The best attorney is one who can empathize with a client, and make that person feel as though they’re truly understood and supported. Shari Willis is one such attorney, and we’re proud to have her on board at Bachus & Schanker. In addition to her outstanding legal work, Shari is a tireless supporter of charities close to her heart. She fights for her clients, not only because they’ve been wronged, but as a result of her own personal experience.

Shari specializes in complex medical negligence (malpractice), catastrophic birth injuries, and birth trauma. She is able to relate especially well to parents whose infants suffer injury and trauma at birth. Her own daughter, Katlyn, passed away in 1996 at just seven months of age after being born with severe disabilities, and contracting a respiratory infection.

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One of the most nerve-wracking things a parent can do is send their children away to summer camp. It’s relinquishing a certain amount of control which can be difficult for any parent, but especially for parents of younger children. To put your mind at ease, look for certain features of the camp that will help ensure your child’s safety.

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On Thanksgiving Day in 2008, nine-year-old Erica Forney of Fort Collins, Colorado, died. She didn’t have a terminal illness. She wasn’t playing with matches or an unattended gun. Two days before Thanksgiving, she was riding her bike home from school, the way she did every day. Just two houses away from her own, she was hit by a two-ton SUV. She sustained a head injury which led to her death. The woman behind the wheel of the SUV was using her cell phone while driving.

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Every year, thousands of children are injured during the summer months. The warmer the weather gets, the more time kids spend outside, engaging in activities that expose them to potentially dangerous situations, increasing the likelihood of accidents and injury. Many of these accidents and injuries can be avoided if parents take a few precautions.

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Every day, firefighters are injured on the job, whether from smoke inhalation, heat exhaustion, or actual burns, all while trying to save people and their precious belongings from fire. Not many people will willingly enter a burning building for any reason, yet firefighters do it every day for little pay and sometimes no recognition. Because it’s not something we’re affected by every day, we tend to forget the sacrifices firefighters make. One man in Australia set out to change that.

Wildfires are common in Australia due to frequent drought and oppressive heat. Yet firefighters continue to risk their lives to fulfill their duties of keeping people and property safe. In 1998, five firefighters died in a horrible wildfire in Lindon, Australia. Afterward, the local community paid tribute to them and the sacrifices they made by wearing red ribbons in their honor. This small gesture was the beginning of what is now observed as International Firefighters’ Day.

The loss of those five men, and the ensuing tribute prompted a volunteer firefighter named JJ Edmondson of Victoria, Australia to begin an online campaign to coordinate international recognition for firefighters around the world. The positive response was overwhelming, and after some discussion, it was decided that International Firefighters’ Day would be observed on May 4 every year.

This date was chosen because it is also the day that celebrates the life of Saint Florian, the patron saint of firefighters, among other things. He stands for selfless dedication to duty and saving lives, the very things today’s firefighters risk their lives for.

Last week, those who want to pay tribute to firefighters wore a blue and red ribbon to honor those firefighters who have been injured, who have given their lives to save others, or who simply take on that risk every single day. Whether or not you observe this international day of recognition and tribute, the bravery and dedication displayed by firefighters everywhere is undeniable.

Last December, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed into law a ban on texting while driving, joining 20 other states, the District of Columbia, and Guam in an attempt to prevent the increasing number of accidents caused by cell phone distraction. Six other states, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands prohibit all forms of cell phone use while driving. Many people feel that this cell phone law is simply too difficult to enforce, will increase traffic stops, and waste law enforcement officers’ time. Others feel laws like this threaten an invasion of privacy. Now the National Safety Council (NSC) is weighing in.

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Most people who live in the northern states love winter. It’s pretty much a prerequisite for living in a state that gets several feet of snow every year. Those who can’t hack it have already moved south to warmer climates. Those who remain look forward to winter for its beauty, and to take part in activities like skiing. But even people who don’t mind the cold and the snow look forward to spring when all the trees and flowers begin blooming again, and the weather warms up. Just as winter brings certain risks with it — blizzards, avalanches, and frozen power lines — so does spring. As all that snow and ice begins to melt, rivers and streams rise, sometimes to dangerous levels. Being aware means being safe.

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Many of us living in Denver don’t think we’ll ever be stranded in our cars during a snowstorm. We’re in the big city, it’s not like were on some deserted country road. Even if we do get stuck we wouldn’t have far to walk for shelter, right? I’ve got my cell phone and On-Star, I won’t be stuck long.

Having lived most of my life in Colorado, I’ve hit a patch of ice and lost control of my car and slid off the road a time or two. Fortunately, a Good Samaritan helped me out and my time stuck out in the blizzard was minimal. But what if my timing isn’t so good the next time? What if I’m on my way back from the mountains and I get stuck – as we all know, cell phone coverage in the mountains can be unreliable.

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Lakewood High School’s Mock Trial Team: Taylor Kelson (attorney), Connor Trafton (attorney), Aharon Fleury (witness), Anton Nguyen-Vu (witness), and Jackson Emanuel (witness)

Day 1 (Friday, November 6th): Today was the first day of competition for the Providence Cup. After a brief scare involving lost case materials, we got everyone through security and into the courthouse. We had never competed in this tournament before, so we didn’t know exactly what to expect. After a brief introduction, we were dispatched to our first round.

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This weekend our neighborhoods will be overrun by ghouls, goblins and ghosts and no, it’s not the latest horror flick come to life. This year Halloween falls on a Saturday, which is great for the kids who go out for “Trick or Treat.” It also makes conditions more hazardous for “Trick or Treating”, combining a dangerous mix of large numbers of children on the streets after dark and adults driving to their kids around town for Trick or Treat or Halloween parties.

Statistically, 5 to 12 year old children are four times more likely to be injured on Halloween night due to falls and car crashes.

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