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 May
2004
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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
the bottom of this page and you will
immediately be removed from our list of
subscribers.
If you know someone who might enjoy receiving
this free e-mail newsletter, please send us that
person's e-mail address.
Kraft & Associates will never sell or give
your e-mail information to anyone outside our
law firm. |
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Travel Weather
Most of us take at least a short vacation trip
in the summer when the kids are out of school.
Fortunately, weather is seldom a big problem
in the summer, unlike the other seasons. But
just to be sure, before you leave home, check
the weather along your travel route so you
won't have any unpleasant surprises.
You can go online and find out what lies ahead
for you at these helpful Web sites:
www.USroadconditions.com
www.Accuweather.com
Federal Highway Administration
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 call
or write 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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Signs of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
As our population ages and more
of us require assisted living,
an increasing number of elderly
persons are moving to nursing
homes or retirement centers.
Such a facility can provide a
positive environment for those
people no longer able to care
for themselves. A good nursing
home with supportive,
responsive and qualified
personnel can make a resident
feel safe and loved.
Unfortunately, not all nursing
homes reach that ideal. Reports
of nursing home negligence and
abuse are climbing. If you have
a family member or other loved
one in an assisted care
facility you should remain
vigilant to any signs of
neglect or abuse such as:
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Unexplained injuries,
including bruises, pressure
marks, abrasions and burns;
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Unsanitary conditions;
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Emotionally upset or agitated
resident;
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Withdrawn or defensive
attitude by resident;
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Reports of being slapped or
mistreated;
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Dehydration or malnutrition;
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Heavy or improper use of
medications;
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Rapid weight loss or gain;
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Sudden change in behavior;
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Other unusual behavior by
resident.
If you discover that the
nursing home resident has shown
any of these symptoms, and you
believe the resident to be in
immediate danger, call 911 to
summon an ambulance. After
doing that, you can attempt to
get help from the staff of the
nursing home.
If you suspect nursing home
abuse, report it to a local law
enforcement agency, to the
Texas Department of Human
Services at (800)
458-9858, or to the
Texas Department of Family and
Protective Services at
(800) 252-5400.
The law in Texas is that any
person who believes that an
elderly person or an adult with
disabilities is being abused,
neglected or exploited, must
report the situation. A person
making a report is immune from
civil or criminal liability,
and the name of the person
making the report can be kept
confidential. Any person
suspecting abuse and not
reporting it can be held liable
for a Class B misdemeanor.
We hope that you never have a
loved one who suffers abuse or
neglect in a nursing home. If
you do have a friend or
relative in a home, visit them
often, ask them questions about
their treatment, and try to
examine them for any physical
signs of abuse or neglect.
If your loved one has suffered
serious physical injury as a
result of an assisted living
center's negligence or
intentional conduct, please
call our office. We will be
glad to visit with you and
answer your questions about the
situation. |
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| FOR
YOUR INFORMATION |
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Safety Tips for Your
Attic
Those of us living in Texas rarely have basements,
so we store our seldom-used items in the
attic. Here are a few tips to help prevent
injuries as you use your attic.
● Have a light near the attic stairs.
It's best if you have an overhead light with
a switch you can reach from the stairs. That
way you can turn the light on before you
step into the attic, and turn it off after
you get back on the stairs. Without a light,
it's too easy to trip over objects in the
attic.
● Check the handrails of your attic
stairs. These can easily work loose and then
give way at the worst moments.
● Keep the area near the stairs free
of clutter. You need to be able to get into
and out of the attic easily, and not have to step over
loose items as you're getting on and off the attic
stairs.
● Put plywood flooring over the beams
if possible. If you have to step from beam
to beam to maneuver in your attic, sooner or
later you will miss a step and put a foot
through your ceiling.
● Make sure any mechanical equipment in the attic
is working properly. If you have air
conditioning units or water heaters in your
attic, keep them properly maintained. Just
in case of accident, be certain you have
adequate drip-pan protection from water leaks.
Inspect this equipment at least twice a
year. The best times are in the spring and
fall, when you switch from heating to
cooling your house, or vice versa.
● Protect your water pipes from
freezing. Use foam pipe covers on all
exposed water pipes in your attic.
● Check for protruding nails. Be
certain there are no nails coming in from
the roof or sticking out from posts or
beams. Bend them over with pliers or a
hammer so they don't injure anyone.
A few simple precautions can prevent what
might be a serious injury.
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FEATURED
EMPLOYEE
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Nicole
Collier
Attorney
E-mail:
ncollier@kraftlaw.com
Ms. Collier received her Bachelor of Science degree
from the University of Houston and her law degree from
Texas Wesleyan University School of Law. While in law
school, Ms. Collier served as class representative of
the Student Bar Association and was a member of the
Moot Court Honors Society. Ms. Collier was selected as
the Hooding Speaker at the school’s Hooding Ceremony.
She is currently a member of the Texas Wesleyan Alumni
Board of Directors. Ms. Collier joined our firm in 2003 after
working at other area law firms.
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| FEATURED
CASE |
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Attorney Nicole Collier
recently successfully completed the training and
testing to become certified to file an Acknowledgement
of Paternity form with the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
This certification will allow her to better represent
clients with paternity issues in their divorce or
child support cases.
People who need to establish paternity can save a
great deal of time by hiring Ms. Collier rather than
working through the Office of the Attorney General of
Texas. |
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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.
Our firm represents people who have been injured on
the job and are making a claim for workers'
compensation. We 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- 2004 Kraft & Associates : Attorneys at
Law, 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.
Attorney J. K. Ivey is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas
Board of Legal Specialization. Other attorneys in the
firm - Not Certified by the Texas Board of Legal
Specialization.
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