135 S. LaSalle St., Ste. 2200 Chicago, IL 60603
3550 Hobson Rd., Ste. 403 Woodridge, IL 60517
312-578-9501 | www.shannonlawgroup.com JUNE 2020
GOODBYE TO THE BEST MAN I HAVE KNOWN
listened, witnessed his parents walking the walk, and lived and breathed these commandments every day of his life for nearly 100 years. The world is a happier, more meaningful place because of Thomas Matthew Shannon. On May 15, 2020, Dad passed into eternal life with four of his children praying the Holy Rosary at his bedside. I can picture him now holding hands with my mom, JoAnne; his son, Joseph William; my daughter, Margaret Mary; and all of his relatives and friends in heaven. He is back to strolling the streets and greeting future friends along the way. Strangers in heaven beware: Tom Shannon will stop and chat, and he will be genuinely interested in your life and how he can help you. You see, not one fiber of my father was fake. His unconditional love for me and all who he met felt as warm as a blazing fire on a cold winter’s night.
When my father was a young lad, his father, John, considered himself to be a bit of an evangelist. Although my grandparents, John and Anna, and their five boys were living through the Great Depression, Grandpa John felt he was the richest man in the world. Grandpa took my dad, Tom, door to door, sharing hope for the future and his Catholic faith with all who would listen. He wanted to share with others how to live a truly meaningful and loving life. Alongside his son, my grandfather shared the most important commandments of how to live: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. The second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37–40). Little Thomas Matthew
As a teenager, Dad left his childhood home on the farm in 1941 to serve his country for four years in the Air Force, island hopping in the Pacific theater in World War II. After he returned, he graduated from college and married the love of his life, JoAnne. That’s where the magic started. Mom and Dad had 10 kids. I was child No. 9. Dad worked initially as a salesman, then as a social worker keeping kids safe, and then finding jobs for scores of people to support their families. My dad’s life mission was this: 1. Follow the commandments above; 2. Be a great husband; 3. Raise children who believe in “God first, others second, and me last”; 4. Help everyone, and I mean everyone, in our community with a smile and expect nothing in return; and 5. Help people find jobs and make
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YOU WILL BE MISSED
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sure kids were not in abusive households. Well done, Dad. You can check all the boxes. You have been a good and faithful servant. When I was a vain, selfish young man, my father was never one to preach to me. Dad showed me how to live. After he retired, I witnessed my parents attend daily mass and rely more on their rich faith to handle adversity. Throughout my life, although their economic riches were few, the depths of their relationships were rich. Throughout his life, my father never faltered in exhibiting faith, hope, and love. When my mom could no longer care for herself, Dad took care of her for years until he couldn’t go it alone. I witnessed such great love from my father toward my mother and others since I was a little kid. He showed me what it was like to be a stand-up man. For that, I am beyond grateful. I have never met anyone so comfortable in his own skin. He knew who he was. After witnessing my father’s life, who wouldn’t want to imitate him? I know I wanted what he had. It’s a good thing he left us a playbook.
relationships were the richness in life. His most important response was to put God first, others second, and himself last. His advice to me was to forgive one another as soon as possible (even if it hurts), move forward, and love one another. He firmly believed that humility and the habit of saying “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you” was always the right move, even when it seemed impossible. He wouldn’t wait on the apology. He went first. We will miss you, Dad. I hope you and Mom are having long meals together and watching your favorite shows. Enjoy your pitch games with your brothers in heaven. If you wouldn’t mind, then please say some prayers for the Mariners to be in the World Series during my lifetime and for the Sonics’ comeback some day. Please watch over me so I can be even a fraction of the man you were. Please continue to inspire all of our family and friends and pray that we will be as kind, generous, and forgiving as you. I love you, Dad.
– Joseph Shannon
I’ll close with this. Dad’s default response for great moral decision-making was very predictable. Lasting, deep
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HOW TO PAY THE BILLS WHILE YOUR TRUCK ACCIDENT CASE IS PENDING
Often, a catastrophic injury leaves you unable to work or unable to maintain your household duties. It delivers a crushing blow not only to you but also to your entire family. After a catastrophic crash, most families that come into our office have already incurred a mountain of medical bills. Many expect the trucking company’s insurer to pay for all their medical bills as they come in. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. The insurance company won’t pay anything until the case is resolved through a settlement or trial verdict. In Cook County, where most of our cases are filed, that can mean your medical bills are piling up for years before you receive any justice. There are three options that can help you while your case is pending.
Here’s a tip: Buy at least $50,000 in MedPay coverage for your policy. It could help a lot down the line.
Option 2: Make sure medical providers bill your health insurance.
There’s a reason you pay your monthly health insurance premiums: to protect yourself from huge medical expenses that result from something like a truck accident. Sometimes, medical providers try to avoid submitting your bills to your health insurance because they believe they can recover more money from a settlement. Don’t let them get away with it. If the hospital refuses to submit your bills to your health insurance company, then we’re happy to talk with them.
Option 3: Check your eligibility for assistance programs.
There are several public and private assistance programs that can help you endure any difficult financial situations that lie ahead.
Option 1: Utilize medical payments coverage (aka MedPay).
If you have auto insurance, then you likely have medical payments coverage under your policy.
In the past, we’ve had clients successfully apply for Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security disability benefits, short- and long-term disability insurance benefits, and unemployment benefits.
Under your medical payment (MedPay) coverage, your auto insurance company will help pay crash-related medical bills up to the limits of your MedPay coverage. Your attorney will submit your medical bills to your insurance company, which will issue a check to you for the amount of the bills up to the policy limits.
In addition to those programs, our clients have worked with some great local charity organizations that help people in need.
As always, we’re here to help you or someone you know after a devastating truck crash. You can reach out to us 24/7, and we’ll sit down with you and discuss your legal options. – Pat Cummings ‘THE OPENING STATEMENT WITH JOE SHANNON’
SUDOKU
On “The Opening Statement with Joe Shannon,” Joe sits down with people making a difference in our world to find out how they got started. Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube today!
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Phone: 312-578-9501 www.shannonlawgroup.com
135 S. LASALLE ST., STE. 2200 CHICAGO, IL 60603
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Goodbye to the Best Man I Have Known
page 1
Family Pictures
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How to Pay the Bills While Your Truck Accident Case Is Pending
‘Be Prepared’ Is Available Now!
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‘BE PREPARED’ IS AVAILABLE NOW! Request your FREE copy today of our new book “Be Prepared: Your Ultimate Guide to Common Roadside Emergencies & Safety” by SLG attorney Joe Shannon. In this book, Joe covers everything you need to do immediately following a crash, as well as common roadside assistance emergency tips. You need this book to be a part of your roadside emergency kit. You can request your free copy by emailing Brittany at bpeterson@shannonlawgroup.com.
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