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november 2017
www.herrmanandherrman.com • 844.567.6399 1201 3rd St, Corpus Christi, TX 78404 • 801 E. Fern Ave. #155, McAllen, TX 78501
Growing With the Firm
Scott Staha on Two Decades With Herrman & Herrman
I knew early on that I wanted to be
I get to help stop that domino effect by getting clients some measure of compensation. Often, we can’t fix an injury or its aftermath, but we can do a lot to make a client’s life more comfortable. The real goal is to help them get back to something resembling normal and return to work. Being a part of the team for over 20 years, I’ve had a chance to meet a lot of fascinating people and do a lot of arguing. You don’t often hear about attorneys who stick with one firm for a majority of their career. It is fairly common for lawyers to jump from firm to firm until they find one that clicks, or they start their own firm. You could say Herrman & Herrman clicked early on. I found I was comfortable here and fit in. I’ve been able to grow alongside the firm. I was here when there were three or four of us, and now we’re over a dozen! It’s been an incredible journey. I’m excited to keep on learning, arguing, and giving our clients the help they need to get back on their feet. When I’m not at the office, I love to play outdoors. You’ll usually find me hunting or fishing. With Thanksgiving coming up, I’ll probably head home to Victoria, where my mother lives. In fact, I can’t think of a Thanksgiving when I didn’t go home to Victoria. I’ll have dinner with my mom, my sister, and her family. Then we’ll wrap up the day watching the Cowboys play. It doesn’t get better than that!
an attorney. There isn’t a better career than law, when you love to argue. On top of that, law is a highly competitive environment. When
you’re facing all kinds of litigation, you get to exercise your competitive side. It seemed like a good fit for me.
I’ve been with Herrman & Herrman for 21 years, and I can still say that I learn something new every day. Every case is different. There might
be similarities from one case to another, but the details are always new. It keeps me on my toes, and it keeps me learning. For instance, since we do a lot of work with personal injury law, we’re always learning from a medical perspective. While we may be well-versed in topics of law, when it comes to the specifics of the health care system or medical practices, we learn what we need to know to help our client. The number one thing that keeps me passionate about working in law is simply helping people. People come to us in need. They may have been injured, which led to missing work, which meant the medical bills piled up. Insurance companies generally don’t care that a single injury can have domino effect throughout someone’s life.
Scott Staha
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3 cleaning ‘rip-offs’ that actually work
If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But sometimes we stumble across a few hidden gems that make our lives easier. And, when it comes to cleaning house, we can all use a little “easier.” Check out these products you may have
experts. Modern appliances are designed to use less water, and as soap becomes more concentrated, using too much can damage your machine. That’s what makes detergent pods so handy. They don’t look like they can clean all your dishes or an entire load of clothes, but they actually provide the perfect amount for modern machines. You save money on detergent and machine repair! Foam Cleaning Blocks Anything with “magic” in the title sounds like a scam. For this reason, you may have avoided the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and similar melamine foam products. But this is one case where the product lives up to its wild claims. Melamine foam is abrasive and can break down and remove material from fine cracks and textures, making it an effective cleaner. It can be used to whiten sneakers, clean tub scum, and remove permanent marker from your fridge. Since the snake oil salesmen in the days of old first tricked trusting folks out of their hard-earned cash, consumers have wised up and are quick to write off perceived scams. Still, every now then you get lucky, and the cheap white sponge really does make the stove look like new. But you should still think twice before you say yes to gas station sushi.
already written off and let them surprise you. Dollar Store Cleaning Products
If you’ve ever ducked into the local dollar store to buy some Mylar balloons for your niece’s birthday party, you might have noticed the jugs and spray bottles plastered with the word “Awesome.” Surely, this knock-off soap can’t work as well as your brand-name products, right? You’d be surprised. Online reviewers sing Awesome’s praises, suggesting it should really be a higher price for how well it works. Just make sure you wear gloves when you use it.
Detergent Pods You use too much soap in your washing machine and dishwasher. At least, that’s what the New York Times reported as the No. 1 complaint from repair people and appliance
“I was injured in a serious car accident. After being ignored and disregarded by the insurance company representing the at-fault driver, I reached out to Herrman & Herrman. The attorney assigned to my case was Stephen Stratso. All I can say is what a relief! The day after my first meeting, I was scheduled for a medical exam and treatment, and my damaged car was scheduled for repairs. After learning that I had several bulging and herniated discs in my back, I was offered
testimonial
don’t just take our word for it
a nonsurgical method of treatment. The anti-inflammatory injections worked wonderfully, and my quality of life returned as my therapy progressed. I honestly believe that, had I not utilized Herrman & Herrman, that I would not have received the treatment and restitution that I required.”
–Steven G.
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More Insurance Company Tactics
A Look into the Insurance Adjuster’s Toolbox — Part 2
You know insurance companies will do everything they can to avoid a paying you what you deserve after an accident. When you get on the phone with an insurance adjuster, they are ready to convince you to accept the lowest dollar amount toward a settlement. If they can get away with paying you zero, they will do it. Last month, we looked at three tools in the adjuster toolbox. This month, we have three more. Take a look. Discounting your medical treatment. The adjuster may accept your need for treatment, but then turn around and claim the charges are unreasonable or too high. They will “discount” the charges 10–90 percent, then say they looked at what other providers in your area charge for the same or similar services and “adjusted” accordingly. This is a lie virtually every time. Threatening or lying about your need for a lawyer. Some adjusters will tell you that if you hire a lawyer, they will deny your claims or offer you less. Some may even tell you that if you hire a lawyer, all of your money will go to pay the lawyer, and you will be left with nothing. The truth is, the insurance industry did a study through the Insurance Research
Council (IRC), a nonprofit organization supported by
leading property and casualty insurance companies across the United States. The IRC found that people who hired a lawyer received an average of three and a half times more money than those who did not. Misrepresenting
benefits. It’s not uncommon for adjusters to misrepresent or
lie about the amount of coverage or benefits under a policy. For instance, if you don’t specifically reject PIP or UM/UIM coverage in writing, then you automatically have it. Many adjusters may tell you that you don’t have it, but they either know, or fail to verify that you never rejected it in writing.
Roasted Parmesan Pesto Potatoes
It only takes 3 ingredients to make these crispy, flavorful potatoes. They’re the perfect side dish for any meal.
INGREDIENTS
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2 pounds red potatoes, quartered 2 tablespoons basil pesto
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Salt and pepper, to taste 3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
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INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. In large bowl, combine potatoes and pesto. Toss to coat. Transfer potatoes to large baking sheet or shallow roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast 20 minutes and remove from oven. 3. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over potatoes and put pan back in the oven. Roast for additional 10–15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and crispy. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Recipe courtesy of TwoPeasAndTheirPod.com.
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
1201 3rd St Corpus Christi, TX 78404
Inside This ISSUE
Scott Staha, a Cornerstone of the Firm Page1
These Products Make Housework Easier! November Testimonial Page2
How Insurance Companies Work Against You Recipe of the Month and Memes Page3
A Very Good Boy Page4
Otis: Unlikely Hurricane Hero
In late August, the nation was put to the test after Hurricane Harvey struck Texas, displacing millions from their homes and taking dozens of lives. Activists, charitable organizations, and ordinary people sprang into action to provide needed relief. Journalists, professional and otherwise, brought back stories and images of the destruction and aftermath. Among those stories was one dog who went viral for exemplifying that resilient Texas spirit.
He has an affable personality and a quiet demeanor. But, as the hurricane proved, Otis also had a fighting spirit. When Harvey struck, dogs, cats, and people went into survival mode. For Otis, that meant gathering resources. The morning after the storm, a woman snapped a picture of a damp Otis trotting down the street. In his mouth, he toted an entire bag of dog food, and not a small one. The woman posted the picture to Facebook. “This dog is walking around Sinton, Texas, carrying a [sic] entire bag of dog food with him. LOL #refugee,” the caption read. The image resonated with people and quickly went viral, being shared over 50,000 times. The people of the Lone Star State have long prided themselves on their pluck and resilience. “Must be a Texas dog cause [sic] he can survive without help,” one commenter wrote online. Another site called him “the hero Texas needed.” Otis’ canine resilience was both humorous and inspirational. The most powerful images in a crisis aren’t of Air Force One or of celebrities donating millions. They’re of ordinary people — and pets — striving, surviving, and making their way back home, just like Otis.
Otis, a German shepherd mix, belongs to a 5-year-old boy in Sinton, Texas, just north of Corpus Christi. He’s cherished by his owner, but, if you talk to other residents, you could say he belongs to the whole town.
“He’s a special dog,” said Salvador Segovia, the grandfather of Otis’ owner. “He’s been instrumental in helping my grandson, following numerous hospital visits for seizures and asthma.”
Apparently Otis has a free pass other dogs in Sinton don’t have. He can saunter down to the Dairy Queen and score a free hamburger. Salvador says he’s also the only dog allowed to lie down in front of the county court house, and refers to him as “a local celebrity.”
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