Law office of Matthew Konecky - February 2019

THE KONECKY

FEBRUARY 2019

JOURNAL

561.671.5995 | 954.272.6187 | www.matthewkoneckypa.com 110 SE 6th Street, Suite 1700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 4440 PGA Blvd, Suite 600, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

For the Love of Helping People O n Valentine’s Day, many people take a few extra moments to share their love and appreciation for one another. However, it’s important to celebrate our most meaningful relationships every day. I certainly love and appreciate my wife, Ashley, and my daughter, Jade. But there’s also something to be said for the relationship I share with my clients. They are what make my law firm what it is. I often meet with people who are going through some very dark times. They don’t know what is going to happen next, and there is a lot of uncertainty. I get to help them navigate through that uncertainty and figure out their next step. On a professional level, being able to help is incredible. A lot of what I do isn’t defined by the wins in the courtroom, but by the relationships I form with people who come to our firm for help. I’m always blown away by the appreciation clients share with me after a case has come to an end. Just this past December, the day after Christmas, I received a card from a client. There was a note thanking me for all I had done. They expressed that it had been an honor to work with us. It was a case that didn’t go exactly how we envisioned it. There were major challenges we didn’t overcome. But despite the challenges, this person was grateful for the help I could give. I certainly wasn’t expecting that. A lot of people look at the wins and losses in the courtroom like numbers on a scoreboard. They believe that is what really matters. The truth is that it’s far more complex, especially in the kind of law I practice. Simply helping people figure out those complexities can be what makes the difference in their lives, not just their case.

I didn’t get into law because I wanted to help people — it wasn’t necessarily a driving force. But it was something that developed more and more over time. As I practiced law and worked with clients, especially early on, I started to gain a better understanding of who I was as a person and as an attorney. I developed a clearer vision of what my practice is about and what it could be about. One thing I always dedicated myself to is regular client contact, whether it’s over the phone or in person. That kind of interaction and transparency is huge — and something not a lot of attorneys do. It’s surprising. There are a lot of firms out there that tend to keep their clients at an arm’s length. Information is shared on what you might call a “need to know” basis. When you’re facing uncertainty, a lack of communication adds more stress to an already stressful situation. I never want that for my clients. And I know our clients appreciate my transparency. That card I received on Dec. 26 is proof of this. It also tells me that I’m making a difference and that I am truly able to help people. I love that. In many ways, it’s energizing. Unlike a number of my colleagues, I’m not burned out. I look forward to what each day brings.

10.0

–Matthew Konecky

www.matthewkoneckypa.com

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Breaking Through the TV Terminology

4K, HDR, and OLED Defined

When you shop for a new TV these days, you’re greeted with a bevy of acronyms and numbers — marketing terms you can’t make sense of. These are terms like 4K, HDR, and OLED, just to name a few. TV makers leave it up to you to figure out what these terms mean. Well, look no further. We’re going to cut through the marketing speak and get to the point. Here’s what today’s popular TV marketing terms really mean. 4K The TV buzzword “4K” has replaced “HDTV” and “1080p” as the go-to marketing term. In short, it’s a reference to the number of pixels on the screen. Standard high-definition TVs (1080p) have a vertical resolution of 1,080 pixels and a horizontal resolution of 1,920. Here’s where it gets weird. 4K TVs have a vertical resolution of 2,160 pixels with a horizontal resolution of 3,840. Marketers decided to swap the vertical resolution as their reference point with the horizontal resolution, because higher numbers are more impressive, right? But 4K TVs seem to fall short of the moniker. Regardless, these TVs have improved color and image quality over standard HD, but you have to have YourAuto Insurance Policy Decoded A FREE Consult Just for You!

devices — such as the PlayStation 4 Pro or a Blu-ray player — or services that output in 4K to take advantage of the boost in pixels. HDR High Dynamic Range, or HDR, is a type of image processing. When an image is processed, HDR is used to increase or decrease the luminosity of the image. It means bright whites, deeper blacks, and improved colors overall. It’s been used in photography for decades and in video since the 1990s. Most 4K TVs have built-in HDR processing, resulting in better color quality, which translates to better image quality overall. OLED Short for organic light-emitting diode, OLED TVs feature a microscopically thin layer of an organic compound that emits light when an electric current is introduced. Typical LED TVs rely on a backlight in order to produce a lit, visible image. These backlights take up space, resulting in a thicker TV. The major advantage of OLED TVs is they are incredibly thin and light, and they produce deeper blacks for an improved color and image quality.

Do you know all the details of your auto insurance policy?

The startling truth is that a lot of people don’t.

Unfortunately, too many insurance agents are only interested in selling you a policy. They will tell you what you want to hear so you’ll sign on the dotted line and move on. A lot of agents don’t sit down with their clients to discuss all the details of their policy.

One of the worst things that can happen during your personal injury case is to experience the terrifying realization that you don’t have the right insurance or your policy is too limited. Even worse, maybe the other person doesn’t have insurance at all. I’ve blogged and written in this newsletter about the importance of underinsured motorist coverage. Despite this, a lot of people discover the pitfalls of lacking this insurance only after they’ve been in an accident.

I don’t want this to happen to you.

This month, I’m inviting you or anyone you know with auto insurance questions to come into our office for a free meeting. I’ll take a look at your coverage and tell you exactly what you have, what you don’t have, and what you need.

They tell me, “My insurance agent said I had full coverage. I thought this was included.”

6 Factors That Influence Your Insurance Premiums

No one actually likes paying their auto insurance premiums. We do it because it offers us protection when we venture out on the open road. There is no way to predict what will happen when we commute from home to work and back again so having insurance is necessary. How do those insurance premiums break down? What factors affect what the insurance company can charge each customer? Driving Record It goes without saying that if you’ve been involved in a crash, you can expect to pay more. If you’ve been charged with a DUI, that too may factor in. Over time, however, you can lower your premiums by keeping your driving record clean. Those who have never been involved in a crash won’t pay as much. Vehicle of Choice The make and model of your car or truck can have a big impact on what you pay every year. Newer, sportier, or higher-horsepower vehicles tend to come with hefty premiums, while cars that emphasize safety

and security are paired with lower premiums. Additionally, vehicles that are more susceptible to theft and have lower safety ratings are costlier to insure.

Location Insurers charge more for areas where crashes are more common and theft rates are higher. Typically, this is the case in major cities. That means people who live in more densely populated areas will have higher insurance premiums. Those who live in more rural areas usually spend less. Mileage How much and how far you drive is another factor in what you pay. Basically, if you drive more, you can expect to pay more. It comes down to the fact that the more time you spend on the road commuting, the more likely it is you’ll experience a crash. Credit History Insurers can reference your credit history when determining your premium. They cite studies that suggest your credit history can determine your likelihood of submitting an insurance claim. That is to say, people with lower credit scores are a greater liability in the insurance company’s eyes. Age The numbers don’t lie. Data shows that drivers under the age of 25 are more likely to get into a crash than any other group — males under 25, in particular. As a result, their premiums are higher. In almost every case, the younger you are, the more you can expect to pay, and the number goes down as you age. Those over 65 traditionally pay the least.

MEME CORNER

Cooking With Ashley

SLOWCOOKER TUSCAN CHICKPEA SOUP

Ingredients

• • • • •

1/2 onion, chopped

• • • • • • •

2–3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 bay leaves

2–3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried sage 1 teaspoon liquid smoke 1/3 cup nutritional yeast salt and pepper to taste

3–4 celery stalks, chopped

3 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

•

5 cups vegetable broth

Directions

1. Place and combine all ingredients (minus the nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper) in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours. Once cooked, remove sprigs of rosemary and bay leaves. Then, with an immersion blender, purée. a. If you don’t have an immersion blender, add cooked soup to regular blender or food processor and purée until smooth. You will have to do this in batches. Be careful — soup will be hot! 2. As soon as soup is puréed, mix in nutritional yeast and add salt and pepper to taste. Pairs well with a warm, crusty bread — or add to a bread bowl. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from KeepinItKind.com/tuscan-chickpea-soup.

www.matthewkoneckypa.com

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INSIDE 561.671.5995 | 954.272.6187 www.matthewkoneckypa.com 4440 PGA Blvd, Suite 600 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

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Why I Do What I Do

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3 Terms You Need to Know Before Buying a New TV Do You Really KnowWhat’s in Your Insurance Policy? How Insurers Figure Out What to Charge Slow Cooker Tuscan Chickpea Soup

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Prepare for an Adventure in Lapland

Adventure in Swedish Lapland Into the Arctic Circle

If you’re eager for a new adventure in 2019, you’ll surely find it in Swedish Lapland. With trail systems that take you into the Arctic Circle, the northernmost region of Sweden is home to national parks, glaciers, reindeer, the beguiling midnight sun, and spectacular night skies. Though winters are cold, one benefit of traveling to the region in this season is to catch a glimpse of the night sky. The northern lights are visible from a few remote locations like Abisko National Park, one of the first established national parks in Sweden. Traveling to Abisko is an adventure in and of itself. From Stockholm, the fastest option is to take one of only two airlines that fly into Kiruna, then travel by train to Abisko. Despite the challenge of getting there, adventure-seeking visitors from around the world arrive each winter to experience the Arctic beauty. Winter attractions include ice skating, snowshoeing, and the Scandinavian sauna (this last one is a must any time of the year). Befriend a Scandinavian and you might be treated to some pickled herring or even a princess cake, a raspberry-filled dessert covered in marzipan.

Scandinavians cherish their public lands, and the trail systems are well taken care of. Hikers and backpackers can enjoy the stunning beauty in both late spring and summer, as well as a chance to see the midnight sun. Because of its far-north location, Swedish Lapland receives close to 24 hours of sunlight from June through early August. Between the boulder fields, mountains, and stunning glacial lakes, hiking here is a treat. While hiking, you may spot reindeer herds or lemmings (a small rodent similar to a hamster) racing around rocks. The Sami people have herded reindeer for thousands of years through this very land. In the summer, keep an eye out for blueberries, lingonberries, and the brightly colored cloudberries. Because of the Arctic climate, weather conditions can change quickly from sunshine to rain and heavy fog, so it’s best to dress in layers and bring wind and rain protection if you plan to venture into the backcountry.

The fantastic scenery of Swedish Lapland awaits you, no matter when you decide to take your trip. What are you waiting for?

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