Their Insurance Denies Liability — What Now?
IS ANIMAL THERAPY RIGHT FOR YOU? Your Guide to AAT
There are just some things only a dog can understand — same with a cat, or a horse, or a bird, for that matter. That’s the idea behind animal- assisted therapy (AAT), a treatment designed to help those with mental and physical challenges. AAT may look like snuggling and playing with animals, but it’s much more involved than you may think. What is AAT? AAT relies on an innate human need to connect with animals. The idea is that humans form bonds with living things, and this connection can have a calming effect on our minds. Physical therapy and massage therapy involve tangible actions on the part of the therapist, while AAT relies on the relationship between a human and an animal. This could help someone cope with grief, lessen a medical patient’s pain related to chemotherapy or surgery, provide connection to residents in long-term care facilities, or even offer exercise for those with limited mobility. Aren’t those just emotional support animals? In recent years, emotional support animals have become increasingly popular both in the media and in their use. Emotional support animals offer their owners vital emotional assistance, but they differ greatly from trained therapy animals. AAT requires the use of a trained animal under the direction of a handler, who will also coordinate with medical professionals to ensure the strategies that they deploy will target what a patient needs. Prior to practicing, trainers and their animals must each pass certification processes intended to help each party gain the skills needed to help patients. To qualify, animals also need to be clean and vaccinated, and the type of animal that is used during AAT also depends on a person’s condition, the location of the therapy, and a patient’s need. Is AAT right for you? AAT isn’t for everyone, but it can be a vital component of your healing process. It’s often seen as a supplemental form of therapy intended to bolster other therapies. The important thing to remember when considering AAT is to establish reasonable goals. Discuss the possibility of using AAT with your doctor or therapist and consider which animals may bring you the most comfort. Be realistic about what you want and need before attempting AAT. To learn more about AAT for yourself or someone you care about, here are links to two organizations that promote this approach. For a New York focus, please visit: https://newyorktherapyanimals.org/. For international resources, please visit: https://www.animalsandsociety.org/ animal-assisted-therapy-programs/
Hi, it’s John again. I know many people feel defeated when they receive a letter, email, or phone call from an insurance company essentially saying, “We are only obligated to pay claims where our insured is at fault, we believe you are 100% at fault for your accident.” Thankfully, that isn’t the end of your claim. I recently settled a case a few weeks ago where our client was in the same exact position. Following a car accident, our client suffered several fractures and required an extensive hospital stay. The insurance company for the other vehicle tried to deny responsibility and the client did not know what to do. Thankfully, we did not take no for an answer, and we used evidence such as photographs obtained after the fact confirming the points of impact to sway the insurance company to offer her the full insurance policy. Call an attorney as soon as possible: Even if the police report is against you, the other party lies, or the insurance company doesn’t accept your claim, it is crucial to get legal help and advice as soon as possible. With any luck, your legal team will be able to gather evidence or make arguments to help change the position of the insurance company on the claim. Take pictures: Take pictures of your injuries, any damages, and your surroundings if at all possible. Things like weather conditions, road conditions, points of impact on vehicles, and positioning of vehicles may be crucial down the road. Gather witness contact information: Police often arrive after initial witnesses have left the scene. If possible, obtain contact information of witnesses to the accident. It may not be necessary to obtain a statement, but if for whatever reason the cause of the accident is disputed, having the support of a witness will be a tremendous help. Consider keeping a log or journal: Keep track of doctor appointments and write down the way your injuries have affected your life. Some of the above advice may be impossible, especially if injuries prevent free movement immediately after an accident. If that is the case, hopefully a bystander is willing to take photographs and send to the injured person, don’t be shy to ask for help in a time of need. The key is to react quickly. This can be difficult to do during a destabilizing event to your health and well-being — but if you give your legal team a call, we can do the quick thinking for you.
-John G. Papadopoulos
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FRIEDMANSIMON.COM
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