Harmonson Law Firm - September 2020

Harmonson Law Firm - September 2020

SEPTEMBER 2020

HARMONSON HEADLINES

YOUR GUIDE TO PERSONAL INJURY IN THE BORDERLAND

A REAL PAGE TURNER

What Have You Been Reading Lately?

In the story, Joe is having a bad quarter because none of his deals seem to be going his way. He enlists the help of a mentor, Pindar the Chairman, who takes Joe on as a mentee. While Joe thinks he is going to learn every trick in the book to become successful, Pindar teaches Joe the true meaning of success, which is the polar opposite of what Joe envisioned.

Here are the five laws Joe learns to become wildly successful.

1. The Law of Value: Your true value is measured by how much more you give in value than receive in payment.

2. The Law of Compensation: Your income is derived by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.

3. The Law of Influence: Your influence is determined by how much you place other people’s interests ahead of your own.

I read a lot of books. It’s a running joke at our house when the delivery guy drops off another package that it must be “Clark’s book of the week.” I mainly read for work and self-help, but I try to sprinkle in a little fun every once in a while. I consider reading to be the single greatest factor in the success that I have had in life. Most everything I know and excel at had its inception in a book. In honor of Read a Book Day on Sept. 6, I want to share a few good books and authors for your consideration. I recently finished a great little book by Bob Burg and John Mann called “The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea.” The book is a fictional account of a young professional named Joe who is a real “Type A” go-getter. Joe is the type of guy who is always trying to make deals and take for himself.

4. The Law of Authenticity: The greatest gift you have to give to others is yourself.

5. The Law of Receptivity: The key to effective giving is to be open to receiving.

“It’s a running joke at our house when the delivery guy drops off another package that it must be ‘Clark’s book of the week.’”

Another simple, but powerful, book that I finished a few months ago is “The Slight Edge: Secret to a Successful Life” by Jeff Olson. The principle behind the book is that simple actions, repeated over time, can yield great success. Incremental actions taken each day build upon themselves in order to create exponential results. Small actions toward a goal taken each day are easy to do. They are also easy not to do. While success may not seem visible at first and you may not seem to be making much progress, those simple steps toward reaching your goals will multiply considerably over time. The

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915.584.8777 • 1

These days, the best tool for searching for an attorney is the internet. After an accident, you may be uncertain as to who to hire, so you do an online search. But how do you filter through the results? Here are five things to consider when looking to hire a personal injury lawyer. Experience: As a rule of thumb, look for a lawyer with at least 10 years of personal injury experience. You need someone who has been there and done that. Experience means they’ve learned the ropes and the tricks and traps that can pop up on a case — especially when dealing with insurance companies. Significant Verdicts and Settlements: Check their website for significant verdicts and settlements. These aren’t the only measures of success, but they show a track record. Ask the lawyer to provide a written list of representative cases that the lawyer has handled and look for a lawyer who has personal injury trial experience. Involvement, Recognition, and Awards: Is the lawyer a member of trial lawyer associations like the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice? Have they held leadership positions in lawyer organizations? Does the lawyer attend specialized training in his or her area of law more than the required mandatory continuing legal education? Is the lawyer recognized by his or her peers? This information, and more, will likely be on their website. RESEARCHING ATTO 5 TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Shopping online is tricky in the best of times, but it’s doubly trying when your kids’ opinions are involved. If back-to-school shopping is challenging in your house, try these tricks to hunt down the backpack, pencil bag, and lunchbox the kiddos are begging for without going over budget. 1. Opt for secondhand or refurbished items. If your kid is dying to have the same Parkland Kingston Plus Backpack that celebrities’ kids were flaunting last year, you might be able to snag one secondhand for half the price. The same goes for the popular PLAE Max Shoes or even electronics like iPads. Check out online retailers like JemJem or Gazelle for refurbished electronics, and try the Poshmark app for bags, shoes, and clothes. If you really want to get fancy, visit TheRealReal.com for luxury-brand clothing. 2. Always check discount apps and websites. If you’re not at least Googling “[store name] coupon code” before checking out online, you’re probably missing out on big savings. Visit popular coupon websites like RetailMeNot and Groupon, or streamline your search by downloading a money- saving browser extension or app like Honey, which automatically checks for coupon codes and offers price comparisons. Other apps, like Flipp, let you view deals from dozens of stores in one place. Remember to see if your favorite store has its own app, too — downloading it could grant you access to exclusive deals. 3. Don’t forget to factor in shipping. If you shop internationally, shipping can sometimes double the cost of an order. To save money, choose domestic retailers and check each website or app for shipping specials and discounts. Many websites offer free or reduced shipping for first-time customers or orders over a certain dollar amount. If you choose to shop somewhere without such a discount, check the shipping costs and factor them into your budget before you shop to avoid nasty surprises. If your kids are old enough, consider talking them through this process as you shop. Who knows, this could be a great back-to-school lesson in budgeting!

What the Insurance Companies DON’T Want You to Know About YOUR RIG

Claims was written to s with vital information 8-wheeler, work vehicle es to bear in mind that up premiums for their e amount that they are E ONE GOAL— HAREHOLDERS.

Online Reviews: This is a big one. Read reviews on Google and Avvo (and to a lesser extent Yelp) to get a better feel for the lawyer and the type of service that

Injured in a Car Accident? The Insurance Company Is NOT Your Friend.

Written by experienced car accident attorney S. Clark Harmonson, this is a valuable resource with the vital facts you need before talking to the insurance company or hiring a lawyer.

g e e e e d es ly

In this book, you’ll learn everything insurance companies don’t want you to know, such as: • 12 shady auto insurance company tactics • 10 common myths and misconceptions about your car accident claim • How we hold negligent drivers accountable • What you need to do immediately after an accident • Top five worst auto insurance companies in Texas

“I wrote this book to help you cut through all the confusion surrounding your accident.”

WITH: 12 Dirty Tricks the Insurance Adjuster Will Use to Wreck Your Claim

Get your free copy at ClarkHarmonsonAttorney.com or by calling our office at 915.584.8777 .

AR ACCIDENT… ET THIS RIGHT!

2 • www.ClarkHarmonsonAttorney.com

ORNEYS ONLINE

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

you can expect. Endorsements from other lawyers are also important when looking at online attorney reviews.

3 Ways Claims Adjusters Work Against You

Initial Consultation: Ask for an initial consultation with the lawyer personally. If the lawyer is not the person at the first appointment, then you should think twice about the firm. If the lawyer pressures you to sign their contingent fee agreement, be cautious. Most of our clients choose to sign a contract with us on our first visit, but our answer is always an emphatic “yes” if the client wants to take the agreement home and think about it. There’s zero pressure.

We all know auto insurance companies aren’t always on our side, especially after a car accident. Their goal is to pay you as little as possible and to go back to collecting your premium. When you pay for auto insurance, you expect to have that insurance when you need it — not to be given the runaround when you make a claim. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happens. You call the adjuster and they urge you to accept the lowest dollar amount you will agree to. And, if they can, they will look for ways to deny your claim. Here are three ways they actively work against your best interest. Lowballing Your Medical Costs It’s not uncommon for insurance adjusters to claim that your medical costs are “too high.” Instead of getting what you need to cover your medical expenses, they’ll offer you a discount that equals less than you need. They will also “research” other medical providers in the region to compare costs and say what they’re offering is market value. Skipping Over Your Insurance Benefits In too many cases, adjusters skip over the fine print of your coverage, especially when it will hurt their case. Or they might “forget” to tell you a crucial detail when you buy insurance. They might talk about underinsured motorist insurance but fail to tell you that you don’t actually have it until it’s too late. You never want to rely on the insurance company to go over the fine print of your policy. Take that into your own hands or even talk to a personal injury attorney to walk you through your policy.

GHTS

This article comes directly from the blog at ClarkHarmonsonAttorney.com/blog. Be sure to visit the blog for more insights from Clark!

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key is to actually do those small actions every day to improve your health, your finances, your business, and whatever it is you want in life. Here is a quote that stood out to me: “The right choices you make today, compounded over time, will take you higher and higher up the success curve of this real-time movie called ‘your life.’” How about a fun book? “Anything” by David Sedaris always fits the bill for me. Sedaris writes short essays revolving around his youth in the ‘60s and ‘70s in North Carolina, as the gay son of an alcoholic mother and an unloving father. He also tells hilarious stories of how he copes in today’s society. Sedaris’ family, his parents and brothers and sisters, are almost too unbelievable to be real. You will weep with tears of laughter and sadness as Sedaris gives you full access into his life and thoughts. I have read most of his books, including his most recent, “Calypso.” This book includes a story about a stop in El Paso where Sedaris enlists the help of a stranger to remove an egg-sized tumor (which he later feeds to a snapping turtle)!

Telling You a Lawyer Isn’t Necessary When you make the first call to the insurance company after an accident, you might not yet have hired a personal injury lawyer. If you mention that you are thinking about getting one, they may tell you that it’s a waste of money. However, the Insurance Research Council (IRC) found that people who hired a lawyer received an average of 3.5 times more in compensation than those who did not.

Until next month, here’s hoping you can curl up with a good book and take time to learn something new or have a good laugh or cry.

915.584.8777 • 3

5505 North Mesa St. Suite 3 • El Paso, TX 79912 WWW.CLARKHARMONSONATTORNEY.COM 915.584.8777

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Have You Been Getting Through Your Reading List?

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Shop Online for Your Kids Like a Pro

How to Research Attorneys Online

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How Claims Adjusters Work Against Your Best Interests

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3 Fun Family Activities for Fall

I t’s fall, which means social media will soon be saturated with pictures of your friends enjoying “classic” fall activities. Photos of leaf peeping, apple picking, and the occasional scarecrow run rampant. But rather than following the herd, you can make your family the trendsetter of unique fall activities! Here are a few outdoor endeavors your family will love.

3 Fun Family Activities for Fall Gardening, Gold, and Photo Shoots

for gold! Start by planning a road trip out to an old ghost town. Many of them have great tourist attractions that include gold panning. You probably won’t get rich, but it will still be a fun story. If you’re not able to make the trip, you can always create a gold panning operation at home! Visit MessForLess.net/panning-for-gold-activity for a great step-by-step guide on how to go panning for gold in your own backyard.

Get gardening.

Plan a fall photo shoot.

Fall is the time for harvest, but if you want to enjoy flowers in the spring, it’s also a time for planting. The cooler autumn air is easier on plants, but the soil is still warm enough for roots to grow before the ground freezes for winter. Tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths are all spring bulbs that need to be planted in the fall. Do a little research with your family to determine the best time to start planting in your area.

It’s time to freshen up those family pictures hanging around the house. The changing leaves provide a beautiful background for any family portrait. Better yet, the cooler temperatures mean that an outdoor photo shoot won’t be nearly as uncomfortable as it would be in the summer. You can take your pictures by the trees in the front yard or make a daytrip of it. What about pictures at the corn maze or pumpkin patch? It’s never too soon to start planning this year’s holiday card.

Pan for gold.

Here’s one that’s really off the beaten path: Take your family on an adventure panning

Spend this fall outdoors and create great new memories with your family!

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