Hare Wynn Newell & Newton July 2019

Hare Wynn Newell & Newton July 2019

July 2019

The Story of Libby Hagan

O n June 13, 2014, 26-year-old Kathryn Hagan was 39 weeks pregnant with her first child, and she and husband, Lane, were eagerly anticipating the start of their family. However, when Kathryn gave birth to a baby girl named Libby on June 14, Libby was suffering from multi-organ complications and respiratory distress. Consequently, she was transferred to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), where critical care specialists devised a treatment plan for Libby that was to include — among other things — 0.6 units of insulin three times per day.

This was a medication error of 100 times the amount of insulin prescribed for the baby. As a result, Libby suffered severe, persistent hypoglycemia for many hours, and her brain and central nervous system were catastrophically impacted. Tragically, Libby would not only be a spastic quadriplegic, but she would also be visually impaired. Lane says, “This pretty much crushed every dream we had ever had for our child.” After that, both he and Kathryn felt the hospital was anxious to discharge Libby and send her home. He adds, “The hospital never prepared us for anything, nor did they offer any kind of help. It was as if they were saying, ‘You just need to go home and love your baby, because she is going to die.’” It was at that point that Kathryn and Lane made the decision to hold the hospital accountable. Now, they needed to find a law firm that had the expertise, tenacity, and reputation to take them on.

Most of Hare Wynn’s cases come by referral from other attorneys, and this case was no different. A good friend of Kathryn’s father was a lawyer, and he strongly urged Kathryn and Lane to consult with Leon Ashford and Jamie Moncus at Hare Wynn. Lane remembers their first meeting with the legal team who would end up representing their family: “When we met Leon and Jamie, we expected these rough, tough, hardened lawyers, and what we got was the exact opposite. They were both so kind and compassionate, and it was such a different experience from what we were expecting. They told us they were willing to take the case and that they didn’t know how the hospital

could defend the actions of its employees. They did, however, believe the hospital would try to settle it immediately with a low-ball offer, but they told us: ‘We are not going to let that happen. That would not do you justice. That would not do Libby justice. We are going to prepare this case for trial and, if the hospital wants to do the right thing before the jury does, we’ll take care of you with a settlement that gives Libby the quality of life she deserves.’”

On June 26, just shortly after midnight, insulin was ordered, approved, and delivered from the pharmacy to the NICU for Libby — just as had been done 35 times before. As usual, the order called for 0.6 units of NICU insulin, but due to egregious negligence, 300 units of adult insulin were delivered, and 60 units were administered to Libby.

Continued on Page 2 ...

855-997-9319 • 1

Lawyers Helping People—Since 1890

Hare Wynn got the world’s best experts involved in the case and fully prepared it to go to trial. Lane says that the case went on for about two years, but he and Kathryn were always kept up to date as to how things were proceeding, and they never worried because they felt like everything was in very capable hands. As the case neared the trial date, there were two attempts to mediate, but both failed because the Hagan’s legal team would not even consider an offer that was not adequate to fully and properly take care of Libby for the rest of her life and fully provide for both Kathryn and Lane. After further negotiations, both parties were able to finally agree on a settlement, which did just that — it took care of the Hagan family. For the first time since the birth of Libby, Kathryn and Lane felt a considerable amount of relief, peace, and gratitude as they would now be in a position to take care of Libby for the rest of her life despite whatever circumstances might arise. Lane says that he and his wife deeply appreciated how Hare Wynn treated them like family. He explains, “I just can’t say enough as to how they rallied around us. Leon, Jamie, and their team said that they would take care of us, and they very literally did. It was incredible. We really and truly felt like family from the first meeting with

Leon in our living room. That never changed. This is the thing that will forever stay with us. I would recommend Hare Wynn to anyone and everyone, and if we had to do it again — God help us — I would pick them 100 times over. We still communicate with them. They are our family now, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Making an Impact Where It Counts

in need. In particular, the 390,000 children in the area who receive free or reduced-cost lunches while in school. While the difference an event like this can make in the long run is priceless, every dollar donated equates to ten additional meals for those struggling with hunger. What We Gave Back During the event, which spanned from April 22 to May 3, we’re excited to say that we were able to collect 498 pounds of food! Every employee who could participate was driven to help as much as they could. It really spoke to our firm culture, and we couldn’t be prouder of the dedication our staff members have for the community around us. At the end of the day, everyone at Hare Wynn is just excited to help our neighbors in need however we can. To learn more, don’t hesitate to call our offices or visit our website at hwnn.com.

According to NoKidHungry.org, there are a little over 12 million children in “food insecure” homes in the United States. This means that those living situations don’t provide enough food for every member of the family to maintain a healthy lifestyle. What is even more concerning for our local area is that more than 1 in 4 children in Alabama don’t know where their next meal is coming from . At Hare Wynn, those are statistics we simply cannot ignore.

H ere at Hare, Wynn, Newell & Newton, we’re very community-driven. We’re always ready to do whatever we can to offer a voice to the voiceless and give back in any way possible. That’s why our firm participates in the Alabama Legal Food Frenzy.

Alabama Legal Food Frenzy This was an excellent opportunity to make an impact on those statistics. The Frenzy was a chance to compete with other law firms and legal organizations to help raise funds and stock Alabama food banks to help feed our neighbors

Reminding Us of the Freedoms to Exercise in Times of Need Earlier this month, we celebrated the Fourth of July, just as so many Americans did. The Fourth is a perfect time to remind ourselves of freedoms we don’t use every day but are crucial to our lives as American citizens. This includes knowing your rights and what steps to take when you’re involved in a car accident. No one wants to be in these situations, but they happen. When they do, it’s important to know what to do in order to achieve the most ideal outcome.

Initial Steps

Here are the primary steps you should take to make sure you are fairly compensated. First, call the police to report the accident. If you’re injured or think there is a chance you might be injured, seek medical attention immediately. Then, call HareWynn; they can ensure your insurance claim is filed and start the process of gathering any evidence needed to prove your case.

Solution on Page 4.

Damages You Can Claim

According to Alabama law, these are types of damages you can claim in the case of an injury occurring during a car accident.

• Medical Bills – You may claim the immediate medical bills you are facing from the actual accident and any injury-related medical bills you will incur in the future. • LostWages – There is a high possibility that if you’re injured from an incident, you will lose time fromwork. It’s smart to keep track of the time you’ve missed and a record of howmuch money you’d make were it not for your injury.

Mashed potatoes are a staple of every American household, but this decadent variation created by Anthony Bourdain is worthy of a Fourth of July feast.

• Property Damage – If your vehicle was damaged in any way, the defendant must pay for its repair.

Ingredients:

•

4 Ibs. mediumYukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved 6 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• •

1/2 cup heavy cream

• Pain and Suffering – You deserve compensation for the suffering you experience as you recover from the incident. This would include anything

Kosher salt

•

you couldn’t tie to a receipt, and it’s mainly up to your lawyer to prove exactly how much you suffered as a result of the accident.

Directions:

1. In a stockpot or large saucepan, submerge potatoes in just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil, add 2 tbsp of salt, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. 2. Drain potatoes and let cool for 3 minutes. 3. Using a ricer, grate potatoes into the original saucepan over medium heat. 4. With a wooden spoon, stir potatoes until they begin to

stick to pan and steam, about 2 minutes. 5. Add butter in four equal batches, stirring constantly and adding each batch only once the last has been fully incorporated into the saucepan. 6. Stir in cream, season liberally with salt, and serve immediately.

Another freedom that we all should take advantage of is the freedom of

information. If you want to learn more or if you have any questions about what you can do after an accident, feel free to call us at 855-997-9319 or visit us at hwnn.com to schedule an appointment.

Inspired by Food &Wine magazine.

855-997-9319 • 3

www.hwnn.com 855-997-9319

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

2025 3rd Avenue North Suite 800 Birmingham, AL 35203

Sudoku solution.

1 2 3

Justice for Libby Hagan

Collecting Food for Those in Need

Impossibly Silky Mashed Potatoes Knowing Your Rights in a Car Accident

4

Did You Hear the One About the Dog Food Burglar?

Did a Thief Really Sue the Family He Robbed? Have you heard the story of Terrence Dickson? Even if you don’t know the name, you might have heard his strange tale. As the story goes, Dickson was a burglar in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. One day, after breaking into a house and helping himself to some newsletter, which highlighted “outrageous lawsuits,” people were rightfully enraged. There was just one problem: Terrence Dickson never existed.

In 2002, a reporter from Pennsylvania contacted the Bucks County prothonotary’s office, where all records for civil cases in the county are kept. He discovered there was no record of any cases involving such a burglar. It’s worth noting the original email where this story first appeared ended with a call for tort reform from a made-up law firm in Ohio. Likely, this hoax was an attempt to manipulate the public perception of the justice system. Despite being debunked 17 years ago, this tall tale still makes the rounds and often appears on lists of “outrageous lawsuits,”many of which are featured on the websites of legitimate law firms! Our firm takes great pride in pursuing cases with merit. Made-up stories like this are truly “fake news”. Don’t believe everything you read online!

valuables, Dickson decided to leave through the garage. After discovering the automatic garage door was stuck closed, Dickson turned around and was horrified to realize he’d locked himself inside. To make matters worse, the family he was stealing from had just left for an extended vacation, so Dickson lived off of soda and dried dog food for eight days. When the family returned and found the unlucky burglar, a lawsuit was filed — by Dickson! He sued for mental anguish, and the jury awarded him $500,000. There’s nothing that shakes our faith in the justice system quite like injustice being served. When Dickson’s story first gained notoriety in 2001, thanks to an email

circulated by the now- defunct Stella Awards