Champion Firm, P.C. April 2019
2675 PACES FERRY ROAD SE, SUITE 260 ATLANTA, GA 30339
Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorneys hampion Firm, P.C.
WWW.THECHAMPIONFIRM.COM 404-596-8044
APRIL 2019
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DO THE RIGHT THING? OUR OBLIGATION
Attorneys have a bad reputation.
walk in, talk to a nurse about what they’re experiencing, and only get five minutes with the doctor, who reviews someone
You don’t have to tell me about it, I know. I’ve heard my fair share of lawyer jokes. The trouble is this bad reputation didn’t come from nowhere. Most attorneys prioritize their clients’ needs. This is a value I hold dear, and I have the privilege to know many attorneys practicing in other areas of law who are gold standards. But there’s a small, loud minority that give everyone a bad name. A big part of this is due to the commoditization of personal injury cases.
else’s notes and gives a diagnosis without hearing what the patient has to say. Nurses are great, but when you’re sick, you want to talk to the doctor about your symptoms. You want to feel like your doctor actually cares and knows who you are.
In order to make sure our clients get the care they
deserve, we can’t accept every case that comes through our door. We carefully review cases first to make sure we’re the right fit for the case and the client. I’m really
“WE HAVE A PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL OBLIGATION TO DO RIGHT BY OUR CLIENTS.”
proud of the attention we’re able to give to our clients and the level of service we provide so everyone feels heard and taken care of. I’m also proud that we have a strong network of attorneys we can refer cases to. When a case isn’t right for us, we don’t have to send someone away empty-handed. We’re able to direct them to another attorney we trust to treat them right. There are a series of rules lawyers must follow, or they risk being punished. Unfortunately, it’s easy for attorneys to skirt around these rules and place their own interests over their clients. I don’t think rules should be the only judge of whether something is “right” to do. Attorneys should always be looking out for their clients and have their best interests at heart, because we’ve elected to be part of a profession that helps people in need. If we can’t live up to that obligation, we have no business calling ourselves lawyers.
There are certain firms that look at cases like a quick, profitable opportunity rather than a person who’s in pain. These are the firms that employ mass advertising campaigns with huge billboards and pop-up ads online. They take as many cases as possible — sometimes 200 or more cases to a single attorney — and focus on settling quickly, regardless of whether or not that’s the right thing for the client. Once they’ve turned a profit, they move onto the next batch of cases. I can see how some firms fall into the habit of treating cases like commodities. The firms want to make money. But even though it may be an easy way to make money, that doesn’t make it right. I think the profession of law should be held to a higher standard. We have a professional and ethical obligation to do right by our clients. I work hard to make sure my firm’s culture emphasizes that we’re here to help our clients.
–Darl Champion
A common complaint people have about doctors is that they feel like their doctor doesn’t care about them. They
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THE BEST OPENING DAYS IN BASEBALL HISTORY PEANUTS AND CRACKER JACKS
Baseball’s opening day has been an American holiday of sorts since the Cincinnati Red Stockings threw out the first major league pitch in 1869. To celebrate the start of the 150th season of professional baseball, here are three of the best opening days in baseball history. A New Beginning On April 15, 1947, an opening- day game changed the course of Major League Baseball. On this day, Jackie Robinson started for the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first African-American player to start for a major league baseball team. Robinson’s historic showing was lackluster, going 0-for-3 at the plate and making a solid showing on the infield at first base, but his mere presence in a Dodgers
uniform had already broken history. Despite his nationally- recognized skills — Robinson was named MVP of the MLB farm team league in 1946 — the backlash that followed his rise to the pros, both from fans and teammates, was palpable. Still, as well-known sportscaster Howard Cosell said, “Suddenly, it was a new beginning.” Lou, Combs, and Babe — Oh My! Considered one of the best teams in baseball history, the 1927 New York Yankees started their historic run and 25th season by dismantling the Philadelphia Athletics with a score of 8–3. The slugfest was true to form for the 1927 Yankees, whose players would go on to make up baseball’s famous “Murderers’ Row.” With sluggers like Lou Gehrig, Earle Combs, Babe Ruth, Mark Koenig, Bob Meusel, and Tony Lazzeri, it’s no wonder this team went on to win its fifth championship that year. The Hammer Ties Bambino For decades, no one could match George Herman Ruth. The Great Bambino’s all-time home run record seemed like an impossible feat of strength — that is, until Henry “Hammerin’ Hank” Aaron came along. On opening day, April 4, 1974, Aaron smashed his 714th homer, tying Babe Ruth for the most home runs ever hit and extending the Atlanta Braves’ shutout lead over the Cincinnati Reds. A few weeks later, Aaron surpassed Ruth’s record, prompting a standing ovation from the crowd. Though it’s easy to spot a case runner from the outside, runners are successful because they target vulnerable people. Being injured in an accident is a scary, confusing time. Victims know they need help, but they don’t know where to go. Case runners step in wearing the mask of a friendly good Samaritan, only to direct injured victims to someone who might not be looking out for their best interests. Never accept a “recommendation” you know nothing about, especially if the person being recommended has stooped to the unethical use of runners. Do some research online, or ask your friends and family for a good referral. You should always be the one to contact an attorney or medical professional first. Being in an accident is a stressful time, but case runners will never give you the answers you need to overcome your challenges. That’s because good lawyers, doctors, and chiropractors don’t need to hire someone to unethically convince you to go to their office. hang out at police stations waiting to talk to people filing accident reports.
Case runners, sometimes called “ambulance chasers,” make their money by targeting accident victims and arranging for them to do business with a certain lawyer or doctor. They appear at accident scenes and in the hospital rooms of victims who have been injured in an accident. With claims of sympathy, they offer accident victims the card of someone who they claim will be able to help. But case runners don’t care whether the person they’re speaking to gets better or is able to rebuild their life. Their only interest is the compensation they receive from each case they acquire. The use of case runners is a form of solicitation, and it’s illegal for lawyers or health care professionals to engage in such unethical practices in the state of Georgia. Spotting a Runner It’s easy to identify a case runner. They might come up to you after your accident, claiming to be a concerned witness. Or maybe they’re at the hospital expressing a “deep concern” about your injuries. We’ve even heard of case runners who HOW TO SPOT A CASE RUNNER THE VULTURES ARE CIRCLING
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Many people think that their loved ones won’t need to do anything for them after they pass away, because they don’t own much or their assets are not complicated. Amanda Riedling is an estate planning (wills and trusts) and probate attorney. This month, she’s breaking down this myth and the dangers of not having a will. A will is much more than just telling the world who you want to inherit from you (though that is important, too). Every adult needs a will, whether they have a dime to their name or not. What if you were injured in a wreck but died before the case or settlement was finished? What if you are killed by a drunk truck driver with a large insurance policy covering them? In any of these scenarios, you could have zero dollars to your name during life, but you could potentially have significant money going into your estate after you die. If you don’t have a will specifying who gets what, then the law will make that determination for you. When making a will, you nominate an executor who will manage your estate and make important decisions that will affect your loved ones left behind. Outside of deciding who would receive funds from any personal injury cases, it is incredibly important that you choose an executor who will be in charge of handling any claims. When Probate Meets Personal Injury Why Do I Need a Will?
If you don’t nominate someone, any adult can ask to be the one managing your estate. This person doesn’t have to be related to you; they can be a total
stranger! If you don’t choose an executor, anyone can become the person to hire the personal injury lawyer, make decisions about what the settlement terms will be, and have control over when and how those funds are distributed to your next closest relatives. There is a small chance that nothing will need to be done when you pass away, but this is very rare. There is usually something to deal with: a bank account, a car, a home, taxes, funeral expenses, or final medical bills. In the case where your estate needs to sue someone for a personal injury or continue a case you already started, you need someone you know and trust to hire the right attorney and to handle the process. This is especially important if you have loved ones relying on an inheritance from you for their care, like minor children or elderly parents. When choosing an executor, find someone you know and trust to make decisions that will be best for them.
–Amanda Riedling
Amanda Riedling is a partner at Levine & Riedling, LLC in Marietta, Georgia, where she practices exclusively in the areas of probate, estate planning (wills and trusts), and adult guardianship.
TAKE A BREAK
THE CHAMPION POP QUIZ
Are you a fan of fun facts? Do you bring interesting conversation starters to every party? Do you like winning prizes? Then our pop quiz is for you! If you can answer all three of the following questions, you could win this month’s big prize: Two tickets to the Atlanta Braves home game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, May 17 at 7:20 p.m.! These seats are in the Delta Club section and include food and beverage, plus a parking pass!
1. When was the first time the Braves won a World Series championship for Atlanta?
2. Which teams played in the longest major league game by innings?
3. What Braves relief pitcher caught Hank Aaron's 715th home run when it flew into the bullpen?
Email your answers to tamsie@thechampionfirm.com for a chance to win. Submissions must be received by Tuesday, April 30, 2019 , to qualify.
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Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorneys hampion Firm, P.C.
2675 PACES FERRY ROAD SE, SUITE 260 ATLANTA, GA 30339
WWW.THECHAMPIONFIRM.COM 404-596-8044
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
The Commoditization of Law
2 2 3 3 4
3 Great Opening Days in Baseball
Will a Case Runner Lead You Astray?
Myth: Only Rich People Need Wills
Win Tickets to an Atlanta Braves Home Game!
Never Judge a Dog by Her Size
TITLE WILL GO HERE YORKIE DOODLE DANDY SMOKY THE WORLD WAR II CANINE ERO
Smoky’s most famous act of heroism occurred when she went where no man could go at an air base at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon. The engineers needed help, so Wynne tied a strand of telephone wire to her collar and Smoky ran through a 70-foot- long pipe in a matter of minutes. Without Smoky, it would have taken three days to lay the wire. Her work kept over 250 ground crewmen and 40 fighter and reconnaissance planes out of danger from enemy bombings. In addition to saving lives on the battlefield, Smoky is also considered to be the first recorded therapy dog. She learned a number of tricks to cheer up troops and would visit injured soldiers at the hospital in New Guinea. After World War II, Smoky and Wynne visited veteran hospitals across the United States. “Corporal” Smoky lived for another 10 years after the war before dying on Feb. 21, 1957, at approximately 14 years old. Wynne would go on to write a memoir about his time with Smoky titled “Yorkie Doodle Dandy.” Almost 50 years after her death, a life-sized bronze statue of Smoky was erected at her final resting place in Lakewood, Ohio. Her statue is dedicated to the bravery of all war dogs, and it is a reminder that heroes come in all shapes and sizes
Considering the stress of combat, it’s no wonder military dogs tend
to be tough breeds known for their size and strength. German shepherds, boxers, and various bully breeds are well-acquainted with the battlefield. But in World War II, the most famous military dog weighed only 4 pounds and stood a mere 7 inches tall. Smoky the Yorkshire Terrier wasn’t exactly what most people associated with Shakespeare’s “let slip the dogs of war,” but her small size is part of what made her such a hero. American soldier from Cleveland, Ohio. The two quickly became inseparable, and she stayed by Wynne’s side the entire time he was stationed in the South Pacific. Smoky is credited with going on 12 combat missions, surviving 150 air raids, parachuting 30 feet, and earning eight battle stars. Smoky’s sensitive hearing allowed her to alert Wynne and other soldiers of incoming air raids. In 1944, after being discovered beside a foxhole in the jungles of New Guinea, Smoky met Corporal William A. Wynne, an
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