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TEXAS TRIAL LAWYERS REVIEW
SEPTEMBER 2018
SAN ANTONIO | AUSTIN | EDINBURG | HOUSTON | LAREDO | DALLAS | EL PASO | CORPUS CHRISTI
Full Circle
My brother, Evan Hernandez, has just left for a year to teach English in Japan. We wish him luck on all of his future endeavours!
My Roundabout Journey to the Law
Valued reader,
Congratulations, you’ve just received the very first edition of our firm’s monthly newsletter! We are excited to bring you helpful legal advice, delicious recipes, and more in coming issues. As for myself, I look forward to getting to know my clients better, using this newsletter as a vehicle to start a dialogue between us. People who come to me for assistance are placing a significant amount of trust in me as a trial lawyer. You deserve to know who I am, where I come from, and most of all, what keeps me driven. To put it another way, I don’t want to be a stranger to you. With this first printing, it feels natural to start from the beginning. What drove me to practice law? How did I end up where I am today? Reflecting on my 20- plus years as an attorney, it’s hard to imagine there was a time when going to law school was the last thing I wanted to do. You see, for as long as I can remember, I’ve been surrounded by the legal world. Before becoming a judge, my father was an attorney, and my mother worked as his paralegal. The two were an incredible team who cared deeply about their clients — some of my earliest memories are of my parents talking about the details of a case and the well-being of the person they were representing. Growing up in this kind of environment did my sister and me a lot of good. We had two incredible role models showing us that you can support a family through helping others.
granted. By the time I was a young man going to college, I was sure of two things: I wanted to have a job that made a difference in people’s lives, and I didn’t want to be a lawyer. As much as I had been raised to help folks, I was determined to not walk in my father’s footsteps. I wanted to be my own man and find my own path forward. After graduating from the University of Texas with a degree in economics, I went to work at an investment firm. It seemed like a good fit; I could use my knowledge to help people make smart financial decisions and secure their future. But the experience felt lacking. Advising people on portfolios and asset management wasn’t the same as fighting for their rights. I didn’t feel as invested in the work I was doing, and the job felt hollow. As I became a little older and a little wiser, I finally admitted the truth: I wanted to make a difference for people just as my parents had. So I went to law
school, passed the Texas bar, and eventually founded my own firm. The 20 years since going down this path has always had ups and downs, but being where I am now, with a tight-knit firm full of friends and family who have my back, I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world. With my wife, Roxanna, being our firm’s prelitigation case manager, my story has really come full circle. Now we’re the ones bringing work home with us, talking about case details and the well-being of our clients around the dinner table. Our oldest son just graduated high school and is asking himself a lot of questions about what he wants to do with his life. As someone who went through the exact same thing, I’ll be the last person to pressure him. Finding the right path for yourself takes time, regardless of who walked it before you.
But growing up around influences, no matter how wonderful, also means you can take them for
Thanks for being a part of this journey with me,
Alex R. Hernandez, Jr.
As I became a little older and a little wiser, I finally admitted the truth: I wanted to make a difference for people just as my parents had.
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Car accidents can be deeply stressful and emotionally taxing. The crash itself is frightening, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Injuries, medical bills, and the insurance claim process can drag out the experience for months. But there is something you can do immediately after an accident to make the days and weeks become far, far easier: exchanging information with the other driver. WHAT TO ASK FOR There are four important pieces of information you’ll need from the other driver after an accident: their license plate number, their driver’s license number, their insurance company and policy number, and the make and model of their vehicle. If passengers were involved in the accident, it’s a good idea to ask them for their names and addresses as well. HOW TO ASK FOR IT Emotions can run high after a crash, but it’s important to remain calm. Now is not the time to go pointing fingers and assigning blame, either to the other driver or yourself. Do not do this. There will be plenty of time to determine fault later in a less emotionally charged environment. For now, remain as calm Exchanging In Imagine that, after a night of blowing off steam and grabbing drinks with your buds, you find yourself in jail facing a driving while intoxicated charge. Worrying about what will happen next can be terrifying, and knowing which steps you should take can be equally daunting. Luckily, an expert lawyer can help you through those next steps, and that could mean challenging your DWI charge in court. Here are three reasons taking your fight to court is sometimes the best move. HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED. You were arrested and charged, but maybe that doesn’t reflect the truth. You’re not in denial if it’s not an accurate charge. Fighting against a charge that doesn’t reflect the facts is demanding justice. In that same vein, if you feel like your rights were breached when you were arrested or think the Breathalyzer test may have been faulty, you should not let a DWI conviction sit on your record without at least challenging it. CONVICTIONS WILL FOLLOW YOU A DWI conviction sticks with you for the rest of your life. You may be wracked with guilt, but that doesn’t mean you deserve jail time, exorbitant fees, or the loss of your freedom. If you show you’re remorseful or are willing to work with prosecutors, you may get the DWI dropped or even lowered to charges that appear less harsh to future employers and landlords. Fighting Your DWI Why You Should Challenge Your Charges An I
FIND THE RIGHT FOOD BALANCE Foods That Cause and Reduce Inflammation
The food you eat plays a major role in how your body functions on the cellular level. Some foods can wreak havoc on your body, while others can make you feel great. This is especially true when it comes to that all-too-common ailment, inflammation.
Here are a few examples of foods that lead to inflammation:
Sugar: One of the biggest culprits behind inflammation, sugar is far worse than eating fatty foods. It’s best to skip foods that have added sugar (and this includes sugar of any kind, including corn syrup, fructose, and sucrose). Many manufacturers now label food with more specific kinds of sugar to hide the fact that they added sugar to their product. Be sure to read labels carefully! Refined carbs: Basically anything made from white flour falls into this category, including bread, pasta, baked goods, and cereals. Research suggests that refined carbs may be a bigger contributing factor than fat in obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Alcohol: Too much alcohol puts a burden on your liver, an organ that helps flush toxins out of the body. You know all of those detox diets? They don’t work. In fact, the only way to detox is to let your liver do its job. When you consume alcohol, it’s harder for the liver to pump out the toxins in your body. When it can’t do its job properly, the result is inflammation. Blueberries: Many studies call blueberries one of the best fruits you can eat to ease symptoms of inflammation. These blue orbs of goodness are packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, polyphenols, and so much more. Eat a handful every day! Salmon: As a source of healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is one of the best protein choices for people with inflammatory conditions, or for those who want to keep inflammation at bay. Broccoli: One of the most nutritious and easily accessible vegetables around, the little green buds that cover the tops of broccoli are loaded with anti-inflammatory compounds. Now, for the good stuff. Eat these foods to reduce inflammation:
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portant Step After an Accident ormation
TAKE A BREAK
and professional as you can. Simply ask for the information detailed above and be willing to share the same information with the other party.
WHY IT MATTERS Pursuing a claim with an insurance company can be a long, drawn-out process, even when you have an experienced personal injury attorney in your corner. This process is often delayed further if you lack the relevant information from the other driver. Your legal representatives, such as our team here at Alex R. Hernandez Jr. Trial Lawyers, can help you track down this vital information after the fact, but it takes time and resources. Your best bet for streamlining the claims process is having the other party’s information available at the outset. There are many potential pitfalls in the aftermath of a car accident. For an in-depth look at the claims process, call our office today and request a free copy of Alex R. Hernandez Jr.’s book, “Economics of a Personal Injury Case: Damages and Injuries.”
Beans and Greens RIGATONI
YOU’RE READY TO MOVE ON You may not want a drawn-out legal battle, but what about the
inconvenience of being sent to jail and losing your license? You’ll have to rely on friends or public transportation to get anywhere. You might lose your job for being incarcerated and face the isolation of imprisonment. Weighing the possible court battle against the costly punishments can help you make the right decision. The best way to fight a DWI is to not drink and drive, but if you find yourself slapped with a DWI charge, Alex R. Hernandez Jr. Trial Lawyers, PLLC can help you fight for the justice you deserve. For more information, call 1-888-HDZ- LAW-8 or text your legal issue to 1-361-792-3811.
This hearty pasta is perfect for the start of fall. With protein from cannellini beans and a heaping portion of kale, it’s the rare pasta you can enjoy without guilt.
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large stock pot, boil 6 quarts of liberally salted water. On another burner, heat a large skillet to medium-low. 2. Add pasta to boiling water and cook for 3 minutes less than the package recommends. 3. While pasta is cooking, add beans, red pepper, and 2 tablespoons of oil to skillet. Cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. 4. Add cooked pasta, kale, and 1 cup pasta water to skillet. Toss vigorously as kale cooks, about 4 minutes. 5. Transfer to bowls, top with a squeeze of lemon, sprinkle with cheese or salt, and serve.
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12 ounces rigatoni pasta
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1 bunch Tuscan kale, rinsed
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1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney) beans 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Salt, for pasta water and to taste 2 ounces fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional) Juice of 1 lemon
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Inspired by Bon Appétit Magazine
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INSIDE
1. How Alex Got His Start
2. The Best and Worst Foods for Inflammation
2. Car Crash? Don’t Forget This Important Step
3. Fight Against a DWI Charge
3. Beans and Greens Rigatoni
4. The 5 Best College Football Tailgates
5 Tailgates So Good You Might Miss the Game TAILGATING AT ITS FINEST
There’s a slight buzz in the air as you walk through the parking lot. Your ears embrace the sounds of cheering and conversation. Smells of recipes that took years to perfect fill your nostrils as you navigate through a sea of tents and pickup trucks. Friends and family wait at your destination with a cold beverage. The crowds of people all sport the colors of the home team as you finally arrive for what you’ve waited for all week: game day. Tailgating is a college football tradition unlike any other. Schools across the country will claim to have the best, but few can back it up. Here are five universities that can talk the talk and walk the walk. 1. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Go blue! The tailgate in Ann Arbor is truly something to behold. “The Big House” parking lot opens at 7 a.m., and from then on, it’s all party, all the time. With one of college football’s biggest stadiums, it’s only natural that the tailgate follows suit. 2. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Walleye, cheese curds, and brats are just the beginning at Camp Randall. Wisconsin has great tailgating at the stadium, but the local hotspots of the surrounding area are even better places to show your Badger pride. If you can’t get into the arena to jump around in the fourth quarter, you can still join the tradition anywhere in Madison where there’s red and white.
While the jambalaya and barbecue are utterly fantastic, Tiger fans whip up something else when the University of Florida comes to town: alligator. 4. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON The Huskies have a different take on tailgating than almost any other university in the country. While most schools gather in parking lots, Washington fans are out in the water. That’s right — this “tailgate” is known for the boats that pull into Union Bay right outside the stadium. transforms from a serene 10-acre park with mature trees to a scene unlike any other. Tens of thousands of fans gather in their red, white, and blue to prepare for the Walk of Champions, where the entire team strolls through the tailgate on their way to the stadium. It’s 35 years of tradition that contributes something special to the scene. 5. UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI On game day, the Grove at Ole Miss
3. LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY Geaux Tigers! LSU’s tailgate is something to be revered across the country because of its food options.
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