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LAW NEWS OCTOBER 2018
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A CAREER IS NOT A JOB, IT’S A PASSION
And I Love Helping People
I first came to the Law Offices of Paul Levin in the fall of 2015 for a college internship. As a nontraditional student starting in the paralegal field, there were certainly a lot of eyebrows raised when I began. Most of our current interns are all younger law students at UConn or other colleges in Connecticut, so for me to come in with a little more life experience was not the norm. When I finished my internship, I transitioned over to another law firm to take a full-time position as a paralegal assisting in estate planning. It soon became apparent to me that this type of law practice was not a good fit for me. After six months, it was clear I missed the work, the people, and the opportunities to interact with clients here at the Law Offices of Paul Levin, so I returned in August of 2016, and I couldn’t be happier. I am currently the lead paralegal for the law practice. I get to interact with wonderful people who take great pride in their work every day. Paul and Kelly have empowered me to be the best possible person at my position by giving me plenty of rope and letting me manage a problem as far as I can. Once I reach the end of that rope and can’t find a solution, they are more than happy to help. Paul and Kelly are wonderful, and of course having Jack around is great, but I truly love helping our clients too. Every client has a different story, and every case has a different outcome, so the ability to help our clients navigate these situations matters to me. And I know that matters to Kelly and Paul. Since I’ve started working here full time, the firm continues to grow, and I attribute that to our amazing team. We’re not just professionally competent; we also care deeply about our clients. We are willing to go above and beyond to meet the clients’ needs, all the while keeping “PAUL AND KELLY ARE ALWAYS WILLING TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MEET THE CLIENTS’ NEEDS, ALL THE WHILE KEEPING THEIR BEST INTERESTS AT HEART.”
their best interests at heart. When you work with people of character, their excellence becomes contagious. It makes you want to be better. I like showing up to work every day, and I love that my daughter can experience a culture like this too. Our firm brought my daughter Alexandra on as my assistant, and it’s been incredible to have her help. She’s a quick study, has great technical skills, and is always willing to meet the
Sonya and her daughter Alex
challenges of the day. We work so well together and communicate very efficiently. When you’re trying to wear as many hats as I do, being able to depend on someone is crucial to success. Outside of work, I love to spend time crafting. Balancing the many different aspects of our firm means I’m always working on deadlines and in high-stress environments. When I come home, I like to quilt because I find it relaxing to have a break from time constraints. I’m not worried about finishing a quilt on time. I just work at my own pace, and if I don’t complete a section, I pick it back up later when time allows. The stress relief lets me go back to work the next day ready to tackle whatever is on my plate. I’m thankful to be at this firm, and I look forward to continuing to grow in my role. If you stop by the The Law Buildings, come say hello. I’d love to learn about you now that you know about me !
–Sonya
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When you think of viral videos of police officers, you may not imagine your local police department lip-syncing pop songs. But this new online trend is taking the internet by storm. To show a more positive side of their departments, many stations all over the country have participated in a lip-sync challenge. While these challenges were created to make viewers laugh, their driving purpose was to create a connection between officers and their communities. They hope to remind civilians that behind every badge is a person who isn’t all that different from you. The challenge started when Alexander Mena, a deputy in the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office in Texas, posted a video of himself lip-syncing “Fuiste Mala” by the Kumbia Kings on June 19 of this year. His video, which gained over 1.5 million views, encouraged other officers to follow suit. Mena, a recruiting-team deputy with Bexar County for three years, has been making lip-sync videos since he downloaded Snapchat on his phone. The day he recorded this particular video, he sent it to his sergeant, who passed it along to the officers who handle social media for their office. Then it went viral. Police Officers Sing Their Hearts Out CHECK OUT THESE LIP-SYNC CHALLENGES ACROSS THE U.S.
“What Makes You Beautiful.” The popularity of these initial challenges inspired other stations to create their own videos featuring entire departments singing and dancing in unison. Some of the videos with the most views are the Norfolk Police Department lip-syncing Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk,” the Apple Valley Police Department lip-syncing The Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” and the San Francisco Police Department lip-syncing Too Short’s “Blow the Whistle.” Keep checking your social media to see who gets challenged next!
Several of the other individual officers responded with their own videos of mainstream hits like ‘N Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye” and One Direction’s
3 Workers’ Compensation Claims You Won’t Believe
IF THESE ARE ENTITLED TO MONEY, IS YOURS?
Workers’ comp claims are serious situations, and when you deal with Paul, Larry, or Kelly, you’ll get some serious experience. We’ve helped countless employees receive compensation after being severely injured at work. Cases are often contested by employers, or the comp carrier won’t authorize much- needed medical treatment and benefit payments, and the subsequent emotional trauma can cause significant turmoil in the lives of hard-working people. These, however, are not those situations. Here are three of the craziest workers’ compensation claims you’re ever going to read (not our cases!) Bubble Bath A remote employee who worked at home filed a claim because she had slipped and fallen while taking a bubble bath. Initially, the claim was denied because, well, she was
taking a bubble bath on the clock. But upon closer examination, it was shown that the employee was performing work duties at the time because she had been speaking with a client on the phone while bathing. The client confirmed the accident, and the claim was paid. What she gained in monetary funds, however, she lost in a career — she was fired. Drinking on the Job An insurance company received a claim from a woman who said she had so many extraneous stressors that she could only cope by drinking. She asserted that her supervisor was so rude and belittling to her that she was forced to drink on the job to calm her nerves. The only issue was that she wasn’t drinking ingestible alcohol — she was drinking hand sanitizer. Office Party Halloween at the office can always be an interesting time for coworkers because of the
props that are used. One office party turned especially dangerous when a woman who dressed up as a Playboy Bunny bent over to reach a file. When she came back up, one of her ears poked a coworker in his eye. The insurance company was forced to pay the claim, but not without a friendly reminder to keep her ears to herself. With Larry Brick on board, our firm is prepared to handle the most complicated workers’ comp claims. While they may not be as crazy as these, we’re confident we can handle your straightforward or complex case. Contact us today if you’ve been in a work- related accident, and let us help you get the most out of your claim.
Attorneys Paul Levin & Kelly Kasheta
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3 Movies YouWouldn’t Want to Drive In CHASE SCENES OFTEN LEAD TO ACCIDENTS
You hear the roar of an engine hitting 7,000 RPMs. The screen quickly cuts to the slamming of a shifter into second gear as the tires of the car contemplate whether or not they’re going to stick to the pavement or fly off from centrifugal force. Then there’s a close-up on the determined eyes of the main character as they passionately pursue their objective. All of this can only mean one thing: You’re watching an epic car chase. Here are three of the best. ‘Bad Boys II’ One of the opening scenes of Michael Bay’s famous film shows Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in hot pursuit of their targets while they fly down Miami’s freeways in a slate blue Ferrari 550 Maranello. The criminals they’re after commandeered a semi that was transporting cars. To make up for the massive speed differential, the culprits start dumping the vehicles off the truck, hoping to hit their target like a twisted version of whack-a-mole. What ensues is a heart-pounding 4 1/2 minutes as Detective Mike Lowrey dodges everything from a sedan to a boat. Yes, a boat. ‘The Bourne Supremacy’ A sexy vehicle isn’t always a requirement for a great car chase. In “The Bourne Supremacy,” Jason Bourne demonstrates just how much you can get out of a taxi driving through the tunnels of Moscow trying to elude his pursuers. Grossly outmatched in speed, power, and
acceleration, Jason Bourne uses a little ingenuity and a whole lot of reckless abandon to outmaneuver his enemies. ‘The French Connection’ It’s impossible to mention car chases without the father of all great pursuit scenes. Gene Hackman commandeers a 1971 Pontiac LeMans, only in this scene, he’s not hunting down another car; he’s hot on the trail of a train. The dashboard camera provides the most intense scenes of Popeye Doyle as he barrels down the streets of Brooklyn. But the dashboard shot is outdone by one of the first-ever uses of a camera mounted on the exterior of a car, providing heart-pounding ground- level views of 86th Street’s pavement zipping across the screen in previously unimaginable ways. While everyone loves a good car chase, the drivers, passengers, and bystanders in these movies are often severely injured. Car chases and the accidents they cause make for great fiction but horrific reality. When the camera stops rolling, there’s an aftermath of pain. Your life is not a source of entertainment for movies, so if you’ve been injured in a car accident, reach out to our office today.
Jack?
Seed Crunch SPICED PUMPKIN
Where’s
Ingredients • 1 large egg white • 1 teaspoon light agave syrup • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala or curry powder • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt • 1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
Jack and Kelly are a certified therapy dog and handler team with Healers With Halos Therapy Dogs. Jack is a 6-year-old rescue collie adopted from Collie Rescue of the Carolinas. He is certified by the Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program and attained his CGC title from the American Kennel Club. Jack works
• 1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds • 1/4 cup raw cashews, coarsely chopped • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
many venues, bringing comfort and happiness to the young and old.
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 300 F. 2. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. 3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg white, agave, salt, and spices. Add nuts and seeds and toss until evenly coated. 4. Using a slotted spoon, strain spoonfuls of mixture over bowl and transfer to baking sheet. Discard excess egg white mixture. 5. Bake 20–25 minutes, tossing once. 6. Let cool and serve.
JACK VISITING STUDENTS AT ASNUNTUCK COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN ENFIELD, CT
Inspired by Bon Appetit magazine
Attorneys Paul Levin & Kelly Kasheta
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40 Russ Street | Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 560-7226 www.connecticutinjuryhelp.com Inside THIS ISSUE • Meet Our Rockstar Paralegal
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Cop Lip-Sync Challenges Go Viral
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3 CrazyWorkers’ Comp Claims
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3 Chase Scenes YouWould Not Want to Drive In
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Spiced Pumpkin Seed Crunch
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The Birthplace of Halloween
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ANewsletter for Clients and Friends FromAttorneys Paul Levin and Kelly Kasheta
COUNTY MEATH, IRELAND, WHERE HALLOWEEN BEGAN The Real Halloween Town
Fans of Halloween don’t need to look far to find somewhere to celebrate their favorite holiday. There are festive parties all over the world, from New Orleans to London, but if you really want to embrace the spirit of Halloween, there’s no better destination than the birthplace of the holiday: County Meath, Ireland. Every year in Boyne Valley, the residents of County Meath throw a month-long Halloween celebration. The Spirits of Meath Halloween Festival attracts thousands of guests from all over the world, and while this festival has only been celebrated since 2009, many of the traditions observed here date back to ancient times. The ancient Irish weren’t trick-or-treating or visiting haunted houses on Oct. 31, but they were celebrating the pagan holiday Samhain. Over 3,000 years ago, this Celtic festival was born in Meath and marked the end of the harvest. Samhain was celebrated with bonfires, offerings to fairies, and other rituals meant to keep evil spirits away. Many of these customs carried through the centuries and inspired Halloween traditions that are still practiced today.
Today, Meath celebrates Oct. 31 with a blend of spooky thrills and traditional Samhain practices. The Spirits of Meath Halloween Festival starts with the lighting of the first torch fire of Samhain in Athboy, which kicks off a month of fun activities. If you like your Halloween extra spooky, the scream park, Farmaphobia, is waiting for you. And if you’re not a fan of screaming your head off, you can check out the Halloween-themed Spookling Afternoon Tea for fresh-baked treats and spirited conversation. The motto of this all-ages festival is “Fun by Day; Frights by Night,” meaning all the really scary ghosts wait until after sunset to come out. There are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween, from carving jack-o’-lanterns and eating chocolate to running for your life through a haunted corn maze. And in County Meath, you can celebrate Halloween in every possible way. For more info, visit www. Discoverboynevalley.ie/whats-on/spirits-meath-halloween-festival-2018.
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