By David Daggett on 11/26/2007 11:45 AM

     Are We Thankful?

     Are we really thankful? The Thanksgiving holiday probably makes many of us think a little deeper about that. On Thanksgiving day it is easier to get in touch with all we have and to be thankful. The challenge seems to be the days in between when we have the routines of "life." Some days it is easy to be thankful . . . others maybe it seems impossible.

     It is interesting also to study the history of Thanksgiving in our country. Although the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the pilgrims in the early 1600's, and George Washington declared a day of "Thanksgiving" in the late 1700s, there were many lapses in the celebration of Thanksgiving. It wasn’t until Abe Lincoln’s 1863 "Proclamation of Thanksgiving" that Thanksgiving then became official.

     Perhaps we too "lapse" in our personal Thanksgiving. I have written elsewhere articles entitled Pursuit of Happiness and Have a Happy Heart, and although being thankful may be part of those perhaps it has another component. Thankful people appreciate what they have.

     Sometimes it is amazing to us at Lewis & Daggett how seriously injured and disabled folks can seem to be so thankful even in their most difficult of circumstances. People who are in seemingly, to us, in very bad situations still can be thankful. Perhaps we can learn from them.

     As I was observing and wondering about some of our clients who remain thankful during what most of a would consider bad times, a common theme seemed to be developing. These people tend to look at what they have, instead of looking at what they don’t have.

     I suppose human nature causes many of us not to be so thankful during tough times. Maybe we can work to be super human and learn to see all we do have instead of what we don’t. Let’s be thankful!

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By David Daggett on 11/19/2007 8:45 AM

     Keeping ‘em Honest

     Many times people who have never been through a fight with an insurance company may wonder why we are needed . . . once you've been through it you probably understand. People who are wrongfully injured, disabled, or hurt at work probably ought to be able to assume they will be treated fairly. The truth is that most times the insurance claim is handled by trained personnel whose job it is to save the company money, not treat you fairly.

     Our firm believes that you are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect, to be told the truth (even if it is tough), and to be treated fairly in obtaining a just result. Unfortunately, many folks simply don’t get treated that way when they have a claim. That is where we come in - our job to is work hard so you can be treated fairly.

     Recently Anderson Cooper 360 broadcast a program on some of the underhanded tactics of the multi-billion dollar insurance industry. These tactics attempt to keep you from getting the medical payments and benefits that you deserve following an automobile accident or injury. The report also mentions one particular insurance company that is known to fight virtually all claims.

     Building on their previous story revealing the "Three Ds" of insurance tactics to deny auto accident victims due compensation, CNN reported on a bill recently passed that would require insurance companies who refused to pay a claim and lost in court to pay up to three times the initial claim value and attorney’s fees. Insurance companies immediately started a nationwide advertising campaign to try to defeat any limitations on their practices. Watch the report here

     Unfortunately, dealing with an insurance company usually is not on a level playing field. We do our best to help even out your side of the equation, treat you fairly, and make sure someone is on your side.

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By David Daggett on 11/11/2007 10:28 AM

     Honor Our Veterans

     Have you taken time to thank a veteran? We probably tend to take for granted the sacrifices of our living veterans who served honorably so that we all can be free. Our daughter’s first grade class had a class project to all write a thank you note to a veteran - our 85-year-old neighbor received five of them!

(Iwo Jima WWII Monument - Washington, DC)

     Maybe we can all learn along with the first graders. Veterans Day was originally Armistice day which was to commemorate the end of World War I on November 11, 1918. In 1954, after World War II, it was changed to Veterans Day to honor veterans of all wars. It is a day to honor and thank all of those who have served and sacrificed for our country.

     There are currently about 25 million living veterans in the United States. These are the folks who have supported the law and legal system we have today. Our freedom is what sets us apart from the rest of the world. For most of the history of mankind the rules were determined only by the rich and powerful. Here, because of the freedom our veterans have protected, the law helps and protects all of us.

     So, Veterans Day is certainly a day to be thankful for in our country, for our freedom, and for those who have helped protect it. Please join us today by thanking a veteran and telling them we appreciate their service

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By David Daggett on 11/5/2007 8:49 AM

     Internet Safety In Your Own Home

     Computers can be a terrific educational tool, and the internet makes the ability to learn and explore our world almost limitless. These learning opportunities are available to everyone and there is (usually) no charge. What a great opportunity! But, then, we also need to know what dangers are out there lurking. 

         "Look out for predators - Halloween 2007"

     So many kids put their names, photos, and even addresses on My Space and other teenage internet spaces and then get into trouble with predators. Some recent studies show that approaching two-thirds of all teenagers have an online profile, and over one-third all of "kids" have been exposed to unwanted sexual material online.

     These issues are starting to become so prevalent that public service organizations, schools, local law enforcement, and even the FBI have become involved in efforts to help make the internet safer for our young people. State and Federal governments are beginning to pass laws regarding privacy and information regarding minors (under 18). The FCC now has guidelines and the authority to enforce them.

     What can we do to help our children? First, supervision, household discussions, and general household awareness of the issues. Recently there are a number of computer monitoring software programs designed to reduce the amount internet dangers.

     We can also look for other signs of "issues" beginning. We can pay attention to our phone and credit card bills for unusual activity which could indicate a problem. We can watch for signs of grades slipping, or unknown absences from school. Many of these signs could be very similar to what we see at the beginning of drug or alcohol use.

     The number one thing we can do is communicate with our children regarding the very real dangers that exist. Parental guidance, support, supervision and communication go a long way toward heading off the dangers that are lurking. Please help us to help our youth. Thank you.

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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 10/22/2007 6:49 AM

     Completion

     Completion - that seems to be a goal in helping people who have been wrongfully injured, hurt at work, or who are disabled. This past week I competed in the Hawaii Ironman World Triathlon Championship. My article on the race and other links are here. The theme for this year’s event was "Kupau," Hawaiian for "Completion."

     The photo above is The Place of Refuge dating back to at least the 1500's. It was a spiritual place, a place for royalty, a place of safety, and a place where Kupau is obtained.

     In ancient Hawaii there was a sort of rite of passage in obtaining Kupau. It included demonstrating the seven traits of knowledge, understanding, wisdom, strength, inspiration, authority, and endurance. To me an interesting part of Kupau is that part of obtaining completion is the understanding that the journey regarding these traits continues. Most of us probably tend to think of completion as being an end, not a journey.

     Learning about Kupau had me reflecting a lot about what we do as a team at Lewis & Daggett. Certainly part of our culture of learning incorporates traits similar to the seven traits of Kupau. They are sort of common traits or areas of study for most major religions and philosophies throughout history. It would take a book or two to cover these subjects!

     Understanding that completion is part of the journey seems strikingly similar to what our clients and we frequently experience. The cases conclude, many times very favorably, and yet many times the injury, loss, or disability continues well beyond completion of the case. This is one reason why the continuing relationships are so important to us.

     I plan to continue to further reflect on the seven traits of Kupau, as well as to further understand that part of completion is understanding that the journey continues. Thanks for joining us.

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By David Daggett on 10/14/2007 8:15 PM

     Inclusiveness

     We have previously discussed our weekly firm meetings, and the learning opportunities they present. Last week we had a guest speaker, Dr. Ben Reese, Vice President for Institutional Equity at Duke University. He was a charming presenter with a welcoming disposition. He helped us, as a team, to further recognize the need to continually work toward continually improving communication and interaction.

(Dr. Benjamin D. Reese, Jr.)

     Part of the Lewis & Daggett strategic plan includes internal growth and development in order to better serve our clients, and also to makes us all better people along the way. We strive to become better individually and collectively.

     Dr. Reese brought up many issues in addition to the obvious that become barriers to communication and acceptance. These included discussing areas that define each of us as individuals, including age, cultural background, gender, geographic residence, race, family, marital status, disability, occupation, religion, etc. He taught us how all of these areas are all very complex and multifaceted.

     At our firm, we work with and tend to represent broad ranges of people with many differences. In fact, many of our clients have been stereotyped. this applies to folks wrongfully injured, hurt at work, and disabled. many times we have to work on behalf of our clients to overcome preconceived perceptions in order to adequately pursue fair legal results.

     We have a deep belief in and strive for inclusiveness on an ongoing basis. So, we have to be conscious of differences both internally and among our clients and continually strive to make This effort aligns with our business goals as well as our long history of helping people.

     We are committed to continually work toward more and better inclusiveness both internally and externally. Certainly we all have room to grow and develop. We hope you will join us in this life long pursuit in learning respect for others.

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By David Daggett on 10/8/2007 1:19 AM

     Momentun Shift

     Last weekend we were at a law school event and got to chatting with a Federal Judge and his wife. The topic quickly shifted to Wake Forest football. The Judge and I are both big Wake Forest fans, and after last year’s stellar season culminating with the Orange Bowl our hopes were high for this year. However, the Deacons got off to a bit of a tough start with a 1 - 2 record.

     Things weren’t looking too good in Wake Forest’s last home game against Maryland. But, it turned out to be a thriller to the last second when our beloved Deacons pulled it out in overtime. Wow - I’m sure glad we stayed ‘til the end!

     This game was really interesting because Wake was way behind 24 - 3 with one minute left in the third quarter, and Maryland was getting ready to score again! But, the Deacons intercepted a pass and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown - the longest in the history of the school. You could immediately feel what the Judge and I dubbed as the "Momentum Shift."

     As we further discussed the "shift" the conversation then turned again. It turned to how the same principle applies in what we do professionally. "Momentum Shift" is exactly we try to do for our clients when they have been wrongfully injured, hurt at work, disabled, or has their land taken.

     The other side is usually bigger and more powerful, so our clients need help on their side. That is where we come in and apply our knowledge, understanding, work, and experience. We try to put the law on their side in order to do what is right, just, and fair. We are proud that our team at Lewis & Daggett takes this obligation so seriously.

     We hope the Wake Forest can use the "Momentum Shift" as the season continues. At the same time, our pledge is to always try to give a momentum shift to those who need our help.

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By David Daggett on 10/1/2007 7:54 AM

     Collective Impact!

     Several of us here at the office were meeting with some clients at the end of a long case. It got us thinking about our previous article on teamwork, and just what does that really mean. I reread the article and parts of it seemed to need further discussion. So I thought I would spend a few moments to discussing what I will call our "Collective Impact."

(Photo from the 2007 L & D Family Cookout)

     Remember, we of course are a law firm, and lawyers have egos. So, working well together may not always seem like the easiest thing to do. It seems more and more rare these days to have a group of folks who can put their own egos aside in order to better achieve a collective result. Don’t get me wrong, we have plenty of egos around here. But, it is admirable that our folks seem to be able to put that aside when needed in order to best serve our clients.

     When speaking of collective impact we refer to a number of different areas including collective work effort, collective intelligence, collective integrity, and collective results. We believe that one of the areas in which we excel is our combining of talents to be better in these areas than any of us could be alone.

     Collective effort encompasses all of the things we do together as a team to make the office work and flow efficiently. This includes case work, client services, and general office workings and responsibilities. It is simply amazing all of the little things that get done around the office by, what I believe, is the best administrative support staff around.

     Collective intelligence is all of us coming together with unique abilities and knowledge and combining them in a way that best solves problems for and ultimately serves our clients. Areas of knowledge would include investigation, clients services, medical information, insurance issues, negotiation, medical accounts management, processing, strategy, litigation, and firm management. Whew, there is a lot to know here!

     Collective integrity is sort of a hallmark of our firm. Mike Lewis "preached" to me from day one that we do what is ethically, legally and morally right to advocate for our clients, and instilled the deep belief in that character and honor in our firm. We are proud of that.

     Collective results refers to our philosophy of comradery in working together to obtain results. This encompasses the combination of all of the above traits in order to make us as good as we can be. Obviously this is something we have to consciously continue to work on daily.

     Lastly, we have a passion for what we do and have fun doing it. We work hard and admittedly have some tough days, but we are always on the same team, work together, and try to do the best we can. We trust this commitment to each other becomes evident in our work and serving our clients.

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By David Daggett on 9/24/2007 6:52 AM

     Just a Little Help

     Many people call us and may really just need a little legal help or guidance. In those situations we try to provide you with some help and assistance to point you in the right direction. Please allow me to share with you a little further information that you may also find helpful.

(Attorney Julie Bell Providing help)

     First of all let me tell you it is very difficult for us to say no to somebody who is calling for legal representation. Our attorneys and staff are really the type of people who like to help. We like to be able to help when you call. We like to guide you through your problem and we like to see you get it resolved one way or another. But we also feel that it is fair to tell you the truth regarding your situation and not to send you on a wild goose chase.

     In fact one of the things that we try to do here is refer folks onto other legal professionals in areas that we don't handle. However, we try not to send somebody on if it's a situation that is simply not economically feasible for a lawyer to handle; or, just as importantly if it is not an economically feasible situation for you to hire a lawyer. The reason is that is that it just simply isn't in your best interest and may lead to further frustration and financial strain.

     Certainly we think your situation is important and because of that we want you to feel free to use us as a resource for further guidance or direction either with your specific issue or within the legal community.

     For further information that may be helpful to you we want to provide you with some tips so that you can handle your situation when a lawyer really isn't needed. And remember sometimes as your situation develops it may become more feasible in the future for an attorney to help you out even though at the present time it is not feasible.

     We will very candidly try to give you help and direction so that you know if your situation gets to the point where you would benefit from having an attorney involved. Until then there's free information for you - sort of some self help kind of guidance available on our website or you can contact us and we will be happy to send you brochures and information to provide further guidance.

     We will work hard and continue to work hard in striving to live up to our well known reputation as a firm with a "History of Helping People." Thank you for your time and for joining us again. We really appreciate your giving us the opportunity to further help you and direct you. We look forward to further assisting you as the need may arise.

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