Take a look at our December newsletter!
12444 POWERSCOURT DR., SUITE 300 • ST. LOUIS, MO 63131 // FINNEYINJURYLAW.COM // 314-293-4222 // DECEMBER 2024
Growing Into a Mature Business SPECIALIZATION AND STEADY PROGRESS IN 2025
First off, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Every year we say how nice the holidays are to spend some quality time with family and friends, and it is still true today. Community time strengthens bonds and keeps us all connected. Please take advantage of it.
and work well together. Not every day is perfect, and it won’t be when we are doing our best. Friction is going to happen, but it will lead us to being better. 2025 is going to be exciting. We should go from all of us being generalists to being more specialized in our roles. This is nothing but a positive. People will be more confident in their roles. I have always wanted
We now have nine coworkers and will likely add a 10th soon. In the last couple of months, we added Jennifer Mocabee as an additional lawyer and brought on Will MacKay to be our chief financial officer and manage the
every coworker to have autonomy over their position. To have some sort of ownership in their work product. It will not happen overnight, but change is in the air and
day-to-day operations as we grow. It is odd — I feel like I’ve talked about doing these things for years and finally got them done. We now feel like a more professional, sustainable business while still being able to cater to our clients and try cases. Maturity is the word that keeps coming to mind. The practice is growing and so is the firm. We went from one lawyer and one assistant in a few hundred square feet to nearly 10 full-time coworkers and a practice with plenty of deserving
once it starts, the momentum will build. We are going to improve as an organization and as people. A happy and healthy business puts out a great work product. Each day, I learn more and more about running a business. As I have said before, this is the only business I’ve ever run. I didn’t have a plan when we started and just tried to keep moving forward. I am lucky many of our employees have chosen to ride it out and stay the course. We have had some great times and big victories. We will have more.
clients. Our growth has been sustainable and steady. I like that. Big swings make me nervous. We need a solid foundation. We have one, and we want to keep it.
I hope you all enjoy the holidays. And I hope you continue to read about our journey. Thanks for supporting us throughout the years. See you in 2025.
I met with one of the coworkers yesterday to discuss how things were going and the needs we still have. I told the coworker I am hiring to account for all my weaknesses. That was a sobering thought as we now have eight more coworkers than when we started. Do my weaknesses have any end to them? Probably not. But the statement is true — I do think we have people in place who complement each other
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Teens and Chores: Turn Reluctance Into Responsibility
No one loved doing household chores growing up, but chores are great for building character and work ethic. If we shirk our responsibilities, we inevitably turn into vegetables — couch potatoes. No doubt, convincing your teenagers of the value of hard work and the importance of doing their chores can be trying at times. Sure, many grumble about “kids these days” and how parenting used to be, but we should remember that child-rearing has come a long way since the old days. For example, when Aztec children refused to do their chores, their parents would hold them over smoking chilies, resulting in eye- watering, skin-irritating torment — basically the Mesoamerican equivalent of pepper spraying kids in
the face. The further we can get from that standard of parenting, the better. So, here are two tips to help convince your teens to chip in around the house — no peppers needed. Frame it differently. Sometimes, all you need is a change in perspective. Rather than simply stating that things need to get done — “Because I said so!” — it can help to pitch chores as ways your teens can help around the house. Talk about everything that needs to be done to contribute to a healthy, happy home. There’s grocery shopping, feeding the dog, doing the laundry, maintaining the ever-growing collection of succulents, you name it. This will give them more perspective into how much their parents currently take on. Then, break down which
responsibilities they’ll be assigned to complete and how often you expect them to do each task. Good work deserves a reward. Chore money has always been a great incentive to encourage teens to do their part around the home. These days, there are even apps, like BusyKid, that assign a monetary value to different chores around the house. This doesn’t mean you have to break the bank, but teaching your kids that hard work pays off can motivate them to accomplish more around the home.
Steer Clear of Holiday Driving Hazards Winter Woes
themselves to meet year-end social demands can feel more tired behind the wheel, posing a risk to themselves and others.
Also, 1 in 3 deaths happen amid snowy, rainy, or foggy winter weather. Freak accidents such as the 130-vehicle pileup on an icy stretch of I-35W in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2021 demonstrate that wintry weather can hit anywhere. Even public safety vehicles can pose a hazard, as shown when an Ohio Turnpike snowplow driver sprayed slush and ice onto oncoming traffic in January 2022, injuring 20 people in collisions involving 55 vehicles. The stress of increased social activity and holiday spending can cause some people to drive more aggressively. More than 1 in 4 highway deaths in the last two months of the year involved a motorist who was speeding, according to a U.S. News and World Report analysis of federal highway data. Almost 8% of highway deaths involved a driver distracted from the road by passengers, cellphones, or other preoccupations. Male drivers are more at risk than women, especially those ages 18 to their mid-30s and their late 50s, according to the magazine’s analysis. Combine the risk of drunk, drowsy, or distracted drivers with increased nighttime traffic and the seasonal risk of snow or ice, and the result can be dangerous for anyone on the road. As your holiday activities gain momentum this month, don’t let this perfect storm of highway hazards ruin your celebration!
The year-end holidays can be a joyful time with friends and family. The season also delivers a perfect storm of highway hazards, even for the most careful drivers. Drunk, drowsy, distracted, or stressed-out motorists pose elevated travel risks for everybody on the road. Drinking is more socially acceptable at this time of year, and even expected. New Year’s Eve is one of the deadliest nights of the year. Nearly half of U.S. traffic fatalities each year are linked in some way to drinking, according to the American Safety Council. The highest risk of accidents over Christmas comes between the afternoon of Christmas Eve and the evening of Christmas Day, when revelers are likely to hit the road under the influence of alcohol. Fatigue also can cloud motorists’ judgment. People actually sleep less, not more, over the holidays. Drivers who stay out a little later than usual, consume a lot of rich foods, and extend
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HOSPITAL MISPLACES PATIENT’S BODY PART Anyone Seen a Skull?
All of us have had to search underneath the couch cushions for a missing wallet or TV remote, or we’ve had to scour the mall parking lot in search of our somehow misplaced car keys. I would almost certainly lose my head if it were not attached to my body. Which, as it turns out, is why I definitely should not work at one particular Atlanta hospital. In September 2022, the Emory University Hospital Midtown staff allegedly misplaced something more important than the contents of a patient’s pants pocket. Following his brain surgery, Fernando Cluster was horrified to discover that the hospital had misplaced part of his skull. What a Headache Fernando underwent emergency brain surgery after suffering a stroke and subsequent cranial bleeding. As part of the surgery, surgeons removed a
bargain. The hospital made errors when identifying the bone flaps and had no idea which skull fragments belonged to Fernando. Eventually, hospital staff informed the patient they could not find his bone flap and, as a result, they would be unable to put the missing pieces back in his skull. Suing Over a Skull Consequently, Fernando and Melinda Cluster have filed a civil lawsuit against the hospital. The Clusters claim the hospital’s failure to find his bone flap led to an extended hospital stay, increased medical debt, and undue pain and suffering. Not to mention, of course, the alleged negligence in misplacing a patient’s skull. If nothing else, the Clusters have a remarkable story to tell and, most probably, a large settlement headed their way in lieu of a fully intact brain cage.
portion of Fernando’s skull, known as a bone flap, with plans to reattach
that portion of his skull after he healed from his surgery. While the hospital scheduled the procedure to repair Fernando’s skull for November 2022, issues arose that made it impossible for the hospital to fulfill its end of the
STICKY FIG AND PECAN PUDDING WITH TOFFEE SAUCE
YOUR REFERRALS MEAN THE WORLD TO US There is no greater compliment we can receive than a client telling a friend or loved one about us. If you know somebody who has been injured and needs an attorney who will fight on their behalf and give their case the attention it deserves, please pass along this newsletter and have them call us at 314-293-4222. Thank you for spreading the word about Finney Injury Law.
Inspired by Delicious.com
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened • 2/3 cup brown sugar • 2 eggs, beaten • 1 tsp baking powder • 3/4 cup self-rising flour • 3/4 cup dried figs, roughly chopped • 3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped • 1/2 cup hot water Toffee sauce • 1/2 cup unsalted butter • 1 cup brown sugar • 1/2 cup heavy cream
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 6-cup ovenproof bowl and line the bottom with waxed paper. 2. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, baking powder, and flour until smooth. Stir in pecans and figs, then add 1/2 cup hot water. 3. Pour batter into prepared bowl, cover with a circle of waxed paper, then cover tightly with foil. Bake for 50–60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. 4. For toffee sauce, put butter and sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Stir in cream and increase heat to medium. Bring to just below boiling, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes until thickened. 5. Turn pudding onto a plate and drizzle with toffee sauce.
Practicing in Missouri and Illinois
12444 POWERSCOURT DR., SUITE 300 ST. LOUIS, MO 63131
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
FINNEYINJURYLAW.COM // 314-293-4222
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Taking the Next Big Leap
2
Encouraging Teens to Help Around the House
2
Caution: Holiday Driving Hazards Ahead!
3
Hospital Loses Part of Patient’s Skull
3
Sticky Fig and Pecan Pudding With Toffee Sauce
4
Savor an ‘Old Time Christmas’ at Silver Dollar City
Among the first spectacles to greet visitors is the eight- story custom-designed Christmas tree on Town Square, adorned with hundreds of thousands of high-resolution lights programmed to display animated imagery to music. A nightly Christmas light parade features Rudolph the famous reindeer, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, a cymbal-playing penguin, and several 12-foot-tall elves. Two Broadway-style stage shows and several musical productions offer professional-caliber theater. “A Dickens Christmas Carol” is an adaptation of the classic tale. “Coming Home for Christmas” offers a change of pace, with a live band, singers, and dancers performing a variety show. Visitors who work up an appetite will find three buffets plus several restaurants and snack stands offering a smorgasbord of country-style dishes and confections, from cinnamon rolls and breads to apple dumplings and fried Oreos. For shoppers, numerous retailers will feature crafts, holiday items, and gifts. The city of Branson is deep in the Ozark Mountains and has long been known as a family vacation destination. The “Old Time Christmas” festival is usually open Thursdays through Mondays from 1–9 p.m. Visitors this year can continue to enjoy the festival well into the New Year, as hours of operation will be extended by three additional days through Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. Tickets start at $89 for a single day for adults and $79 for children ages 4–11.
Celebrate Christmas at Silver Dollar City
Imagine a single family-friendly event that begins with an 80-foot-tall Christmas tree light show, progresses to a parade of nine musical floats, and expands to 40 thrilling rides, two Broadway-style stage shows, and all the delicious dining, holiday treats, and shopping you can handle! Those festive attractions and more are part of this year’s “Old Time Christmas” festival at the Silver Dollar City amusement park in Branson, Missouri. With its dazzling array of 6.5 million lights and live daily shows, this festival is a six-time winner of USA Today’s “best theme park holiday event” recognition. The event also drew praise as one of the top five holiday events in the country by ABC’s “Good Morning America” in 2007.
Practicing in Missouri and Illinois
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