Harmonson Law Firm - December 2020

Harmonson Law Firm - December 2020

HARMONSON HEADLINES YOUR GUIDE TO PERSONAL INJURY IN THE BORDERLAND DECEMBER 2020

There’s Nothing Quite Like Taking a Break at the End of a Long Year

T o the relief of a great many, 2020 is finally coming to an Typically, the courts don’t want to schedule as many hearings, trials, or other courtroom matters around this time, which means we tend to get a little break from the grind. December is a time to reflect on the past year and set goals for the year to come, but most importantly, December means more time with family. I know my staff appreciates when things slow down at the end of the year. We always take several days off around end! December is an interesting month for us at the firm. Christmas and New Year’s Day so they can be with their families. With both of these holidays falling on Fridays this year, you can be sure a lot of people will be having two long weekends in a row. That’s a pretty good way to end the year! Reflecting back, despite the struggles of this year, our law firm has managed to come out stronger, and it’s one thing I’m grateful for. Getting there took a lot of hard work and planning. It also helped that we’ve built a solid reputation in El Paso and in the surrounding area in both Texas and New Mexico. Former clients, friends, family, and colleagues in the legal community trust us to get the job done, so we’ve seen a steady stream of cases throughout the year.

Not only that, but Hadley Huchton has also been a real blessing for our firm and our clients. She’s been with us for three years now, focusing mainly on the medical malpractice side of things. She’s been able to help so many people get results. These types of cases are never easy, but you wouldn’t know that when Hadley works them. Work stuff aside, we’re all looking forward to the holidays and the opportunity to catch our breath before we jump into 2021. We’re also excited to give back in this season of giving, though how we’ll give back, I don’t know. Things like donating food or toys are being handled differently. Nevertheless, it’s still so important to give back, no matter what form it may end up taking. Even gift-giving at home will be a little different. For our family, gift-giving has a habit of getting out of control. Sheri and I tend to load our kids up with presents. This year, however, we may change it up. It seems like everything about the holidays is in flux, so by the time you read this, our plans may have completely changed. But personally, I’d like to take a trip; I think having an experience is much better than a house full of presents, but maybe that’s just me. But speaking of gifts, I want to share a brief memory to end the year on a fun note. It’s about the best gift I ever received. It was the year I turned 16. Like most 16-year-olds, I had my heart

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 ...

915.584.8777 • 1

I n many cases, car accidents result in injuries, both minor and major. However, no matter the circumstance, your immediate concern after an accident should be to address your injuries with a medical professional so you can begin the path to recovery. Here are four of the most common injuries we see. Whiplash Whiplash is a neck injury caused by a forceful and sudden back-and-forth movement of the neck. This motion can cause injury in the spine as well as the ligaments, muscles, nerves, and other neck tissues. The symptoms of whiplash may include severe neck pain, tenderness, headaches (most often starting at the base of the skull), stiffness, fatigue, dizziness, soreness, decreased range of motion in the neck, and pain or numbness spreading into the arms. It may also lead to blurred vision, tinnitus, sleep problems, irritability, difficulty with concentration, memory problems, and depression. ACCIDENT AW 4 CAR ACCIDENT INJURIES

WITH NO SNOW AT ALL

An old-fashioned snowball fight is the epitome of winter activities. But if snowfall is lacking or it’s just too cold to venture outside and hurl freezing balls of ice at each other, don’t let it dampen your spirits. You can create and orchestrate your own indoor, snow-free, and entirely safe snowball fight. Make Your Snowballs While craft stores sell large white cotton puffs that look like snowballs, they’re too light to get any good velocity behind them. Instead, make your own “snowballs” with just a few materials in four easy steps: 1. You’ll need a pair of scissors, several pairs of cheap white nylon stockings (one pair can make about 10 snowballs), and a bag of polyester fiberfill, like Poly-Fil, or use the stuffing from a few old stuffed animals you no longer want. 2. Stuff a handful of the filling down into the end of one stocking leg and tie a knot, creating a round “snowball.” 3. Make another knot after the one you just made, leaving a little space between the two knots. 4. Cut between the two knots to snip off a tied-off

Spinal Injuries What the Insurance Companies DON’T Want You to Know About YOUR RIG Most spinal injuries occur when the driver or passengers do not have time to brace for impact, perhaps due to a lack of awareness of an impending collision.

Claims was written to s with vital information 8-wheeler, work vehicle es to bear in mind that up premiums for their e amount that they are E ONE GOAL— HAREHOLDERS.

Injured in a Car Accident? The Insurance Company Is NOT Your Friend.

snowball. Repeat these steps until you have at least a few dozen, but if you’re patient enough to make 100 or more, you’ll have ample supply for a substantial encounter. How to Play There’s really no “right” way to have a snowball fight. It’s often just about who can hit whom the most, but if you want to turn it into a measurable competition, divide your group into two teams and distribute the snowballs evenly between them. Then create boundaries for each team by laying down masking tape across the room. Teams must stay on their side of the line at all times. Set a timer for however long you’d like the fight to go on, and at your signal, teams can start hurling snowballs across the room at one another. When time is up, gather and count the snowballs on each side, and the team with the fewest snowballs is the winner! A crafty indoor snowball fight can be a lot of fun for people of all ages, not just kids. Best of all, the crafting part is something you only have to do once, and then you have a stock of snowballs for every winter to come.

Written by experienced car accident attorney S. Clark Harmonson, this is a valuable resource with the vital facts you need before talking to the insurance company or hiring a lawyer. In this book, you’ll learn everything insurance companies don’t want you to know, such as: • 12 shady auto insurance company tactics • 10 common myths and

g e e e e d es ly

misconceptions about your car accident claim How we hold negligent drivers accountable

“I wrote this book to help you cut through all the confusion surroundin your accident.”

•

WITH: 12 Dirty Tricks the Insurance Adjuster Will Use to Wreck Your Claim

• What you need to do immediately after an accident • Top five worst auto insurance companies in Texas

Get your free copy at ClarkHarmonsonAttorney.com or by calling our office at 915.584.8777 .

AR ACCIDENT… ET THIS RIGHT!

2 • www.ClarkHarmonsonAttorney.com

WARENESS S TO LOOK OUT FOR

When a person is unable to brace for impact, they do not have a chance to stabilize and protect themselves from the force of impact, which can lead to spinal injuries.

Have you ever thought about how you exit your car? Most of us don’t give it a lot of thought — we just do it. However, as you commute or run errands, you may have noticed many parked drivers fail to check for oncoming traffic, and that includes cars, motorcycles, and bicycles. When this happens, it increases the chance of a dooring, a type of accident that occurs when a person collides with a car door. It happens when a driver suddenly opens their car door without looking and oncoming traffic is unable to react quickly enough and hits the door. In the instance of a bike collision, the result can be deadly for the cyclist. While larger vehicles, such as cars and trucks, are easier to spot from behind with a glance, motorcycles and bicycles tend to be an afterthought. They can be invisible in our peripheral vision, so drivers must pay attention in order to avoid missing any detail on or along the road. In the Netherlands, where bicycles are very common, drivers receive extensive bike awareness training. This training gives them the insight and resources they need to safely navigate streets packed with bikes and other small vehicles, like e-bikes, scooters, and motorcycles. But there is one specific technique in the Dutch driver education program that everyone should take advantage of: opening the car door. Dutch drivers learn to reach for the door handle with their right hand, not their left. When you reach with your right hand (as the driver — it’s the opposite for the right passengers), you are forced to twist your body in such a way that it gives you a better view of the area outside your vehicle. This is designed to increase awareness of vehicles or cyclists coming up from the rear. This incredibly simple action, called the Dutch reach, is credited with saving lives and mitigating accidents. It’s a simple habit that takes no extra time but accomplishes so much! A SIMPLE HABIT THAT SAVES LIVES The ‘Dutch Reach’

Head Injury

There is a significant transfer of energy in a crash that may cause the brain to twist in the skull. Brain cells may be damaged or stretched in the accident, resulting in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A TBI may cause a diminished or altered state of consciousness and an impairment of cognitive abilities or physical functioning. This can be diagnosed using imaging equipment such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Broken Bones

Car accidents can result in broken bones in any part of the body. A person may suffer a broken rib or collarbone as a result of the sudden engagement of the seatbelt stopping mechanism. Broken bones, like arms, legs and ankles, may occur because of the body striking the inside of the vehicle.

GHTS

... CONTINUED FROM COVER

set on one thing: a car. Well, when my birthday that August rolled around, let me tell you what didn’t roll into our driveway.

Needless to say, I was very disappointed, but like any teenager, I accepted it and moved on. And then came Christmas. Lo and behold, sitting in the drive was a very used 1980 burnt orange Ford Bronco. It may have been a little beaten up, but I was thrilled. My generous older brother, who had a little extra money saved up at the time, bought a Pioneer stereo to put in the Bronco so we could blast some tunes while driving all over. Over time, I continued to put it through its paces and even ended up driving it through college. All in all, it was a good truck.

With that, I wish you and your family a happy holiday, and I hope you make some good memories this season.

915.584.8777 • 3

5505 North Mesa St. Suite 3 • El Paso, TX 79912 WWW.CLARKHARMONSONATTORNEY.COM 915.584.8777

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

1

Taking a Break Before the New Year

2

Craft a Snow-Free Indoor Snowball Fight

The Most Common Car Accident Injuries

3

A Simple Thing Every Driver Can Do That Saves Lives

4

Winter Road Trip Essentials You Didn’t Know You Needed

Winter Road Trip Essentials You Didn’t Know You Needed A Driver’s Guide to Safe Holiday Travels

On Sept. 24, 2019, more than 2.5 million people passed through TSA checkpoints at airports across America. On the same date this year, those terminals saw just 826,316 travelers — a nearly 70% drop. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Americans have been thinking twice about air travel, and this holiday, millions of would-be flyers will set out on road trips instead. Road tripping is a great way to avoid contact with a lot of people, but it can also be dangerous, especially in winter weather. Fortunately, you can take several steps to keep your family safe. Getting your car checked before you go, for example, can save you a lot of hassle on the road, as can investing in a set of snow tires. It’s also smart to take precautions such as letting a friend or family member know your route, predicted arrival time, and where you plan to stop for gas along the way.

Apart from that, one of the best things you can do is pack an emergency kit. AAA sells premade kits through outlets like Amazon, and you can find a basic kit with things like jumper cables, ponchos, rope, batteries, pliers, zip ties, and a first-aid kit at pretty much any Walmart or sporting goods store. You could even save a life by adding a few more essentials to your kit, like a blanket, snacks, and an extra cellphone charger. At this point, you’re almost a safety black belt. But to take your kit to the next level for winter driving, there are three more little-known items you should stash in your trunk: a shovel, a bag of sand or cat litter, and an extra bottle of windshield wiper fluid. If you get stuck in a snowbank, the shovel will help you dig your way out without risking frostbitten fingers. The sand or cat litter will boost your traction if you sprinkle it around your wheels in an icy spot, and the extra wiper fluid will make all the difference if you run out during a snowstorm.

Once you’re prepared, crank up the Christmas carols and get driving!

.

4 • www.ClarkHarmonsonAttorney.com

Published by Newsletter Pro www.NewsletterPro.com