LEGAL BRIEF
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FRIEDMANSIMON.COM
APRIL 2020
On April Showers Who Really Gets the Credit for May Flowers?
I confess that I’ve always viewed the phrase “April showers bring May flowers” very literally. I only saw the saying as some rather obvious gardening advice until I recently heard it used in a wider context. I suppose it’s true we all have “showers” in some stages of our life, but I don’t think those flowers are exactly guaranteed. It’s a comforting sentiment: Moments of discomfort can lead to moments of joy. In many situations, I have no doubt this is usually the case — from gardening to running a business, it seems that having a few rainy days at the outset lays the groundwork for growth. But having worked with people going through catastrophically difficult times in their lives, it’s hard for me to put much stock in those May flowers’ ability to spring up on their own. Now, I’m not saying that those hurt in terrible accidents are incapable of finding joy, happiness, and contentment. What I am saying, however, is the idea that those “showers” in their lives automatically lead to happiness in the long run is a dangerous
In a perfect world, insurance would be the mechanism by which rainy days are made right — that’s why these vital safety nets exist. But as it stands, many insurers will fight fiercely to defend their own bottom line. Thus, getting compensation in proportion to the damages people have suffered isn’t something that just happens; it’s something these accident survivors have to make happen. For my part, I’m glad I can play a role in this process. Personal injury law is the vehicle by which people can get to sunnier days. I’ll never grow tired of being able to provide this service. Sure, seeing tragic case after tragic case could threaten to bring on my own case of rainy days, but instead, I’ve learned to draw on the strength of the people I represent. The people I’ve had the chance to represent over the years have shown me the very depths of human courage. I’ve met people who have been through losses that would level me as a person — losing mobility, limbs, loved ones, and sometimes all three due to an accident. But rather than give in, I’ve seen these survivors hold their head high
a monumental amount of work to get those “May flowers” to bloom.
If you work with those who’ve faced these serious injuries, you know it’s not enough to tell them “things will get better.” Good fortune isn’t always as guaranteed as the changing of the seasons, and misfortune can be more than a rainy day. So, I’d argue that this month’s maxim needs a little bit of a twist. Let’s avoid glorifying moments of tragedy and give credit to the real reason for brighter days. April showers don’t bring May flowers — people with the inner strength to weather them do.
notion. Some showers will flood your garden if you aren’t careful. And even if they survive, the world can
and refuse to let this deeply dark period of their life define them. That inner strength can certainly put the minor inconveniences in one’s own life into perspective. Some people have to put in
“The people I’ve had the chance to represent over the years have shown me the very depths of human courage.”
work against your flowers getting a chance to bloom.
––––-Ed Friedman
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