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Lower Back Pain and Neck Pain, caused by many different problems and conditions, can range from a mild, bothersome, dull pain to very severe, incapacitating, unrelenting pain that interferes with normal movement, restricting mobility.  There are several causes of back and neck pain such as referred pain, which is feeling pain in your back and neck caused by other organs in the body not located near your back or neck, such as the kidneys or gall bladder.  In young adults and children, the most usual causes of back and neck pain are strains and sprains of the neck or back.  Strains are muscle injuries to the neck or spine and sprains are ligament injuries.  Strain and sprain symptoms usually develop immediately or within a day and disappear within a moderate length of time, usually a month or so.  The symptoms of back and neck pain caused by sprains or strains include pain from tearing or stretching of the soft tissue, stiffness, or neck spasms.  

Even with todays advanced technology, in many cases the exact cause of back and neck pain are unknown.  Many times back and neck pain is just a symptom caused by many different problems such as degeneration of vertebrae.  The effect of aging or stress on the ligaments and muscles that support the spine can often caused this.  Other reasons for back and neck pain include fractures, injury, or trauma; poor muscle tone; overuse or strenuous activity; abnormal growths such as bone spurs or a tumor; arthritis; congenital abnormalities of the bones and vertebrae; compression fractures; and muscle or ligament tears.  

There are several ways to help prevent some types of back and neck pain.  These include maintaining a healthy weight, use proper lifting techniques such as bending from the knees; if possible, reduce emotional stress in your daily life; practice proper posture techniques when sleeping, standing, sitting, walking, or using computers or other equipment; and participate in regular stretching and exercise programs.

Back and neck pain caused by a strain or sprain often involves a rest of no more than three days and icing the injury, combined with a pain medicine and anti-inflammatory medication to help relieve the spasms.  Slowly work you way back to normal exercise and activities because starting to move again is an important part of recovery.  Doing strengthening and stretching exercises for your abdominal, leg, neck and back muscles and learning about proper posture, lifting, and relaxing techniques helps prevent future back and neck pain.  If your back and neck pain becomes more severe or does not seem to be subsiding, seek medical advice.

For more information, visit BackPainFixes.com

The erector spinae are back muscles that run along each side of the spinal column.  When you injure this muscle, it can really hurt.  The best way to control the pain is through exercises that target these muscles.  Too many people forget all about toning up their back muscles when they exercise.  They work their arms, legs and abdomens but leave the poor back out of the picture.

The best exercises I’ve found for the back include the barbell bent row, the deadlift, the pelvic lift, the leg lift buttock tightener and the double leg lifts.   Though some of these exercises sound like they’re meant for bodybuilders or weightlifters, they are perfect for everyone.  You don’t have to use a heavy weight.  In fact, you can use a phone book if you want.  The main point is you need to make sure you include your back in a regular exercise routine if you want to avoid unnecessary sprains, pulls and tears.

Learn more about back treatments and back exercises at Back and Neck Pain.

Choosing a Personal Injury Attorney

Personal injury cases are serious matters. They often involve grave injury, permanent disability, and even death. Victims depend on the financial damages they are awarded to cover their medical treatments, replace permanently lost income, and compensate for their pain and suffering. Without a qualified, experienced personal injury attorney, their chances of receiving fair compensation plummet.

That's why it is imperative that, if you have been a victim of personal injury, you choose the right personal injury attorney to represent you. Here are a few things to consider when making your selection:

Choose an attorney who specializes in personal injury

You wouldn't see a podiatrist if you had a heart problem, so why would you hire a lawyer who doesn't specialize in personal injury? Your lawyer should be able to accurately assess the merits of a personal injury case, approximate its monetary value, and determine the best strategy for pursuing it. He or she should also have extensive experience in the field, including personal injury jury trial experience. Further, because landmark cases can change the legal landscape, your lawyer should be one who keeps current with the latest developments in personal injury law - these may be used to your advantage.

Choose a personal injury attorney experienced in dealing with insurance companies

Insurance company lawyers represent most personal injury case defendants. These corporate lawyers seek to pay out the least amount possible and will try to delay, delay, delay, so an inexperienced personal injury attorney may be at a disadvantage in these negotiations. Therefore, choosing a personal injury lawyer with a proven track record of successful negotiations is essential.  Don't be afraid to ask what the average case size the lawyer takes on settles for, how many trials they have each year, what percentage of their clients do they file suit on, and what percent of the ones they file suit on go all the way to trial.

Choose an attorney with trial experience

Although most personal injury claims are settled out of court, personally injury lawyers sometimes obtain favorable settlements by threatening to take cases to trial. The defendants are often willing to pay out more money to the plaintiffs to avoid expensive trials, negative publicity, and the chance that a court would award the plaintiffs more money. In this case, experience is key: if your personal injury attorney has never won cases in court, the defendant in your lawsuit may not take the threat of going to trial seriously.  When you go up against an insurance company, both you and your attorney need to have the attitude the case is going to trial.

Choose an attorney who respects you as a client

Remember that when you hire a personal injury attorney, you are paying him for a service - and you should be satisfied with the quality of that service. He or she should return your phone calls promptly, communicate with you personally, and keep you updated on the status of your case. He or she should also discuss the terms of your contract, including fees, up front (Most personal injury attorneys work for a contingency fee, meaning that they are paid out of your settlement. If you don't win, you don't pay.). If your attorney's performance is less than stellar, realize that you can still replace him or her at your own discretion.

Obtain legal advice from a personal injury lawyer in your area.  If you live in Texas, you can request our Free Texas Accident Victim's Guide which goes into much more detail about how to choose the right personal injury attorney and mistakes to avoid with your personal injury case.

I have posted a great video created by injuryboard.com on my Texas Law Blog which covers the myths of tort reform - check it out and let me know what you think!


Andrew Traub - Helping accident victims protect their legal rights.
Free information available on many legal topics.

If your business has past due accounts, you better not sit on them.  Many of the small business owners come to me for debt collection help when it's already too late.  Often we find out the company that owes them the money has shut down or been sold to another company.  Both present problems.

In the case of a company that has shut down, we need to file suit, obtain a judgment, and then see if the assets were improperly distributed - all of which takes more time and effort (and hence money).

If the business has been sold, we need to see if it was an asset sale or a takeover.  If it was an asset sale, the business could be out of luck as Texas law protects purchasers in good faith (businesses and people that buy without notice of another person's interest).

If you hire us for your accounts receivable collection  needs, we can start with a collection letter giving the debtor a short time to respond.  Then we file suit in an attempt to obtain a judgment on your behalf.  Once the judgment is obtained, we still need to find the assets and convert them to cash.  The longer you wait, the harder this all becomes.

Don't wait until it's too late and you have to write-off the debt.  Contact our Austin law office today.

If you have a corporation or limited liability company outside of Texas that is doing business in Texas, the law requires you to have a registered agent in the state to accept service of lawsuits.

A registered agend is required for each entity, that is, each corporation and LLC

Failing to register and designate a registered agent may foreclose or hinder the company's ability to legally enter into contracts and gain access to the Texas state courts. Moreover, it may subject the company to monetary, civil, and possibly criminal sanctions.

While there are many companies that can act as a registered agent, you may want to use a lawyer in Texas for your registered agent.  Why?  Because a lawyer can do more.  The time you'll really care who your registered agent is will be when you are on the defensive side of a lawsuit.  Then you'll have to find a lawyer to defend you and give him or her a copy of the suit before the deadline to respond expires.  You'll be under the gun.

Instead, you may want to consider using an attorney.  Make sure the attorney has litigation experience and review the contract outlining what is and what is not covered in the registered agent agreement.

Good luck,

Andrew

The Texas Supreme Court recently overturned a Corpus Christi mechanic's $169,000 damage award because he failed to quantify how much asbestos had been inhaled on the job.

As a mechanic for more than 30 years, Arturo Flores was exposed to asbestos every time he ground brake pads (the pads contained anywhere from 7 to 28 percent asbestos).  Ultimately, he developed asbestosis, an incurable and debilitating lung condition.

On appeal, Borg-Warner, who lost at trial, claimed that Mr. Flores could not quantify how much asbestos he had inhaled and how much were from their brakes.  The court reasoned that Mr. Flores did not show how much asbestos could have been inhaled or whether the amounts were sufficient to cause asbestosis.

Since the testing required to prove this new, higher standard is expensive, victims will now have a much harder time winning in court.

Andrew Traub Austin's Accident Lawyer - Helping accident victims protect their legal rights. Free information available.

If you are looking for a lawyer or attorney in Austin, Texas, there's a new directory designed just for that.

The Austin Lawyer Directory hopes to help consumers and businesses easily locate a lawyer to help them with their problem.  Instead of using legal terms, its directory focuses on problems and solutions.  More additions and features are promised.

It's just starting out, so check it out and send them feedback about what you like and don't like.

Cheers,

Andrew Traub
Austin Accident Lawyer - Helping accident victims protect their legal rights. Free information available.