Simon Law Firm's online newsletter for November 2017
www.christophersimon.com
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November 2017
W hat B eing a T op -100 L itigator M eans to M e
INTEGRITY IS DOING THE RIGHT THING, EVEN WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING.
As we get towards the end of another year, the awards season for lawyers rolls around. Some of the awards are fluff, but the Super Lawyers voting is actually voted on by your peers in the Bar of Georgia, so it’s nice to have been chosen as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the State for the fifth year in a row. It feels pretty great considering we have 31,499 lawyers in the state, and I was always picked last on the football team in middle school. It begs the questions though: So what does it mean? For me it comes down to doing the right thing every single time. There is a great quote I have on my wall: “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no
one is watching.” Practicing law that way consistently as I pass my 20-year anniversary as a lawyer has paid off in the form of satisfied clients and respectful peers. We have always stuck to our policy in smaller cases of never taking a fee larger than our client takes home, even when it costs us money based on the time we put into the case. Other firms just don’t care and put themselves first. Integrity is expensive, but so worth it. On our larger cases, we have always been transparent with the fact that while heavy litigation might take up the gross settlement, sometimes it costs the client money and only benefits the firm.
Over the years the number of lawyers and clients who have referred friends and family to us has grown, and it is the backbone of the firm. It allows us to not cheapen our profession by advertising. We could not do it without you, our clients, so I say THANK YOU for allowing me the privilege of being your lawyer. - Christopher Simon
Last Chance to Get Health Insurance For 2018 !
Enrollment is only open from November 1 to December 15, so act quickly! Coverage will start January 1, 2018. Friends, don’t be scared off by the politics, this is good health insurance. My family and I have used it for the last two years.
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3 C leaning ‘R ip -O ffs ’ THAT ACTUALLY WORK
If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But sometimes we stumble across a few hidden gems that make our lives easier. And, when it comes to cleaning house, we can all use a little “easier.” Check out these products you may have already written off and let them surprise you. Dollar Store Cleaning Products If you’ve ever ducked into the local dollar store to buy some Mylar balloons for your niece’s birthday party, you might have noticed the jugs and spray bottles plastered with the word “Awesome.” Surely, this knock-off soap can’t work as well as your brand-name products, right? You’d be surprised. Online reviewers sing Awesome’s praises, suggesting it should really be a higher price for how well it works. Just make sure you wear gloves when you use it.
Detergent Pods You use too much soap in your washing machine and dishwasher. At least, that’s what the New York Times reported as the No.
foam products. But this is one case where the product lives up to its wild claims. Melamine foam is abrasive and can break down and remove material from fine cracks and textures, making it an effective cleaner. It can be used to whiten sneakers, clean tub scum, and remove permanent marker from your fridge. Since the snake oil salesmen in the days of old first tricked trusting folks out of their hard-earned cash, consumers have wised up and are quick to write off perceived scams. Still, every now then you get lucky, and the cheap white sponge really does make the stove look like new. But you should still think twice before you say yes to gas station sushi. “economic value” of the person’s life as seen from the deceased’s perspective and, sometimes, for pain and suffering before death, or from the fear of death. There are two distinct types of claims that can be brought in these situations: a statutory wrongful death claim by the family members or a claim of the estate of the deceased. Statutory claims are filed for compensation for the value of the human life that was lost, giving the jury the ability to weigh and consider the true value of the deceased’s life in the terms of the law. The estate claim is filed to gain compensation for any medical bills, pain and suffering, or funeral expenses incurred as a result of the wrongful death. If you’re looking to bring such a claim, don’t limit yourself to one source of information. Nearly every reputable lawyer will meet with you for a free, in-person consultation, so make sure you canvass a few to figure out which will best serve your needs.
1 complaint from repair people and appliance experts. Modern appliances are designed to use less water, and as soap becomes more concentrated, using too much can damage your machine. That’s what makes detergent pods so handy. They don’t look like they can clean all your dishes or an entire load of clothes, but they actually provide the perfect amount for modern machines. You save money on detergent and machine repair! FoamCleaning Blocks Anything with “magic” in the title sounds like a scam. For this reason, you may have avoided the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and similar melamine
THE BASICS OF WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIMS
Dealing with the loss of a loved one is difficult, if not impossible, to understand, until you experience such a loss yourself. Death is hard to process — doubly so if that death was a result of the carelessness of others. When in the throes of a wrongful death case, we’ve seen our clients, time and time again, express a profound sense of unfairness and injustice. Luckily, the law in Georgia is designed to punish individuals who act carelessly and endanger the lives of others. If you’re seeking compensation for the wrongful death of a loved one, it’s important to know the facts. In wrongful death claims, the law identifies the person allowed to make the claim: first, the spouse of the deceased, and then the kids, then the parents. After that, it’s up to the court. In most cases, the statute of limitations extends to two years from the time of death. You can sue for the
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WORD SEARCH
WHICH INSURERS ARE BEST? As a car accident attorney, who sues insurance companies all the time, I am frequently asked, “Who has the best car insurance in Georgia?” The answer depends on your perspective. If you are asking who is the easiest to work with on getting single car accident claims resolved with your own insurer or small Mickey Mouse issues, then the list compiled by Consumer Reports is a good reference. If you’re asking who treats people with the most fairness when push comes to shove on important injury claims, there is a very different answer.
Which Insurers Do People Rate as Easy to Deal With on Average Claims?
Consumer Reports ran an exhaustive study, and they found that these companies in Georgia are the highest rated (we leave out companies that don’t do significant business in Georgia):
1. USAA Property & Casualty 2. Amica 7. Auto-Owners Insurance Group of Companies 8. Ameriprise Financial (IDS) 9. State Farm 10. State Auto Insurance Companies 11. Mercury 12. Geico
ANGLE BLURRED BRICK BUTLER
FACE HEARTBEAT ILLUMINATE INVESTIGATION IRIS LEGO BLOCKS
OPTICAL PASSWORD PATTERN PHOTO PUPIL RECOGNITION
SENSOR SOFTWARE VACCINE VESSELS WEARABLE WRISTBAND
COMPUTER CRIMINALS DATABASE
METRICS MUSCLE MUSIC
RIDGES ROBOT SCANNER
DIGITAL DREAM
R oasted P armesan PESTO POTATOES
Consumer Reports also ran a list of the worst-rated companies:
1. Farmers Insurance 2. Hanover Insurance
4. Allstate 5. MetLife 6. Liberty Mutual 7. Travelers 8. The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies 10. The Hartford Financial Services Group 11. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company 12. American Family
It only takes 3 ingredients to make these crispy, flavorful potatoes. They’re the perfect side dish for any meal.
INGREDIENTS •
2 pounds red potatoes, quartered
• • •
2 tablespoons basil pesto Salt and pepper, to taste 3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Which Insurance Companies Are the Best When It Comes to Large Claims?
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. In large bowl, combine potatoes
This is a completely different story. We file claims and file lawsuits against these insurers every year, and the way they handle large loss claims varies substantially. Amica, Nationwide, Travelers, and MetLife consistently adjust and handle large loss claims in the fairest and quickest manner in my experience. The odd thing is that only Amica makes the Consumer Reports list, and the other three are at the bottom of the ratings. I wonder where the customer service breakdown is occurring for these companies, because when the rubber meets the road and you have a large injury claim, these are the companies that you want to be dealing with.
and pesto. Toss to coat. Transfer potatoes to large baking sheet or shallow roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast 20 minutes and remove from oven. 3. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over potatoes and put pan back in the oven. Roast for additional 10–15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and crispy. Remove from oven and serve warm. Recipe courtesy of TwoPeasAndTheirPod.com.
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i M y V iew F rom the T op 1
T hese P roducts M ake H ousework E asier ! T he B asics of W rongful D eath C laims 2 W here to G et the B est C ar I nsurance R oasted P armesan P esto P otatoes 3 C ongratulations , W inners ! 4
TO OUR WINNERS! CONGRATULATIONS These three clients won dinner and two movie tickets just for leaving a review on our Facebook page!!
Misty b.
Jay c.
Kenzie M.
Want to be a winner? leave a review on our facebook page by december 15 and win!
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