Dickerson Oxton - December 2020

816-268-1960 | 913-428-8220 www.dickersonoxton.com

DEC 2020

ANIMAL BITES

CAR ACCIDENTS

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

Can Never Can’t Focusing on the Right Reasons

BICYCLE/ MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS

I’ve been taking yoga for quite some time and only recently have our classes started back up with safety measures in place. Typically, when we start our class, our yoga instructor sets an intention or theme for us. It’s usually a positive message for us to think about while we’re on our mats going through our exercises. In one of our classes, we were given a theme about resolutions. During that class, one of my fellow yogis told me that her grandfather used to say, “You can think about 10,000 reasons why you can’t do something, or you can think about 10,000 reasons why you can.” I believe this is something that holds a lot of weight, especially now. Personally, having a mindset like this helps me get through difficult situations when I encounter them. It’s easy to focus on reasons

apart from spending so much time at home like everyone else. We’ve all tried to ensure our lives are as normal as possible through this time, even if we’ve had to adapt. Learning how to be super flexible in that way has been essential this year. Obviously, it’s not ideal that something like this has happened, and certainly not ideally what I, or anyone else, wanted 2020 to become. But, knowing that there are options for us, even if they’re not ideal, can make all the difference. It means we can continue living our lives and moving forward as normally and naturally as we can. We can make adjustments as we go and see that it is possible

BRAIN & SPINAL CORD INJURIES

BURN INJURIES

CONSTRUCTION INJURIES

to work through the problems we encounter. I believe everyone has realized this in one way or another this year. I think this ties in with what my fellow yogi’s grandfather said. It’s important to focus our mindset on the reasons we can make something happen and what we can do in the moment, rather than why we can’t. That’s the lesson I want to take this year and what I want to help me focus on the next. We can easily say that 2020 has been negative and terrible, or we can say it was good practice for this way of thinking.

we can’t do something when things get tough, but if we search for it, we can find there’s always an alternative. We can find another path to make those things happen; we just have to think positively and not get stuck in the weeds.

NURSING HOME ABUSE

“You can think about 10,000 reasons why you can’t do something, or you can think about 10,000 reasons why you can.”

SLIP & FALL ACCIDENTS

As we near the end of 2020, it’s easy to look back and see the challenges it gave us. It’s been a pretty crazy year, but I also believe it’s made quite a few people, myself included, remember what’s important in life and truly value it. When things start to fall apart around you, it makes you appreciate the things you have in life so much more. In last month’s article, Tom wrote about how thankful he is for the health of our family and how we were able to continue to help people in this difficult time. That thanks is also mine. I’m grateful for our health, our careers, and that we can continue to work. We are fortunate enough that we haven’t been as restricted when it comes to these things,

BOATING ACCIDENTS

I want to stay in this mindset to help me look to the new year and help me realize I can accomplish the things I set for myself. I hope all our readers have also found positives to focus on, which will help them look toward a brighter future.

TRUCK ACCIDENTS

–Chelsea Dickerson

PHARMACEUTICAL & DRUG INJURIES

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Ruth Bader Gin On Sept. 18, the world was shaken by yet another tragedy this year when Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at 87 due to metastatic pancreatic cancer complications. Although she is gone, Ginsburg will be forever known as a pioneer within the legal field and an advocate for gender equality. Ginsburg grew up in a low-income family and, even at a young age, showed incredible promise, both academically and as an individual. She was inspired by her mother, Cecelia, who taught her daughter the importance of a good education, independence, and the value of selflessness. After graduating from Cornell University in 1954, Ginsburg enrolled at Harvard where she was met with sneers from the male-dominated student body. In a class of 500, Ginsburg was one of only nine female students. This did not deter her in the slightest. She excelled in her studies and became one of the first female members of the legal journal, the Harvard Law Review. Although she did not finish her studies at Harvard, she transferred to Columbia Law School in New York to stay with her husband, Martin, who had accepted a position at a law firm in the city. In 1959, Ginsburg graduated from Columbia first in her class. THE BEGINNING OF HER

WITHOUT SACRIFICING YOUR FAVORITE FOODS OR YOURWAISTLINE Have you ever stood on a scale at the end of the holiday season and wondered how the extra pounds crept on? It’s no secret that a sugar cookie here, a slice of pie there, and a few glasses of eggnog in between can lead to a few pounds gained. When you’re surrounded by Christmas goodies, how can you resist? Luckily, there are a few ways you can protect your waistline this holiday season without completely cutting out your favorite treats. BE CHOOSY When you see a regular buffet of your favorite holiday treats, don’t immediately start scarfing down everything that looks remotely tasty and sweet. First, scope out the food — without a plate — so you won’t be tempted to start eating without really looking. Then, find the treats that are your absolute favorites and choose one or two of them to eat. You don’t have to give up sweets during the holidays; instead, eat with discretion. DON’T GO HUNGRY How to Eat During the Holidays

To ensure that you don’t overeat at a party or buy junk food that you don’t need when shopping, eat a healthy snack before going out. Before you head out to a party, eat a snack chock-full of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and unsaturated fats. Apple slices with peanut

Expert Witnesses

TURNING THE CASE IN YOUR FAVOR

butter work, as well as lean meats and cheeses. If you’re headed to the grocery store, eating a filling snack before you go will make you less likely to impulsively scoop up those sugary cookies and pastries in the bakery. DRINK RESPONSIBLY (AND JUDICIOUSLY)

If you drink alcohol, keep in mind that each drink will probably be somewhere between 150–225 calories. A glass of eggnog can have as many as 500 calories. Alcohol decreases your self-control when you’re eating, while also increasing your appetite. Make sure that if you’re drinking, you’re not doing so on an empty stomach. And to decrease the number of high-calorie drinks that you consume, drink a glass of water in between alcoholic beverages. The holidays are a minefield for any healthy diet. But with the right tools, you can ensure that by Jan. 2, your waistline won’t be worse for wear.

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nsburg

R LEGACY

As she searched for employment, she continued to encounter gender discrimination, despite her academic success, but that did not stop her. From 1963– 1972, Ginsburg taught at Rutgers

University Law School, and from 1972– 1980 became the first female tenured professor at Columbia. In an interview with NPR, Ginsburg states that her teaching career gave her “time to devote to the movement for evening out the rights for women and men.”

TAKE A BREAK

It was in the 1970s when Ginsburg’s legacy began to truly shine. She joined and served as the director of the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. It was in this time that she argued and won six momentous sex discrimination cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. In one of these six cases, Ginsburg argued the unequal treatment between widows and widowers: Widowers were less likely to receive the same benefits as widows. From that time on, Ginsburg put everything she could into bringing equality to all people. It was through her efforts that helped women and others, whose voices remained unheard, obtain voices that allowed them to shape and live their own lives and futures. We’ve published many articles in the past about how important it is to get eyewitness information after a collision takes place. This ensures there is more than one person who can attest to what happened when the collision occurred and can back your claim as you pursue your case. While getting this information is important, finding an expert witness can be even more vital. In many personal injury or wrongful death claims, an expert witness is key in establishing duty of care or negligence. AN EXPERTWITNESS An expert witness isn’t just someone with knowledge in an area. These witnesses have special knowledge or aptitude in a field that is relevant to the personal injury case being pursued and who can provide information that can assist the jury in reaching a verdict. Their professional opinion, based on their profession, training, certification, and education, allows them to give testimony through scientifically supported analyses. A physician, for example, could walk a jury through how they would analyze an X-ray in a personal injury case. The cases that benefit the most from expert witness testimony are typically those with specialized subjects, such as medical malpractice, engineering, construction, and manufacturing. They can explain complex facts or processes to a judge or jury to help establish the standards of care and a defendant’s breach of duty. However, expert witnesses are important and valuable to pretty much every personal injury case in dealing with specific injuries and the field of medicine. REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EXPERTWITNESS There are certain law requirements that only allow an expert witness to testify during certain types of cases. There are legal requirements in each jurisdiction governing expert witnesses. There can also be additional requirements in medical malpractice cases. For example, there is a requirement in Missouri that a physician produce an affidavit within a certain period of time after a medical malpractice lawsuit is filed certifying the claims against the medical provider has merit.

Festive Apple Cider If you’re cutting back on calories, skip the eggnog and buttered rum this year and fill up your mug with this delicious mulled cider!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lemon • 1 gallon pure apple cider • 1 large orange, thinly sliced crosswise • 2 tsp whole cloves • 2 tsp allspice berries • 1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced • 2 tbsp honey • 3 cinnamon sticks

DIRECTIONS

1. Using a paring knife, shave the lemon peel off in curls. Reserve the curls and save the lemon for use in a different recipe. 2. In a large slow cooker, combine the lemon peel with all other ingredients. Cook on low for 3–4 hours. 3. If desired, use a sieve to strain the spices. Serve and enjoy!

If you’re pursuing a claim, an expert witness can help give your case the edge it needs. By working with our attorneys, we can help hire an expert witness for your case.

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THIS ISSUE

Can Never Can’t How to Eat (Responsibly) During the Holidays

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The Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg The Importance of an Expert Witness Take a Break Festive Apple Cider

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5 Ways to Make Your Holiday Extra Eco-Friendly This Year

5 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR HOLIDAY EXTRA ECO-FRIENDLY THIS YEAR Sustainability is the gift that keeps on giving, so if you’d like to give a gift to the environment this December, make your holidays anti-plastic! Here are five ways that you can use the latest eco-friendly technology to make sure your Christmas is just as convenient as ever. SET UP RECYCLING BINS. Nobody wants to sort through trash on their holiday, especially if you’re hosting all the parties! To avoid dealing with the waste, set up recycling and composting bins before any home holiday festivities. It’ll make your next trip to a local recycling center so much faster because everything will be organized and easier to manage. USE PAPER CONTAINERS FOR LEFTOVERS. Give your celebration a restaurant-from-home feel by storing and giving away leftovers in paper containers rather than plastic. Paper will dissolve and leave behind much less chemical residue than plastic. Want to make it look extra posh? Stamp the exterior with the family initials!

CHANGE UP YOUR GIFTWRAP.

Why use wrapping paper every year when you can make your packaging extra interesting, colorful, and creative? Use newspapers, magazines, comics, posters, maps, or even art by your kids to conceal your gifts this year. RENT, BORROW, OR RETHINK YOUR TABLEWARE. If you’re missing proper tableware for your holiday celebration, don’t despair — some companies will actually let you rent out their dishes for your special evening! You can also borrow tableware from friends and family. But you don’t have to use metal tableware. Try following another culture’s customs and serve your food on local ingredients, like palm leaves, coconuts, or wood. LOCALIZE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. If you can buy ingredients like fresh meat or vegetables from local farms, you won’t use as much plastic packaging and you’ll support small businesses at the same time! Never buy one-use plastics if you don’t have to. For every holiday tradition, ask yourself: Can I reduce, reuse, or recycle any components to this? We hope you have a happy, eco-friendly holiday!

ADVERTISING MATERIAL: The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. This newsletter is provided to former clients, individuals who have contacted the firm regarding representation, and individuals who have requested to be on the newsletter mailing list. This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or direct solicitation for employment of the firm on any particular legal matter.

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