The Foster Firm - December 2023/January 2024

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TheFosterFirmWins.com • 404-559-8325 • December 2023/January 2024

A Rideshare Accident Victory Like No Other $1 Million Justice Served

Thanks to things like rideshare apps, it’s no longer necessary to have a car to get around. 36% of Americans (over 119 million people!) use rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft to travel. However, just because these apps are extremely popular doesn’t mean they’re always safe. To become a rideshare driver, all someone needs is a valid license and 1-5 years of driving experience, depending on their age. There’s no driving test, no previous-accident checks, or other requirements that would vet out unsafe drivers. That means just about anybody can get behind the wheel and pick up trusting strangers looking for a ride. Sadly, one of our clients was a victim of these dangers and suffered catastrophic injuries. During their ride, the rideshare driver pulled out in front of a truck, causing a severe collision. This left our client with several traumatic injuries, including head trauma and broken vertebrae in their back. Our client’s injuries required surgery and extensive medical treatment, which left them no longer able to work. Not only that, but they had to move back home with their family due to the expenses of their treatment and the help they now needed to perform normal daily tasks. They lost their income and independence and suffered tremendous pain. Thankfully, after the accident, our client contacted us immediately — and it’s a good thing they did. Rideshare accidents can be tricky

and require special handling. The entire case could fall apart in the wrong attorney’s hands due to the rideshare driver and the larger rideshare company on top of the other lay driver involved. In these cases, there are also multiple insurance companies and policies, and inexperienced lawyers can miss out on thousands of dollars in compensation if they don’t know what to look for or the relevant laws. At the Foster Firm, we have years of experience with rideshare accidents — and winning them, too. In this case, my husband Keith was the lead attorney. And with his years of experience representing insurance companies, he knew just what (and what not) to say to access those multiple policies for our client. He was able to stay one step ahead of the opposing counsel and provide the court with exactly what they needed to see that our client deserved justice to the fullest degree. And thanks to Keith’s efforts and inside know-how, they did. We were able to tap into not one but TWO insurance policies for our client, resulting in a $1 million settlement, which was the full amount of those policies. Our team could not be happier with the result of this case, and we’re honored our client chose our team to represent them. This settlement means they can focus on upcoming medical treatments, recovering, and rebuilding their life. We were able to help them achieve financial peace of mind during one of the most challenging transitions of their life, which is priceless. It’s the reason why we do what we do. So whether you use rideshare apps to get around, work as a driver, or are hit by a rideshare vehicle, know that we would be honored to represent you in the event of an accident. Trust us, you don’t want to face corporate insurance companies alone. As always you can always reach us at 404-559-8325. No matter what, we’ll use our experience to fight for you until justice is served.

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The Surprising Science Behind Your Shaky Muscles

Imagine you’re running through a basic exercise routine. You feel good, so you push yourself harder than usual — and your muscles suddenly start shaking! Every athlete has experienced that moment of panic when tremors hit. But have you ever wondered why your muscles shake? The answer is more complicated than you might think. Shaking muscles can mean at least three things: You’re underprepared for your workout, pushing yourself too hard, or breaking new ground and building muscle! To figure out which option explains your scenario, ask yourself these questions: 1. Did I drink plenty of water today and get at least seven hours of sleep last night? If not, your muscles could be shaky because of dehydration or fatigue.

of doing their job. When one fiber becomes fatigued, your body adjusts to rely on another. Trying something new (essentially, asking your fibers to give new directions) can confuse your body and delay the tradeoff, making your muscles shake. 3. Am I pushing myself harder than I ever have before? When you amp up the intensity of your workout, your body will often do more muscle fiber “tradeoffs” than usual because you’re demanding more output. When too many tradeoffs happen at once, that can make your muscles shake. Muscle tremors aren’t always a bad sign. If you’re trying a new exercise or pushing for improvement, they’re part of the learning process! However, if you’re struggling with exhaustion or dehydration, or you think you’re overworking yourself, shaking can be a red flag. Consider reducing the intensity of your workout or taking a rest day. When in doubt, discuss the issue with a physical therapist, especially if you’re recovering from an injury.

2. Am I doing a new exercise? If you’ve never done a jump squat or bench pressed 200 pounds, you’ll probably feel shaky the first time you try a full set. That’s because your body is adjusting to the new motions at a cellular level. Simply put, when you start a workout, your muscle fibers tell your muscle cells whether to contract or relax — and those fibers can get tired

Arnice’s 4 Tips to Make 2024 Your Best Year Yet! HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

No. 3: Know Your ‘Why’ In order to be successful at setting a goal, you have to have a reason behind it, so dig deep to uncover the underlying motivation behind your objective. If you say you want to lose 10 lbs and don’t know why, who cares if you achieve it or not? But if you want to lose 10 lbs to avoid diabetes, get off of your blood pressure medication, keep up with your kids, or even look good at your high school reunion, then following through with your goal matters. No. 4: Make a Plan Finally, take your goal and its deadline and break it down into manageable steps. If you want to lose 10 lbs in 5 months, that’s 2 lbs a month. What will you do to get there? What can you do today, tomorrow, and next week to reach those 2 lbs this month? Breaking it into smaller tasks makes it less overwhelming! And most importantly, remember to be forgiving if you falter. Setbacks are part of the journey. The key is to stay committed!

As the new year begins, one of the most common things people love to do is set goals for themselves for the coming year. These goals help us improve ourselves and work toward a brighter future. However, research shows only 9% of Americans actually accomplish their New Year’s resolutions, and 43% quit before January is over! I mentioned last edition that I’m also a business coach and part of what I’ve learned is how to set and achieve goals successfully. So, to help you turn your aspirations into reality this year, here’s what you have to do. No. 1: Be Specific The whole point of setting a goal is to accomplish it, right? So you have to give yourself a measurable objective so you’ll know when you get there. Instead of saying, “I’m going to lose weight,” put an actual number on it. Say, “I’m going to lose 10 lbs.” No. 2: Make it Time-Bound After you create a specific goal,

give it a deadline to create a sense of accountability. Instead of giving yourself all year to lose weight, say, “I want to lose 10 lbs in 5 months.” This way, you have an end date and can work backward to plan how to get there.

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FOSTER YOUR FESTIVE SPIRIT

3 Reasons to Embrace Holiday Decorating and How to Start!

One of the best parts of the holidays — no matter which you celebrate — is decorating for the occasion. At the Foster Firm, we love to decorate our office every year, rotating through themes and color schemes to keep things fun. We love watching our client’s faces light up when they walk in to see us! So, if you’ve never decorated for the holidays before, we encourage you to start, and if you’re a little apprehensive, we totally get it — decorating can feel overwhelming at first. To help you, we wanted to first share why we think decorating is so great before giving you two simple tips to get started this year. No. 1: Decorating can boost people’s mood. Believe it or not, decorating impacts not only your decor but also your mental health. According to one report from the University of Chicago, decorating for the holidays makes people happier and “enhances the feeling of enjoyment.” No. 2: Decorating enhances creativity! Part of the reason Arnice Foster loves to decorate so much, both at home and in our office, is because of the artistic expression it allows her. You can carefully place each decoration to create a design that lets your creative juices flow. No. 3: Decorating with family brings you closer together. The best thing about decorating is you don’t have to do it alone. You can enlist your whole family to help you, and collaborating makes you feel

closer as you work toward your goal. Plus, the time you spend decorating is time spent together, which is always incredible for a spouse or parent. Now that we’ve made our case as to why you should decorate

this year, here are a few easy ideas you can try! Make your own holiday table centerpiece. A festive centerpiece can set the mood as your loved ones gather around a table to eat. You can make a centerpiece with seasonal flowers and fruits or create your own elaborate piece like the ones pictured on this page! Color swap your decor. If you don’t want to go out and buy new decorations, consider swapping out any blankets, pillows, towels, or napkins to coordinate with the season or holiday. For example, replace anything with bright summer colors for items with warm colors and cozy textures for winter! And remember to have fun; that’s what decorating is all about!

Grandmother Bell’s 7UP Cake

Celebrating Kwanzaa involves various rituals and customs that revolve around the lighting of seven candles, one for each day of the holiday. Each candle represents one of the Nguzo Saba principles. 1. Umoja (Unity): To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, and nation. 2. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves as well as create and speak for ourselves. 3. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together, making our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and solving them together. 4. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together. 5. Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community to restore our people to their traditional greatness. 6. Kuumba (Creativity): To always do as much as we can in the way we can to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. 7. Imani (Faith): To believe with all of our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. Learn the Meaning of the 7 Candles How Is Kwanzaa Celebrated?

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Generously grease a 10-inch fluted tube pan (such as Bundt). 2. In a large bowl, beat white sugar and butter together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, blending well after each addition until batter is smooth, then stir in lemon extract. Mix lemon-lime beverage into batter and pour into the prepared pan. 3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove cake from the pan immediately by placing a wire cooling rack over the base of the cake and inverting the pan to release. 4. While cake is baking, in a bowl, beat confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla together using an electric mixer on medium until glaze is smooth. Pour glaze over warm cake and let cool completely.

INGREDIENTS

Cake: • 3 cups white sugar • 1 1/2 cups butter, softened • 5 eggs • 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted • 2 tbsp lemon extract • 1 cup lemon-lime carbonated beverage (such as 7Up®)

Glaze: •

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

• 1/4 cup milk • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

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1895 Phoenix Blvd., Ste 110 Atlanta, GA, 30349 TheFosterFirmWins.com 404-559-8325

INSIDE THIS ISSUE A Million Reasons to Choose The Foster Firm page 1 Why Your Muscles Shake During a Tough Workout page 2 Achieve Your 2024 Goals Like a Pro With Arnice Foster’s Tips page 2 Discover the Magic of Holiday Decorating! page 3 How Is Kwanzaa Celebrated? page 3 Grandmother Bell’s 7UP Cake page 3 Sleep Position Secrets page 4 A Dreamer’s Guide: The Link Between Sleep Positions and Dreams

Dreams are mysterious journeys into our subconscious. They can be filled with strange places, familiar faces, or bizarre scenarios. While the content of your dreams may seem random, research suggests the position you sleep in can influence their nature and intensity. The Impact of Sleep Position on Dreams The way you sleep can affect how often you enter the rapid eye movement (REM) stage and, consequently, the types of dreams

you experience. While researchers can’t conclusively identify the relationship between sleeping positions and dreams, they have reached some research-based theories. Supine (On Your Back) Sleeping on your back allows for more unobstructed breathing and less fragmented sleep and may increase the likelihood of vivid and intense dreams because you’re more likely to reach REM sleep. Prone (On Your Stomach) Sleeping face down is associated with more restless sleep, less REM, and potentially fewer dreams, meaning your dreams will be less vivid and memorable. Lateral (On Your Side) Sleeping on your side, particularly in the fetal position, commonly leads to emotional dreams, possibly due to the sense of vulnerability or comfort this position provides. While sleep position can influence the frequency and nature of your dreams, it’s only one piece of the dream puzzle! Dreams remain a complex aspect of human consciousness, but it’s pretty neat to know that how you sleep may play a part!

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