Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin December 2017

Fleshner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin's online newsletter for December 2017

December 2017

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E ven though I’m a relatively old guy, I still get excited about Christmas every time the season rolls around. Withmy headphones pumping holiday music as I write this message (inmid-November), I can’t stop feeling that things simply couldn’t be better. This Christmas, it seems like there’s more to celebrate than ever, especially after my wife Kathy and I have finally been blessed with two beautiful grandchildren in the past few years. First there’s Theo, three years old, who can hardly contain himself as he ticks down the days before he gets to see what Santa brings. The energy of a toddler grants the holidays an entire additional layer of excitement and fun, as his contagious enthusiasm spreads throughout the family. Then there’s Georgie, only three months old, who, though he’s not quite aware of the Christmas festivities just yet, is certainly one of the greatest gifts of all. We’re thrilled that both of the little guys live only about a mile away fromus with our daughter Katie (who is, as you probably know, one of our attorneys here!) and her husband, Darek. But even though they don’t all live so close, all four of our children will be home for the holidays. Paul and his wife Alison are flying in from Los Angeles. Our son, Tim, is making the trip fromWashington, D.C., and our daughter, Kristin, (along with her Seeing Eye dog, Zoe) is coming

Though I feel fortunate this Christmas to be surrounded by family, abundance, and joy, I know that many people in our community might not have such a joyous holiday season. In fact, for those who are lonely, sick, injured, or simply living alone, the holiday season can be one of the most trying times of the year. That’s why I’d like to offer some suggestions to lift up those who are struggling during these cold winter months. All of us around the office are making it a point to do a few kind things for others, and I guarantee that if you do the same, you will truly be blessed with a more meaningful Christmas. Here are just a few ideas: 1. Create a stocking with treats and gifts and place it on the doorstep of someone who has lost a loved one or is struggling financially. 2. Visit your grandparents or other elderly relatives and ask them to tell you a story of the holidays fromwhen they were young. 3. Call the Salvation Army and volunteer to ring the bell. 4. Reach out to someone you don’t knowwell and take themout to coffee, breakfast, or lunch. Spend a fewminutes just talking and connecting with them. 5. Have each of your kids choose one gift to donate to Toys for Tots or take to a family in need. 6. Send a letter or gift to a soldier or sailor. 7. Take a walk in the woods and ponder the beauty of the season. 8. Instead of thinking about what you want for the holidays, spend some time being grateful for what you have. At the end of each day, write down three things for which you are grateful — this exercise can be incredibly powerful. 9. Go to a church, synagogue, or temple as part of your celebration. 10. And finally, reward yourself! You’ve made it through another year and have done great things for the people in your life. You deserve a meaningful gift. As we reach the end of the year, I’d like to extend a sincere thank-you to all of our clients and friends for everything they’ve done for us and for our business. On behalf of all the partners—Dennis Stark, Tony Tanoos, TomNewlin, andmyself —we wish you a merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a happy NewYear! –Steve Fleschner 1 (812) 232-2000

in fromArlington, Virginia. We’re sure to have a great time as always—eating, laughing, exchanging gifts, reminiscing, attending church services, and delighting in the antics of Theo and Georgie.

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As the holiday season kicks into high gear, more drivers hit the road with their families than any other time of the year. Whether we’re traveling to the in-laws for Christmas Eve or cruising around the suburbs and taking in the twinkling light displays, it’s important to stay safe. According to a 2013 report by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, December sees more car accidents than any other month across the state, accounting for 10 percent of all total collisions in 2012. That’s why, if your young children will be tagging along on your holiday shopping trips, it’s vital you do everything you can to keep them safe. Strap your small kids into car seats during every trip. It’s the single best way to protect your precious cargo. Indiana Law dictates that all children younger than one year and/or under 20 pounds must be in a rear-facing, infant-only car seat. The seat should support their entire head, neck, and back, and

move with the child to mitigate stress to the neck and spinal cord in the event of a crash.

For toddlers older than one and weighing over 20 pounds — typically around the time they’re learning to walk — you should use a forward- facing child safety seat. Be sure to check the specified limits of the seat set by the manufacturer. After that, a booster seat should be used for all children under 4 feet, 9 inches. The lap belt should sit low and tight across their hips, with the shoulder belt crossing the chest, not their neck or face. It’s also worth noting that, during the winter, a bulky coat in a car seat is potentially dangerous. Puffy coats worn under the harness can drastically reduce the seat’s effectiveness, leading to ejection during a crash. If your child is cold during the drive, lay the coat over them like a blanket.

With a well-fitting, solidly constructed car seat, you can ensure that your kids stay safe, no matter what happens.

As Steve Fleschner touched on in the cover story, the holidays may be a time of warmth and joy for many, but for others, it’s a season of personal struggle and loneliness. For these individuals, the holidays may highlight a lack of means, challenging mental health issues, or estrangement from loved ones. That’s why all of us at Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin would like to offer our support to anyone who finds the Christmas season challenging for any reason. We’ve all come across painful obstacles in our lives at one time or another. With that in mind, we’d like to remind our readers about our new blessing box, located right by our offices at the corner of Walnut Street and Harding Avenue here in Terre Haute. For those of you who don’t know, a blessing box is a small container that acts as a donation spot for those looking to offer some help to their community. Donors simply open the box and put in whatever they can spare, as long as it’s new and unopened. Then anyone can come by and take anything they need from the box, hopefully feeling a little boost to get them through whatever difficulty they may be facing. Absolutely anyone is welcome to donate or take from the box, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We want to stress that while the box may sit near our offices, it only exists due to the efforts of our entire community. If you’re looking to donate, we truly appreciate it — every little bit helps. Right now, we’re looking for nonperishable food, baby food, diapers, toiletry items, feminine hygiene products, bottled water, hats, gloves, and scarves for the winter. If you can provide any of these items, please don’t hesitate to stop by. Your fellow community members will certainly thank you! Offering a Little Extra Support This Holiday Season The Blessing Box

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FREE CAB Rides

“We were able to negotiate a settlement for our client who injured his right foot while helping to move friends from their apartment. His foot was fractured when it fell through a broken board in a porch floor. It took six months to convince the responsible insurance company to offer a fair sum so our client would be adequately compensated. “We negotiated a policy limits settlement for our client who was injured while driving his moped. The other driver ran a stop sign and our client sustained head, neck, and ankle injuries. We were able to obtain substantial reductions from Medicare and medical providers to increase our deserving client’s net recovery. “Earlier this year, a client called our office about a type of case that we don’t handle. We were able to refer the client to an attorney we know who specializes in the area of our client’s need. The case resulted in a very favorable settlement. “A lawyer referred a case to Steve Fleschner involving a three-car crash resulting in hip fracture and internal injuries to his friend and client. We fought for four years to get the case settled and liens and medical bills reduced. At times, it looked like the client would receive no compensation; but ultimately, we prevailed, and the client received the best settlement possible under the circumstances.” success stories

For the 9th consecutive year, our law firm will provide free cab rides on New Year’s Eve. This year the Safe and Sober Free Cab Rides will take place on New Year’s Eve, Sunday, Dec. 31 from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. To request a free ride home, call First Choice Cab at 812-251- TAXI (8294) and tell them Fleschner Law is paying for the ride. Cab rides are provided from a bar or restaurant to an individual’s residence — not to other drinking establishments.

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(Recipe inspired by PinchofYum.com.)

Scrambling to find something for the holiday potluck? This fondue is sure to impress!

Ingredients

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¾ cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 (8-ounce) package sliced Swiss cheese

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Salt to taste

Foods to dip (apple slices, bread cubes, roasted vegetables, etc.)

1 clove garlic

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together wine and cornstarch. 2. Chop cheese slices into small, uniform pieces. 3. Rub clove of garlic all over the sides and bottom of a heavy- bottomed pot, then discard. 4. Heat wine mixture over medium-low heat in the pot until thick and bubbling. Add some cheese and slowly whisk. When nearly smooth, add more cheese and whisk gently. Repeat until all cheese is melted. If mixture seems too tight, add 1 tablespoon wine. 5. Season with salt and serve immediately. Keep pot on low heat to keep the fondue dippable.

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A Christmas Message From Steve Fleschner This Can Save Your Child’s Life Donate or Take From Our Blessing Box Free Cab Rides Testimonials Where’s Santa?

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Santa Tracking Goes High-Tech

It’s almost Christmas, and if you have small kids, you know what that means: prepping for the arrival of a jolly man in a red suit and his confusingly named reindeer. Some of us may remember spending Christmas Eve curled on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa as radio reports tracked Santa’s trip around the globe. But these days, kiddos have gotten a little more high-tech in their search for up-to- date, GPS-driven Kringle updates. First, there’s the Google Santa Tracker (santatracker. google.com), a full-fledged holiday hub for your browser powered by Google Maps, including, of course, an up-to- the-minute GPS tracker for the big man. The application arrived in 2004, and it’s been updated every year since. During the countdown to Christmas, there’s a colorfully animated advent calendar of sorts, where buildings around Santa’s village“thaw out”and reveal a host of fun games and activities. There’s even a section titled“Santa Tracker for Educators,”which includes kid-friendly coding games, information on international holiday traditions, and a translation app to“learn the Santa lingo from around the world.”

When the eve of the big day finally comes, Google promises a showcase of Santa’s“dashboard, the technology that powers his sleigh during his around- the-world journey.”Featuring“the latest and greatest … in sleigh engineering,” the app displays a Google Maps window that tracks each of Santa’s stops, gives status updates from Old Saint Nick, and tells kids how far he is from their city. It’s a colorful, fun adventure for the whole family.

Of course, Google’s not the only kid on the Santa-tracking block. There’s also NORAD Tracks Santa, operated by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the same organization that tracks nuclear missiles for the government. Similar to Google, noradsanta.org includes a variety of fun games and activities leading up to Christmas. But unlike Google, NORAD has a dedicated Santa- tracking app for your phone, where you can see a 3-D view of Santa’s location during his trip. The app also features videos, so you and your little ones can see clips of Santa flying around major landmarks and world cities. Just don’t stay up too late watching them. You don’t want Santa to skip over your house!

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