Take a look at our February newsletter!
816-268-1960 | 913-428-8220 www.dickersonoxton.com FEB 2023
ANIMAL BITES
CAR ACCIDENTS
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
The Lucky Seat THE STORY OF HOW TOM AND I MET
BICYCLE/ MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS
BRAIN & SPINAL CORD INJURIES
When I started law school, I was focused on attending class, getting good grades, and paying attention when my professors were talking. I wanted to excel there, so I was pretty serious about school. The law school’s core classes were conducted in these big lecture halls, and many of the same students were in these main courses together. On the first day of class, I made my way to the middle of the auditorium towards the second row, where a young man around my age had already taken a seat. I sat in the chair next to him and was surprised when he started talking to me. And since the same group of students shared these core classes, our professors kept the seats the same for every course. So every day, that same guy next to me tried to strike up a conversation.
BURN INJURIES
CONSTRUCTION INJURIES
our first non-academic conversation, I could immediately tell Tom was a really nice guy, and he spent most of the night asking about me instead of saying anything about himself. From this moment, we were really able to connect, and Tom and I started to talk more regularly and eventually began dating. We would hang out often at my loft by The Old Market in Omaha while in law school, but there was absolutely no parking near my building. So whenever Tom visited me, he had to park down the street at the Riverfront. However, there wasn’t an official place to park at Riverfront either, and Tom would almost always get a ticket for parking in a deserted parking lot down the road. So our senior year, after finding yet another parking ticket, Tom came up to my loft and proposed, and we always joke that our dating history had
cost him hundreds of dollars in parking tickets. We married later that year in April before graduation, and both officially graduated from law school in May. We decided to move to Kansas City, where Tom is originally from, and study for the bar there. That following September, we passed the bar and started the Dickerson Oxton firm the week after! Looking back, I’m filled with happiness at how things turned out, and I really do feel like it was luck that brought Tom and me together. Just by chance, I sat next to him on that first day of law school, and simply by chance, we both showed up at The Crescent Moon that night. I believe it was fate that brought us together, and I’m so thankful that I was able to look past my studies and see Tom Dickerson. –Chelsea Dickerson
NURSING HOME ABUSE
SLIP & FALL ACCIDENTS
That guy was Tom Dickerson.
BOATING ACCIDENTS
But even though Tom seemed more interested in talking to me than in our classes, I was so focused on my studies that I didn’t notice he was interested in me. It wasn’t until about a month or so later, when we were both at a place called The Crescent Moon, that I had a chance to talk to Tom outside of class to really get to know him. From
TRUCK ACCIDENTS
PHARMACEUTICAL & DRUG INJURIES
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While the winter months are full of fluffy white tree tops, cozy fires, and intimate family gatherings, they’re also the perfect circumstances for someone to slip and fall on your property due to ice or snow. In freezing weather, driveways, ramps, steps, and decks can become covered in slippery ice, and just one step is all it takes for someone to become seriously injured. Not only that, but snow can cover things hidden in the yard that can cause someone to trip and fall. To help you and your visitors stay safe, we’re providing three tips to prevent someone from slipping and falling on your property during the winter. NO. 1: IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WILL BE VISITING, CLEAR THE SNOW AHEAD OF TIME. The easiest way to prevent injuries is to Falling in a Winte 3 TIPS TO AVOID SLIPS AND
HOW ONE PIGEON SAVED 194 AMERICAN SOLDIERS THE STORY OF CHER AMI
stay one step ahead of any possible dangers by clearing them out of the way before anyone arrives. Before your guests show up, shovel or use a snow blower to clear driveways, sidewalks, steps, porches, or any other areas you think people might walk. Snow falls fast, so it’s best to do this close to when visitors arrive.
Animals have always played a role in military efforts during wartime. Cats were kept aboard naval ships for pest control, horses and camels provided transportation for supplies and soldiers pre-World War II, and dogs are still used to this day for search and rescue efforts as well as mine detection. But one animal profession became obsolete with the advancement of communication technology: messenger. Often used during World War I, many dogs and pigeons became responsible for delivering messages of high importance. Of all the animals used during World War I, one pigeon named Cher Ami defied the odds to save nearly 200 American soldiers. On Oct. 2, 1918, Major Charles Whittlesey got trapped along the side of a hill in Northeastern France with 550 of his men. They ended up behind enemy lines with no food or ammunition, and — to make matters worse — his battalion started to suffer from friendly fire since allied troops remained unaware of their location. With nowhere to run, Whittlesey tried to send runners to contact the allies about their predicament. Unfortunately, their enemies consistently intercepted or killed these runners until only 194 men remained. Whittlesey decided to dispatch messages by pigeon. The first pigeon got shot down almost immediately, so he sent a second pigeon with the message, “Men are suffering. Can support be sent?” That one also got shot. Finally, Whittlesey turned to his last pigeon, Cher Ami, and scribbled down a quick note on onion paper that read, “We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heaven’s sake, stop it.” Cher Ami took flight, but even after being shot down by the Germans, the bird defied the odds and actually took flight again! The effective delivery of this message helped save 194 men, but Cher Ami did not escape unharmed. He had been shot through the breast, blinded in one eye, and had a leg hanging only by a tendon. Army medics treated Cher Ami enough so he could travel to America, where he eventually succumbed to his wounds. The bird was then taxidermied and displayed in the Smithsonian, where you can still see him today. So, the next time you’re in Washington, D.C., stop by the “Price of Freedom” exhibit at the National Museum of American History where you can personally see this brave pigeon.
This month, the Kansas City Ballet brings one of the most famous fairy tales to life, “Cinderella.” The stunning performance is choreographed by Devon Carney, accompanied by Sergei Prokofiev’s score played by the Kansas City Symphony. The ballet stays true to Charles Perrault’s 1697 version of the story, with Cinderella’s father unable to protect his daughter from her evil stepmother and two stepsisters. But with the help of her fairy godmother, a pumpkin carriage, and a few friendly fairies, Cinderella is transformed into a beautiful princess who finds love in a handsome prince. Libby Hanssen from the Kansas City Star praises the performance: “Overtly pleasing, beautiful to watch and stimulating to hear.” The first act begins with Cinderella in her kitchen, scrubbing the floors as her stepsisters are doted on by their mother and her father idly spins wool. The sisters, of course, begin to bicker and leave the room ‘CINDERELLA’ IS IN KANSAS CITY! CATCH THE CLASSIC BY THE KANSAS CITY BALLET
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NO. 2: INSTALL OUTDOOR LIGHTING. When it’s dark out, it is more difficult to gauge how much snow or ice is present on walkways, and this can lead to your guests underestimating the danger ahead. Ensure all places people will walk or stand are lit adequately, so there are no slippery surprises. NO. 3: USE STAIR TREADS TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM SLIPPING. One of the most common places to slip and fall is a home’s front or back steps. Prevent an accident by installing rubber stair treads on any outdoor steps you may have. Rubber treads are preferred because they give your shoes the proper grip, and snow can be easily swept, stomped, or shaken off the mat. If someone does slip and is injured at your home this winter and claims it was due to icy conditions, your homeowner’s insurance should cover the claim. We always recommend having liability converge of at least $100,000, as you can expect your insurance company to pay out at least $10,000 in medical claims. If you need help reviewing your homeowner’s insurance policy, give us a call at (816) 368-5637. We can help ensure you’re covered when you need it most. er Wonderland!? FALLS ON YOUR PROPERTY
TAKE A BREAK
CURRIED STEAK WITH SCALLION RICE AND PEAS Inspired by MarthaStewart.com
INGREDIENTS • 1 lb flank steak,
• 2 1/2 cups water, divided • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided • 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, white and light-green parts separated from dark-green tops • 8 oz sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved on the bias
room temperature
• Kosher salt and ground pepper • 3 tbsp massaman curry paste, divided • 1 1/4 cups white rice
DIRECTIONS
1. Season steak with salt and pepper. Brush with 1 tbsp curry paste, and let stand 10 minutes. 2. In a saucepan, combine rice, 1 3/4 cups water, 1 tbsp oil, and 3/4 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then stir, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer about 15 minutes before adding white and light-green scallions. Cover to steam. 3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in 1 tbsp oil. Add the steak, flipping once; cook this for 7–9 minutes, then transfer to a carving board. 4. Reduce the skillet to medium heat, then add 1 tbsp oil and the remaining 2 tbsp curry paste. Cook this for 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup water and cook until reduced, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and cover. 5. Wipe skillet clean, then add remaining 1 tbsp oil. While stirring, add snap peas. Season with salt and cook this until crisp-tender, about 2–3 minutes. 6. Fluff rice before stirring in scallion tops. Slice steak against the grain, then serve with rice, peas, and curry sauce.
to brawl, leaving Cinderella and her father to comfort each other as a sadness sweeps over them from losing Cinderella’s mother.
Act 2 covers the infamous ball, with Cinderella transformed into a beauty that not even her own family recognizes. But of course, the clock strikes 12, and the facade falls apart, causing Cinderella to flee the castle in fear. The final act begins with Cinderella waking up the following day, wondering if the night before was simply a dream. That is, until royal attendants enter her home and announce the prince’s arrival! If you want to see how the rest of this story plays out on the stage, you can catch the stunning ballet Feb. 18–26, with evening performances starting at 7:30 p.m. and matinees beginning at 2 p.m. The ballet takes place at the Muriel Kauffman Theatre at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, located at 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108. Visit KCBallet.org/events/cinderella or call the box office at (816) 931-8993 to buy tickets today!
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816-268-1960 | 913-428-8220 www.dickersonoxton.com
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
The Day I Met Tom Dickerson
PG1
The Unlikely Heroics of Cher Ami
PG2
Prevent Icy Injuries on Your Property
PG2
Kansas City Ballet Presents ‘Cinderella’
PG2
Curried Steak With Scallion Rice and Peas
PG3
3 Ways to Show Love to the Community
PG4
Spread the Love This Valentine’s Day!
MAKE THE MOST OF THE HOLIDAY
Valentine’s Day is all about showing your dear ones extra love. But you don’t always have to focus on those close to you. Love can be shared with everyone — friends, coworkers, or the community! Here are some ways you and your family can spread the love this holiday. MAKE A HOMEMADE MEAL OR SOME GOODIES. They always say a way to a person’s heart is through their stomach! Everyone loves a warm, homemade meal, and it can be fun to get the entire family involved. Gather the ingredients of your favorite dish and make something tasty for your local fire or police department. These people work daily to keep us safe, and a simple gesture like this may bring a smile to their faces and remind them they are appreciated. Also, kids love helping out in the kitchen, so consider baking homemade cookies — or getting the store-bought kind; we don’t judge! Let the kids decorate them with festive Valentine’s designs to bring to school for their classmates and teachers! GET CRAFTY. Nothing is more special than a one-of-a-kind card. Grab some construction paper, markers, glitter, stickers — the works — and have the
kids make Valentine’s Day cards! You can work with various organizations to send letters to U.S. troops serving overseas, veteran hospitals, or nursing facilities that would enjoy receiving a handmade card. Fill them with positive words, smiley faces, hearts, and lots of love! You could even send their cards in a Valentine’s Day-themed care package. But be sure to follow the rules of the organizations you work with. VOLUNTEER OR DONATE. Do you have any gently used clothing, shoes, blankets, or extra personal hygiene items? Make your way to the local Goodwill, church, or shelter that accepts donations. You could call around to see if any shelters or organizations need helping hands! This is also a great way to spread the love your kids can participate in. Check to see if they need help serving food or if you can prepare or drop off warm meals to those who need them most. You can find many ways to express love and kindness to those you love or complete strangers. No matter how you spend this day, remember to spread the love to everyone!
ADVERTISING MATERIAL: The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. This newsletter is provided to former clients, individuals who have contacted the firm regarding representation, and individuals who have requested to be on the newsletter mailing list. This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or direct solicitation for employment of the firm on any particular legal matter.
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