Law offices of F. Craig Wilkerson - September/October 2020

ROCK HILL 1050 College Avenue Extension Rock Hill, SC 29732 Phone: 803-324-7200 FORT MILL 852 Gold Hill Rd. Suite 102 Fort Mill, SC 29708 Phone: 803-396-5200

LANCASTER 103B South Catawba St. P.O. Box 477 Lancaster, SC 29721 Phone: 803-289-7202 UNION 209-B N. Duncan By-Pass Union, SC 29379 Phone: 864-466-5170

www. fcwlaw.com | (803) 324-7200

The Carolina Advocate

Sept/Oct 2020

More Than a Law Firm Fighting for Every Client’s Future

The name on our signs outside our offices may read, “Law Offices of F. Craig Wilkerson,” but we are far more than just a law firm. We are in the people business. We are an extended family of three (soon-to-be four) attorneys and 11 staff members, committed to helping people who come to us in the aftermath of some of life’s worst events. I’ve had many cases over the years like this, but no other case will exemplify the work we do and the dedication we have than that of a single parent we represented years ago. It was actuallymy case, and for confidentiality reasons, I can’t go into too many specifics. However, the details I can share are still just as powerful. The case involved a single parent of three kids, who sustained total life-altering injuries as the result of an accident — and their insurance claim was denied. This parent was the sole breadwinner for their children, completely wrought with fear about how they could move forward and provide their children a good life. We were able to step in and settle their claim for a sizable portion of money, but it was the work we did outside of the legal forms and mediation that speaks volumes to our principles. To start, we introduced this client to a local support group, which allowed them to find victims suffering from the same injuries and catastrophic life events as they were. As we continued to work on their case and they

worked with the support group, we watched some of the glow return to their face, and their spirits lifted. Then, we knew working was a big component for this survivor, but the scope of the injuries impeded their ability to work in many careers. But we knew they could work again. We had experienced every ounce of their determination and grit while helping them, and we knew they wanted towork. So, we contacted local business owners, and we connected our client to a job — one they still work today. Every Christmas, we receive stacks of letters in the mail, and we always get one special card. It’s from this client. They thank us every year for the work we did for them, the work that extended beyond the courtroom, the work in the courtroom that gave them the settlement they needed and deserved, and the work that set them up for success after a debilitating injury. That’s why we’re more than a law firm. We’re “big enough to fight” because we have the capacity and the resources to do so. We have gone toe-to-toe with some of the largest law firms and represent our clients as fairly, accurately, and powerfully as they need. But we’re also “small enough to care” because we give our clients direct access to every member of their legal team, including our attorneys. We get to know them. We empathize with them. We listen to their fears, worries, and struggles.

We understand their pain, and in doing so, we understand the kind of fight they need.

I truly believe every person who works here is a member of one large extended family. (I get teased for how often I preach this!) We’re all passionate about helping others, and when we represent you, we guarantee you’ve just become a member of a growing family, one that won’t stop fighting for what you need. If you or someone you know needs our support, please give us a call. We’ll do the tough work that makes us a law firm — and much more.

–Brandon Nobles

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www.fcwlaw.com | (803) 324-7200

America’s Favorite Pastime

Unique Moments in the History of the World Series

the two teams. The series would resume again in 1905 after new agreements between the American and National leagues. Then, in 1994, a players’ strike over a salary cap would mark the second time in the league’s history when a World Series champion wasn’t crowned. Beginning on Aug. 12, the strike lasted through April 2, 1995. The First (and Second) Canadian Champions The U.S.-based MLB expanded into Canada in the 1960s with the Montreal Expos. Today, the Toronto Blue Jays are the only Canadian- based team in the MLB, and since joining the league in 1977, they have made their own mark on America’s favorite pastime. The Blue Jays became the only team in MLB history from outside the U.S. to win the World Series in 1992. They would do it once again in 1993 and are still the only team from outside the country to win the series — twice, for that matter. November Baseball Occasionally, the calendar gives us a gift — baseball in November. This has happened a handful of times and each for varying reasons. In 2001, the World Series was bumped into November as the result of postponed games following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and a long championship series. A late start and another long series caused the 2009 World Series to also bump into November.

October is the season of pumpkins, falling leaves, and baseball. Each October, we watch the dramatic ending to one of professional sports’ longest-running games, and every championship adds one more riveting story to the long history of baseball. Yet, there has never been a Major League Baseball (MLB) season that can compare to the 2020 COVID-19 season. This year’s competitors will square off at a neutral site in the World Series for the first time since the 1940s, following an abbreviated season that began in July. As we prepare for the MLB’s big event in Arlington, Texas, let’s take a look back at other years when the World Series was anything but normal. The YearsWithout a Champion In 1903, the Boston Pilgrims defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates to win the first World Series championship. However, they wouldn’t have a chance to defend their title the following year. The New York Giants refused to play the Pilgrims in the World Series over a rivalry between

The Night Martians Invaded New Jersey Orson Welles Recounts ‘The War of the Worlds’

On the evening of Oct. 30, 1938, an eloquent voice graced the airwaves in New Jersey:

this was a work of fiction. The panic, it seemed, was growing as the Martians “approached” New York. A little later that night, police showed up at the studio with the intent of shutting the whole thing down. The next day, the story broke across the country — newspapers reported on mass hysteria and stories poured out that the nation had erupted in panic. However, as we now know, the extent of the panic was exaggerated. In fact, the program didn’t even have very many listeners that night, and most who had tuned in were aware they were listening to a radio play rather than a news broadcast. American University media historian W. Joseph Campbell, who researched the broadcast in the 2000s, found that while there had been some panic, most listeners simply enjoyed the show. It turns out the person who was the most frightened was Welles himself who thought his career had come to an end.

“We now know in the early years of the 20th century, this world was being watched closely by intelligences greater than man’s, and yet as mortal as his own. We now know as human beings busied themselves about their various concerns, they were scrutinized and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinize the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water …” And so began Orson Welles’ classic radio broadcast, a retelling of H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds.” Peppered in the retelling were fictional news bulletins informing the public of an alien invasion. Martians had arrived in New Jersey! Some listeners, who had missed the fact that this was a retelling of “The War of the Worlds,” assumed the news bulletins were the real thing. Frenzied, they called local police, newspapers, and radio stations hoping for more information about the invasion. What were they supposed to do?

Higher-ups at the CBS radio studio where Welles delivered the live reading called and told him he needed to stop and remind listeners that

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www.fcwlaw.com | (803) 324-7200

Good Luck, Hunters! Safety Tips for Bagging the Big Buck

Hunting is a long-standing South Carolina tradition, and we want to ensure that 2020 is another great year for hunting. Before you head out this year, be sure you brush up on these safety tips. Get Educated and Stay Safe South Carolina requires hunter safety for all persons born after June 30, 1979. Completion of this course and a license are required to hunt and tag game. Those who have not taken the course and are under 17 years old can hunt with a licensed adult on Youth Hunt days. Once in the woods, all hunters must wear a blaze-orange vest, hat, or visible garment during hunting seasons. An exception is made for dove, duck, turkey, or nighttime hunters. KnowYour Zone South Carolina is broken into four different hunting zones, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR). These zones are determined based on herd

populations and land requirements, and each zone has specific regulations for hunting. For example, deer hunters in the southern portion of the state, or zone 3, can participate in archery and gun hunts from Aug. 15 to Jan. 1 Meanwhile, those who hunt in zone 4 in northwest South Carolina can archery hunt deer from Aug. 15-31 and gun hunt deer from Sept. 1 through Jan. 1. These rules only apply to private land. Public lands have varying differences. FollowYour Private orWMA Land Rules If you’re lucky to hunt on private land, then you can enjoy the amenities of your own space.

However, if you don’t have access to private land, hunting is offered on Wildlife Management Area (WMA) land. This is a great opportunity to carry on our state’s tradition without the need for owning property. However, varying regulations apply to each type of land. For example, hunting is illegal on WMA lands on Sundays. There can also be tag limitations and extra requirements for these hunters. Research your zone and the regulations before posting up on WMA land.

For more details, visit ERegulations.com/ SouthCarolina.

Spooky Strawberry Ghosts

Inspired by Candiquik.com

Ingredients

16 oz white chocolate, chopped

24 strawberries

1 package mini dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the white chocolate at 50% power for 30 seconds. Remove it and stir, then repeat the process until melted. 2. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper. 3. One by one, dip the strawberries into the melted white chocolate and set them on the parchment. Allow the extra chocolate to pool to form a “tail” effect. 4. Before the chocolate coating fully cools, add three mini chocolate chips to each berry to form two eyes and a mouth. 5. Let chocolate set, then serve your spooky snacks!

Puzzle Time

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1050 College Ave. Ext. Rock Hill, SC 29732

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Inside

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Brandon Nobles on Why We’re More Than a Law Firm

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A Look Back at Unique Moments in the World Series What Really Happened the Night Martians Invaded New Jersey? Get Your Trophy Buck Safely This Year! 3 Safety Tips All Hunters Need Spooky Strawberry Ghosts

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When ‘Star Wars’ Invaded Halloween

The Spooky ‘Star Wars’ Shortage of 1977

A long time ago … in October of 1977 to be exact, Halloween was fast approaching and many parents faced a major dilemma. That year, kids didn’t want to go trick-or-treating dressed as vampires, witches, or ghosts. The classic costumes simply wouldn’t do. That Halloween, almost every child in the United States wanted to dress as their favorite character from the new hit movie, “Star Wars.” Today, you can walk into a Halloween City on Oct. 30 and easily pick up a costume for Rey, Darth Vader, or Princess Leia. But in 1977, less than five months after the release of the first movie in the popular franchise, getting your hands on “Star Wars” merchandise was a bit more difficult. Ben Cooper, a costume company in Brooklyn, had the foresight to license “Star Wars” for costumes right after the movie came out. Unfortunately, they didn’t foresee how great the demand for these costumes would be.

Retailers across the country were selling out of “Star Wars” costumes as fast as they came in. Some stores reported selling more “Star Wars” costumes than pumpkins. Kids who got their hands on an authentic Han Solo or C-3PO costume were considered lucky. But kids who arrived at the store to find the costume shelves empty didn’t throw in the towel. Instead, they went and found some brown towels to make their own Chewbacca costumes. In the current age of cosplay, homemade costumes based on movie characters are commonplace, but in 1977, this was uncharted territory. Kids searched for white dresses to be Princess Leia and bathrobes they could cut short to mimic Luke Skywalker. Moms everywhere broke out their sewing machines and created costumes using only action figures for reference. It was grueling work, but it showed how much kids wanted to spend Halloween in a galaxy far, far away.

The “Star Wars” costume shortage marked a new era for Halloween — one where making your own costume was just as cool, if not better, than buying it.

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