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LEGAL BRIEF
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SEPTEMBER 2024 FriedmanSimon.com
THE ROAD TO RECOVERY OUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING YOUR HEALING JOURNEY
As people recover from an injury, they have to face a number of physical challenges and often deal with serious pain. For many of our clients, healing is a journey that does not come without emotional distress and significant changes to their daily lives. September is Pain Awareness Month, a time to highlight what it’s like to live with chronic pain and methods to manage it healthily. Because we often help people through some of the most traumatic moments in their lives, I wanted to share what our clients face and how we can help.
can help people. If it’s a car accident or a worker’s comp case, we can help you recover those lost wages. You could be eligible for state disability, which doesn’t pay much, but every bit helps. Some clients may need to depend on others to help with errands and chores around the house. We can also help with that. You can recover no-fault benefits, where you can receive $25 a day just to have someone help you with cleaning, cooking, shopping, and other tasks at your home. Some of our clients need to care for children or
a sick parent as they heal from their injuries, which is very difficult. So, help around the house or financial means to hire in-home care can be a huge help.
During the recovery process after an accident, people’s pain affects their daily movement, activities, mobility, strength, and the functions of their bodies we often take for granted. Beyond their initial injury, they can also sometimes get compensatory injuries as a result of using different joints, bones, tissues, and muscles to help avoid pain. It could
Physical therapy, pain management programs, acupuncture, massage therapy, meditation, and help from a professional therapist or psychologist can be helpful tools as you heal from pain. It’s also crucial to have a robust
be that they hurt their ankle, and walking with a limp for a couple of months causes them to develop new back issues.
support system. We see pain daily, so we understand what a challenging process this is. We strive to show clients deep empathy, from case managers to attorneys. We become like their best friends, people who truly understand the hardships they are experiencing. As we recognize Pain Awareness Month, we must acknowledge our clients’ multifaceted challenges and the support they need. Our firm is dedicated to addressing the legal and financial aspects of their recovery and providing the empathy and understanding that are vital during these difficult times. By combining professional expertise with
Also, a variety of emotional challenges can arise due to their pain. It can be very frustrating to have trouble doing tasks that were simple before, and they may feel scared that they’re never going to heal or be able to resume their favorite social activities. You can feel isolated without your social hubs, whether going to church or the movies with your friends. It’s easy to become depressed when you’re injured and facing so many significant changes. The recovery process involves completely adjusting your lifestyle. Some clients we work with were physically active before their accident. They love to run, lift weights, or play tennis, and it’s a big loss for them when they cannot participate in the active activities they’re passionate about. The financial struggles that come with injuries, like medical bills and, most importantly, the time they have to take off work, make everything more complicated. This is just one of the areas where we
heartfelt compassion, we strive to help our clients navigate their healing journey and reclaim their lives with dignity and strength.
- Roger Simon
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YOUR PREEXISTING CONDITION DOESN’T BAR YOU FROM JUSTICE From Pain to Pay Bobbie Is Unstoppable Opposition Fuels Laura Modi’s Success
Laura Modi was shopping for formula in 2016 to supplement her baby’s diet when she realized none of the options on the shelves of her local store were acceptable. They contained corn syrup, fillers, and palm oil, products she chose not to eat. A few years later, pregnant with her second child, Modi left her job at Airbnb to co-found Bobbie Baby, LLC, with fellow Airbnb manager Sarah Hardy. They aimed to make a healthier baby formula. With management experience as head of host operations at Airbnb and a previous position as a product operations manager at Google Finance, Modi thought her background would help her secure financing. THE CHALLENGE Modi couldn’t have chosen a more difficult industry to enter. Abbott Laboratories, Nestle, Mead Johnson, and Perrigo controlled the U.S. baby formula market. Additionally, Modi’s background proved to be of no help when she made the rounds of venture capital firms in 2018. Eight months pregnant, Modi was met with rejection after rejection from prospective funders. The chilly response just inspired her to work harder. “When someone comes in and personally doubts you, it creates this fire and fuel to exceed expectations beyond anything else,” Modi told listeners at a recent CNBC Changemakers conference in New York. THE SOLUTION Modi eventually won funding from venture capitalists who could see a need for an organic infant formula. Bobbie’s baby formula, which contained no fillers, corn syrup, or palm oil, was the first to win organic certification from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the European Union (EU). In 2021, Bobbie generated $18 million in revenue in its first year by selling subscriptions to mothers and delivering its product to their homes. THE CRISIS In 2022, one of the Big Four formula makers, Abbott Laboratories, recalled contaminated formula made at one of its plants, creating a shortage. Investors took another look at Bobbie and quickly anted up an additional $50 million. The company faced a huge challenge in scaling up operations to sustain its growth and adding a planned retail sales channel through Target. Bobbie enlisted the help of Saddle Creek, a logistics services provider, to help manage its growth. The company provided the tight systems integration, multiple distribution centers, and close collaboration Bobbie needed to meet soaring demand.
When you have suffered an injury in a car accident, you may be able to recover various damages, including when the accident worsens a preexisting injury. When a wreck aggravates an earlier injury, it can be a challenge to establish just how much compensation you should receive, but it could include factors like the cost of your medications, lost wages, and even pain and suffering. With the correct details and an experienced lawyer, you can successfully get the compensation you deserve to heal. We recently settled a case for $350,000 for our client, who suffered a back injury in a car accident. Our 30-year-old client’s vehicle was struck by an ambulette making a left turn. Several years earlier, he had previously suffered a back injury in another car accident. He was still symptomatic with back pain at the time of the second accident, causing him to experience even greater pain. In New York, if you have preexisting conditions and are injured in an accident, you can still recover damages in a personal injury case. Here’s how it generally works: New York says you “take your victim as you find him.” This means that if an accident exacerbates your preexisting condition, you can still pursue damages for the increased harm caused by the accident. In our case, we were able to establish that our client’s symptoms got more severe after the second accident and that a comparison of pre-accident and post-accident MRIs showed a worsening of the condition. While potentially complicating a case, and every case is fact-sensitive, preexisting conditions are not a bar to recovery. Given the complexities of personal injury cases involving preexisting conditions, consulting with Friedman & Simon is appropriate to ensure your rights are protected and you receive fair compensation.
If you are injured in a car accident and have a preexisting condition that has worsened as a result, contact Friedman & Simon today.
The company’s revenue surpassed $100 million in 2022.
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Revolutionizing Adulthood THE REALWORLD APP CAN BE YOUR ULTIMATE COMPANION
DESIGNING DEMONSTRATIONS Realworld provides resources that make it easier to understand major “adulting” topics, like balancing a budget, filling out employment paperwork, setting up a credit card, etc. When setting out to create the app, Bellaire interviewed over 1,000 people — from recent college graduates to business owners — to understand the problem areas and then identify and create “playbooks” for dealing with them. Playbooks contain step- by-step lessons that guide users through their topic problem. The app now has nearly 100 instructional playbooks to prepare its users for many tasks. COMMUNITY OF PEERS Learning is easiest when you have other people to bounce ideas off of. The users, along with the team of researchers, writers, designers, and educators working on the app, all benefit from its lessons. The app has grown exponentially, amassing over 1.7 million users as of 2023. More people than ever have access to the resources they need to face adulthood head-on. The Realworld: Simplify Adulthood app is available now for free on Apple’s App Store.
GENEVIEVE’S REPRIEVE Despite her impressive education, Bellaire experienced challenges managing her finances, health care, and living arrangements in adulthood. Although well-studied, she was not well-prepared for life — and she wasn’t alone. When she talked to friends about these difficulties, they could all relate. Everyone felt they did not know enough about filing taxes, managing a 401(k), building credit, how insurance works, or many other critical facets of adult life. This is what inspired Bellaire to create Realworld, an app aimed at simplifying adulthood.
The software and smart devices kids have access to now are light-years ahead of what many of us had growing up. Nowadays, if you have a pressing question, you can ask Siri or Alexa, or look it up yourself on any number of connected devices. But even with modern conveniences, we still missed out on many practical lessons while growing up, whether we have a college education or not. That is where the Realworld app, created by Genevieve Bellaire, comes in handy: It’s the tool we wish we had growing up because it answers many questions young adults have.
SUDOKU
Delicious Chickpea Curry
Packed with protein and fiber, this chickpea curry is a flavorful, plant-based option perfect for any diet.
Ingredients • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, diced
• 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed • 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes • 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth • Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced • 2 tbsp curry powder • 1 tsp ground cumin • 1 tsp ground turmeric
1. In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil. 2. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. 3. Add the curry powder, cumin, and turmeric and stir to combine. 4. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, and vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. 5. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Directions
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516-800-8000 FriedmanSimon.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 2
The Emotional and Physical Journey of Our Clients Moms’ Startup Disrupts the Baby Formula Market How We Won $350,000 for Our Client’s Worsened Injury The App Every Adult Needs Delicious Chickpea Curry Exploring Famous Museums Virtually
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DIGITAL DISCOVERY VIRTUAL MUSEUM TOURS MAKE ART AND HISTORY ACCESSIBLE
all have something in common: Patrons can enjoy them online . The internet helps bring esteemed exhibitions to your browser, where you can take virtual tours free of charge . Here are three incredible museums with virtual tours for all to enjoy! THE LOUVRE Built partly in the ruins of a 12th-century fortress, France’s national museum and art gallery is the most popular destination of its kind. The French revolutionary government opened the Louvre in 1793, and Napoleon expanded it. Today, it houses some of the world’s most famous works of art, including Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.” You can enjoy great swathes of its exhibits through virtual tours on its website. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Part of the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., the National Museum of Natural History is
the most-visited natural history museum in the world . Its 1.5 million-square-foot grounds house a dizzying array of exhibits to delight visitors of all ages. Virtual tours are available on its website and include spectacular views of its awe-inspiring exhibits. THE STATE HERMITAGE MUSEUM Founded by Catherine the Great in 1764, the world-famous Hermitage Art Museum is in the Russian city of St. Petersburg. Nicholas I and the Soviet Union, among others, have reconstructed and expanded it since then. While some of its works were sold to fund Soviet industrialization, it is still a tremendous beacon of art and culture. With political tension and despotic rule making it more difficult for those in the West to visit Russia at all , its virtual tours, which you can find on Google’s Arts and Culture website, are the safest way to view its contents.
The priceless artwork, artifacts, and other attractions draw tourists worldwide to museums. However, not everyone can travel the globe to view the works of accomplished artists, curious historical figures, and inventions of esteemed engineers. Luckily, famed institutions like the Louvre in Paris; The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia; and Smithsonian Museums in Washington, D.C.,
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