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THE BRASHER
BULLETIN
December 2023
Beaumont Office (Main Office) 1122 Orleans St. Beaumont, TX 77701 (409) 832-3737 New Orleans Office 1555 Poydras Street, Suite 1600 New Orleans, LA 70112 (504) 527-8291 Lake Charles Office 2201 Oak Park Blvd, Lake Charles, LA 70601 (337) 284-9998 Houston Office 1415 North Loop West, Suite 1000 Houston, TX 77008 (713) 714-5014
FROM NEGOTIATING FASHION TO CASES How the Law Found Me
It’s finally my turn to introduce myself! I’m Nishi, and I’ve been an attorney at Brasher Law Firm for nearly seven years now. I wanted to use this opportunity to give you some insight into who I am! I was born and raised in Houston. Having lived in Texas my whole life, when it came time for college, I wanted to explore the world a bit and found myself in New York City, much to my parents’ chagrin. I earned my undergraduate degree at New York University in communications with hopes of working in politics or marketing, but once I started to work, I realized my true passion was helping others. I started my career in the product management track at Macy’s at their corporate office. Through my negotiation with vendors, I realized that I was good at this and set my sights on something bigger: law school! By that time, I also knew that I wanted to build my family back home in Texas. I attended the University of Texas Law School (which both Clint and Joe also attended) and found lifelong friends as well as incredible opportunities to serve others. I interned at different nonprofit organizations to help those who needed my help the most. As a child of immigrant parents from India, I worked in immigration law and was honored to help reunite families or allow those to find a better life in the U.S. As
Court of Texas. After hearing Clint speak at a legal seminar, I knew he would be the best person to help lead these cases. I got a firsthand opportunity to see how Clint worked in a courtroom and recognized the same passion he had for helping his clients that I had as well. As a duo, we were able to win our cases where the odds were against us as we confronted major insurance companies. I knew from then on that this was exactly what I wanted to do, and Clint was an incredible mentor. Now, after seven years of working with Clint and the Brasher Law Firm team, I’ve come full circle, realizing my dream to serve my community and have a career that isn’t just a job in my eyes. It’s a passion! Along the way, I’ve also offered as much support as I could outside the firm and am now the Vice President of Advocacy of the South Asian Bar Association of North America (SABA-NA). We help South Asian law students and attorneys have a voice in the field and a seat at the table. In this role, I’ve met with senators and congressional members and even had an opportunity recently to go to Washington, D.C., to speak on the issues important to our community. As you can imagine, advocating for and supporting my community has been a dream come true. Though it may not sound like it, I promise I have a life outside of law. My husband Ravi and I love to travel, and we do our best to have one big trip every year. By the time you read this, I’ll have already traveled to Argentina! Besides globe-trotting with Ravi, I spoil my two nieces as much as I can (some might say a bit too much). I am also big on cooking and finding the best places in town to grab a bite to eat, especially Tex-Mex food. If you ever have a restaurant recommendation, especially one that involves queso, let me know! I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me. You’ll also find other articles in this newsletter about how to prepare for the upcoming winter months and a success story. Thank you for the opportunity to be your lawyer! It’s the greatest honor of my life.
Dallas Office 6160 Warren Pkw Suite 100 Frisco, TX 75034 (985) 261-2880
my law school years came to an end, I knew I needed to continue searching for ways to help others. What better way to help my fellow Texans than to be there for them when disaster strikes? I was clueless when it came to property insurance, but it also drove me to learn all I could. Soon enough, I was talking about fascia and soffits and composition shingles in my sleep! At my prior firm, I had the opportunity to try a couple of important cases relating to property insurance cases, including taking on State Farm. But this was no small task. So, my firm hired Clint Brasher, who had just tried a similar type of case and won all the way up to the Supreme
–Nishi Kothari
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Protect Your Property and Your Claim While we all have our favorite Valentine’s Day memories, 2021 probably isn’t topping the list. Winter Storm Uri hit all of Texas, and what was meant to be a lovely display of snow turned into a dangerous event that caused a power blackout that lasted days. Sub-freezing temperatures resulted in widespread property damage nearing billions of dollars. While we’ve had some bad freezes in the past, the damage hasn’t come close to what Uri brought. It is estimated that there was $10-$20 billion worth of damage from Uri across the state of Texas. As the coldest winter days get closer, it’s time we prepare for risky weather and do what we can to minimize whatever damage a potential hard freeze may bring. HOW TO PREVENT PROPERTY DAMAGE Winter Storm Uri taught us that it pays to be prepared. A strong winter storm can lead to busted pipes, flooding, fallen trees and utility poles, damaged roofs, broken water heaters, and much more. The best way to minimize any damage from a potential storm is by taking a few extra measures: • Protect your water pipes by keeping your home above 65 degrees Fahrenheit, insulating pipes more likely to freeze, and turning off your outdoor faucets. • Clean out gutters to avoid ice dams that can cause roof damage. • Seal your windows and doors with caulk, foam, and weatherstripping. • Trim low-hanging or dead branches from surrounding trees that can fall on your home. • Stay well-stocked with emergency supplies such as battery-powered lights, blankets, and enough food and water to last the storm. NEXT STEPS YOU NEED TO KNOW If your property does end up experiencing storm damage, you need to evaluate the level of damage your property endured, list every repair needed (and its cost), and photograph everything damaged. While this may seem like a hassle, this is the best way to ensure you have a bulletproof claim. You can send your claim to your insurance company on your own, but you’re going to want an attorney who can ensure you get the compensation you need. Insurance companies will always prioritize their profit, not your well-being. They will offer you the lowest reimbursement possible, and we’re here to ensure that doesn’t happen to you. If you want to learn more about winter-proofing your home, potential damages, or support for your insurance claim, call our team at (888) 989-2889 . This is what we do! LESSONS WE LEARNED AFTER 2021’S WINTER STORM URI
DECK THE HALLS WITH HANDMADE CARDS
3 Easy Ideas You Can Make With Kids!
Sending Christmas cards is a great way to tell people you’re thinking of them during the holiday season. However, like everything lately, buying enough Christmas cards for your loved ones is expensive. Store-bought cards can also feel too stiff and formal for our friends and family. That’s why you should consider making Christmas cards this holiday season! It is more cost-effective and a great way to give your cards a personal touch that lets friends and family know you care. The best part is that making holiday cards doesn’t have to be laborious or stressful — it’s quick, easy, and fun! Don’t believe us? Check out these three easy Christmas cards you and your family can make at home. Each card idea is built upon plain white cards! WASHI TAPE CARDS All you need for this card is a roll of washi tape with any design you wish. Simply cut strips of the washi tape, starting with a longer piece (about 2—3 inches), and place it horizontally across the card near the bottom. Then, build upward using gradually smaller pieces of tape to make a triangle — and that’s it! You’ve successfully created a washi tape tree! You can also draw a tree stump under the longest strip or a star on top. HANDPRINT CARDS This Christmas card variation is a favorite for kids to make and family members to receive. Have your child place their hand on the blank card stock and trace their hand with a pencil. Then, cut out the shape of their hand using scissors. Finally, with the cut-out hand facing down (fingers to the ground), have your child decorate it as if it were a tree, drawing ornaments, lights, candy canes, or other decorations. PIPE CLEANER CARDS For this card, you need green pipe cleaners and gold stars (like the ones you’d earn in school). Simply twist a pipe cleaner into a tree shape using a zig-zag pattern to form the widest branches at the bottom to the smallest boughs at the top. Glue the pipe cleaner to the card. Finish with a gold star as a tree topper!
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THE LONG ROAD HOME AFTER UNPRECEDENTED DISASTERS
How We Helped Nell Battle Insurance Negligence
BREAK TAKE A company. Ms. Morris made a claim for Hurricanes Laura and Delta with her insurance company. Like so many others, her insurance company dragged its feet in paying her. In the meantime, she also hired a contractor to start making the repairs. For over two years, from August 2020 until November 2022, Ms. Morris could not live in her house. She had to live out of a hotel and watch as her home continued to deteriorate. Throughout the two years her claim Most people remember 2020 as the year that COVID-19 happened. But for folks in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana, 2020 unleashed unprecedented disasters. Two category-four hurricanes struck this area (Hurricanes Laura and Delta), then six months later, most of Texas and Louisiana dealt with the chilling effects of Winter Storm Uri. Our firm represented countless folks from Texas and Louisiana dealing with the aftermath of these never-before-seen natural disasters. But one story stuck out in my mind about Nell Morris. Ms. Morris had the “perfect storm” of all three disasters striking her home. She had been with her insurance company for 40 years and, in that 40-year timeframe, had only one other claim with her insurance
dragged on, she had 26 different adjusters handle her claim. Despite having six trees fall on her property, the first adjuster did not allow for significant interior damages or approve any mitigation work needed to dry out the property. Even worse, through the discovery process, our firm was able to find that the insurance company told the engineer very specifically what the insurance company’s position was before ever inspecting the loss , thereby planting the seed in the engineer’s mind about what would not be covered. This is completely against the maxim that insurance companies must handle their customers’ claims in good faith and not conduct outcome-oriented investigations. Even though Ms. Morris incurred real expenses each month through her contractor, when she submitted these invoices to her insurance company, her insurance company continued to deny them. This led her own contractor to sue her for unpaid invoices. One of the hardest parts of having three back-to-back natural disasters is being able to separate the damages. In Ms. Morris’ case, we knew the policy limits would be a problem. We made a compelling argument that multiple policy limits should apply since her insurance company inspected the loss after each loss. She had contractor bids after each loss to separate the damages. Our firm fought tooth and nail, and a month before the case headed to trial, we ended up settling the case for Ms. Morris, including negotiating a reasonable compromise with her contractor as well. While we hate that Ms. Morris had to face this ordeal, I’m so glad that the firm and I were able to help her get resolution and return to her home. –Nishi Kothari
Tasty Holiday Chocolate Mousse
Add even more cheer to the holidays with this decadent chocolate mousse.
Ingredients: • 10 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped • 4 tbsp butter
• 4 large eggs, separated • 2 tbsp granulated sugar • 1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions: 1.
In a medium heatproof bowl, add chocolate and butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until chocolate and butter are melted and blended, then remove from heat and let cool slightly. 2. In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks until thick. Then gradually add melted chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. 3. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Then gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. 4. In another bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form; fold egg whites and then cream into the chocolate mixture. 5. Pour into individual serving dishes and chill for 3 hours or until set.
Chimney Christmas
Mistletoe Ornament Parka Reindeer
Sleigh Snowman Wreath Yuletide
Gifts Igloo
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1122 Orleans St. Beaumont, TX, 77701 (409) 832-3737 brasherattorney.com
ISSUE IN THIS
1.
Nishi’s Journey From Communication to Compassion in Law
2.
Essential Precautions for Winter Property Protection
From Your Heart to Theirs: Handcrafted Christmas Cards for Loved Ones
3.
We Fought Tooth and Nail for Nell’s Justice
Tasty Holiday Chocolate Mousse
4.
Discover the Most Enchanting Christmas Towns in the US
EXPLORE AMERICA’S MOST MAGICAL CHRISTMAS TOWNS
From Snowy Villages to Year-Round Holiday Cheer
It may be too late for less spontaneous travelers to start planning a Christmas vacation. But that shouldn’t stop you from planning next year’s holiday journey! The good news is you don’t need to venture to another continent to find a Christmas wonderland. There are countless picture-perfect Christmas towns across the country. Make your next Christmas trip feel like a Hallmark movie at one of these festive towns! LEAVENWORTH, WASHINGTON Many have dubbed Leavenworth the most Christmas-centric in the U.S., and it’s easy to see why. This Bavarian-style village experiences nearly 96 inches of snowfall every year, and they certainly don’t hold back when it comes to the holidays. The town lights up and decorates almost 21 miles, where you can find reindeer farms, carolers, gingerbread competitions, and Christmas markets. Every step of the way offers an Instagram-worthy photo opportunity!
SOLVANG, CALIFORNIA A slice of Denmark right in sunny California, Solvang brings endless holiday cheer, especially with their annual Julefest. Pronounced “Yule-fest,” this month-long festival takes place every December and features picturesque events, including a ballerina-filled tree lighting ceremony, visits from Santa, culinary delights, traditional Danish celebrations, and much more!
WOODSTOCK, VERMONT During Woodstock’s Wassail Weekend, you’ll find the town in peak Christmas mode, where you can experience parades, horse-drawn carriages, carolers, and the Billings Farm, a local favorite of the season. Stroll down Main Street to witness an idyllic Christmas spot filled with cozy small-town shops and restaurants. NORTH POLE, ALASKA If you ever feel like celebrating Christmas in the middle of summer, we know the perfect destination. North Pole, Alaska, offers Christmas decor and festivities year-round! Here, you can get up close and personal with Santa’s reindeer, meet the man himself, and enjoy the snow that covers the entire town. Be sure to check out their ice sculpture competition, which features artists from all over the world! Ready for the Christmas celebration of your dreams? Start planning your next holiday vacation at any of these destinations, and we promise your dreams will most definitely come true!
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