Law Offices of Barry Doyle January 2019

Law Offices of Barry Doyle January 2019

nothing with his life. She took matters into her own hands. She walked him around the corner to our local school representative and, once all was said and done, she got him the money to be able to go back to college. This time, he didn’t drop out. He dedicated his time instead to becoming a law librarian. The whole time he was in college, he continued his job at Harvard Law, putting books on shelves, eventually deciding that it was exactly what he wanted to do with his life. I would be willing to bet that my dad is the only man alive who expressed an interest in going to law school specifically so that he could become a law librarian. My dad was still in law school when I was born, but when he graduated, we moved to California and he entered Loyola College as head law librarian. During my childhood, Dad would have his colleagues from work over to the house, and these college law professors were around our dinner table throughout my young life. employee work, and criminal defense. Of the three, I soon found myself drawn to personal injury — it made the most sense to me intuitively. I could see the pattern that fit between laws and the doctrines that applied to them, and I understood how it all came together. Most importantly, I liked helping real people who’d actually had terrible things happen to them. I wanted to be able to give them what they needed to get back on their feet. I enjoy working with people, and — if I can’t help them — getting them into contact with someone who can. I’m very selective about the cases I take in the door, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help individuals whose cases I don’t take. There are other attorneys I trust and know well. People who are going through a hard time are much better off calling me than doing a quick Google search for local attorneys. If it’s a case I can’t take, these individuals are well served when I place them into the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing. If my dad hadn’t first gotten his position at Harvard Law School, I might not have found my inspiration to become a personal injury attorney today. And my dad might have experienced hardships growing up, but his hard work helped guide me toward the path I was meant to be on today. It was a simple decision for me to enter law school. I was initially interested in three different branches of law — personal injury,

Barry, his father, and Patrick on Father’s Day

M y dad is an interesting character. He grew up in Boston, and was born with spina bifida, which means two of his vertebrae weren’t fully formed. When he was a kid, he had to get them taken out and, ever since then, he kind of tilted way over to one side. My brothers and I are all well over 5 feet, but my dad has always been about 5 feet, 2 inches tall. Now, when my dad was growing up, people often thought if you were handicapped you were mentally slow, too. There were many times he went to search for work, and employers would look at him, disqualify him, and basically tell him that he wouldn’t amount to much in life. Even with the odds stacked against him, he eventually got a job at Harvard Law School as a librarian, putting books on shelves in their immense library. While he was working this job, there were many times he would end up talking with various professors and, very soon, they knew that there was nothing mentally wrong with him. My dad was a smart guy; he had a lot more potential than people usually assumed. The professors ended up making arrangements for my dad to receive a scholarship to go to college. Although he qualified for financial aid and was able to get in, he hated the experience and dropped out, much to my grandmother’s disappointment. Here he was sitting at home, doing

– Barry G. Doyle

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GIVE GIFTS TO LOVED ONES If you have children, they will undoubtedly want to keep a few cherished mementos and precious possessions. Deciding who will keep what can be a sensitive subject, so you’ll need to devise an equitable way to divvy up the goods. Some families engage in the process collaboratively, but there should always be some communication before anything is thrown out. Your kids may value certain items more than you ever realized. If you suspect a certain heirloom could be a source of contention, it’s best to hold on to it and make it part of your estate plan. ONLY KEEP THE ESSENTIALS After completing the first three steps, you should be left with only those items you actually use and those that have the most sentimental value to you. These are the objects worth bringing to your new home. BONUS TIP: COLOR CODE EACH CATEGORY Odds are that you’ll find junk and valuables stored right next to each other. If you don’t have time to physically separate them at the moment, use different colored Post-it notes to keep everything organized when it comes time to move.

Many homeowners reach a point in their lives when they’re ready to move from the house they raised their families in to something smaller and more manageable. While finding the right place can be a challenge, the hardest part of downsizing is often sorting through a lifetime’s worth of possessions. This process, called contents downsizing, is much easier when you follow this four- step system. START WITH THE JUNK Beginning your downsizing with the hardest items will only lead to frustration and inaction. Instead, start by tackling areas of the house that are full of documents, knickknacks, and boxes you haven’t touched in years. These will be the easiest to part with and will put you in the right downsizing mindset. DONATE UNWANTED ITEMS The next category contains items that are no longer valuable to you or your family but may be useful to others. These items can be donated to one of many worthy organizations, such as Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or St. Vincent de Paul. Donations are a way to give back to the less fortunate instead of simply giving or throwing things away.

My son, Patrick, cut his own hair the evening of Dec. 23. When we woke up the morning of Christmas Eve, it looked funny — we thought that he had a horrible case of bed head until he fessed up to cutting his bangs off right at the hairline. This resulted in his first buzz cut, which he says is “awesome,” and he likes because “it is wash and wear.” My daughter, Caroline, was the archangel at the Christmas pageant at church. It was for the kids’ Christmas Eve mass. I take the kids on a “staycation” in downtown Chicago one weekend during the Christmas season. This year included a trip to the Lego store at Water Tower Place, where there was a life-size Star Wars storm trooper made of Legos.

Patrick’s First Buzz Cut

Staycation in Chicago

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due to that rule. When we take a negligence case to court, attorneys usually have to prove three things to win, but in a slip and fall case, there are six factors to prove. The difference between unnatural and natural accumulation can be hard to determine. If there’s a defect on a property that forces or allows natural elements to accumulate in a particular spot year round, it can be viewed as unnatural. A natural accumulation, however, would be when people track snow into a building and the snow melts, creating a slick floor. If someone were to slip and injure themselves, the building owners wouldn’t be held responsible. This winter, keep in mind that people can’t be sued for poorly shoveling their walkways. The Snow and Ice Removal Act states that anyone who attempts to remove the snow in front of their property “shall not be liable for any personal injuries allegedly caused by the snowy or icy conditions of the sidewalk resulting from his or her acts or omissions unless the alleged misconduct was willful or wanton.” If anything, it is a common courtesy to shovel your walkway, but you won’t be liable for doing a bad job. Knowing what to look out for this winter can save you a lot of hassle and unneeded stress. If you believe you have an unnatural slip and fall case, call our offices using the number below, and we can inform you of your options.

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2 large or 4 medium chicken thighs

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3 pounds bok choy, cut into 3–4-inch ribbons

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4 tablespoons vegetable oil

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3 tablespoons oyster sauce

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2 teaspoons sugar

Around this time of year, our offices receive numerous calls involving slip-and-fall cases. However, most people don’t fully understand how difficult these cases are. In the state of Illinois, there’s the Unnatural Accumulation of Snow and Ice Rule. If you happen to slip and fall on what is considered a natural accumulation of snow, ice, or water, there is no liability.

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2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 4 tablespoons water

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2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

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Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In large pot, boil three cups of water. Add chicken and reduce to simmer, cooking for 30 minutes. Remove chicken and let cool. Once cooled, remove skin and bones, chop, and set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid. vegetable oil. Once shimmering, add bok choy and cook for 1 minute, stirring throughout. Add half of reserved cooking liquid, cover skillet, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer bok choy to a plate. 2. In a large skillet over high heat, heat

The Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle take very few of these cases, as they can be tough to win

Jan. 12 Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Jan. 19 Slip and Fall Accidents Jan 26 Drug and Medical Device Cases Feb. 2 Worker’s Compensation Feb. 9 What to Do After an Accident Episodes can be found at www.FightingForWhatsRight.com or the Fighting For Whats Right YouTube Channel

The “Fighting For What’s Right Radio Show” can be heard every Saturday at 6 a.m. on WYLL-AM 1160 Chicago and at 8 a.m. on WIND-AM 560 Chicago.

3. Add remaining cooking liquid and chicken to the pan, maintaining high

heat. Heat chicken, then add oyster sauce, sugar, cornstarch-and-water mixture, sesame oil, and bok choy. Season to taste, toss together, and serve over rice.

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Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. 10 S. LaSalle Street Suite 2160 Chicago, IL 60603 (312) 263-1080 www.fightingforwhatsright.com

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

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FROM FATHER TO SON

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WHY LESS STUFF MEANS MORE FREEDOM

WHAT I DO WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE

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SLIP AND FALL CASES AREN’T SIMPLE

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WHY START THE NEW YEAR IN WINTER?

THE ORIGIN OF NEW YEAR’S DAY

T he month of January kicks off by welcoming the new year — there are countdowns, fireworks, and of course, the ball drop in a freezing-cold Times Square. But why? Why do we start our calendars when much of the U.S. is in the dead of winter? Why January? The short answer is Julius Caesar and Roman politics. The calendar had long been a political tool in Rome. Depending on who was in power, Roman pontifices would add or subtract entire weeks from the year, manually adjusting the term limits of elected officials. As you could imagine, this caused a lot of chaos, because months frequently slipped out of time with the changing seasons. After becoming emperor, Julius Caesar brought about some much-needed reforms. Inspired by the Egyptian solar calendar, Caesar fixed the Roman year at 365 days and instituted the leap year to keep months aligned with the solstices. He moved the new year from the spring to the day that elected officials traditionally began their year-long terms, Jan. 1. This choice carried spiritual significance, since January was named for Janus, god of doors and gates. What better month to celebrate new beginnings? Under Caesar and subsequent rulers, the Roman Empire expanded its reach, carrying its calendar with it. While much of Europe adopted Caesar’s calendar, New Year’s Day remained a hot-button issue for centuries.

Thanks in part to the spread of Christianity and to the colder conditions in Northern Europe, there was a lot of resistance to the January start date. Religious leaders saw it as a pagan holiday, and much of Europe chose to restart the calendar on March 25, during the Feast of Annunciation. Much of Catholic Europe officially recognized Jan. 1 as the start of the new year after Pope Gregory reformed the solar calendar again, correcting certain mathematical errors made in Caesar’s day. There were still holdouts, however. In fact, England and its American colonies continued to celebrate New Year’s Day in March until 1752. So there you have it — we were very close to having our fireworks celebrations in lovely spring weather. Ultimately, the ubiquity of the Gregorian calendar won out, as the demands of our increasingly interconnected world made a shared calendar a necessity. So if you struggle to start your New Year’s resolutions this winter, blame Julius Caesar.

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