If you are not alone with the victim, have someone call for an ambulance while you apply pressure to the wound. Place a thick, clean compress, such as sterile gauze or a soft, clean cloth directly and firmly over the entire wound. Don’t try to remove any objects that may be embedded in the wound, because that could worsen the bleeding.

Unless doing so causes the victim pain, you should elevate the wounded area. Cover the cloth or gauze with a bandage, tying or taping it in place. If blood soaks through the compress, do not remove it— instead, add another pad over the first compress, and continue to apply pressure.

C) Seal your lips around the victim’s mouth and give two full breaths of 1 to 1 1/2 seconds each. Remove your mouth after each exhalation and take a deep breath.

D) Turn your head toward the victim’s chest, with your ear just above his or her mouth. Listen for air being exhaled and watch the victim’s chest. Continue breathing into the victim’s mouth at a rate of 12 breaths per minute for an adult, 15 per minute for a child.

If you are alone with the victim, call for an ambulance after one minute and then resume resuscitation efforts. Check for a pulse and breathing every minute.

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DON’T WANT TO

Millions of Americans have learned the hard way that collecting on insurance claims can be a nightmare. The procedure features a myriad of confusing forms, numerous phone calls and letters, and an intimidating bureaucracy. What can you do when your insurance company doesn’t seem willing to pay your claim? Insiders say that the key to getting your insurance claim(s) paid is in knowing how to cut through all the confusing red tape.

Here are several insider tips for getting your insurance claims settled to your satisfaction:

1) Try to stay one step ahead of the bureaucracy. One way to do this is to make sure that you fill in every blank properly when filing a claim. Some companies will reject your claim simply because you omitted your date of birth.

2) Do not take “no” for an answer. Insiders say that every medical procedure has a code and that claims are sometimes rejected because of a computer mistake, resulting in the wrong code. It is estimated that as many as 30 percent of insurance claims are rejected because such minor details are incorrect.

3) Know what your policy covers before you undergo any treatment. You need to know how much your insurer has agreed to pay.

4) If all else fails, turn your claim over to a firm that files claims for policy holders who haven’t had any success in getting their claims paid. These firms can usually cut through the red tape and get the insurance company to pay the claim, or call your state’s insurance department for free help or advice.

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