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 170 ...

     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. Unfortunat ...

     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 ...

     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 tro ...

     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 ...

     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.

  &n ...

     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 a ...

     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!

&a ...

     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 d ...

     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 ...