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JUNE 2023
4315 W. Lovers Lane, Suite A, Dallas, TX 75209 | 1900 W. Illinois Avenue, Suite 101, Midland, TX 79701 www.buttonlawfirm.com | 214-888-2216 HOT-BUTTON ISSUES
A QUICK LIFE UPDATE
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!
also invested in a rowing machine so I have another option for low-impact cardio. After repeated setbacks, it’s working! I’ve finally started to feel normal again. When I was at a low point in my recovery journey, one thing that helped me was reading Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within by David Goggins. I wrote about his last book, Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds in a previous newsletter, and I couldn’t wait to pick up Never Finished when it came out last December. I finally found time to read it when Sammy and I took our long-overdue trip to Saint Lucia this March. (It was initially supposed to be a New Year’s trip, but we had to postpone it due to winter storms and the Southwest flight cancellation debacle.) The book had me hooked immediately! I started waking up early every morning of the trip to read it. Never Finished tells the story of Goggins’ fitness journey in his 40s. At an age when most professional athletes have retired, he decided to challenge himself all over again and get back into the disciplined, limits- pushing mindset that made him great. I read about how he became a smokejumper in one of the most remote corners of Canada, and it inspired Sammy and me to hike the Pitons — two steep volcano spires on Saint Lucia.
even if your body starts to fight against you, that’s no reason to abandon your passions. For me, exercise is my passion! I knew I couldn’t give up, so I changed my routine and doubled down on my mindset. When I hit a setback, I reminded myself of everything going right in my life.
“A few weeks ago, I held my new baby niece, Adalyn, for the first time!”
Last June, I overextended my Achilles tendon during a workout and partially tore it in several places. At first, I thought it was just a strain, but the harder I pushed myself to exercise through the pain, the more it hurt. By the time I hopped on my bike to ride out to the spot where I proposed to Sammy last August, I was limping. Then — as you know, if you read our February newsletter — I crashed my bike and broke my thumb! After that second injury, I had to take time away from my workouts to recover. And honestly, the physical pain was nothing compared to how tough that break was mentally. I’m a driven, goal-oriented guy, so it wasn’t easy to stop my forward momentum. I spent weeks trying to stay off my feet, and I’m still working my way back to my old fitness level.
Not only was our trip to Saint Lucia amazing, but I’ve also been lucky enough to spend a lot of time with my family in the last few months. I attended my dad’s retirement party, played endless games of Sequence with Sammy and my parents, and visited my sister’s family in Lubbock. Best of all, a few weeks ago, I held my new baby niece, Adalyn, for the first time! She was born on March 14 (a few days later than expected, or I would have been there), and we finally met her a few weeks ago. It feels good to be an uncle all over again. If you’re going through a rough patch right now, I recommend reading David Goggins. His style isn’t for everyone, but if Can’t Hurt Me inspired you, you have to check out Never Finished .
–Russell Button
I can’t run anymore after the Achilles problem, so I dove into biking instead. I
Reading David Goggins also reminded me of my convictions. I firmly believe that
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A MILESTONE MONTH FOR RENA HER FAMILY CELEBRATED TWICE!
May was a busy month for BLF Paralegal Rena Piper and her family. Her son, Aiden, graduated from high school, and she celebrated her one-year anniversary working for our firm. Both milestones were important — but only one included a once-in-a-lifetime vacation! “The day after Aiden’s graduation, I took him on a trip to Germany to show him where he was born,” Rena says.
and goal-oriented. He’s kind of like me — he just puts his mind to something and goes for it,” Rena says.
For the past year, Rena has funneled all of her drive and ambition into working at BLF and studying to become a lawyer. Law has been her passion ever since we represented her youngest son, Ryen, who was neglected at daycare as a baby. Becoming a paralegal was a big change for Rena after years serving in the military and working in higher education. But surprisingly, her military training comes in handy while helping our clients. Being a military police officer made her mentally tough, just as living through Ryen’s case made her empathetic. “[I tell my clients], You can lay it on me and I can take it,” Rena says, referencing the weight of grief and guilt parents feel after daycare accidents. “I have several clients who call me all the time and lay all of their emotions on me. It’s been a blessing to carry that weight for them.” We count ourselves lucky to have a rock like Rena on our team. It has been a fantastic year together, and we look forward to many more!
Rena was a military police officer stationed overseas when she had Aiden, and this trip was their first time visiting his birthplace together since they left. It was exciting for Rena to share that moment with her son, and she can’t wait to see how he continues to grow and develop after high school. “Aiden runs his own business, Ambira Media, and is a partner in another company. He’s about to finish his real estate license, too, and then he’s going to school to study business. He’s very driven
GOODBYE, LOUISIANA BLF’s Elizabeth Is Heading to Houston It’s finally happening: After several delays, our operations manager, Elizabeth Bauman, (Elizabeth and Kelly plan to stay “lifelong Saints fans”)
process, improved how we onboard new team members, systematized our database management, implemented new programs, rounded out the operations team and much more. Now that she’ll be just three hours away instead of six, we’re excited to see what else she accomplishes with her 11-year- old Jack Russell terrier, Daisy, by her side!
is moving to Texas! Elizabeth has been working remotely from Louisiana since joining our team in 2022, and we couldn’t be more excited to have her in the Lone Star State. Of course, for her, leaving Baton Rouge is bittersweet. “My husband, Kelly, and I have been in Louisiana for nine years now, and we’ve really enjoyed the food and the friendships we’ve made along the way,” Elizabeth says. “So, we’re closing out our time in Louisiana with a lot of local experiences.”
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Taken relaxing summer trips to Lake Rosemound with friends Tailgated at Louisiana State University football, basketball, and baseball games Chowed down at local crawfish boils Ridden their golf cart through their neighborhood to spot Louisiana alligators, pelicans, and ducks
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“I know that Houston has a similar feel, but overall, there’s just something special about Louisiana,” Elizabeth says, adding that if she were to guide a tourist through the state, she would point them to New Orleans first. “New Orleans is my favorite city, and I have a ridiculously long list of restaurants to recommend. If you ever want to know where to eat in New Orleans, just ask — I have you covered!” Elizabeth has done a fantastic job taking over our operations department remotely in the last year. She revamped our hiring
When Elizabeth says a lot, she means a lot! In the last six months alone, she and Kelly have:
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Visited New Orleans several times Attended multiple Mardi Gras parades (including a big one in Baton Rouge’s Spanish Town district) Cheered on the New Orleans Saints at more than one football game
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WE HELPED A MOM DEFEND HER CHILD The Story Behind Mallory’s Daycare Injury
Every parent’s worst fear is that something will happen to their child when they aren’t there to protect them. That instinct drives us to babyproof our homes and set curfews for our teenagers. But there’s one place where moms and dads shouldn’t have to worry about their children’s safety: Daycare. Unfortunately, even those “professional” environments aren’t always safe. Our team recently handled a case for a mother and small child (we’ll call her Mallory) who learned that the hard way. Mallory’s mother worked a demanding job, so she left Mallory at a Texas daycare during work hours. She assumed that this daycare was full of experienced, well-trained, morally upright people — but she was wrong.
In the summer of 2021, a daycare worker yanked Mallory from underneath a table
learned, the more dismayed we felt. Clearly, this daycare was a dangerous place for kids, and Mallory’s injury was just the tip of the iceberg. Our team championed Mallory and her mom in court and argued that the daycare should be held accountable for all of the damages they caused to this little child and her family. All of the facts were on our side, and the decision came down in our favor. We secured justice for Mallory’s family and revealed the daycare for the shoddy place it was. Here at BLF, our team advocates for families like Mallory’s every day. If you or a family you know is going through this type of conflict with a daycare, turn to Pg. 4 of this newsletter for help. There, you can scan the QR code to download our free guide, “5 Steps to Take After a Daycare Injury.”
by the arm and shoved her against a wall. They used so much force they actually dislocated her elbow . Then, they left Mallory to sob over her painful injury all day without treatment.
When Mallory’s mom arrived to pick her up, she immediately called the police, but they couldn’t turn back time and heal her daughter’s trauma. So, she turned to us for help. We don’t have time-traveling powers either, but we dug into the daycare’s history and uncovered years of citations issued by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The more we
BLF HIGHLIGHT REEL
“Russell and his entire team have been amazing since day one. In 2019 I had a traumatic experience with a trauma surgeon in which mistakes were made that cost me full use of my wrist. I was referred to the Button Law firm by an attorney who I trusted very much. I can’t lie I was upset at first when my case went to Russell. That lasted all of one phone call as Russell and his entire team immediately showed me how knowledgeable, professional and caring they were. I never felt like I was on a ‘clock’ while speaking to them and they always had time to answer my questions, calm my fears and guide my wife and I through this process. Russell and his team made sure that I had every expert needed and didn’t waste my time for the sake of having something extra, just what was needed. Even during my lowest and most frustrated part of this process and my healing Russell took the time to call me, as a friend and not an attorney, and talk me through the rough spots. They don’t take every case that comes to them so consider yourself lucky if they are the team you get. I would recommend them to friends, family and total strangers as someone who will work hard on your case, care not only about the results but you as well, and always be honest and transparent with you.” CLIENT REVIEW
–Jeremy T.
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
4315 W. Lovers Lane, Suite A Dallas, Texas 75209
www.buttonlawfirm.com | 214-888-2216
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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A Life Update From Russell
How Rena’s Military Training Helps Our Clients Elizabeth Is Moving to Houston BLF Secured Justice for an Injured Child!
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BLF Highlight Reel
Client Review
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Little-Known Facts About Daycare Sleep Injuries
Few sights are more peaceful than a toddler curled up with a teddy bear or a tired baby snoozing in a The Daycare Problem No One Talks About 4 WAYS TO PREVENT SLEEP INJURIES
in improper swaddles or suffer fatal injuries from falling out of open cribs.
in an open crib. If the crib’s gate is lowered, stay within arm’s reach to prevent falls. Keep your child’s crib free of blankets and toys. These items can be choking or smothering hazards. Avoid swaddling your baby after they’ve learned to roll over. Lay your baby on their back to sleep, not their stomach. Stomach sleeping may limit your baby’s access to fresh oxygen and lead to SIDS.
It’s awful to even write about these tragedies, but we feel it’s our duty because they can be prevented. Daycares could save hundreds of babies each year simply by training their staff to follow state guidelines and expert recommendations. Parents can prevent sleep injuries and deaths at home, too, by following a few simple rules.
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PROTECT YOUR LITTLE ONE WHILE THEY SLEEP These are a few of the basic guidelines you should always follow when putting a baby or toddler down for a nap.
crib. Sleeping children are the picture of sweetness, but even these tranquil moments can be dangerous.
Daycare staff should be childcare experts who know these rules, but sometimes they fall short. If your child has been injured at daycare while sleeping or you know someone else who lost a baby that way, scan the QR code on this page. It will take you to our free, sharable guide, “5 Steps to Take After
THE SCARY SIDE OF NAP TIME
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), more than 3,500 babies die every year from sleep-related injuries or ailments, and many of those incidents happen in daycares. Some of these babies die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), while others suffocate
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Only let your infant sleep on a flat, level surface. This is especially important for babies younger than 4 months old. Sleeping on an incline (think in a stroller, car seat, or sling) may increase a baby’s risk of SIDS. Never leave your child unattended
a Daycare Injury.” If you have more
questions, be sure to reach out to us. We’re here to help you keep moving forward.
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