions with 6 percent of electrocutions. Other trades involved in the process (excepting those already mentioned, roofers and supervisors) account for another 35 percent of deaths.

Those in the highest risk positions should make sure they know the best way to stay safe at work. Carefully following safety practices and ensuring your co-workers do the same is one way to lower the risk of an electrical accident at your job site. If you don't believe your work site is safe, make sure that you report your concerns to management, so that they can address any obvious risk factors. While injured workers will have the right to seek workers' compensation, avoiding the injury to begin with is a better option.

Are you a construction worker? Do you ever wonder about the things you can do to better prevent an accident in the future?

There's a good chance you spend many hours of your week climbing up and down ladders on the job site. While this may be second nature to you, it's important to remember one thing: A simple mishap can lead to a serious accident.

Here are six ladder safety tips that you should always keep in mind:

• Inspect a ladder before you use it. If you come across any sort of defect or damage, such as a crack or rust, remove the ladder from service and find another one for the time being.
• Only place the ladder on level and firm ground. Putting a ladder on soft or uneven ground increases the likelihood of an accident, and that's not a risk you want to take.
• Don't carry a heavy load up or down the ladder. As you look for ways to save time, you may assume it's okay to carry a heavy load with you on the ladder. However, if you do this, it increases the risk of losing your balance and falling to the ground.
• Don't stretch or lean when using a ladder. For example, if the ladder isn't tall enough, you may reach the top rung and then stretch as far as possible. This is a mistake, as it can cause you to lose your balance.
• Avoid setting up a ladder close to an exit door, pedestrian traffic or vehicular traffic. You should also make sure other workers know that you're using a ladder, so that they don't bump into it.
• Ask for assistance. If you're concerned about the stability of a ladder for any reason, don't hesitate to ask a coworker to hold it.

If you work on a ladder often you may find it difficult to follow these safety tips, day in and day out.

In the event of an accident, regardless of the cause, call for help and follow the medical advice you receive. Also, report the accident to your employer and learn more about your rights under the workers' compensation system.

Those who work in construction take risks every day as part of their job. They work at great heights, which present the risk of a potential fall. They deal with large, dangerous machines and equipment. There's always the potential for mechanical issues or other accidents, as well as the presence of electricity on many job sites. All of these risk factors and more make construction work one of the most dangerous jobs.

Most people understand that workers' compensation offers coverage to workers who suffer injuries on the job. Fewer people realize that surviving family members may receive benefits after a loved one dies as the result of a work injury.

For some families, those benefits make all the difference in the difficult times after losing a loved one. Understanding this coverage can give construction workers and their families better peace of mind about working in this dangerous field.

Workers' compensation protects surviving family members

There are many issues that a family must face when someone dies unexpectedly in a work accident. There will be grief, as well as arranging the funeral. Familial responsibilities will likely need to shift for everyone to make up for the support from the deceased worker. Income may also be an issue, especially if the deceased family member was the primary wage earner for the family.

Even paying basic expenses with only one income could become nearly impossible for a family after a sudden loss. Workers' compensation exists to ensure that those who work for a living don't suffer financially due to injuries from their employment. That coverage extends to family members who depend on the worker. In the wake of a work accident that claims someone's life, their surviving dependents can file a claim for workers' compensation in New York.

New York workers' compensation offers a death benefit to dependent family members

Accidents on the job site can lead to the sudden death of a worker. It can also cause medical conditions that prove fatal in the future. When that happens, workers' compensation will typically cover medical costs prior to death. Certain surviving family members can also seek benefits to offset the lost wages of the deceased worker. Children, spouses, grandchildren, parents, siblings and grandparents may have the right to claim these benefits.

Typically, these benefits are two-thirds of the worker's average weekly pay, up to a maximum amount set by the state. There is also a separate benefit of up to $12,500 for funeral costs if the burial takes place in a Metropolitan New York County of $10,500 for all other counties in the state. If there are no surviving family members, workers' compensation may still pay as much as $50,000 toward the estate of the deceased worker.

Distracted driving is one of the biggest risks on the modern roadway. Situational issues, like inclement weather, can cause crashes. So can the decision to get behind the wheel after drinking or while exhausted. Distracted driving, however, is a more common risk factor. There are likely many more people driving distracted than you even realize.

There are many kinds of distraction. Some people get lost in thought. Others try to eat a meal during a commute. There are even drivers who put on clothing or makeup while operating a vehicle. However, distractions caused by smartphones are a serious risk factor as well. Reading a text or taking a picture with a phone while driving all too often results in a serious crash.

Statistics on distracted driving may be far from accurate

According to a recent study, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) estimate of how many people use their phone may be far too low. The NHTSA estimates that roughly 660,000 people use their phones during daylight hours each day. However, a study conducted that analyzed 100 billion miles of driving shows much higher rates of cellphone use. In fact, the study, conducted by Zendrive, found that 3.5 billion miles of those 100 billion involved someone using a phone while driving.

That means that every day, 69 million drivers in the United States use their phone behind the wheel. That figure makes it clear why more than a quarter of all preventable collisions involve mobile phone distractions. They also found these people used their phones for just under two minutes of every hour on the road. That's a lot of distance traveled looking at a screen instead of the road.

Distracted drivers can cause crashes or hit pedestrians

There are countless reasons why people may feel tempted to look down at their phones. Maybe they heard a new email or text message arrive. Perhaps they need directions to their destination. The best safety tip in either situation is to pull over to check your phone or to ask a passenger to check it on your behalf. If you find that you can't overcome the temptation to look at the screen, you may want to start putting your phone in the back seat or the trunk when you drive.

It only takes a second of inattentiveness to cause a crash that results in serious injury or even death. Distracted drivers may not notice pedestrians in the crosswalk or the motorcyclist in the next lane over. That failure could have tragic results for the party that the distracted driver failed to see. For those who suffer injuries or lose a loved one because of a distracted driver, there may be legal options for holding that driver responsible for the crash.