Take a look at our newsletter this month!
JAN 18
Road to justice
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Another Year in Beautiful Lexington
Looking Forward to 2018
2017 wrapped up very nicely for us, and we’re only looking to build on our success in the coming year. In the past few months, we’ve had cases in 31 of South Carolina’s 46 counties. We also were able to help clients earn over $1 million in settlements at the tail end of last year alone. So
much for a slow season!
“If you ask 10 people living in Lexington what their No. 1 complaint is, I promise you all 10 of them will say traffic. I’ve driven in Los Angeles, New York City, Boston, Paris, and London. Take a stab at which has the worst traffic? You guessed it: Lexington, South Carolina.”
In the coming months, we’ll focus on providing the best to our clients. Additionally, we’re looking at more ways to get involved in our community. We love being in Lexington and are honored to serve such a wonderful community. Our new office was a huge step toward making us a little more visible — you can’t be in a better spot than we are — but we also relish the opportunity to do some community outreach. Last year, we were the only law firm to participate in Lexington Kids’ Day. We’ll be there again this year, but we learned an important lesson from our first go-around. You see, we hired a balloon artist to be at our booth. The problem wasn’t that the kids didn’t like it. Just the opposite, in fact — she was way too popular! Lines were long and tension was running high. It might seem like I’m joking, but it’s the truth. When we arrive in 2018, we’ll be bringing enough entertainment to keep the lines moving and the kids smiling. Maybe it’s because New Year’s has me in a wistful mood, but I’ve been thinking about how much Lexington has changed since I set up shop here in 2004. Since then, the population has doubled. We still have a small-town feel, but it’s been great to see so many people flocking to this area. There always seems to be a new restaurant opening up or an event to check out. It means a great deal to be a part of a vibrant, growing community.
Lexington what their No. 1 complaint is, I promise you all 10 of them will say traffic. I’ve driven in Los Angeles, New York
City, Boston, Paris, and London. Take a stab at which has the worst traffic? You guessed it: Lexington, South Carolina. Just outside our door, they’re working to turn some streets into one-ways. It will certainly
help, but it won’t be able to offset the sheer increase in folks on the roads. Let’s hope the government can figure out a way to make our infrastructure a little less frustrating. Maybe they’ll make it their big New Year’s resolution. I hope everyone has a wonderful 2018. I know that we are looking forward to another wonderful year serving the people of Lexington and the surrounding areas. It’s an honor to represent you. The traffic
here may make you want to slam the steering wheel, but it’s worth it to be a part of this one-of- a-kind community. Happy New Year!
–Jim Snell
There’s only one area where the government can’t seem to keep up with all this growth: the roads. If you ask 10 people living in
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Want to See Better Report Cards in 2018?
Make Reading a Family Resolution
SET REWARD MILESTONES Positive reinforcement will propel your kids to keep reading long after the calendars have turned. For a certain number of books completed or hours spent reading, offer them a prize. You can even create a big end goal to really cement those reading habits. Better yet, set a combined goal that the entire family can work toward. Don’t be afraid to pull out all the stops. If your kids know that reading one book per week through June means an extra-special summer vacation, their enthusiasm won’t wane come spring. recommendations, share ratings, and create lists of both completed and to-be-read books. Users also create reading lists based on topic, genre, decade, and more. With over 2 billion books added, you’ll never run out of inspiration. Biblionasium offers the same services, but it’s designed specifically for children. Talk to other parents and create a network of friends and classmates. After all, nothing is cooler to a kid than what their friends are doing. Avid readers tend to do better academically from kindergarten through college. In fact, a study from the Journal of Education and Practice found that reading comprehension predicted success in other subjects more than any other factor. If you want to see improved report cards, make a reading resolution for your entire household. USE READING APPS Goodreads is a social network for bibliophiles. You can find
Every parent wants to see their child do well in school, and there’s one fun activity that benefits students of all ages: reading. In a world with so much stimulation, however, it can be difficult to motivate kids to put down a screen and pick up a book. New Year’s resolutions are the perfect opportunity to make reading a priority. Here are a few tips to make 2018 the year your kids become bookworms. MAKE IT A FAMILY RESOLUTION There’s no better motivator than solidarity! Plus, we’re guessing everyone in your household could stand to read a little more. You don’t have to read the same books or set identical goals, but it’s a lot more fun when everyone participates. Schedule weekly reading discussions so everyone can share the cool stories they’ve read. Stack your completed books in your house somewhere as a monument to all the knowledge your family has gained.
Trends in DUI Cases Medications, Breathalyzers, and the Truth
Attorneys Jim Snell and Vicki Koutsogiannis recently attended a seminar to address the latest trends in DUI cases. The lectures focused on prescription drug-based arrests for DUI and challenging evidence gathered by South Carolina’s state-approved Breathalyzer. The event was instructive and will allow us to further aid our clients facing DUI charges. It might sound crazy, but an increasing number of DUI arrests come from citizens pulled over in possession of medication. Even when this medication is prescribed by a doctor and all documentation is present, the police may still arrest a driver. There are no roadside tests that can detect medication levels in a driver’s blood stream, so the arrest usually comes from the officer assuming medication is cause for erratic driving. These arrests rarely hold up in court. Of course, patients should be careful driving while on medication that can impair
motor skills. But a bottle of pills in your purse is hardly cause for arrest.
In cases where alcohol is the suspected intoxicant, officers do have a testing method, but it’s not as infallible as it’s made out to be. In our state, the DataMaster DMT is the breath-testing device used by all police departments. Police and prosecutors try to paint a positive test as a sure sign of a conviction. In fact, there are many ways this technology can be misused or can malfunction. All persons administering a DataMaster test must be certified to do so. Additionally, there are all sorts of factors that can lead to a false positive, ranging from the barometric pressure when the test is taken to operator errors. Staying up to date on the latest trends in policing is critical in providing the best possible defense for our clients. We are proud to provide the most comprehensive defense for clients facing DUI charges.
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Preserving Your Case After a Serious Auto Accident Keep Your Guard Up!
All auto accidents are serious, but those that result in catastrophic injuries require special attention. In these cases, insurance companies will often use tactics designed to poke holes in a claim. Imagine coming home after spending weeks in a hospital room recovering from an injury. Waiting on your doorstep is a representative from the other driver’s insurance company! We’ve seen this happen. In instances like these, you need to keep your guard up to avoid accidentally weakening your case for compensation. If a rep from the other driver’s insurance wants to ask you questions, you can bet they are not there to help you get the biggest settlement possible. They may seem like a friendly face simply asking about your situation, but look for the bias in their questioning. Odds are they are trying to poke holes in your case, no matter how innocent the questions appear. Now, that’s not to say that these representatives are bad people. They’re simply doing their job. Remember that insurance companies make money by paying out the lowest amount possible on claims. Under no circumstance should you give a statement to an insurance rep without first speaking to an attorney. You should be polite in your deflections but firm in
your conviction to consult with an attorney before making a statement that might end up affecting your case. These questions usually arrive when you’re most vulnerable. If you’ve suffered serious injuries, you should be focused on recovery, not making sure all of your statements are consistent. That’s where an experienced attorney can help you through the process. In our years of experience representing auto accident victims, The Law Office of James R. Snell Jr. has seen insurance companies try any number of tactics to damage valid claims. You might be thinking about putting your life back together after a tragedy, but they’re thinking about their bottom line.
Don’t let anyone trick you into damaging your case. You’ve been through enough! Let an attorney worry about your case so you can worry about getting better.
MEMEs
Leftover Turkey Ramen Whether your leftover turkey has been sitting in the freezer since the end of December or it’s from a more recent meal, take that bird and turn it into a warm bowl of ramen, perfect for the cold winter months.
INGREDIENTS
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1 leftover turkey carcass
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4 eggs
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6 scallions, divided
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4 ounces bacon
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8 slices ginger
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4 portions fresh, not instant, ramen noodles
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6 dried shiitake mushrooms
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2 cups leftover turkey, shredded
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16 cups water
INSTRUCTIONS
1.
Remove most of the meat from the turkey carcass, shred, and set aside. Put carcass in a large stockpot, along with 3 scallions, ginger, mushrooms, and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 3 hours. Place eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove pot from heat and let sit for 4 minutes.Transfer eggs to an ice bath to cool.
3.
Cook bacon until crisp. Drain, chop, and set aside. Chop remaining scallions. Once the broth is done simmering, prepare the fresh noodles according to package directions. Divide noodles among 4 bowls and cover with broth.Add shredded turkey, chopped scallions, chopped bacon, and an egg to each bowl.
4.
2.
Recipe inspired by TheWoksOfLife.com
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The Law Office of James R. Snell Jr., LLC 123 Harmon Street Lexington, SC 29072
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Inside this Issue
Snell Law in 2018 PAGE 1
The Resolution That Leads to Better Grades The Latest in DUI Defense PAGE 2
Don’t Let Insurance Reps Fool You Revive That Leftover Turkey! PAGE 3
The Holiday Time Forgot PAGE 4
The holidays are over, and you know what that means: no more Christmas carols on the radio! After all, there’s no reason to play carols once Christmas is over, right? Not exactly. You might be surprised to learn “The 12 Days of Christmas” isn’t about the 12 days leading up to Christmas. It’s about the days after Christmas. It all builds up to Jan. 5, a holiday many people have forgotten: Twelfth Night. In certain sects of Christianity, Twelfth Night is the eve of Epiphany (Jan. 6), the day when the three kings — or the three wise men — brought gifts to baby Jesus. During the medieval and Tudor periods of England, Twelfth Night was a massive celebration. Communities gathered together to drink punch, go wassailing — a form of caroling — and feast upon a massive cake with a bean and a pea baked inside. As part of the Twelfth Night tradition, whichever man and woman found the bean or pea would be king and queen for the night.
to the biblical kings who bowed to a baby in a manger. Shakespeare’s beloved comedy “Twelfth Night” was originally intended to be performed on or around Twelfth Night. The play contains many of the topsy-turvy themes of Twelfth Night, such as a woman who dresses as a man and a servant who dreams of becoming a noble. While Twelfth Night is no longer a massive revelry, some still celebrate the holiday in England and other European countries. In fact, many modern traditions stem from the old holiday. For example, many people believe you must take down your Christmas decorations by Twelfth Night or risk bad luck. Twelfth Night once marked the end of the holiday season, and it was met with the same enthusiasm as New Year’s Eve. Interested in reviving the tradition and throwing your own Twelfth Night party? You can find some excellent tips at thedailymeal.com/holidays/how-throw-twelfth- night-party.
Wi ll You Celebrate Twelfth N i ght?
The Twelfth Night cake fit seamlessly with the holiday’s famous theme of role reversal, a nod
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