Finney Injury Law - October 2021

Finney Injury Law - October 2021

1600 S. BRENTWOOD BLVD., SUITE 220 • ST. LOUIS, MO 63144 // FINNEYINJURYLAW.COM // 314-293-4222 // OCTOBER 2021

The Business Side of What We Do

Most of us have probably heard that lawyers are terrible business people. I know I have. Really, you can substitute any profession and say “________ are terrible business people.” I’m not sure where this came from, but it is probably true for 80% of us lawyers. You can get in over your head pretty quickly if you are not careful. For lawyers, there is basically no training on how to run your practice as a business. Maybe a couple of classes in law school are available as electives but not required. It is basically sink or swim, and there are experts everywhere, including some whose own house is in worse order than the ones they claim to help. Knowing how to run your business is difficult to decipher. There are two schools of thought on this. One is that your practice or firm is a business, and you need to treat it that way. Don’t give things away, don’t work for free, value your time, be super cost-conscious, etc. The other says that the law is a profession and that you should help where you can if the cause is righteous, no matter the cost. That we serve people and that is our oath, and we are not like any other business. I can’t be sure, but I hope that my decisions for our firm lean toward righteousness. That if we believe in it, we won’t worry about the cost. After over 10 years of doing this, I still don’t know which approach is right. It is like balancing the head and the heart. The losing is in the choosing. Choose the wrong one, and you lose. And you can really lose. When I started my firm, I had no business training. I never owned a business. The closest I had was working for my older brother in his lawn care business when I was younger, and even then, I disputed management’s requirements that I wear sleeves on my shirt in late July when cutting 20 yards a day. Honestly, this is the first business I’ve ever owned. It is a small business. We have five employees. We use many other small businesses for vendors. We rely on them, and they rely on us. There are parts of this business that I never want to deal with. The retirement plan, the monthly health insurance, the printing costs, the rent, the water filter, the cash balance, the credit

cards, time off, etc. It can really consume your time and take away from your practice and your cases.

There are parts of the business I love. Taking time off when I want, no one telling me what to do, freedom to decide when to work, how to work, etc. Those things are what I value. They mean a lot to me. I’m not sure I could put a value on these items. I certainly would not make it a small number. So, how do we balance these things so we can be as successful as possible? Honestly, we keep our clients’ best interests at the forefront. We cultivate an abundance mindset and try to avoid problem-centric thought (PCT). We always keep moving forward. We believe no one case will sink us or make us. Our office is designed so we can take the risk of fully working up a case, taking it to trial, facing the specter of losing, not getting paid a dime and still being able to meet the monthly payroll. Any other way and I believe you are allowing other motivations to influence your case decisions. A lawyer worried about making payroll is not focusing on your case. It is that simple. But let me not mislead you — we are not 100% successful on this. We take cases we shouldn’t, worry about advanced costs, and sometimes focus too much on our problems and obstacles rather than our opportunities. And what I’ve learned is that our business is really not much different than every business. Take good care of people, and they will appreciate it and refer your name. Do a good job,

and those who matter will notice. Earn the trust of your clients, and you are much more likely to have a successful outcome. This is what we aim to do. And do it for decades to come.

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5 LOW-TECH TIPS FOR LIGHTING YOUR JACK-O’-LANTERNS

3. Go bottomless. Another option that will solve the toppling candle problem is hollowing out your pumpkin from the bottom instead of cutting a lid out of the top. If you do that, you can set up and light your candle first, then place the jack-o’-lantern over it. As long as your pumpkin is on a hard, level surface, your candle should be stable. 4. Light up at the right moment. The easiest way to prevent burns is to light your candle at the right time and with the right method. If you like to hollow your pumpkins out from the bottom, light your candle first then place the pumpkin over it to prevent burns. If you hollow

Halloween is almost here, and you know what that means: home-carved jack-o’-lanterns! Turning pumpkins into decor is an ancient tradition, but as any experienced carver knows, using real candles inside them can be frustrating. Cooking pumpkins, unstable candles, and accidental burns are just a few of the issues that often crop up. To avoid them this Halloween, try these five tips. 1. Choose your candle wisely. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, it’s best to choose a candle that is at least an inch shorter than the hollow space inside of your pumpkin. To achieve this, you can buy long candles and

trim them to size or learn to make your own from the book “Beeswax Alchemy” by Petra Ahnert.

your pumpkins from the top, remove the “lid,” place the unlit candle inside, then light it with a long lighter or fireplace match. 5. Don’t forget the chimney hole. To prevent heat and smoke from building up inside of your pumpkin and cooking it slowly, light up your candle and peek inside to see which spot on the top is warming up the fastest. Then, cut out a notch or “chimney hole” in that spot to let the heat escape.

2. Create built-in stability. There’s nothing less festive than a jack-o’-lantern going dark because its candle has tipped over. To prevent that, carve a depression into the floor of the pumpkin that’s the same shape and size as the base of your candle. Then, drop the candle in! This simple trick will hold it in place.

UNDERSTANDING A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY Don’t Wait to Get Help!

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a lot more common than many people realize. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 30% of injury-related deaths are caused by TBIs, totaling approximately 61,000 TBI-related deaths in 2019. Those who survive traumatic brain injuries can experience lifelong impacts and permanent disability. A traumatic brain injury is caused when an injury disrupts normal brain functioning and can be mild or severe, ranging from a concussion to a gunshot wound. Most injury-related TBIs are the result of falls, car accidents, or assaults. While mild TBIs usually require only minor medical care, a moderate to severe TBI can require rehabilitation or permanent living assistance. A TBI that results in an open-head wound is obviously serious and in need of immediate care, but closed-head TBIs can be just as dangerous, despite showing no external symptoms. That’s why it’s so important to visit a doctor anytime you’ve experienced a collision, fall, or other accident that could have resulted in a head injury.

event that the head is hit hard against an immovable object, however, the brain is slammed into the skull, sometimes multiple times back and forth. This can result in bruising, swelling, stretching, or tearing of brain tissue. If it cannot be healed, TBI can result in difficulty communicating, reduced motor skills, poor visual or spatial perception, behavior inhibition, or poor problem-solving abilities. Therefore, TBI not only puts your physical health at risk but also threatens your financial security. Rehabilitation, therapies, long-term care, and assistive technology are all expensive, and costs especially add up if your traumatic brain injury prevents you from working. That’s why you need an attorney in your corner if you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury. When someone else’s negligence causes a TBI, a good lawyer can get you the compensation you deserve. Finney Injury Law has experience with traumatic brain injury cases and individually assesses each one to provide the best options for your unique situation. Contact a brain injury attorney from Finney Injury Law for help with your TBI case today.

Human brains are the consistency of gelatin, so it’s generally a good thing that our skulls are so strong and stable. In the

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phone. When Vezmar asked her to stop texting, she refused. Then, Vezmar suggested that she step outside of the theater to text. Cruz took his suggestion and never returned. Most people would chalk the experience up to a bad date and move on, but Vezmar was so indignant that he reached out to Cruz the next day and requested that she compensate him $4 for the pizza and $17 for the movie ticket he’d paid for. If she didn’t pay, he threatened to go after the money in small claims court. When Cruz initially refused, Vezmar made good on his threat and filed a petition in Austin, Texas. Vezmar made the case that Cruz had violated the cinema’s no cellphone policy and had negatively impacted his and other moviegoers’ experiences of watching a raccoon and a talking tree (among other beings) save the day. He claimed that while he sought modest damages, it was the principle of the thing that really mattered to him. He called Cruz’s behavior “a threat to civilized society.” As entertaining as it might have been to see that case fully make its way through the legal system, the lawsuit was eventually dropped after the TV show “Inside Edition” reunited Cruz and Vezmar and filmed her paying him back for the date. As the camera rolled, he counted his cash and considered them square. Unlike “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” there were no good guys in this story — but that doesn’t make it any less entertaining to read about after the fact!

Man Sues Woman for Texting During a Movie Date

We’ve probably all found ourselves annoyed with someone who uses their phone during a movie at the theater, but have you ever been so annoyed that you sued them? That’s what Texas resident Brandon Vezmar decided to do back in 2017, following a “first date from hell” (as Vezmar put it) with Crystal Cruz. According to Vezmar, about 15 minutes into “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” Cruz was texting on her

YOUR REFERRALS MEAN THE WORLD TO US

Oktoberfest Soft Pretzels

Inspired by Tasty.co

There is no greater compliment we can receive than a client

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups warm water • 1 tbsp salt • 1 tbsp sugar • 1 packet active dry yeast

• 4 1/2 cups flour • 3 tbsp oil, divided • 2/3 cup baking soda • 2 eggs, beaten • Coarse salt, for sprinkling

telling a friend or loved one about us. If you know somebody who has been injured and needs an attorney who will fight on their behalf and give their case the attention it deserves, please pass along this newsletter and have them give us a call at 314-293-4222. Thank you for spreading the word about Finney Injury Law.

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, combine water, salt, and sugar. Add yeast and let rest for 5 minutes. Add flour and 2 tbsp oil, then mix thoroughly into a dough. 2. Remove the dough from the bowl. Coat bowl with remaining oil, then return the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and set it aside in a warm place for 1 hour.

4. Cut dough into 8 pieces. Roll them into thin ropes, then twist ropes into pretzel shapes. 5. In a large pot, boil water. Add baking soda, then boil each pretzel for 1 minute, flipping halfway through. 6. Transfer pretzels to a baking sheet. Brush them with egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10–15 minutes. Enjoy!

3. Preheat oven to 450 F.

Practicing in Missouri and Illinois

1600 S. BRENTWOOD BLVD. SUITE 220 • ST. LOUIS, MO 63144

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

FINNEYINJURYLAW.COM // 314-293-4222

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1

The Business Side of What We Do

2

3 Low-Tech Tips for Lighting Your Jack-o’-Lanterns

2

Traumatic Brain Injury: Don’t Wait to Get Help

3

Man Sues Woman for Texting During a Movie Date

3

Oktoberfest Soft Pretzels

4

Our 2021 Scholarship Recipients

THE FINNEY INJURY LAW SCHOLARSHIP Congratulations to Our 2021 Recipients!

THE 2021 WINNERS ARE: KIERA DOUGHTY ALLEIGH FINE TRAVIONE JOHNSON LARISA NESIMOVIC

NANDI PERSON AMANDA WOLF

We’re excited to announce the winners of our second annual Finney Injury Law Scholarship. As one of the ways we give back to the community, these $2,500 scholarships are awarded to students who are historically underrepresented in the legal profession so they can pursue their educational goals and prepare for a future in law. The scholarship can be used toward tuition, books, housing, or LSAT course reimbursement. Scholarship recipients must be a member of an underrepresented minority group in the legal profession, from the St. Louis area, interested in pursuing a career in law, and have a

minimum GPA of 3.0 and a minimum 1100 SAT or 22 ACT score. Each applicant had to provide two letters of recommendation and an essay. The essay could either be 1,500 words or 700 words with a 5–8-minute video, and each applicant had to write on the following topic: Explain how an experience in your own life has influenced your decision to pursue a career in the legal field. We originally intended to award five $2,500 scholarships, but the applicants impressed Chris Finney so much that he ultimately decided to award six scholarships instead.

A big congratulations to each of the scholarship recipients — you truly blew us away! We know you will all go on to do great things and hope your scholarship makes it a little easier for you to achieve your dreams. Finney Injury Law believes law should be a diverse profession and is dedicated to ensuring an equitable future. We hope to provide this scholarship for many years to come! To read the recipients’ winning essays and learn about the 2022 scholarship, keep an eye on FinneyInjuryLaw.com/The- Finney-Injury-Law-Scholarship . More information is coming soon!

Practicing in Missouri and Illinois