By David Daggett on 5/26/2008 5:08 AM

Welcome to Summer

     Memorial Day weekend is the traditional send off for summer fun. Our Lewis & Daggett family kicked it off with a firm cookout on Friday. Part of the fun was that the attorneys and management served the rest of the staff as a reward and treat.

Jennifer Glosson and Nayeli Ramirez at L & D Cookout

      As summer begins, it is probably a good time to consider some basics safety tips in order to make summer the best it can be for you and your family. As schools winds down and many of us have family activities begin, we encourage you to keep safety in mind.

     Travel safety is a good place to start - we don’t want vacations ruined by a ca r accident. Make sure your vehicle is in good condition, tires properly inflated, and all maintenance up to date. Take frequent rest breaks when driving, and follow all safety laws and directions. Pay particular attention around construction and work zones.

     Lawn mower injuries can be very serious, and many of those injured are young children. Every year some of the most serious injuries are to young children who were riding as passengers on riding mowers. Please do not allow young children to ride these powerful machines. Use extreme caution to always your keep fingers and toes away from moving blades. Lastly, always pick up toys, objects and debris before mowing to avoid injuries to yourself or others from flying objects.

     When riding bicycles, skateboards, roller blades, and scooters always wear helmets and proper protective gear. Children should stay away from traffic and preferably ride on sidewalks or designated paths. Most of all, set a good example for children by always wearing a helmet yourself.

     Sun and heat safety are many times overlooked. Remember to use sunscreen and cover skin as much as possible. Covering up and limiting exposure is particularly important for very young children. Remember when swimming to reapply sun screen and take frequent breaks from the heat. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids and take breaks often in hot weather and during physical activities.

     Let’s get this summer off to a safe, fun start for all of us.

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By David Daggett on 12/24/2007 6:42 AM

Safe, Happy Holidays!

     Holidays can be the happiest of times with family and friends. Please join with us in using our best efforts to keep your holidays safe and happy.

     Over the years we have seen holidays turned into instant tragedy by causes that should have been prevented. Perhaps one of the worst and most frequent tragedies are those caused by drunk drivers. We know – for years we’ve been helping the victims of drunk drivers.

     Other areas of safety concerns fall into categories of fire safety, food safety, child safety, and driving safety. Each of these areas can produce increased risks over the holidays.

     Fire safety includes taking appropriate precautions with Christmas trees and Christmas lights. Christmas decorations can also present hazards we usually don’t have around the house. Lastly, don’t forget fireplace safety as your family gathers around the living room fireplace.

     Certainly the holidays are a time for good food and fellowship. Be sure to be particularly careful with fully cooking meats and poultry. There are also lots of leftovers around the holidays that need to be properly and promptly wrapped and refrigerated.

     We all enjoy children around the holidays, and perhaps the holidays are the most special time of the year for our little ones. Use care in buying and selecting toys for small children, including watching for small parts and choking hazards. Also, children tend to be very curious of all of the additional decorations and holiday items in our houses. So, we need to keep a watchful eye and help them to have a safe, happy holiday too.

     Lastly, as mentioned above, safety on the roads and while driving is perhaps the most frequent danger we face. Above all, please don’t drink and drive. Call a cab or use a designated driver if you need to make your trip home a safe one for you, and for everyone on the road.

     Please join us in preventing accidents at this special time of year. From our Lewis & Daggett family to yours, happy holidays!

 

 

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By David Daggett on 10/29/2007 7:07 AM

     How often do you consider all of the hazards we face in our daily walks of life?  With Halloween coming up this week it is probably a good time to review some of the risks we often face but don’t always think about.  I was doing a little research on accidental injuries and deaths in the United States and was shocked by some of the statistics. For example, according to the National Safety Council’s (NCA) most recent statistics your odds of dying from other than a natural cause is one in twenty-two! 

     According to the statistics, accidental injuries and death are on the rise. There are many reasons including are increasing complicated and crowded society. But, it also seems that maybe we just don’t pay as much attention to the risks we face; or, perhaps even the converse - that is since we don’t pay enough attention we face higher risks.

     Perhaps predictably, injuries and deaths from automobile wrecks occur with the highest frequency. But I was surprised to learn that deaths from poisoning rank second in frequency in North Carolina. Other major risk areas include falls, choking, fires, smoke and suffocation. I wonder how many of us actually think about or prepare for these sorts of risks?

     For example, the NCA research indicates that most Americans worry more about random acts of violence than about any sort of accident even though the odds of an accident are much higher. Further, we are actually more capable of and have more control of managing accidental risks yet most of us don’t actively do so.

     Many causes of accidental injury and death are preventable. Please join us helping our families and friends be aware of the every day risks and dangers we face. We can all work for a safer today, and a better tomorrow. Thank you for your help.

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By David Daggett on 8/27/2007 10:39 AM

     There is a lot of excitement around our house - school starts this week! The start of a new school year is always a time of excitement and anticipation, but is also it a time to review and remember a few aspects of safety, particularly for our youngsters. Unfortunately, at our law firm we have seen too many times when an accident, injury, or some other harm dampens the year before it really gets started.

     The first thing that we will all notice is that traffic in general is heavier. That means we need to remind ourselves to be sure to stay alert and practice paying attention to our best driving skills. Additionally, it is a good time to remind ourselves to be courteous and respectful to other drivers. Good Manners go a long way toward being safe!

     Next, let’s all help to look out for our youngsters. Please pay particular attention during the early morning hours. Schools start early and many children will be out waiting for the buses in the dark. Some of them need a constant watchful eye, while others simply need help just learning where to stand for the school bus. In either case, they need our help and our support.

     Try something with me this week - at least one time offer some of our young people a kind word of support and encouragement. Especially the kids in our own neighborhoods need to know we care and that the they have a network of support. It makes a difference and will make their day just a little bit better (and your’s too!).

     Lastly, all those yellow school buses. Yes, they at times seem to slow us down....don’t they know we are in a hurry! But, we will all get where we are going so please be patient. Every year we hear about injuries from incidents with school buses. They are big, yellow, and have flashers for a reason. Please use extreme caution around the buses. North Carolina has a very a very good resource guide (click here: http://www.ncbussafety.org/) for parents, teachers and students that focuses on these sorts of safety issues.

     Let’s make this a great school year!

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By David Daggett on 7/30/2007 8:25 AM

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