How to Talk to Your Doctor After You’ve Been Injured
Punctuation’s Problem Child Why the Interrobang Fizzled Out
It’s a punctuation mark that’s over 50 years old, but you may not have heard of it before. It’s an odd-looking squiggle that denotes a common inflection, but many experts argue it has no place on paper. In an age when thoughts are limited to 280 characters, wouldn’t a single punctuation mark that does the job of two be valuable? Some say yes, others say no thank you. So what is this mystery punctuation mark? It’s the interrobang! In 1962, advertising agent Martin K. Speckter believed ads would look better if rhetorical questions were conveyed using a single mark. He merged the question mark, also called an interrogative point, with the exclamation point, known in the jargon of printers as a “bang,” and the interrobang was born. In the first few years of its existence, the interrobang made some mild headway, appearing in some dictionaries and even on some typewriters in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. And while it was used in magazine and newspaper articles for several years, it wasn’t meant to last. There are a few explanations for why the interrobang never took off, but the most prominent one says that as writing styles changed, there was less use of rhetorical questions in writing, especially formal writing. Because the interrobang was originally intended to denote rhetorical questions, it faded from use. Today, using the two punctuation marks that make up the interrobang is still popular, especially in nonformal writing like social media copy. Any variation of “!?” denotes a sense of excitement, urgency, or disbelief in the form of a question, rhetorical or not. But the reason people don’t use the interrobang to serve the same purpose is simple: It’s not a key on keyboards. There are still certain fonts that are equipped to display the nonstandard mark, but if you want to use it, you have to go digging for it. It’s just much quicker to write two punctuation marks than search for a single one.
While the primary goal of medical care should be treatment to speed your healing, it’s important to remember that what you say to your doctor is recorded in your medical records. This especially matters if you’re filing an injury case — medical records are used as evidence. First, don’t delay getting medical attention. If you are in pain after an accident, seeking care immediately will get you the best medical care, and insurance companies and the jury will see your injury is serious. Failing to seek care immediately leaves your case open for the insurance company to claim your injury must not be severe enough to warrant compensation because you didn’t seek care immediately. So, if you experience pain after an accident, don’t make the mistake of visiting a lawyer before seeking medical care. The order in which you do things — seek medical attention, and then seek legal counsel — shows your priorities. You also need to keep all medical appointments. Failing to do so tells insurance companies you are not that serious about healing, and they will use it against you in court. Missing appointments can also exacerbate your care providers, and irritated doctors do not make good witnesses. Finally, don’t play “tough” with your doctor and minimize your pain. Be forthright and honest about your pain and suffering as a result of your injury. Your doctor isn’t going to judge you, and they will record your pain in your medical records. Often, doctors will schedule appointments 4–6 weeks out and ask you to come back in the meantime if your condition worsens. Make sure you play an active role in scheduling those follow-up appointments if your treatment plan isn’t working and communicate honestly with your doctor if your condition does not improve. What you do immediately after you are injured can have a large impact on the value of a personal injury case. To learn more about what to do following an injury, visit DavidBlackwellLaw.com.
But who knows what the future will bring? Language is in an ever- changing state, and the interrobang may rise again. Or will it!?
2
803-285-0225
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker