Require two-wheeled assistance to get around? When it snows, this world is not for you. We all know the feeling of waking up to the gorgeous snow, a feeling that quickly shifts to the grind of warming the car, scraping the windows, and pulling on snow boots over your suit or uniform pants. What we do not all experience is sliding into our wheelchair, looking out the window, and realizing we are stuck. When your wheels are not your alternate method of travel, but are instead are your only vehicle for point A to B travel, even a little snow and ice on the ground can be a hurdle the likes of which champion horses struggle to jump. We’ve all seen the memes of what living on one side of the road versus the other can mean in Colorado when it comes to snow accumulation. Now think differently – think what it means to live in someone else’s shoes… err, wheels.
Even when a sidewalk or ramp has been shoveled, the tiniest patch of ice can send your neighbor slipping into the road, off the path, and into danger. The easiest act for able-bodied folks in the snow is getting to the car. Most of the work is the shoveling, scraping, and salting. When you’re in a chair, none of this is possible. Many people are in wheelchairs because of already complicated health issues, weakened hard and soft tissue structures, and other tenuous health conditions. A fall, especially in the cold, can bring on complications very quickly. Yet so can missing doctor’s appointments or being unable to get to work where money is earned to pay for medical treatment. Whether you’re excited about snow days or grumbling over how the mess on the roads makes a mess of your schedule, pause. Think about whether your neighbors or community members use your sidewalk to get around. Salt it. Think about whether your neighbor is wheelchair bound. Shovel and salt theirs. And if there is anyone in your circle, whether neighborhood, friend, or work life, go clean and scrape their car, shovel and salt their ramp and sidewalk. And while you’re at it, do the same for any older friends or new moms. Bring the family! Make a game out of it! Yes, you’ll be late for work. But you’ll help others get to their jobs, and you’ll save them from harm.
Queener Law is pleased to announce the annual Noah Thomas Foster Scholarship, which will offer a $2500 scholarship to be applied toward tuition or other education-related expenses. This scholarship will be awarded on an annual basis to one high school senior from one of the following states: Kentucky, Tennessee, or Colorado, who will be attending a 2 or 4-year college or university.
For over 20 years, Queener Law has been dedicated to helping those in need by protecting their legal interests. When people contact our office, it’s usually at one of the worst times of their lives. Upheaval from serious injuries, high medical bills, and the inability to work, coupled with the emotional impact of dealing with insurance companies, can leave victims exasperated. This is where our experienced team of attorneys and paralegals step in to help alleviate their burdens.
Our commitment to helping victims does not end there. We are inspired to continue pursuing opportunities to give back to our communities. We take pride in the areas where we live and work. Giving back in the form of an educational scholarship is something that we at Queener Law are very excited about. We feel that investing in the growth and education of our young people is an investment for everyone.
Eligibility Criteria for Scholarship:
High School seniors who have been accepted to attend a two —or four-year college or university in Tennessee, Kentucky, or Colorado.
You can find us on social media by “liking” and “Following” our Facebook and Instagram pages in your respective states.
**The winning applicant will be announced on our social media. By submitting an application, you agree to allow the use of your essay and photo for marketing purposes.
How to Apply for this Scholarship:
Applicants must submit their application and essay via this form.
Essay Topic:
Please write a 500-word essay telling us how someone has made a positive difference in your life and how you intend to pay it forward.
Important Dates:
Applications will be accepted from January 1st, 2024, through April 1st, 2024.
April 15th, 2024- The winner will be announced by email and social media. Checks will be directly disbursed to the winner.
In Memorial of . . .
The Noah Thomas Foster Scholarship fund was created in memory of Noah and his father, Scott Thomas Foster, who both tragically lost their lives in a small plane crash on November 12, 2017.
Scott Foster was a practicing attorney in Somerset, Kentucky. Noah was a sophomore at Pulaski County High School. Noah dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps and attending law school. They were both known for their charisma, desire to help others, and being friends with all.
Amy Foster, Scott Foster’s surviving spouse and mother to Noah, is very proud to have this scholarship created. “Having their name and legacy continue on keeps their memory alive, and that is very comforting to our daughters and myself.”
The Foster Family
Queener Law, formerly known as the Law Office of Henry Queener, does not offer any other scholarships other than the Noah Thomas Foster Scholarship. Any other information to the contrary on other websites is not current, including, but not limited to, deadlines, contact information, amount, criteria, and requirements.
For clarification or any questions, please email afoster@queenerlaw.com. We look forward to receiving your application!
Let’s assume for a moment that the hoax of climate change is real. Now that we’ve gotten over that little speedbump, raise your hand if you’ve slogged through an airport recently, searching for the least crowded bar serving $14 well drinks, all thanks to Mother Nature’s insistence that your flight be delayed or canceled. Many of us know this tale so well that it’s beginning to feel like Groundhogs Day, but without the benefit of having Bill Murray join us in our plight… not that he’d be exempt. In fact, just this year there have been so many delays and cancellations due to weather that finding an estimated number just for DIA puts Google to the test. It makes sense to most of us that two bomb cyclones in a single year may put a damper on some snow-birding south or snowboarding west. But summer can be just as brutal. “Heat wave” has become common vernacular in parts of the country where the term was previously used for body temps and songs on that dusty vinyl rescued from your mom’s attic, not for transportation. What does 1960’s Motown have to do with travel and climate change? Everything. According to a 2017 article in Forbes magazine, Bombardier CRJ’s can only withstand 118 degrees and larger Boeing jets can’t get much past 125 in order to operate properly. Why? Remember in 3rd grade when you were just learning to write those “check yes or no” notes to your crush while your teacher was desperately trying to teach you how to get an egg into a 2-Liter using just a match? Call her and thank her for explaining to the 8-year-old you why the… ahem… more distinguished version of yourself should start exploring alternatives to air travel. Or call the National Weather Service to inquire as to the accuracy of their early-August report showing near-nationwide heatwaves with temperatures inching closer to forced “stay-cations.”
Road Trip!
Think you’ll out-smart nature and finally see Route 66 from start to finish? Au contraire! In July of this year, the National Weather Service warned of heat waves one week and cold fronts with flash flooding and damaging winds the next. So if the buckled roads don’t squelch your determination, the rushing waters of the Plains States just might. Angry at our wrath-bearing planet? Watch that finger-pointing. All that air transportation we’ve been suffering cancellations is really turn-about finally becoming fair play, according to the New York Times. A June article written by Andy Newman cited scientific conclusions such this: One 2,500-mile passenger’s contribution to emissions melts 32 square feet of Arctic summer sea ice. And a 600-mile drive to an Airbnb with a peaceful spa tub might as well be a giant flame-thrower to the Arctic, melting 90 square feet of ice per person. That’s a chunk the size of our beloved Jeep Unlimiteds. Want to get especially gruesome? A scientist from my Alma mater, University of Tennessee – where the rumor of dead bodies under Neyland Stadium and a body farm just across the river is true – estimated that the average American generates three times the global average of carbon dioxide annually, a lethal dosage to the third rock we live atop.
Cruisin’
Alright, then. No road trips, no sky miles. Let’s all just charge the gangway of the closest cruise ship and take “King of the World” selfies with Celine songs in the background and shuffleboard games taking on SEC vs Big Ten-esque rivalries. That should solve both our transportation and climate problems with one shuffle of the board… is that what it’s called? Except… according to the International Council on Clean Transportation, the most efficient ships sailing the seven seas emit 3 to 4 times more carbon dioxide than those pesky jets. And if you’re still set on shopping at the dockside markets of Jamaica, keep your face mask handy while on board. Particulate counts on cruise ships are comparable to – or worse than – the air quality in Beijing. Alas, how can we safely see the planet and save it at the same time? It seems the experts agree: prioritize, protest, and offset. Prioritize your travel, opting for the less-emitting road trip over the flight, the flight over the cruise. And before kicking those tires and lighting those fires, toss some cash towards offsetting sites to make up for your contribution to polar bear homelessness. Throw your money into methane emanations instead of into the pockets of the worst offenders. It’s the eco-version of “Be kind. Rewind.”
Electronic Logging Devices Rule Held to be Constitutional
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association filed a constitutional challenge against the electronic logging device rule, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit held that the rule is constitutional. It is on track to be fully implemented by Dec. 2017 unless the association appeals it to the Supreme Court of the United States. The regulation will require all large commercial trucks to have electronic devices installed, which will track and record whenever the trucks are in use.
The Lawsuit
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association filed the lawsuit against the Federal Motor Carriers’ Administration on behalf of two truck owners. The drivers alleged that the regulation would violate their constitutional rights to privacy by recording all of their actions while they are driving. The court ruled on Oct. 31, 2016, holding that the electronic logging device mandate does not violate the constitutional right to privacy. The court found that the government’s interest in protecting other motorists outweighed any privacy issues. As a result, the rule is still scheduled to move forward. The plaintiffs have not said whether or not they intend to pursue the matter to the Supreme Court. If they do, and the court agrees to hear the case, it would be a final decision. If they do not appeal it, then the regulation will move forward.
Prior Lawsuit Against Previous ELD Rule Version
In 2010, the FMCSA had attempted to pass a prior regulation requiring electronic logging devices in commercial trucks. At that time, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association filed a lawsuit against the FMCSA on the basis of constitutional privacy concerns. The Appeals Court held that the previous version was unconstitutional because it required the installation of cameras inside of the trucks. The current version does not, allowing it to pass constitutional muster.
Reasoning for the Rule
Large trucks have the potential of causing severe injuries and deaths when they cause truck accidents. This has led the government to institute numerous regulations on the trucking industry. The ELD rule is meant to prevent truck drivers from falsifying their log books and ignoring the hours-of-service rules. Those rules are in place to keep drowsy drivers off of the roads, a problem that a truck accidents attorney frequently sees in injury cases. A truck accidents attorney is hopeful that the new mandate will minimize the number of accidents that happen. Truck accidents often permanently change the quality of lives of their victims.
Taking pictures immediately after an accident can help preserve crucial evidence of what occurred and which driver was at fault. Photographs can help prove a driver’s liability while also helping convince insurance companies that settling is a wise choice. Pictures can show the angles at which the vehicles collided, the direction of travel, the road and weather conditions, and other relevant information.
After an accident, it is common for people to be in states of shock. They might feel confused and unclear about exactly what happened. Pictures provide crucial information about what caused the accident that people might otherwise fail to notice or forget. Accident reconstructionists can use photographs to determine the relative positions of the vehicles, their speeds, and other contributing factors such as weather conditions or road conditions. This type of information can help present a clear picture of what happened and the liability of the responsible party or parties.
When and How to Take Photos
People who are injured in accidents that they believe were the fault of the other drivers should always try to take pictures immediately after the accidents. If they cannot do so themselves, they should ask someone else to photograph them. The pictures can be taken with a camera that is kept in the car or with a smartphone. The photographs should be taken before either vehicle is moved. People should take photographs of the positions of the cars and the damage to each. They should also take photographs of the other vehicle’s license plate. After getting these pictures, people should take wider pictures of the scene, including any road debris, skid marks, weather, nearby traffic control devices, or speed limit signs. Taking as many pictures as possible is a good idea.
In addition to taking pictures of the accident scene, people should also take photographs of their injuries. This can help show the link between the accident and the injuries if the insurance company attempts to blame the injuries on some intervening cause. People should also try to get the names and contact information of any witnesses who saw the accident so they can be contacted later. Having photographs and witness statements may help people succeed in subsequent claims with insurance companies.
