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 December
2008
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Why Are You Getting This Newsletter?
This free e-mail newsletter is sent to current and
former clients of our law firm, to those who
have specifically asked to receive it, and to
those who have contacted our firm for legal
advice in the past.
If the newsletter is being sent to you
in error, please follow the instructions at
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Kraft & Associates will never sell or give
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Shoppers, before you
give any
holiday toys to
the little
children in
your life,
take a look
at the
annual "10
Worst Toys"
list by the
consumer
group
W.A.TC.H.
Click the
link to see
photos
of the toys,
and warnings
about them.
Free Legal Advice?
Yes, at Kraft &
Associates we are glad to provide our clients
and friends with free information on a variety
of subjects. If you want details about how to
lower your automobile insurance rates,
Texas Workers' Compensation law or
Social Security Disability claims, please
contact us and we will send you any of these
brochures without charge or obligation. |
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Suite 1300
2777 Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75207
(214) 999-9999
(817) 999-9999
(800) 989-9999
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FOR THE RECORD |
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 Keeping
Kids Safe During the Holidays
The holiday season is upon us and many people are making their gift lists and hitting stores to find the best deals on the hottest toys for the children in their lives. But before you purchase that new toy, there are some things you should know to keep your children safe. To help with this, the Keenan's Kids Foundation released its annual report of the "Top Ten Most Dangerous Toys."
As many as 20% of toys currently available at many retailers do not pass governmental safety standards. This staggering number indicates toy makers still feel it is the consumer's responsibility to ensure the toys they're buying are safe.
The list of the most dangerous toys is available here.
These are not isolated cases of unsupervised children or neglectful parents. Last year, there were 18 toy-related deaths in the United States. This year that number may rise as people choose quantity over quality during tough economic times.
There are some alarming statistics regarding toy safety:
• About 170,100 hospital emergency room visits involved treating toy-related injuries to children 15-years-old or younger.
• Deaths resulting from toy injuries were predominantly caused by airway obstruction from small toys.
• Most injuries included lacerations, contusions and abrasions; the head and face were affected most often.
• The Consumer Protection Safety Commission (CPSC) top five toys to watch out for in 2008 include toys with chargers/adapters, magnets, balloons, small pieces, and riding toys.
Tips for keeping children safe at play:
• Never leave your children unattended when they are playing, especially with new toys.
• Avoid giving small children toys with small or loose parts. They can present a choking hazard.
• Ensure toys are age-appropriate and children understand how to play with them safely.
• Discard any toy that is broken or has loose parts. Do not attempt to repair them yourself.
• Report unsafe design flaws to the manufacturer so they can assess whether a recall is appropriate.
While no toy can be considered 100% safe, with a little research and close supervision, toys given during this holiday season will bring nothing but joy to the children who receive them.
(This guest article was contributed to Kraft & Associates by Ms. Kelly Kilpatrick, of www.NursingAssistantCentral.com.)
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| FOR
YOUR INFORMATION |
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The American Association for Justice has published an interesting and helpful article titled Tricks of the Trade: How Insurance Companies Deny, Delay, Confuse and Refuse. The topics include: Denying Claims,
Delaying Until Death,
Confusing Consumers,
Abandoning the Sick,
Discriminating by Credit Score, and
Canceling for a Call.
Here is the summary of the article — What you can do about these tactics:
READ YOUR POLICY CAREFULLY: You should
know exactly what is covered and how to appeal a
denial by your insurance company.
BE VERY CAREFUL FILLING OUT FORMS:
Even if you make an honest mistake your insurance
company may seize on that as a reason to retroactively
deny your coverage.
DO NOT CASH A PREMIUM REFUND CHECK: If your insurance company cancels your insurance when you make a claim, they may send you a check for premiums paid.
Cashing it may act as accepting their
decision.
PUT EVERYTHING IN WRITING: Calling your
insurance company is likely to be a frustrating
experience, and you will not be able to prove anything
that a company representative tells you over the phone.
Keep records of all bills and correspondence.
CONTACT YOUR STATE INSURANCE
DEPARTMENT: They may be able to help you.
But they will not represent you in a private matter,
so if all else fails you may need to consult with an
attorney.
AND MOST OF ALL, DO NOT GIVE UP:
Insurance companies count on you giving up.
Fight for your rights.
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| FEATURED
EMPLOYEE |
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Jo-Ann Martinez
Legal Assistant
E-mail:
jmartinez@kraftlaw.com
Ms. Martinez joined our firm in 1995
as a receptionist. She has filled several
positions with our firm over the years and currently works as a legal assistant
in our Social Security department. She is fluent in Spanish, and serves as one
of our Social Security disability department's Spanish-English translators. Ms.
Martinez has more than 20 years' experience as a receptionist, legal secretary,
and legal assistant.
Ms. Martinez is a graduate of Poteet High School in Poteet, Texas, and a
graduate of the Dickinson Business School in San Antonio, Texas. She also
attended the Court Reporting Institute of Dallas.
She uses her very creative decorating skills to make our office more festive as
we celebrate events such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Cinco de Mayo, St. Patrick's Day,
and many other fun occasions.
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| FEATURED
CASE |
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Can Any
Disease Be
Disabling
For Social
Security?
Almost.
In our
Social
Security
Disability
practice, we
have found
that almost
any disease
or disorder
can be
disabling.
We have
recently won
cases for
individuals
with severe
sarcoidosis,
a disease of
unknown
cause.
According to
Merk Source,
sarcoidosis
(sahr″koi-dósis)
is: “a
chronic,
progressive,
generalized
granulomatous
reticulosis
that may
affect any
part of the
body but
most
frequently
involves the
lymph nodes,
liver,
spleen,
lungs, skin,
eyes, and
small bones
of the hands
and feet. It
is
characterized
by the
presence in
all affected
organs or
tissues of
epithelioid
cell
tubercles
that later
become
converted
into
featureless
hyaline
fibrous
tissue.”
With our
clients who
have
obtained
Social
Security
disability,
the disease
was both
severe and
chronic,
affecting
multiple
body
systems. The
overall
frequency
and
persistence
of the
illness has
been a
compelling
factor
leading to
an award of
disability.
Please feel
free to
contact our
office with
any
questions
regarding
Social
Security
disability
claims -- no
matter what
type of disease or
condition
you may
have.
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| HOW
CAN WE HELP YOU? |
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Our law firm has helped thousands of clients
over the years. Sometimes clients who use
our firm for one type of case may not
realize that there are other legal problems
we could help them solve.
We handle
most types of injury claims — including
automobile collisions, "slip and fall"
cases, injuries suffered as a result of
defective products, injuries resulting from
inadequate security, medical malpractice
claims, nursing home negligence claims,
prescription drug injuries and many others.
We invite you to call us about any
serious injury to see how we can help you.
Kraft & Associates also represents people
who have been denied their Social Security
Disability benefits. We can help at the
Initial stage, the Reconsideration stage or
the Hearing stage. We can help you, your
family or friends with any Immigration question.
Our law firm represents people who have immigration
problems of any kind, whether family-based
immigration or employment-based immigration.
We also help people who have problems
regarding family issues, such as divorce, child
support, adoption, modifications, enforcements,
attorney general disputes, paternity and other similar
matters. We also represent clients who have been
arrested or charged with committing a crime.
Please feel free to call us with any
legal questions you may have. If we cannot
represent you, we will attempt to refer you
to another attorney or to a government
agency that can help you. There is never any
charge or obligation for our initial
consultation. |
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Copyright
© 1997- 2008 Kraft & Associates : Injury &
Disability Lawyers, P.C. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Personal Injury,
Automobile Accident, Wrongful Death, Nursing Home Negligence,
Social Security Disability.
DISCLAIMER:
This newsletter is presented by Kraft & Associates for
informational purposes only, and not as legal advice.
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