Dickerson Oxton Law Firm - November 2019

More Than KANSAS SUPREME CO Earlier this year in the case of Hilburn v. Enerpipe Ltd., the Kansas Supreme Court moved to defend the rights of accident survivors. In a historic 4-2 decision, the court declared Kansas’ cap on noneconomic damages to be unconstitutional. In short, this means injured parties can seek compensation that covers the full extent of their pain and suffering. WHAT ARE ‘NONECONOMIC’ DAMAGES Noneconomic damages essentially refer to all those wounds and consequences that stem from an injury but you can’t put a number on. They include pain, loss of enjoyment of activities, and other legitimate forms of suffering that are just impossible to quantify. For example, after a serious car accident, the hospital may be able to send you a bill for an emergency spinal surgery, but how do you put a price on being unable to walk the rest of your life? WHY THEY MATTER Mental trauma, chronic pain, immobility — these unquantifiable damages can change your entire way of life. Compensation for this kind of loss may not make these sorts of damages go away,

Celebrating GivingTuesday 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. HOW YOU 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 .

'Tis the Season FOR SALT AND SHOVELS

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