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March 2026
INVISIBLE INJURIES, LASTING IMPACT
The Legal Side of TBI
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and for our firm, that’s not an abstract idea. Brain injury cases aren’t rare for us. Bryan and I have both handled them in car wrecks and in workers’ compensation claims, and we’ve seen the profound impact these injuries have on people and their families. The symptoms don’t all look the same, but they can turn a person’s daily life upside down. Most people think about that medical side first, and they should. In my world, though, there is another layer to it. A brain injury can also change what kind of help the law will provide, especially for injured workers. Under South Carolina workers’ compensation law, even if a person is completely unable to return to work, they face a cap on how long they can receive weekly checks. The number is 500 weeks, or just a bit more than nine years. While
that might seem like a long time, it can leave people with serious worries over the future. If you are in your 20s or 30s and a doctor tells you that you will never work again, hearing that you have a little over nine years of benefits ahead of you is hard to grapple with. Brain injuries are among the biggest exceptions to that rule. If an injured worker has a qualifying brain injury diagnosis, that 500-week cap doesn’t apply. They can receive benefits for the rest of their life. Of course, you can imagine how the insurance companies feel about that. If you are the insurance carrier, the difference between paying for nine years and paying for the rest of a 25-year-old’s life is enormous. So, they have a strong incentive to fight the brain injury diagnosis at every turn. That’s why it’s important to recognize when a brain injury is present and to document it properly. On our side, we work to make sure clients get to doctors who understand traumatic brain injuries, and we push to get the testing and treatment they need. But the legal fight always starts with what is happening in real life. Many brain injuries are invisible. A person can walk into a room looking the same but still feel completely different on the inside. We see people with the common, more noticeable issues like headaches, vision and hearing
problems, and memory difficulties, but other symptoms can get brushed aside. A person may suddenly hate foods they used to love or lose interest in their favorite hobbies and activities. Others have sleep problems or mood changes that can put a strain on their home lives. With the more subtle symptoms, it’s often a spouse or other family member who notices first. So, I tell families to go to appointments together and speak up about those changes. From a legal standpoint, a problem doesn’t exist unless it is written in the medical chart. The good news is that we have hospitals and rehabilitation programs in the Upstate that focus on brain injuries. They work on life and coping skills so people can recover as much as possible, or at least learn to live with the changes. With the right help, people aren’t just left to muddle through on their own. If you see these kinds of changes in yourself or a loved one after a wreck or a work injury, don’t ignore them. Tell the doctor, ask questions, and make sure you understand what’s going on. Remember, you aren’t just protecting a case. You are giving yourself or the person you love a better chance to heal in the long run.
Call00.com | 1 –Samuel Harms
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WHEN VALUES CLASH Court Declares Parental Rights Can’t Be Left at the Classroom Door
In debates over education, one theme has echoed for generations: Who gets to decide what children learn? Parents wanting to have greater control over what their children learn in the classroom is nothing new. You may even recall reading about the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, in which Tennessee accused a high school teacher of violating the Butler Act by teaching human evolution in a public school. Many parents in our country worry that their children will learn things in school that contradict or conflict with their religious values and beliefs. They believe they should have the right to determine whether their child learns about these controversial topics, and a recent Supreme Court decision shows that the government agrees with them. In 2022, Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland decided to integrate books that referenced LGBTQ+ ideals into their curriculum. These topics were always portrayed positively in the books, and teachers were even instructed and encouraged to frame these concepts as unquestionably correct. Any religious objections would be dismissed as hurtful and wrong. Initially, parents could opt their children out of reading these books, but the district revoked that policy in 2023. The parents responded by suing the Montgomery County Board of Education in the court case, Mahmoud v. Taylor . The parents argued that the new policy was a direct infringement on their First Amendment right to exercise
“The Supreme Court sided with the parents, ruling that the school district’s refusal to notify parents or give them the ability to opt their children out interfered with the parents’ religious upbringing of the child.”
their religion. If they wanted to prevent their children from reading or learning about these topics, they should be able to do so. The school board responded that accommodating every religious objection would be impractical and place an unreasonable burden on teachers. They argued that parents who disagreed with the curriculum had the option of enrolling their children in private schools. The Supreme Court sided with the parents, ruling that the school district’s refusal to notify parents or give them the ability to opt their children out interfered with the parents’ religious upbringing of the child. This decision does not solely impact the Montgomery County School District; it applies nationwide. This means that parents who have children in public schools have the right to opt their children out of any content that could undermine their religious upbringing. It requires some proactivity on the part of parents to stay ahead of the curriculum and identify any content that could undermine religious values. School boards will need to notify parents if there is any impending content that could raise concerns, to protect themselves. While some parents may see this as a step in the right direction, it’s worth noting that in America, there are 370 unique religious bodies, according to the 2020 U.S. Religion Census. That’s a wide range of values and beliefs for school boards to navigate, and they must do so carefully to avoid infringing on anyone’s First Amendment rights.
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TAKE A BREAK
WILL YOU BRAVE A NIGHT AT THE CLOWN MOTEL? Sleep With One Eye Open
Basketball Books Daffodil Daylight Guinness Iris Leprechaun Popcorn Rainy Shamrock Suffrage Windy
If you’re looking for your next vacation spot, how about considering somewhere unlike anywhere else in the world? Over 200 miles north of Las Vegas sits a hauntingly unique tourist destination straight out of a coulrophobe’s nightmares, the World Famous Clown Motel in Tonopah. Outside of paranormal researchers and ghost hunters, you won’t find many tourists frequenting Tonopah. The town has faced many hardships over the years and only boasts a population of around 2,000 people. Founded in 1900 as a mining community, the locals faced a plague in 1905 and a serious mine fire in 1911. Mine fires were a persistent problem in early Tonopah, and one would eventually claim the life of Clarence David in 1942. David had an impressive clown collection. Upon his death, his children inherited 150 of them. In 1985, they decided to open a motel next to the cemetery that housed their father’s grave. Inside, they proudly displayed their father’s collection. The Davids sold the motel 10 years later, and things really amped up in 2015, when “Ghost Adventures” premiered its episode at the location. Tourists flocked there, and people worldwide donated clowns to the museum. The Clown Motel was sold again in 2019 under the condition that it would continue operations and the clowns would remain. Over the years, the collection has grown significantly. They claim that it now holds over 6,500 clowns. They’ve even transformed some rooms to feature icons from America’s favorite horror movies, adding to the appeal. If you’re interested in staying at “America’s Scariest Motel,” rooms are available at an affordable price almost every night!
St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Swirl Pie
Ingredients
• 1 cup heavy cream • 8 oz cream cheese, softened • 1 cup powdered sugar • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1/2 cup mint chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup green food
coloring, for vibrant color
• 1 premade chocolate pie crust • 1/2 cup chocolate syrup, for drizzling
Directions 1. In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. 2. In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. 3. Add powdered sugar and vanilla to cream cheese, mixing until well combined. Then, gently fold whipped heavy cream into the mixture. 4. Divide mixture into two bowls. In one bowl, add mint chocolate chips and green food coloring. 5. Layer mixtures into chocolate pie crust, alternating between mint mixture and the plain mixture. 6. Drizzle chocolate syrup over top. 7. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set. Slice and serve chilled.
Inspired by MixUpRecipes.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 2
When a Brain Injury Changes Benefits
Supreme Court Says Parents Get First Say on What Kids Learn
3
St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Swirl Pie
America’s Scariest Motel Is No Laughing Matter
4 3 Essential Strategies Straight From Norway to Boost Your Daily Life THE ART OF SLOW LIVING Find Your ‘Velvære’ Through Nature, Community, and Coziness According to the World Happiness Report, Norway consistently ranks in the top 10 happiest countries in the world, whereas the U.S. has been in the high teens for years. We can’t emulate everything Norwegians do to remain happy (nor would most Americans want to). But they do offer a unique strategy Americans can utilize to maintain a positive outlook on life. Velvære is the Norwegian word for the state of well-being, which can be achieved by adopting the Nordic concept of slow living.
Here are three strategies straight from Norway to help you reach velvære .
Friluftsliv While friluftsliv may look like something found in a medical textbook, it refers to the Norwegian concept of open-air living and outdoor recreation. Norwegians spend ample time outside, regardless of the season. They ski, cook, and walk in nature. The outdoors plays a huge role in the Norwegian way of life, which directly impacts their happiness! Dugnad As we already know, community and belonging have a significant role in our happiness. Dugnad is a Norwegian activity all about helping and supporting one’s community. Whether through doing volunteer work, cleaning up public spaces, or raising money to support local causes, finding ways to help others will provide more value to your life and help your heart stay happy.
Koselig How do you describe your everyday sense of being? Do you experience your life as chaotic, calm, or consistent? Koselig is the idea of incorporating coziness into all aspects of your life. When you carry yourself with a sense of warmth and comfort, you feel better and spread happiness everywhere you go.
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