Take a look at our October newsletter!
816-268-1960 | 913-428-8220 www.dickersonoxton.com OCT 2023
ANIMAL BITES
CAR ACCIDENTS
MEET YOUR CASE’S SECRET WEAPON
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
Scheduling: During an injury case, a few key events occur during the litigation process, such as court hearings, depositions, mediations, attorney meetings, and even trials. A paralegal must coordinate these dates with all attorneys involved in the case and the court. Once all parties agree to the date, a paralegal then has to retrieve and file the required documents to alert all parties of the date and location of the event, plus retrieve, organize, and file any documents or exhibits the attorney requires for each event. THE PARALEGALS OF DICKERSON OXTON LAW Our firm currently has five absolutely incredible paralegals. Not only do they work tirelessly to ensure everything here runs smoothly, but they’re also specialized to handle particular types of cases. This is because our firm divides our paralegals into two groups: single event and mass tort. Single-event cases are accidents or injuries that typically happen in one incident, such as transportation collisions (semi-truck, motorcycle, car), that only affect one or a few people. Mass tort cases are when one act or omission harms many people, such as defective medical device cases. Paralegals then only work on cases that fall into their specific group, which allows them to have a profound understanding of the requirements and technicalities of their group. So, now that you know what a paralegal does for your case and what types of cases they handle, I’d like to remind you that your assigned paralegal is always here to assist you with any questions or concerns about your case. To get in touch with your paralegal, you can call our firm at 816-268-1960 or reach them at their emails below! Single-Event Paralegals Nicole King — nking@dickersonoxton.com Saunny Wiley – swiley@dickersonoxton.com Paula Baker-Allison — pbakerallison@dickersonoxton.com Mass Tort Paralegals Brent Jamison — bjamison@dickersonoxton.com Arlinda Christensen — achristensen@dickersonoxton.com –Chelsea Dickerson
When you work with our firm to file a personal injury claim, you have a team of experienced individuals in your corner ready to fight for you. Of course, you’ll spend a lot of time speaking with one of our attorneys, but you’ll also have a paralegal assigned to your case. For many people, it can be hard to understand what a paralegal does for their case and when they should reach out to their paralegal versus their attorney for information. Oct. 23 is Paralegal Day, and we wanted to celebrate by dedicating this article to helping people understand the crucial role a paralegal plays in their injury case and when you should contact your paralegal for help. WHAT DOES A PARALEGAL DO? A paralegal’s job is to assist attorneys throughout the litigation process and help keep clients informed about the status of their cases. They’re integral to the smooth functioning of the entire firm and each case because they do the more subtle labor and time-intensive tasks like managing documents or scheduling appointments. Doing this work frees up the attorney’s time and allows them to dig into the technical and legal aspects of every case we take. Communication: An attorney is often busy with higher-level tasks that can be extremely time-consuming. This includes reviewing discovery documents from defendants; drafting briefs and higher-level pleadings; preparing for and taking depositions; speaking with and vetting expert witnesses; and attending court, mediations, and trials. Paralegals are generally more available during the day and try to answer calls and field questions first so the attorneys can focus on this important, high-level work that only attorneys can do and that help drive cases forward. If you have questions about your case or have an update you’d like to pass along to your attorney, your paralegal is there to speak with you. Even if there is a question they cannot immediately answer, they can check in with the attorney for you and follow up. Documentation: Personal injury claims require a lot of documents — and we mean a lot. Clients don’t or can’t always give us every document we need; we have to retrieve them ourselves (hence, the labor and time-intensive tasks). The other side also gives us many documents to review as the case progresses. Then, paralegals must organize these documents and manage them throughout the litigation process.
BICYCLE/ MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS
BRAIN & SPINAL CORD INJURIES
BURN INJURIES
CONSTRUCTION INJURIES
NURSING HOME ABUSE
SLIP & FALL ACCIDENTS
BOATING ACCIDENTS
TRUCK ACCIDENTS
PHARMACEUTICAL & DRUG INJURIES
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Halloween is this month, and while we’ve done some Halloween safety-themed articles in our newsletter in the past, we think it’s always worth revisiting. This year, however, we want to focus on what parents and children can do to protect themselves from pedestrian accidents while out trick-or- treating and what drivers can do to help prevent these accidents. SAFETY TIPS FOR PEDESTRIANS • Always use sidewalks if they’re available. If there are no sidewalks in the area where your family trick-or-treats, walk as far to the side of the road as you can, facing traffic. • Cross only at street corners, with traffic signals, or in crosswalks. It’s extremely difficult for drivers to see when children dart in front of their cars in the middle of the road — especially in the dark. • Always make eye contact with a driver before crossing the street. This is still possible in the dark with street lights and a car’s headlights on, and it allows you to ensure the driver sees you before crossing. • Use reflective tape or glow sticks on children’s costumes. This will also help drivers see them should they accidentally wander into the street or cross without properly looking both ways. October is a busy month in Kansas City, with events for families and friends alike nearly every weekend! We don’t want you to miss a beat, so let’s jump into what’s going on this month! GLOWILD: AROUND THE WORLD The GloWild lantern festival is back, and this year, the theme is Around the World. Presented in collaboration with Zigong Lantern Group, the Kansas City Zoo will be filled with numerous giant steel lanterns (some over 50 feet tall!) in the shapes of various animals and wildlife sceneries. Over 150 artists used nearly 75 tons of steel, plus more than 940,000 feet of silk, to create these glowing works of art. Some exhibits are even interactive! GloWild will run until Dec. 30, and you can visit KansasCityZoo.org/ glowild to buy tickets or learn more! 2023 GRAVEYARD 5K The sixth annual “not-so-spooky” Graveyard 5K is on Saturday, Oct. 28! The race takes place entirely within the Elmwood Cemetery, and all proceeds go toward the maintenance of the cemetery. KANSAS CITY’S BEST OCTOBER EVENTS Stay Spooky and Safe HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS FOR PEDESTRIAN
Sometimes, dogs are more than just a man’s best friend — they are heroes. When the Israel Defense Forces brought Chris Willingham, a Marine specializing in training military dogs, a small German shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix puppy in 2006, he knew she was special. THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF LUCCA, THE EXPLOSIVE-DETECTING DOG WHO SAVED LIVES Willingham named her Lucca, and in 2008, the pair deployed for their first tour in Iraq, where they spent countless hours together searching for improvised explosive devices or IEDs. When Lucca smelled a bomb, she’d lie down and wait for Willingham, an action they repeated so many times that the pair seemed to read each other’s minds. In fact, the duo became so successful that when platoons suspected they were heading into especially dangerous territory, they requested the team by name. After returning from their second tour in Iraq, Willingham received orders that the Marines were restationing him at the Marine Security Guard School. But before he had to leave, he was allowed to choose a new handler for Lucca. Willingham chose Corporal Juan Rodriguez, whom he sensed was the perfect match for Lucca. And he was right. Lucca and Rodriguez picked up where she and Willingham left off until one day in 2012. The pair were four hours into their patrol in southern Afghanistan when Lucca located her second IED of the day. However, when she moved closer to the device to lie down — it exploded. Rodriguez quickly ran to Lucca, where he discovered she had lost one of her front paws in the explosion. He applied first aid, a tourniquet, and called for a medevac, never leaving her side. She had suffered burns to her neck and torso, and doctors had to amputate her front left leg.
However, in less than a month, Lucca was back to running around with the same spirit as before her injury but was now retired from her day job. She was reunited with Willingham and lived the rest of her days with him and his family peacefully until her passing in 2018. Lucca led more than 400 patrols during three combat tours in her career. She found 40 confirmed insurgents and countless explosives, and she never had a single human casualty during her six years of service.
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NS AND DRIVERS
TIPS FOR DRIVERS • Try to avoid driving
altogether if you can, but especially between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. By reducing the number of cars
on the street during Halloween night, you can also help reduce the number of accidents. If possible, make your trips earlier or save them for the next day.
• Drive slowly, especially in residential neighborhoods. Even if children seem to be off the street and on sidewalks, they’re incredibly excited and can move in unpredictable ways. • Use extra caution at intersections, even if you have the right of way. Kids may not completely understand crosswalk rules and may still try to cross even when they’re not supposed to. Try to make eye contact with anyone on the side of the road before driving through the intersection. And finally, do not drive your children from house to house on Halloween. This is extremely dangerous and, unless you or your child has limited mobility, completely unnecessary. Park your car nearby, get out, and walk. Trust us, it’s much more fun that way, too!
TAKE A BREAK
THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
The race starts at 9 a.m. sharp and costs $45 ($40 for 12 and younger) to enter. Attendees can wear costumes or running clothes — whichever they feel most comfortable with!
You can register or learn more at KCCrew.com/event/graveyard5k .
MOVIE NIGHT AT THE AZTEC SHAWNEE THEATER: ‘THE MUMMY’ DOUBLE FEATURE! What better movies to watch during the spookiest month of the year than classic horror films? On Oct. 11, 18, and 25, the Aztec Shawnee Theater will show the original 1932 film “The Mummy” at 6:30 p.m., followed by an intermission and its first sequel, “The Mummy’s Hand,” at 8 p.m.! You can purchase tickets by visiting AztecShawnee.com/mummy- movies-2 and clicking the pink and blue “Purchase Tickets” button on the left side of the page (it’s a bit hard to see). LASER SPOOKTACULAR Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium is showing several family-friendly Halloween classics, like “Monster Mash” and “Ghostbusters,” with some added flair! There will be spectacular 3D lasers and smoke effects paired with each part, making it one cinematic experience you don’t want to miss! Tickets are just $8 for general admission, and shows are offered at 5, 5:30, 6, 6:30, and 7 p.m., so it’s a great family activity before or after grabbing dinner!
INGREDIENTS
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 2 large eggs • 2 cups (12-oz package) semi-sweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. 3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until creamy. 4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended. 5. Gradually beat in flour mixture. 6. Stir in chocolate chips. 7. Arrange dough in rounded teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheets. 8. Bake 8–10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; move to wire racks to cool completely.
You can purchase tickets at UnionStation.org/event/laser-spooktacular .
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ADVERTISING MATERIAL
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816-268-1960 | 913-428-8220 www.dickersonoxton.com
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
Your Paralegal’s Vital Role in Personal Injury Claims Lucca, the Explosive-Sniffing Dog Your Guide to a Spooktacular and Accident-Free Halloween Get Ready for Chills and Thrills! The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Time’s Up! How to Implement Effective Screen Time Limits for Kids
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TRIED-AND-TRUE METHODS TO BREAK YOUR KIDS’ SCREEN ADDICTION
Every parent knows they should limit their children’s screen time, but accomplishing it is far easier said than done. Kids love their devices as much as adults and would happily spend hours glued to their electronics if we let them. Fortunately, we’ve discovered some tried- and-true methods for parents to prevent bad habits.
someone else’s tablet is unallowed. Furthermore, ask questions about what your kids are viewing and playing and use strict parental controls to ensure they only access age-appropriate content. CREATE SCREEN-FREE ZONES. Specific times and places should always be off-limits for screens. A prevalent rule involves no screens and food together; eating should be mindful, and dinner should be family time. Experts also recommend no devices for one hour before bed. You might also consider requiring your kids to look away from screens and make eye contact while talking to someone. Other decrees could include tablets not leaving the car once you arrive at a destination or no devices while guests visit. BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL. Yes, you’re the parent, and no one can tell you how much time to spend on your phone. But children quickly adopt what they see. When the adults around them are always glued to different electronic devices, it makes the habit seem even more attractive. Reducing screen time will benefit your health and ability to connect with your family. Limiting your use in front of your kids specifically will show them you practice what you preach.
ESTABLISH TIME LIMITS. Every parent must determine the right amount of screen time for their kids, but it helps to know what experts recommend. The American Academy of Pediatrics says screen time should be strictly limited to video calls for children under 18 months, children 18 to 24 months should only watch high-quality programming with an adult, and kids aged 2 to 5 should watch no more than one hour daily. After that, the science gets a bit fuzzier, but most experts agree that less is best. LAY DOWN THE LAW. Once you decide on time limits, implement them ruthlessly. You can set most tablets to automatically turn off after they’ve been viewed for a set amount of time each day. Once time is up, it’s up — and using
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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