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229-888-0888 • www.puttingpeoplefirst.law Justice MONTHLY Enemies to Confidantes BECOMING CLOSE TO MY SISTER AFTER A BAD FAMILY VACATION
JUNE 2019
Today, my sister is my biggest confidante and supporter. At some point, as we got older, we realized that being each other’s only sibling meant that we have to be able to count on one another, and I know that if I ever need help with anything, she would do all she could for me.
I suddenly felt something gooey and sticky squish onto my head, and I saw that my sister stuck her gum in my hair. I turned around swinging, and my sister and I began slugging at each other in the backseat. As my dad continues to whiz down the highway at 70 miles per hour, there’s a full-on brawl going on in our backseat while my mom is screaming at us to stop. Picture the chaos in “National Lampoon’s Family Vacation” as Clark drives his family off the closed road, and you’ll get the idea. Finally, after my father pulled over and we assessed the damage, my hair had to be trimmed. For months, I was walking around with spiky hair that didn’t match the rest of my hairstyle, but there was a silver lining to this sibling rift: This was the last time my sister and I got into a big fight. We had our minor differences and bickered like any sibling pair, but since then, we’ve become very close. The rest of the trip included hiking, biking, and torturously having to watch “The Thorn Birds” (per my mom’s request), but given the rigamarole our trip began with, it’s a wonder we came back to Georgia relatively unscathed. Thankfully, today my relationship with my sister has vastly improved, and we’re very close. Although she lives quite a few miles away, we make it a point to talk as much as we can, and I still look up to her in many ways. Even better, to this day, she has yet to find more reasons to stick gum in my hair. I’d say that’s quite an improvement.
But, like most siblings, this wasn’t always the case. Looking back, there were a few pretty brutal sibling tussles back in our day, but none stand out more than what happened on our family trip to Silverthorne, Colorado. In fact, this trip would go down as one of our worst family vacations! It all began when my mom, dad, sister, and I were driving from Albany to Silverthorne when I was 13 and my sister was 15. I was just beginning my disgruntled teenager phase, but I was surprised my parents were able to convince my sister, who was in the midst of teen angst, to come. And there we all were, road- tripping across the U.S. Since my sister is about 2 1/2 years older than me, I always say we had the perfect age gap for her to torture me. Older sisters may defend mine, saying there’s a good chance I tortured her too, but I guess I never saw it that way! I have always looked up to her, but on this particular road trip, we’d finally reached the age where I started to become bigger than her. Surely, the tables were bound to turn. Somewhere in Kansas on the second or third day of the trip is when everything went awry. Looking back, I’m not sure what prompted my sister to do this — although I’m sure she could pinpoint exactly what I did to make her so mad — but considering the vast empty landscape of Kansas highways, it’s a wonder we all didn’t go a little mad.
-William F. “Trey” Underwood, III
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THE TRUTH ABOUT MEDITATION AN ANCIENT SOLUTION TO MODERN PROBLEMS
A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that mindful meditation lowers stress levels, and patients who habitually meditate report less chronic pain. Another study published in the same journal found that regular meditation also fights depression.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath.
This is the first step in every meditation session. Though often associated with the New Age metaphysical movement, meditation isn’t all about incense and healing crystals. Meditation is an ancient practice that strengthens your mental focus, and recent research suggests that it offers real solutions to modern problems.
HOW DO I MEDITATE?
Meditating is as simple as sitting in a quiet place, closing your eyes, and focusing on your breathing for a few minutes. Whenever your mind starts to wander, gently bring it back to your breath. You don’t need to climb a mountain or pay for a week-long retreat to start meditating. That said, there are plenty of resources that help beginners build a strong foundation for meditation. Popular apps like Calm or Headspace are available on any smartphone and offer guided courses you can start anywhere, anytime. You could also check online or at your local community center for group classes if you would like some in-person guidance. Meditation isn’t a magical ritual that will cure all that ails you, but plenty of research suggests meditation does provide tangible benefits to our mental and physical well-being. Maybe one day, meditation will be as commonplace as daily exercise.
WHAT IS MEDITATION?
Meditation has strong roots in various religious and cultural traditions, but anyone can find
value in practicing it. The purpose of meditation is to strengthen your mind by promoting mindfulness, focus, and awareness.
DOES MEDITATION WORK?
It depends on what you mean by “work.” Will meditation allow you to defy gravity and hover above the earth? Probably not. But there are so many benefits that will leave you feeling lighter in another way.
SAY WHAT? After a vehicle accident, you may feel like you have to become a legal expert overnight. Yet, as you disseminate what the insurance adjuster is telling you, make plans for vehicle repairs, and overcome your injury, you don’t have time to become an expert. This is what makes hiring a lawyer so valuable for your case. Liability Insurance Because Georgia is an at-fault state, the driver who caused the accident must pay for the medical and mechanical damages the other parties sustained in the collision. This coverage is called liability insurance, and Georgia sets minimum requirements for this coverage. A driver’s coverage must include at least $25,000 worth of insurance for the injury or death of one other person, $50,000 for the total injuries and deaths of more than one person, and $25,000 for the property damage. Carry this proof of insurance with you whenever you drive to avoid other hefty penalties. UninsuredMotorist Coverage In addition to being an at-fault state, Georgia also requires drivers to have insurance on their vehicles. As previously explained, if your accident was another driver’s fault, their insurance must pay for your damages, but what happens when However, there are some concepts that every client should know to help them navigate through the aftermath of an accident.
3 INSURANCE TERMS YOU MAY HEAR DURING YOUR CASE
someone doesn’t have insurance? Your uninsured motorist coverage covers the leftover expenses that your liability insurance cannot cover on its own when the other driver does not have vehicle insurance — or enough of it — to cover your damages.
Medical Payment Insurance If you only have liability insurance, you’re already complying with
Georgia law, but this may not be enough. To protect your passengers and get you off the hook for paying out of pocket, medical payment insurance has you covered. This relatively inexpensive coverage protects passengers in your vehicle who may be injured in a wreck, and coverage can range anywhere between $1,000 and $50,000. Don’t try to be your own expert in your fight for compensation after an accident. Learn more legal basics by visiting our website at PuttingPeopleFirst.law, and for more information on how the experts at the Law Offices of William F. Underwood can help you, call 229-888-0888.
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CANINE CONUNDRUM What Are the Rules and Who Has Rights in a Dog Bite Case?
There’s nothing quite like the love and companionship of a dog; they are called man’s best friend for a reason! But dogs also have an innate animalistic nature and the capacity to cause bodily injury, especially if they are frightened, threatened, or intimidated. Because of this strange paradigm in our relationship to canines, dog bite cases can be complex. According to Georgia law, victims have two years to pursue legal action after an attack, and they must prove three components contributed to it. They must show that the dog is vicious, the victim did not provoke the animal, and that the owner was careless. However, there are some variables to consider in these stipulations. A major leniency in this law is that you don’t necessarily have to prove that a dog is vicious in nature. For example, if you were attacked or bitten by a dog who was acting playfully, yet you were still hurt, you have a right to seek compensation. In Georgia, dogs are typically given a “free pass,” which means they can bite or attack someone once and no additional action outside of compensation for the victim can be sought. After the second incident, owners may be legally obligated to take action in addition to compensating a victim. However, this free pass is nullified if an attack occurred because the owner did not confine their dog in the yard, did not
have the dog on a leash, or violated any city ordinance regarding the ownership of the dog.
Additionally, dog bite cases can become more complicated as more parties become involved. There have been instances where a dog attacked another person, but the dog was living on the property unbeknownst to a landlord. There are insurance traps and pitfalls that owners can fall into when renting their property to tenants, and for this reason, it’s important to become educated on your rights and responsibilities as a landlord or a tenant. To learn more about your rights as a dog owner, victim, or landowner, call the experts at the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C. at 229-888-0888.
We Value You! At the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C., the trust we build with our clients is our most valuable asset. To show our appreciation, we would like to thank the following clients who have referred others to us since our May newsletter: Your recommendation and word are greatly treasured by everyone at our office. Clients can also leave their comments on our services through Google reviews ! These statements give us critical feedback and help other clients facing stressful life situations find a dependable lawyer. Previous and current clients can also receive free notary services at our office. Learn more about this service by giving us a call at 229-888-0888. John Sizemore
Thank you for trusting us to serve you!
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inside Our Worst Family Vacation PAGE 1 Take a Deep Breath PAGE 2 What Do These Insurance Terms Mean? PAGE 2 Disseminating Action in Dog Bite Cases PAGE 3 Have a Laugh PAGE 3 ‘Influence’ and the Psychology
of Yes PAGE 4
‘INFLUENCE’ Business majors and longtime entrepreneurs will be very familiar with this work. And in an age when many shiny new theories on leadership and personal development come out every year, it’s refreshing to revisit a classic that has stood the test of time. Thirty-five years after its original publication, “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” should still be required reading for marketers, small-business owners, and anyone else looking to improve their negotiation skills.
A Roadmap to Closing Deals
decisions; and “Scarcity,” our tendency to assign value to things based on their rarity. While these may sound like surface level business concepts, the way Dr. Cialdini uses these principles as a launching point gives “Influence” value. With each principle, the author dives into examples of how these psychological elements can be used by you or against you in any negotiation. Take “Commitment and Consistency” for
Written by Dr. Robert Cialdini, “Influence” explores why people say yes. A professor of business and psychology, Dr. Cialdini is uniquely qualified to tackle this question, combining scientific data with practical applications. “Influence” is still a subject of praise, with marketing research groups and journals of
example. If you are able to get a person to agree with you on several small points, you lay the groundwork for them to agree with you in the future. Conversely, you can be more alert when people try to use this tactic on you.
psychology lauding the book as a “proverbial gold mine.” You don’t have to get too far into “Influence” to see why.
One of the most powerful results of reading “Influence” is that it helps you recognize behaviors you yourself were unaware of. Indeed, that’s the whole underlying thesis of Dr. Cialdini’s work: As social creatures, we all have habitual behaviors geared towards finding common ground with others. Once you are aware of these behaviors, you’ll begin to see conversations and negotiations in a whole new light.
Dr. Cialdini lays out six “universal principles” of the human psyche. These include “Reciprocity,” our
tendency to want to return perceived kindness or concessions; “Commitment and Consistency,” our tendency to cling to past
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