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FRIEDMANSIMON.COM
NOVEMBER 2019
Love Made Visible What I’m Thankful For
Thanksgiving invites reflection. In the spirit of the holiday, I wanted to share some of the parts of my life I’m thankful for. WIthout doubt, profound gratitude for my health and my loved ones comes immediately to mind. Knowing that this newsletter is shared mostly with people whom I have come to know because of my legal career, I want to focus on another gift I have been so very fortunate to receive. Work. This isn’t me simply saying I love my job. More accurately, I feel a deep and enduring gratitude for the way my work connects me to people and to myself. I believe that work, no matter the occupation, is an opportunity for each of us to be of service to others and, in so doing, improve the world. Setting aside considerations of having to work to keep food on the table, one can easily feel lost without it. Work can be a reason to get up in the morning, and offers us the gift of coming home tired but fulfilled in the evening. It challenges me to grow in ways I may never have imagined. Most importantly, work empowers us to help each other.
can win them a shot at rebuilding their lives. I won’t sugar coat it; it can be scary. Having someone’s future in your hands, knowing you have one shot to make it brighter, is a weighty responsibility but also an honor. I am privileged to wake up every day knowing I can make a difference. That’s not to say being a lawyer is uniquely special, or you need a job like it to feel fulfilled. On the contrary, plenty of people with law and medical degrees certainly wish they were doing something else. But having represented people from all walks of life, I can say that many find purpose, meaning, and joy in the work they do. Which is one important reason why it’s so heartbreaking when an injury prevents someone from returning to work. I’ve had to console men and women who’d been the breadwinners of their family but found themselves bedridden and wanted nothing more than to return to work. Those have been some of the most difficult conversations in my life. I’ve learned that no matter how much a person wins in damages, money can’t make up for losing such an important part of their identity. Calculating past and future lost earnings can be a relatively simple arithmetic computation,
But damages can be a bridge. Reframing your life post-injury will always be difficult, but having that money buys you time to move forward. Maybe you can’t return to doing what you used to, and maybe you have to learn entirely new skills, but you can also discover new joys along the way. So, this Thanksgiving I’m thankful for my work, for the work of so many people I’ve represented over the years, and for the many ways I’ve benefited from the work of others. More than a paycheck or a way to spend your days, a job is an opportunity to bring good into the world. As the poet Kahil Gibran so eloquently put it, “Work is love made visible.”
Work, for me, means helping
I feel a deep and enduring gratitude for the way my work connects me to people and to myself.”
people through one of the most difficult challenges in their lives. People come to us hobbled, sometimes literally, hoping our firm
but there is no way to quantify a loss of the ability to work beyond the financial aspect. Losing this vehicle for fulfillment can be crushing.
––––-Ed Friedman
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What You Need to Know Depression After Injury
Thanksgiving is an excellent time to teach children about gratefulness. By planning some fun, gratitude-themed games, you can impart a valuable lesson and spend some quality family time together. Get your kids in the holiday spirit by adding a Thanksgiving twist to these classic games. PICTIONARY Want to bring out your kids’ creative sides? Pictionary is the perfect way to encourage artistic expression and grateful thinking. Try adding a rule where players have to draw something they’re grateful for. This will get your kids thinking beyond turkey and stuffing and give them an imaginative way to express their gratitude. Plus, who doesn’t love a good art contest? GUESS WHO? To play gratitude-themed Guess Who?, have each participant write down their name and something they’re thankful for on a slip of paper and put it in a bowl. Then, at the dinner table, have each person draw a random slip and read what it says without saying the name while everyone else tries to guess who wrote it. While Pictionary may get your kids talking about what they are thankful for, Guess Who? will tune them into what others around them are thankful for, too. PICK-UP STICKS Like regular pick-up sticks, the goal is to remove a stick from a haphazard pile without disturbing the others. However, by using colored sticks that represent different kinds of thankfulness — such as places, people, or food — you can make players think outside the box. This will ensure you get a wide range of creative, thoughtful answers whenever the kids pick up a stick. These modified games are great for helping your kids realize how much they have to be thankful for. Use these to spend some fun, educational, quality time with your family this Thanksgiving. ENGAGE YOUR KIDS ON THANKSGIVING With These Gratitude-Themed Games
A bad accident can leave you with more than physical wounds. Depression is painfully common among people who have suffered critical injuries or have been disabled. As a mental condition, depression can make everyday tasks difficult and, in serious cases, can be life-threatening. If you’ve been injured, here are some common signs of depression you should be aware of: SIGNS
• Feeling guilty or that you aren’t worth helping
• Insomnia or over-sleeping
• Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
• Long-lasting feelings of anxiety or pessimism
• Trouble concentrating and making decisions
• Suicidal thoughts or attempts
WHAT YOU CAN DO If you believe you may have depression, tell your doctor. They will ask you some questions and, if you are diagnosed, work to develop a treatment plan that fits your needs. Healthy eating and exercise can boost your mood, and finding someone to talk to (be they a loved one or a therapist) can give you an avenue to share your feelings. Below you’ll find resources that can help you overcome this debilitating condition. RESOURCES • NYC Well: Confidential support, crisis intervention, and referrals to mental health professionals. Phone: 1-888-NYC-WELL or text “WELL” to 65173 Website: NYCwell.CityofNewYork.us • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Education and mental health support groups. Phone: 212-684-3264 Website: NAMINYCmetro.org/Find-Support
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
If you are suffering from depression, please know that you’re not alone. There are resources and professionals that can help you start the next chapter of your life.
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As a personal injury firm, we’ve seen the harm that one missed step on an icy sidewalk can cause. According to the Department of Health, falls are the leading cause of injury-related death for New Yorkers age 65 and older, and winter weather only increases this risk. While you can’t always avoid going outside when it’s slick, you can take precautions and make sure you’re always in the right footwear. TRACTION CLEATS Commonly used by professionals who work outdoors in the wintertime, these shoe-accessories are designed to give you traction in the snow and ice. Made from metal or plastic, these spikes attach to the bottom of your shoe or boot. By penetrating the ice, these cleats can make for extremely stable winter walking. However, they are not ideal for wearing indoors, as most brands will prove extremely slippery on floors. Consider this option if you plan on being outside on any ground that you know to be icy or that you are concerned might be covered with “Black Ice.” Leave yourself a minute when coming indoors to remove them at the entrance, and you will greatly increase your odds of staying on your feet and safe indoors and outdoors this winter. STAY ON YOUR FEET THIS WINTER Footwear to Avoid Falls
WINTER RUNNING SHOES For those who don’t want to give up their morning jog, winterized versions of many great athletic shoes are available. While similar in design to their summer counterparts, they are made of waterproof materials and have very “toothy” soles for added traction. WINTER BOOTS With so many varieties of waterproof boots, it can be hard to tell which to choose. Unless you work outdoors frequently, the heavy-duty designs are probably not for you. What matters most is finding a boot with good ankle support, warmth, and traction — and still manages to be lightweight. Pairs made with faux shearling are often comfortable and manage to keep out the cold. Choosing the right footwear for your needs will help keep you safe this winter. Of course, no matter how much traction you have, it’s always best to exercise caution while out in the elements. Be aware of your surroundings, and try to take things slow — a little added precaution can save you from a disastrous fall!
The Best Leftover Turkey Sandwich
SUDOKU
Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
Thanksgiving may be held on Thursday, but the food often lasts at least through the weekend. To make the best use of the excess, grill up some killer turkey sandwiches.
Ingredients
• 2 slices sourdough bread • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard • 2 slices Swiss cheese
• 1/3 cup leftover dressing or stuffing • 2 tbsp leftover gravy • 1 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup shredded leftover turkey • 3 tbsp leftover cranberry sauce
Note: Don’t worry if you don’t have all the leftovers required.
Instructions
1. Coat inside of each bread slice with mustard and a slice of cheese. Place turkey and cranberry sauce on one slice and dressing and gravy on the other. 2. Combine sandwich and spread butter on both sides. 3. In a panini maker or large skillet, grill until crispy and golden brown. 4. Slice and serve.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 2 3
Work and Gratitude
Gratitude-Themed Games for Kids
Can Injuries Cause Depression?
Best Shoes for the Winter
The Best Leftover Turkey Sandwich
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The Gift of Giving
CELEBRATING GIVING TUESDAY Supporting the People You Believe In
November is usually all about Thanksgiving, but it isn’t the only holiday that encourages generosity. Giving Tuesday is a phenomenal celebration in which millions of people from across the globe are inspired to spend 24 hours giving back to the communities they love. ORIGIN AND GOAL Giving Tuesday is celebrated every year on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, and this year, the holiday lands on Dec. 3. It was established in 2012 by the United Nations Foundation and New York’s 92nd Street Y as a response to consumer-driven holidays like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The purpose of the holiday was to spread the spirit of giving, not only for the people in our nation but individuals across the world. The goal is “to create a massive wave of generosity that lasts well beyond that day and touches every person on the planet.” TECHNOLOGY AT ITS BEST Through the use of social media and technology, the organization hopes to encourage and spread generosity on a global scale using the hashtag #GivingTuesday. The website states that “... technology and social media could be used to make generosity go viral; that people fundamentally want to give and talk about giving.”
Through massive social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, the individuals and companies participating in Giving Tuesday can spread their missions and messages all over the world, encouraging others to do the same.
HOWYOU CAN CELEBRATE Now is the perfect opportunity to support your community and the causes you believe in. The best part of this holiday is that “giving” doesn’t just refer to donating money. People can give back by volunteering their time to help a nonprofit business, donating goods and food, or just buying a stranger some lunch. Even the smallest actions can have the biggest impact. If you’re interested in participating in Giving Tuesday, get together with your friends, family, sports team members, or neighbors to brainstorm on how you can give back. To learn more about how you can participate, visit GivingTuesday.org .
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