Holland & Usry - July 2020

Holland & Usry - July 2020

THERE ARE NO SMALL CHANGES IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW How Courts Are Using Technology to Adapt

have forced lawyers relying on paper to adapt too. For instance, in Family Court, you can now file and serve certain documents via email. While courts, such as the Family Court, have not yet moved to electronic filing, it is a step in that direction. That means we’re moving toward efficiency and freedoms unlike any we’ve experienced before. But why should that matter for our clients? Because the legal system is learning that even in times of stress or shutdown, there are still ways for cases to progress and justice to be rightfully served. But of course, change is never easy. The tradition of most courts requires the practice of printing out documents, filing them with the court, keeping copies stored in our office, and having an extra copy on our person when we need it. We have to rethink how we do things in making the change to digital. I can understand why the state courts have shown reluctance, but I also know how important it is to realize that this change is coming eventually, whether we decide to embrace it or not. If and when things go “back to normal,” some entities will revert back to the old paper intensive ways entirely, but others will embrace the future and lean heavily into electronic work. Even though I’ll be the first to say there’s nothing quite like holding physical paper in your hands as you read and write, I’ll also say that the prospect of working digitally presents appealing freedoms for both lawyer and client. While the Constitution guarantees jury trials in certain cases that I cannot conceive occurring remotely, the move to electronic filing is the first step toward a future that may allow motions, depositions, and certain types of hearings to occur remotely. More remote work means more time to focus on other aspects of life and less stress on the entire process. Less stress leaves room for more careful thought and attention, which leads to better outcomes. Electronic filing, when it gets here, may seem like a small feat, but it’s an integral part of a much bigger circle that represents an exciting future for law.

There’s a lot of change going on all over the world in nearly every field of business and professional practice. In the arena of law, changes have always been slow, especially when it comes to technology. It’s true that videoconferencing is one such piece of tech that’s enabling work to get done like no one could have predicted. But the reality is that, in our field, the tradition of how courts do their work is still taking precedence over adapting to the capability of technology. That doesn’t mean all hope is lost — far from it. There is a less shiny, more subtle, but equally important advancement being made behind the scenes that leaves room for a lot of hopeful promise: electronic filing. This is the electronic filling of certain documents, such as pleading and motions, with the court. This includes service on adverse parties in many cases as well. For those outside the practice of law, electronic filing probably sounds inconsequential. And it’s not like electronic filing is a brand-new concept within the court system; federal courts embraced electronic filing years ago. State courts, however, have been much slower to adopt this process. In our state, only Common Pleas or the state civil court that deals with significant civil disputes have gone electronic within this system. But the coronavirus and subsequent lockdown restraints placed on the bench and the bar have forced the state courts to adapt and

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FIND YOUR FAMILY’S NEXT CRAFTING PROJECT DIYs From Across the Entertainment Sphere

NICKELODEON-THEMED CRAFTS Whether it’s “Blue’s Clues,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” or “SpongeBob SquarePants,” there’s no doubt that your little one is familiar with some of Nickelodeon’s most iconic children’s shows. NickelodeonParents.com offers DIY crafts that’ll encourage your kids to get busy and creative while decorating their play areas and beyond. The site also filters crafts by categories like Big Kids, Educational, and Noggin, so you even have options if you want your child to learn something while they play. GEEKY CRAFTS If your kids are huge gamers, GeekCrafts.com is a great website for finding DIYs that they can get invested in. Not everything is designed for small kids, but there’s a large archive to choose from, and it’s not difficult at all to recognize what crafts will be best for your family. From Minecraft-themed building blocks to Pokemon felt hats, you’ll find lots of fun projects that’ll get your kids excited and asking, “What’s the next step?”

Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast or brand- new to crafting, there are lots of ways to get your kids creating. For example, why buy merchandise from their favorite video game or TV show if they can make it themselves? Check out these resources for free crafting ideas to keep your kids connected to their favorite characters when they’re not looking at a screen. DISNEY-THEMED CRAFTS From “Star Wars” to all things Mickey Mouse, entire fictional universes can come to life inside your home and make your family time feel a little more magical. Family.Disney.com offers projects for every difficulty level. Many require glue guns and adult supervision, but that’s what makes them fun and interactive for both you and your children. Who knows, you might just find inspiration for other decorations in your home after a few Disney-inspired crafting sessions.

We hope these free resources help you and your family spend a little more creative time together! Have fun!

Testimonial HEAR WHAT OUR CLIENTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT US! “Rob Usry is a great lawyer and does such a great job. He helped me with a workers’ comp case and helped me get a good settlement.” -Darin Hiott Everyone’s health and welfare remains our critical concern. We are OPEN, and our staff is in the office to help you. Contact us in the best and safest way for you. We can discuss your case over the phone. If you prefer meeting in person, rest assured we can do it with safe physical distancing under CDC guidelines. As always, we’re here for you, and we look forward to helping you.

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What Is Human Loss? Noneconomic Damages Explained

When an accident injury case occurs, you hear a lot of talk about “pain and suffering,” or noneconomic damages. These words get tossed around a lot without much explanation of what exactly they mean. If you’re a victim, you know what they mean because they’re often the biggest part of your case. Noneconomic damage is a very real thing, which is why the law compensates victims for it. We can’t turn back time on our lives, which is why the legal system makes up for lost value of life by giving money for it. At Holland & Usry, we call it “human loss” because it measures the harm to you as a person. It’s different for everyone because everyone is different, but let’s look at what human loss can include:

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Emotional trauma in reaction to the accident

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Pain, discomfort, and suffering

• Mental anguish — often, injured victims will agonize over their future, which weighs heavily on mental health. • Embarrassment over injuries suffered We address human loss by talking with our clients, learning about the impact their injury has had on their life, and tracking how it affects them. Then we prepare a summary that justifies proper compensation based on our reports. Our job is to make sure your human loss is taken seriously and compensated for appropriately. So if you’ve suffered human loss due to a personal injury, call our office so we can help.

• Loss of enjoyment of life — you can be compensated for things you love to do that you can’t do, whether it’s hobbies or other activities. • Physical disability and difficulties — this covers anything that’s harder to do, including limitations on daily activities like bathing, dressing, or driving. • Mental disability and difficulties — you might have these if you sustain a brain injury. • Permanent injury — in some cases, injuries and damages are permanent and need extra care and attention. • Disfigurement or scarring

Good News

“Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying.” –Romans 12:12 “The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still.” –Exodus 14:14

NO-CHURN S’MORES ICE CREAM

July is National Ice Cream Month, so why not cool off with some sweet, homemade s’mores ice cream? You don’t even need an ice cream churn!

Ingredients

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14 oz sweetened condensed milk 2 tsp vanilla extract

• • •

10 graham crackers, crushed 1 chocolate bar, chopped 2 cups whipping cream, chilled

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Directions 1. In a large mixing bowl,

3. Fold whipping cream into

combine sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, graham crackers, and chocolate.

the condensed milk mixture. Transfer ice cream to a freezer-

safe container, cover, and freeze for at least 8 hours. 4. Serve and enjoy on a hot summer day. It’s especially delicious in a waffle cone!

2. In a separate bowl, use an

electric mixer to beat whipping cream until peaks form, about 3 minutes.

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Inspired by GrainChanger.com

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* This newsletter is intended to educate the public about personal injury, workers’ compensation, criminal defense, and family law issues. You can copy and distribute it as long as you copy the entire newsletter. But the newsletter is not intended to be legal advice; you should ask a lawyer about your specific case. Every case is different, and all case outcomes depend on unique facts and laws.

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INSIDE this issue How Technology Is an Important Piece to a Changing Puzzle Find Your Family’s Next Crafting Project

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Pain and Suffering Damages Explained

Homemade S’mores Ice Cream

The Wacky Evolution of the Knock-Knock Joke

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KNOCK KNOCK! WHO’S THERE? THE WACKY EVOLUTION OF THE KNOCK-KNOCK JOKE

Knock knock! Who’s there? Theresa. Theresa who? Theresa crowd!

Do you know Arthur? Arthur who? Arthurmometer!

Not very funny, is it? Well, over the years this style of back-and-forth jesting evolved into knock-knock jokes. The popularity of the “knock knock” bit of the joke could harken back to Shakespeare, who BestLife credits with “the first-known occurrence of a knock knock, who’s-there dialogue” in Act 2 of “Macbeth” (though it likely wasn’t intended to be funny), or it could be a reference to 1936 vice presidential hopeful Frank Knox, whose name made “knock knock” irresistible wordplay for the radio. Whatever the reason, knock knocks were all the rage in the 1930s, to the extent that people formed knock-knock clubs, businesses held knock-knock contests, and orchestras set them to music. However, the heyday was short- lived. In the following years, people started getting sick of knock knocks, and even psychologists turned against them. According to NPR, “people who loved knock-knock jokes were said to have social problems.” Today, knock-knock jokes are still around, but they’re mostly considered a game for kids or demoted to the realm of “bad dad jokes.” Maybe you think that’s warranted, maybe you think it’s tragic — either way, odds are the format will continue to evolve and probably outlive us all!

Unless you’re living under a rock, odds are you’ve laughed, grumbled, or groaned in response to a knock-knock joke. You may have even told a few yourself before you realized knock-knock jokes had gone out of style in favor

of sarcasm and memes. That’s because at their core, knock-knock jokes are a quintessential American experience — and the perfect homegrown fodder for International Joke Day, which falls on July 1. But where did they come from, and why do so many people knock the knock-knock joke today? Well, according to NPR, knock-knock jokes have had a roller coaster of a history. Near as we can tell, they actually evolved from another kind of joke: the “Do You Know” joke. This style of joke was popular in the early 1900s, and according to an Oakland Tribune article NPR dug up, this was a typical one:

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