Scott Baron & Associates, P.C.Attorneys & Counselors At Law

Winter 2015

159-45 Cross Bay BlvdHoward Beach, New York 11414718-738-9800Fax 718-738-3912

Email: general@scottbaronassociates.comWeb: www.scottbaronassociates.com

1(866) WAS-HURT

1750 Central Park AvenueYonkers, New York 10710914-337-9800Fax 914-337-9805

If you need our services, please contact us at…

www.scottbaronassociates.com

ALSO HANDLING:• Auto accidents• Pedestrian accidents• Motorcycle accidents• Bicycle accidents• Bus & train accidents• Building accidents• Elevator & ceiling collapses• Sidewalk Falls• Stairway accidents• Ladder & scaffolds• Construction accidents• Slip & fall accidents• Dog bites• Job related injuries• Lead poisoning• Wrongful death

• Free consultation• Home & Hospital appointments available• 24-hour, 7-Day emergency service• No recovery, no fee. We do not get paid unless you do.

1-866-WAS-HURT (927-4878)

PERSONAL INJURY PRACTICE

All of us at Scott Baron & Associates, P.C. are thankful

that you, our loyal clients, neighbors, and friends,

look to our firm in your times of need. We are humbled,

honored, and inspired by your trust.

This was a special year for our firm, as we celebrated

our twentieth anniversary. We can’t believe it’s been

20 years! It is your trust, support, and confidence that

has kept us going for two decades.

This year was also a special year for our firm as I was

appointed Deputy Special Counsel to the President of

the New York State Court Officers Association, Dennis

W. Quick. T his association is the union that represents

the incredible men and women that enable our court

system to function the way it does. It will be an honor

for me to assist the president and its members in any

way needed.

Best wishes for a wonderful New Year filled with

health, happiness and prosperity!

From all of us at Scott Baron Associates, P.C.

Protect yourself from credit card fraud Oven-roasted

squash with garlic and parsley

Something amazing happens when you roast squash – it gets sweet and tender! Try this recipe for a great holiday side dish. Serves ten.

Ingredients:5 pounds squash (butternut is good but you can choose)2 tablespoons olive oil¼ teaspoon salt1 teaspoon black pepper3 cloves minced garlic2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Instructions:

Credit cards are a staple of modern life. Most of us have at least one credit or debit card. Unfortunately, it has become clear that every day we are becoming more vulnerable to credit card fraud and theft. Recent incidents regarding theft of credit card information at major retailers like Staples, Target, Home Depot, and eBay have been major news stories and have raised awareness about our collective vulnerability. With that in mind, we would like to offer a few tips to help you protect yourself from the thieves and hackers.

Make it harder for the thieves. Protect your account information and passwords. Cut up your old cards, making sure to render the account number unreadable. Never write down your pin number. Don’t sign a blank receipt and make sure to put a line through any blank lines above the total.

Monitor. Check your statement carefully each month to make sure all charges are legitimate.

More cards, more problems. It’s not a problem to have more than one card, but it makes sense to limit your exposure as much as possible. Don’t carry all of your cards in your wallet or purse. When leaving the house, only take the card that you’ll need that day. Try using the same card for all your online purchases. The fewer cards you’re using, the easier it will be to catch anything unusual and the less damage will be done if the worst happens.

Mine! This is one time when you have to ignore what you learned in kindergarten and refuse to share. Never share your account information with anyone who calls or e-mails you unsolicited. They may even pretend to be calling from a company you do business with. Don’t give in. Hang on to your account information like it’s your favorite toy.

Mind who you're dealing with. When dealing with companies online, reputation is very important. While even the biggest companies aren’t immune to data theft, it is generally safer to do business with sizable, well-known companies like Amazon or eBay than the smaller ones. That’s not to say you shouldn’t shop at small online shops, just do a little research first. Search the name of the company or site and see what kind of reviews and ratings they’ve gotten. Be especially cautious if the company doesn’t have a street address or is located in a foreign country.

Make it credit. Credit or debit? Always choose credit. There are fraud protections for both credit and debit cards, but credit cards generally have stronger protection. Plus, if a thief empties your bank account before you can report your card lost or stolen, the money is gone. Even if you can get the money reimbursed, it could take a long time. Time during which you won’t have access to your money. In fact, it’s best to only use a debit card at the ATM.

Above all, the most important thing to remember is to report any lost or stolen card as soon as possible. The fraud and theft protections that your bank offers probably decrease the longer it takes you to contact the bank.

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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel squash, cut in half and remove seeds.

Dice squash into 1-inch pieces.

Toss pieces with 4 teaspoons olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and tender.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a small skillet. Add garlic and cook for about a minute, until fragrant.

Toss the roasted squash with garlic and parsley.

Serve and enjoy!

HIDDEN DANGER – the shopping cart

Millions of vehicles recalled over defective air bags

Defensive medicine: Myth or fact?

Sometimes danger hides in unexpected places. Take the shopping cart, or buggy, for example. Did you know that 66 children per day are treated in emergency rooms in the

United States for shopping cart-related injuries? That’s more than 24,000 children every year!

In 2004, a voluntary shopping cart safety standard was adopted in the United States to deal with this problem. Unfortunately, things seem to be getting worse. So it’s up to each of us to

make sure we are taking the measures necessary to keep our kids safe while shopping.

The best thing you can do to prevent shopping cart injuries is to avoid placing your child in the cart in the first place. This isn’t always possible, so if your child is going to ride in the cart, make sure

they are strapped in and remain seated. Stay with them at all times.

Watch out for tip-overs; they are more common than many people think and can cause serious head injuries. With the child in the seat, the cart’s center of gravity is high. This makes a tip-over far more likely than if the child were seated in a lower position. Some newer cart models are designed to have seats lower to the ground. These carts could be a major safety improvement.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (N.H.T.S.A.) has issued a massive recall involving millions of vehicles with defective air bags. The air bags involved in the recall, manufactured by Japan’s Takata Corporation, have problematic inflator mechanisms. The inflators can explode, sending metal pieces flying in the direction of vehicle occupants.

The recall includes vehicles from most of the major car companies, including General Motors, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Ford, Chrysler and BMW. The N.H.T.S.A. has set up a Web site where consumers can enter their VIN number to find out if their vehicle is on the recall list. To check yours, go to http://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/.

You’ve probably heard it stated as fact: the risk of crazy lawsuits is forcing doctors to practice defensive medicine, raising the cost of health care. This idea gets spread around a lot, especially during election season or when “tort reform” is on the agenda. But is it true?

According to a new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the idea that defensive medicine leads to higher health care costs is not true. The study looked at data from 1997-2011 in three states that passed tort reform legislation and found that the laws did not reduce doctors’ testing behavior and that:

“…physicians are less motivated by legal risk than they believe themselves to be. Although a practice culture of abundant caution clearly exists, it seems likely that an aversion to legal risk exists in parallel with a more general risk aversion and with other behavioral, cultural, and economic motivations that might affect decision making. When legal risk decreases, the ‘path of least resistance’ may still favor resource-intensive care. Our results suggest that malpractice reform may have less effect on costs than has been projected.”

Tort reform, or malpractice reform, succeeds in limiting patients’ rights, but does not seem to limit health care costs.

That makes defensive medicine a myth.

A class-action lawsuit accusing the makers of Red Bull of false advertising has been settled for $13 million. Anyone who purchased a Red Bull between January 1, 2002 and October 3, 2014 is eligible to claim a piece of the settlement. If you purchased a Red Bull during that time, go to EnergyDrinkSettlement.com to file a claim. You will receive either $15 worth of Red Bull products or $10 cash. No proof of purchase is necessary.

The DEADLINE to file a claim is MARCH 2, 2015.

While it is unlikely that anyone thought drinking Red Bull would literally lead to them growing wings, the advertising was deemed deceptive because claims that the drink increases performance, concentration, and reaction speed are false.

The suit claimed that, “Even though there is a lack of genuine scientific support for a claim that Red Bull branded energy drinks provide any more benefit to a consumer than a cup of coffee, the Red Bull defendants persistently and pervasively market their product as a superior source of ‘energy’ worthy of a premium price over a cup of coffee or other sources of caffeine.”

Have you purchased a Red Bull in the last 12 years?

#X – Join the movement1

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Texting && Driving

it can wait

Use #X – Text, e-mail, or message #X before you start your vehicle. This tells whoever you’re having a conversation with that you are about to drive and will not respond until you reach your destination.

Download the DriveMode app – When you turn the app on and your vehicle is moving at more than 25 miles per hour, it will send an auto-reply to incoming texts letting the sender know you’re driving and will reply when it’s safe.

Visit ItCanWait.com – Find out more about the movement, make a pledge not to text and drive, and learn about how else you can get involved in making the roads safer for all of us.

is an all-out effort to put an end to texting behind the

wheel. There are three ways that you can get involved in

this movement today!

We all know texting and driving is dangerous, so what are we

going to do about it? AT&T has an idea on how to help, and it’s

started a movement.

SCOTT BARON & ASSOCIATES, P.C.Attorneys & Counselors At Law159-45 Cross Bay BlvdHoward Beach, New York 11414

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

U.S. POSTAGE PAIDLANCASTER, PAPERMIT NO. 242

Thanks to all of you who have recommended our firm to your relatives, friends, and neighbors. We appreciate your vote of confidence and pledge to care for these “VIPs” as well as we care for you.

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING*The information included in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for professional legal advice. For your specific situation, please consult the appropriate legal professional. Some photos depict fictional scenes. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Percentages of fee(s) are computed after deduction of costs, disbursements, and other litigation expense. If no recovery, expenses of litigation, including court costs and disbursements, are payable.