Cellino Law - June 2021

Cellino Law - June 2021

June 2021 Advisor

Sometimes people will ask me if I have any summer vacations planned, and I always tell them the same thing: There’s no way I’m leaving New York in the summer! It’s really the best time of year here, and because we have such cold winters (and sometimes spring and fall are chilly too), I think we appreciate summertime more than people who live in the South, where they have warm or mild temperatures year-round. Ask me if I have a vacation planned in the winter, though, and you’ll probably get an enthusiastic yes! While summer is always a welcome time of year, I know that many of us are looking forward to this summer in particular because we’ll finally be able to enjoy some of our favorite activities that we missed out on last year due to the pandemic. I’m especially looking forward to dining on some local restaurants’ patios, a simple but favorite way to pass a warm summer evening. At the firm, we have a long-standing tradition of gathering employees from our five offices for a summer family picnic. We usually have a cookout with all the classics and we even bring in some fun activities like a jump house for the kids. With attorneys and staff working out of offices in Buffalo, Garden City, Manhattan, Melville, and Rochester, getting together in one place is a great way for everyone to get to know each other and to meet our family members. We haven’t been able to throw our usual summer picnic for employees in a few years, so I’m determined to make it happen this summer! I’ve been checking out a racetrack in Saratoga Springs, which is a great central location for us all to meet up. Though I don’t know much about horse racing, I think it’d be Sticking Around for Summer The Best Season in New York CellinoLaw.com

a great way to enjoy some quality time together. Plus, it’s a really nice part of the state to visit during the summer.

Back at home, one of my favorite summertime activities is playing in the pool with my eight grandkids. If you live in New York, you know this is the best way to beat the humid summer heat, and all my grandkids absolutely love it. In fact, the opportunity to swim is one of the only ways I can lure them off their screens and convince them to hang out with the grandparents! The kids all start swimming lessons when they’re 2 years old, so they are all excellent swimmers. In fact, my youngest grandchild is just starting to take lessons and he will be swimming like the others in no time. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to squeeze in a few rounds of golf. Breathing in the smell of the fresh-cut grass and tooling around on the golf course isn’t a bad way to spend a beautiful summer day. I don’t always get to do as much of that as I’d like, but it’s always in the back of my mind when I can catch some downtime. As vaccines roll out full steam ahead, I’m hopeful that this summer will have some semblance of normalcy. At least the warmer weather makes getting outside more appealing, and that’s a great way to socialize and see friends we haven’t been able to meet up with in a while. While I hope to be poolside with the grandkids as frequently as possible, I and all the other attorneys at Cellino Law will continue to work just as hard as always for you. Don’t hesitate to contact us if we can help you with anything.

––––-Ross Cellino 800-555-5555 1

CellinoLaw.com $2 Billion

Cellino has obtained millions in recoveries for clients and has supervised over $2 billion in settlements.

Meet Our Award- Winning Senior Trial Attorney, Mark Kochanowicz

There are just some things only a dog can understand — same with a cat, or a horse, or a bird, for that matter. That’s the idea behind animal- assisted therapy (AAT), a treatment designed to help those with mental and physical challenges. AAT may look like snuggling and playing with animals, but it's much more involved than you may think. What is AAT? AAT relies on an innate human need to connect with animals. The idea is that humans form bonds with living things, and this connection can have a calming effect on our minds. Physical therapy and massage therapy involve tangible actions on the part of the therapist, while AAT relies on the relationship between a human and an animal. This could help someone cope with grief, lessen a medical patient’s pain related to chemotherapy or surgery, provide connection to residents in long-term care facilities, or even offer exercise for those with limited mobility. Aren’t those just emotional support animals? In recent years, emotional support animals have become increasingly popular both in the media and in their use. Emotional support animals offer their owners vital emotional assistance, but they differ greatly from trained therapy animals. IS ANIMAL THERAPY RIGHT FOR YOU? Your Guide to AAT

Here at Cellino Law, we are proud that many of our attorneys have received recognition for their excellent work. In addition to being named a Super Lawyers Rising Star for three years running, Senior Trial Attorney Mark Kochanowicz was recently given the New Leaders in Law award from the Connecticut Law Tribune. Mark is licensed here in New York and in his home state of Connecticut, and he also tries cases at the federal district court.

Mark says it’s no surprise he ended up working in law. “I knew I should be a lawyer for a long time. My parents said, “You’re so argumentative, you should either be a priest or a lawyer,” he jokes. His father was a big influence on him and an early supporter of his inclination to ask questions and debate. His parents immigrated to the U.S. in the 1980s as political refugees from Poland during the Solidarity movement. His father was politically engaged and taught Mark to be civic-minded and how to understand the issues of the day. “I’m eternally grateful for that,” he says. Mark brings 10 years of trial experience in state and federal courts and says working as a personal injury attorney is especially rewarding because he helps individuals deal with their difficult circumstances and loss by getting them the compensation they deserve. Here’s what Mark’s recent client, Megan, had to say about him: “I would highly recommend Mark Kochanowicz for any personal injury cases. He was very thorough, kept me informed, and was able to provide me with the best possible outcome. He was very easy to reach if I had any questions and would always call to check up on my recovery, as well as keep me updated on the progress of my case. I felt very valued with Mark as my attorney, and he made this whole process much more bearable for me, knowing that he was dedicated to working on my case.” Outside of work, Mark’s three little boys — ages 1, 3, and 4 1/2 — and his wife keep him very busy. He is also devoted to CrossFit and watching the New England Patriots, even if that makes him unpopular with his fellow New Yorkers. Mark’s looking forward to launching model rockets in the park with his boys this summer and obliging his wife by taking trips to the beach.

AAT requires the use of a trained animal under the direction of a handler, who will also coordinate with medical professionals to ensure the strategies that they deploy will target what a patient needs. Prior to practicing, trainers and their animals must each pass certification processes intended to help each party gain the skills needed to help patients. To qualify, animals also need to be clean and vaccinated, and the type of animal that is used during AAT also depends on a person’s condition, the location of the therapy, and a patient’s need. Is AAT right for you? AAT isn’t for everyone, but it can be a vital component of your healing process. It’s often seen as a supplemental form of therapy intended to bolster other therapies. The important thing to remember when considering AAT is to establish reasonable goals. Discuss the possibility of using AAT with your doctor or therapist and consider which animals may bring you the most comfort. Be realistic about what you want and need before attempting AAT.

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Jury Awards Over $7 Million

An Important Victory for Service Members Injured by Defective 3M Earplugs

The men and women who serve our country risk their lives to protect our freedoms, but they should not have to assume unnecessary risk of injury due to faulty protective equipment. Earlier this year, a jury found that 3M’s defectively designed earplugs had caused undue injury to service members. The jury awarded $7,130,500 in damages, including $2.1 million in punitive damages to each of the plaintiffs. These punitive damages are especially notable, as they serve specifically to punish a wrongdoer, a penalty in excess of the actual harm caused by the severity of 3M’s conduct. The jury’s unanimous verdict was delivered on April 30, 2021, after hearing the service members’ common-sense argument: that their military branches relied on 3M’s promises and that in the course of their duties, service members used the earplugs as directed. The jury ultimately rebuffed 3M’s argument that military and service members had themselves caused the injuries and concluded that 3M had injured each of the service member plaintiffs through its

defectively designed earplugs, falsified >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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