Law Offices of Patrick R Kelly - April 2020

Law Offices of Patrick R Kelly - April 2020

April 2020

Expressway Tower • 6116 N. Central Expy., #1201, Dallas, TX 75206 • 214-682-7132 Alps Building - Historic Stockyards • 222 W. Exchange Ave., Suite 106, Fort Worth, Texas 76164 • 817-382-8387

Showcasing the Kelly Dogs The Impact of a Family Dog

research and finally found a Boykin spaniel to become our new family member. I’ll never forget bringing him home to the kids. A friend and I took a road trip to North Carolina to pick up the pup from a breeder. My friend got his litter mate, too. When we got home, we put him in a box and asked the kids to meet us in the backyard. When they came out there and opened the box, their reactions were priceless! My oldest daughter was simply beside herself laughing and jumping. My middle daughter didn’t know what to think and immediately sprinted away. My young son was so curious that he just sat there petting the dog, fixated on him. We all had such a fun time, and I’ll cherish that moment forever. We named our spaniel Boone. He’s been an excellent addition to the family ever since! He’s excellent with the kids, and we take him bird hunting, so he gets to spend quality time with everyone. We wanted to get an animal for our kids partly because they provide so many benefits to growing children. Family pets can teach kids valuable virtues such as loyalty, empathy, confidence, and responsibility. For instance, when kids feed, walk, and clean up after the family pet, they learn about responsibility. Also, having your kids help train the family dog gives them confidence because when they commit to the training, they’re taking on a leadership role. When your kids bond with the pet and start to provide them with a little more food, take them on long walks, and peacefully discipline them, it teaches empathy that kids will carry for years. Now, I don’t even want to think about this part, but it does teach them about death as well. When family pets do pass away, it opens the

While I love pets, I didn’t realize there was a National Pet Day (April 11) until this year! When I found out, it made me realize pretty quickly how important pets have been for my family. So, I want to take this opportunity to showcase

the animals in my life and how they’ve positively impacted my loved ones.

As a kid, I was raised with every kind of pet you can imagine. The first one I can remember was a big black Lab named Troy, followed by a plethora of pugs. The pugs may have been small, but they were full of character! They were always so funny and cuddly and had great personalities that could brighten up anyone’s day. Those were the family pets, but I also had lizards, hamsters, and fish. They weren’t as cuddly, but they were fun for a child to care for. I guess my love for dogs rubbed off on my kids, though, because a couple of years ago, after some persistent begging from them, we decided to get a family dog. We did a lot of

Moose the mediation dog

window to have those difficult conversations necessary and healthy for all families to have.

In addition to the lessons a family pet can teach your kids, they also have an undeniable calming effect. In fact, I just had a recent experience with a dog that specializes in this. I was in mediation, and the mediator had a golden retriever named Moose. While it sounds odd, Moose was essential to the success of the meeting. Whenever one of the parties was getting flustered, frustrated, or nervous, Moose would make his way over to them. My client loved Moose, and he calmed her whenever she felt stressed— and we eventually settled the case! So, do you have a furry family friend? We would love to see some photos next time you come to the office! If you’re not coming by soon, feel free to email them to us! We always love seeing clients’ family pets.

-Patrick R. Kelly

Our dog Boone

WE WANT YOU TO CONSIDER US YOUR LAW FIRM. While we specialize in bodily injury cases, we are happy to refer you to a firm that can help you with any legal issue that may arise. Please feel free to refer us to your friends and family for their legal needs. We look forward to helping you.

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SOMETHING IN THE WATER WHY ROB BILOTT TOOK ON DUPONT

property provided water for all the cattle and wildlife in the area. Since the sale, the stream had become frothy and discolored, and the animals that drank from it were sick, malformed, or dead, including 153 of Tennant’s 200 cows. When Bilott stumbled upon a letter from DuPont to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the real horror story began to emerge — one that went far beyond the boundaries of Tennant’s farm and into the drinking water of every American. The letter mentioned a mysterious chemical called PFOA, and Bilott requested documentation from DuPont to find out more about it. However, the company refused, so Bilott requested a court order. Soon, dozens of disorganized boxes filled with thousands of 50-year-old files arrived at Bilott’s firm.

Rob Bilott never should have agreed to represent Wilbur Tennant’s case.

The cattle farmer had presented evidence of the strange malady plaguing his cattle to lawyers, politicians, and veterinarians in Parkersburg, West Virginia, but no one took Tennant’s case seriously.

in the mess of documents, but soon, his time as an environmental lawyer helped him see the bigger picture. It became clear that DuPont had orchestrated a massive cover-up regarding their use of PFOA. PFOA is used in the manufacturing of Teflon, and the company had knowingly exposed workers and the Parkersburg water supply to it. Bilott filed a class-action suit as a medical monitoring claim on behalf of the people of Parkersburg, and, as of 2011, a probable link between PFOA and six health conditions, including two types of cancer, has been found.

But when Bilott saw the evidence for himself, it was clear that something was wrong.

The videos and photographs Tennant had collected showed cattle with patchy fur, growths and lesions, white slime coming from their mouths, and staggering gaits. Tennant told Bilott that the abnormal behavior and physical deformities had started after his brother Jim sold his property to DuPont, a chemical company with a big presence in Parkersburg. Jim’s property bordered on Wilbur’s, and a stream running from Jim’s

He was worried he wouldn’t be able to find anything incriminating or even conclusive Because of the medical monitoring claim, plaintiffs can file personal injury lawsuits against DuPont. So far, 3,535 people have. If it weren’t for Bilott and Tennant, the public might have never known the dangers of PFOA. DOYOUR PART TO KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL And Maintain Green Living Spaces for Everyone

jogging and picking up litter, which takes care of your health and keeps your community clean. Anybody can do it: Just throw on your running shoes, grab a bag, head out the door, and pick up any stray bits of trash you see on your morning jog or evening walk.

to better the place you live in. Here are three ways to show your appreciation for a green America this month.

Have you ever walked through a park and seen a plastic bottle or wrapper lying on the ground? If so, did you pick it up and properly dispose of it? You might not have realized it, but in that moment, you took a small step toward keeping your community — and, by extension, America — beautiful! April is Keep America Beautiful Month, and folks who celebrate aim to help each community in every state stay clean and green. Created by the nonprofit organization Keep America Beautiful, this holiday offers a perfect opportunity to roll up your sleeves and work

VOLUNTEER FOR THE GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP.

IMPROVE RECYCLING THROUGH EDUCATION.

This event is one of America’s largest community improvement programs, with hundreds of thousands of people

An important goal during Keep America Beautiful Month is to spread awareness about recycling. There are various ways to educate those around you about recycling and encourage them to do their part. At work, for example, you can volunteer to lead a recycling initiative by printing off guides and fostering discussions on why recycling is so essential. At home, you can make a commitment with your family to fulfill the three R’s of recycling: reduce, reuse, recycle. To discover more ways to participate in Keep America Beautiful month, visit their website at KAB.org today!

participating each year. In 2019, over 550,000 volunteers participated in the GAC to bring natural beauty back into their communities. 2020 marks this event’s 22nd year, and you can be a part of it this month! Volunteer your time with a local Keep America Beautiful affiliate or another community improvement program close to home. Do your part to clean up your parks and spread awareness today.

START PLOGGING.

If you’re passionate about staying active and cleaning up your neighborhood, then this is the perfect activity for you! Plogging combines

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TAKE A BREAK

Few things change faster than the internet, and how we connect with the internet is constantly evolving. When it comes to wireless capabilities, fourth-generation (4G) networks have been the norm for 10 years. But 4G couldn’t meet demands forever, and there’s already talk of a fifth-generation (5G) network taking center stage. So, what makes 5G different from 4G, and how will it affect consumers and their internet-enabled devices? Simply put, 5G is the fifth generation of wireless technology that enables mobile devices like cellphones and stationary devices like desktop computers to send and receive >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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