Russell & Lazarus August/September 2021

Russell & Lazarus August/September 2021

Exclusively handling serious and catastrophic personal injury claims as well as wrongful death claims due to the negligence of individuals or business entities.

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CONSTRUCTION SITE ACCIDENTS

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AUTO COLLISIONS

The Right Help When You Need It Most!

ELDER ABUSE CLAIMS BRAIN TRAUMA CLAIMS WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIMS

MOTORCYCLE COLLISIONS

BICYCLE ACCIDENTS

Aug/Sept 2021

TRIP/SLIP-AND-FALL ACCIDENTS

How Much Coverage Should I Have? WHAT INSURANCE YOU NEED TO PROTECT YOURSELF

The second major area where we see people with deficient coverage is health insurance . There is no reason to not have health insurance in California. As one of the most liberal states in the nation, there are many subsidized programs available under Obamacare that allow people to obtain health insurance, even up to high incomes. Never go without health insurance coverage, in light of how much it costs to be hospitalized these days. The next insurance type we see underutilized is disability insurance . I don’t mean the kind of disability insurance that you pay through your employer; with that insurance, the state will only pay you for a year if you become disabled. Private disability coverage supplements that coverage up to whatever amount you purchase. Statistically, you are more likely to be disabled at work than die at an early age, which means disability insurance coverage is probably even more important than life insurance coverage. Unfortunately, we handle several death claims every year where the person who died left little-to-no life insurance coverage. Life insurance is very inexpensive in relation to other types of insurance because most people don’t die young. The general rule of thumb is to have coverage for eight times as much as your annual income, but I find that to be a completely inadequate amount. Under that calculation, if you make $50,000 a year, you’ll only have $400,000 in coverage, and that will not come close to ensuring your family doesn’t suffer financially in the future. My rule is to be insured for 20 times the amount of your yearly pay. That sounds like a lot, but again, this insurance is especially inexpensive when you are young and healthy. I also see people having inadequate homeowner’s coverage . Homeowner’s coverage protects you from being sued by someone who is hurt on your property. Again, the rule of thumb is to have homeowners insurance coverage at least equal to your assets. You should also have replacement coverage if your house burns down or is destroyed by some other type of calamity.

My clients ask questions all the time about how much insurance coverage they should have, so on occasion, I like to take a moment to lay it out in detail. Of course, we’re not trying to sell our clients insurance coverage, but we are the folks looking under rocks for whatever insurance we can find after an accident. It is very difficult to go after most individuals under personal injury lawsuits if they don’t have some type of insurance. The saddest conversations I have are with people who are seriously injured, but the person who injured them is not covered or only has minimal coverage. The first type of insurance everyone should have to protect themselves is automobile coverage , and there are two critically important aspects of automobile coverage that everyone needs. The first is liability coverage , which protects you and your assets if you hurt somebody else. In California, the minimum amount of liability insurance is $15,000 per person. That minimum has been in effect for the last 40 years, and if it had been adjusted for inflation, would now be around $50,000, which is much fairer compensation. You should have liability coverage consistent with your assets — if you have $100,000 in equity in your home and in savings, you should have at least $100,000 per person in liability coverage. Under your car insurance policy, the second most critical coverage you should have is uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage . This coverage protects you if you were hurt by someone else, and it prevents you from having to accept a minimal policy of insurance from someone who has no or few assets. Serious injuries are worth six and sometimes seven figures, depending on how serious they are, and $15,000 will not cut it. The rule of thumb I like to use is that you should buy as much uninsured motorist coverage as you can afford. Sometimes it’s the only thing that keeps you afloat if you are unable to work and have to accept the two-thirds amount of disability pay from the state.

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RUSSELL & LAZARUS APC 1401 Dove Street | Suite 310 | Newport Beach, CA 92660 Direct: 949-851-0222 Toll Free: 800-268-9228 www.russellandlazarus.com

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STICKY BUSINESS

Is Painter’s Tape More Useful Than Duct Tape?

What’s blue, sticky, and as useful as can be? If a roll of painter’s tape just sprung to mind, then you’re on the right track. Although duct tape has the reputation of being the most useful item in the world, we’re not so sure that’s the case. In fact, we’re not even sure it’s the most useful kind of tape . Blasphemy? Perhaps not. Painter’s tape lacks the adhesive qualities of duct tape as well as the fabric-style backing that gives the silver stuff its fabled strength. But here’s the honest truth about those qualities: They’re only there to let duct tape do things tape was never supposed to do. Long-term repairs? Structural support? Duct tape may be useful in a pinch, but around the house, you’re going to do a lot better with the blue painter’s tape. For one, it comes in a variety of sizes, and if you’re painting, that can be a real godsend. It’s also easy to lay flat, fold, and tuck into nooks and crannies (a quality it receives from the paper-style backing). But the real value behind painter’s tape is that it does the exact thing duct tape can’t: It goes on easily and comes off with no sticky residue left behind. That’s what makes it great for painting, but it also means it is ideal for hanging posters, putting a to-do list on the wall, or sticking a label on a jar of food.

Painter’s tape doesn’t have the sheer strength of duct tape, but that’s a feature. A few wraps of painter’s tape will keep that extension cord coiled at just the right length, but the low strength means you can easily tear it when you need the longer cord. This works with cables, hoses, ropes, and straps and is great for keeping a house organized. You can also use painter’s tape to baby-proof outlets, wrap presents, divide a room in half between two feuding kids … the list goes on! What’s your favorite use for tape? Whatever that may be, painter’s tape has you covered.

For Case Manager Jonathan Leon, It’s All About Family HOW HE FOUND HIS HOME AT RUSSELL & LAZARUS

“Honestly,” he says, “it’s just a good feeling that I’m able to help people in this situation.”

their depositions and paperwork. “Growing up with Hispanic parents,” Jonathan says, “it was very difficult for them to understand the language and communicate with people around them. So seeing my clients understand their cases was a joy for me.” Jonathan worked as a legal interpreter for eight years, and during that time, he started getting more involved in individual cases. He became a paralegal and eventually, Russell & Lazarus attorney Jorge Ramirez told him that there was an opening at the firm. Jonathan felt it was time for a change, so he applied. Jonathan has now been a case manager at Russell & Lazarus for almost two years. He is his clients’ first point of contact with the firm, and he acts as a liaison between the client, the attorney, and medical providers. He even helps clients understand the legal process and get the medical care they need before they’ve received a settlement.

Jonathan Leon didn’t set out to work in a law office but found his way to one by following his passions. In college, he took paralegal and interpreting courses and began working as a medical interpreter. Some of the patients were injured and had legal cases, and he realized they would need legal interpretation services, too.

Jonathan is very close with his family and enjoys spending time with his parents and two younger sisters. They love to get together on holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions, and they especially like camping and traveling. Of course, they haven’t been able to travel for a while, due to COVID-19, so Jonathan notes they are looking forward to planning their next trip. Jonathan still does some legal interpreting after hours but is happy to devote most of his time to Russell & Lazarus. “I’m very grateful for the family I’ve met at this firm,” he says. “Chris Russell and Marc Lazarus are great bosses, and the staff here has been phenomenal. Whether it concerns my personal life or work life, they’re always there to extend a hand.” In the end, Jonathan can only say one thing about his time at Russell & Lazarus: “It’s been a great experience.”

He began working with attorneys and helped their Spanish-speaking clients understand

RUSSELL & LAZARUS APC 1401 Dove Street | Suite 310 | Newport Beach, CA 92660 Direct: 949-851-0222 Toll Free: 800-268-9228 www.russellandlazarus.com 2

POZOLE POZOLE

The recipe is courtesy of Rosie Valencia, our fabulous Senior Case Manager who just celebrated 21 years with the firm!

DIRECTIONS

INGREDIENTS

For the salsa: 1. Toast the chilies (guajillo and puya), then boil them in water for 15 minutes. 2. Grind all of the ingredients (chiles, marjoram, and garlic) in a blender. 3. Strain all of the ingredients.

For the pozole: • 1 can of hominy • 2 onions, divided • 1 whole garlic head • 3 pork legs • 3 lbs pork backbone • 1 small whole chicken, cut into small pieces • 1 cabbage, chopped finely

For the pozole: 1. Add enough water to cover all of the ingredients in a large Dutch oven, about 2–3 quarts. 2. Once the water is boiling add the hominy, a whole onion (peeled), a whole garlic head (not peeled), and the pork legs. 3. Mix and remove the foam as it is created by the pork legs, then reduce to medium heat. Leave this cooking for an hour. 4. Add the pork backbone, then increase heat and bring to a boil again. 5. Once again, remove the foam created by the meat and reduce to medium heat. Leave this to cook for another hour. 6. Add the chicken, salt to taste, marjoram, and chile salsa. Increase heat and bring to a boil again. Cook for another hour. 7. Pour pozole in a deep bowl, add cabbage, diced onion, lime juice (to taste), and hot sauce. 8. Enjoy!

• lime • salt • hot sauce (optional)

For the salsa: • 2 bags of guajillo chile • 10 puya chiles • 1 tbsp marjoram • 1 whole garlic head (cloves peeled)

... continued from Cover

Last but not least is umbrella coverage . Umbrella coverage is exactly what it sounds like; it’s an umbrella over all of your liability coverage. It ensures that you have more than adequate liability coverage to protect you if you’re sued by someone you have injured. Umbrella coverage is typically pretty inexpensive, and you can easily get $1 million worth of coverage for around $750 a year. Again, the rule of thumb is to have umbrella coverage consistent with your assets, and people with a high net worth should probably have double the amount of their assets. Please make sure to give us a call if you have any questions. We’ll be more than happy to give you more specifics about what type of coverage you need to protect yourself and your loved ones so that any financial disruption in your life is minimal in the event of an accident.

On July 30, the firm celebrated the anniversaries of four very special team members (L to R):

I hope everyone had a great summer — so far ours has been much better than last year, for sure. We were very happy to recently welcome our granddaughter, Isabel Rose, into the world. Welcome to the world, Isabel! God Bless. –Chris Russell

• Marc Lazarus, Managing Attorney (20 yrs.) • Teri Penniston, Director of Operations (30 yrs.) • Jennifer Schicktanz, Paralegal (10 yrs.) • Gina Simms, Office Administrator (15 yrs.)

Congrats to ALL!!

RUSSELL & LAZARUS APC 1401 Dove Street | Suite 310 | Newport Beach, CA 92660 Direct: 949-851-0222 Toll Free: 800-268-9228 www.russellandlazarus.com 3

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

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INSIDE

this issue

PG 1 PG 2 PG 3 PG 4

How Much Insurance Coverage Should I Have?

More Useful Than Duct Tape?!

Meet Case Manager Jonathan Leon

Pozole Recipe

Testimonials

TESTIMONIALS

“My sincere appreciation to Marc Lazarus and Sam. What a great team! Marc was amazing: He not only helped me to understand the procedure, but he was very compassionate when discussing my injuries as a result of my car accident where I was T-boned. Sam was also amazing in the way he handled all the details. He helped in making doctor appointments and was always prompt in responding to messages and phone calls. He would follow up just to see how I was doing. I just received a nice settlement, and I’m very happy I chose this firm to represent me.”

“Normally you would think that during COVID-19, things would have been different and it would have been hard to connect. Tara and Marc were there each and every step of the way. I will definitely be referring my family and friends. Thanks again, Marc, Tara, and Rosie. They even sent me a fruit basket! They are the best!”

–Nancy Vanderplas

–Mason B.

RUSSELL & LAZARUS APC 1401 Dove Street | Suite 310 | Newport Beach, CA 92660 Direct: 949-851-0222 Toll Free: 800-268-9228 www.russellandlazarus.com

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