1. ” Send lawyers, guns, and money. The shit has hit the fan.”

You’ll probably remember this Warren Zevon song. I always got a kick out of it, long before I was an injury lawyer.

Somehow it says a lot.

2. ” If you ever want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.”

This is a little more classy, and thought-provoking. I think it’s brilliant, and is an old Russian saying.

Life seems to full of twists and turns. Think about how different our lives would be if we ever got what we truly wanted.

I’m convinced all of us would be so much worse off.

I know for sure I would be.

Well, enough for now. Summer is in full swing, and unlike last year, we are actually experiencing a real summer. I love it, and hope you are getting to enjoy some of it too ( without needing lawyers, guns & money).

All the best.

Keep your strength.

Charlie Donahue

injury lawyer

On the airplane trip leaving from Logan very early Friday morning I was half asleep when I realized my wife and I would not have the row of seats to ourselves.

An Indian-American looking fellow was sitting in the aisle seat, and he moved to let us in.

I wonder if he thought I was an Irish-American looking fellow?

He greeted was with a pleasant smile, and he actually had the nerve to talk with me.

Imagine that.

As it turned out, this fellow was one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met on a plane trip, and I’ll go so far as to suggest he might be one of the most impressive people I’ve ever met.

His name is Balbir Mansur, founder and president of Trees for Life, international.

His not-for-profit organization is an effort/ movement to help people help themselves. It’s not some kind of feel-good effort, and it’s not done for money.

It became abundantly clear that he was, at one time, a financially successful businessman who has devoted his life to the cause of helping others, to his own personal financial detriment.

He seeks no applause or attention.

His interest is people and being a servant of others.

He is totally contented knowing that he is living his life’s purpose, and material wealth means nothing to him.

The fruits of his work will not be seen for generations. They are the roots.

The man was flat-out impressive.

He oozed caring and compassion.

It didn’t take very long to realize I could learn a thing or two from this guy.

I mention this story to show how there are no coincidences in this world.

I am struck with the fact that we are presented with countless opportunities to interact with others, and many times pay no attention or just blow them off.

It is a huge mistake.

I’m so thankful that I was—- that time—– open to what was happening, and ended up with a new friend who had some very helpful and insightful things to share.

It was designed/intended that I meet Balbir on this trip.

This was no mere coincidence.

If you have a chance I urge you to check out Balbir’s website: www.treesforlife.org

Thanks for reading these blogs, even when they have nothing to do with my work as an injury lawyer.

Keep your strength.

Charlie Donahue

personal injury lawyer.

At a recent graduation there was no patriotic music, nor any benediction. You know, the part where the minister or priest starts the whole thing with some prayer.

Folks go to wakes and funerals in churches and then pay no attention that something spiritual was going on.

And you hear the cries: ” This generation doesn’t care.”

Well, one wonders who “this generation” is, and where it learned its manners.

The truth is “this generation” is not too different from the last one, the one before that, and on and on…

At the graduation my initial reaction was disappointment in the fact there was nothing patriotic, much less anything spiritual.

But after some thought it dawned on me that those things have (sadly) become mere rituals— basically meaningless, except to a few individuals.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I like the changes, but something far more important is going on.

The truth is that most benedictions, through political correctness, have become watered down incantations. In an effort not to offend anyone, they are rendered meaningless, worthless– a whole lot of nothing.

And forcing students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in class means little to most. One does not automatically become patriotic by uttering the words.

Look at our national past-time. Baseball opens with the Star Spangled Banner. Sure, that means a lot to some folks, but to many others it means nothing. It causes no reflection on how fortunate we are to live in this great country, or the sacrifices made to keep us free. Free to go to a ball-game on a nice summer night. Could be a whole lot worse.

Same with prayer in schools. Nice thought, but those who want to pray already do so. No special time needs to be set aside. If we force it, does it mean anything? Does it automatically make our students holy, religious, caring— anything?

The rituals are worthless, feel-good things, unless they come from the heart.

Hearts and souls hungry for patriotism and the spiritual will demand actions and devotions and rituals that reflect their values. Then, they will be very meaningful and special.

Passed from generation to generation, and a truth from the beginning of time is Pride–  self-centered egoism. It is the pre-mordial sin, and the seed of all other wrongs. It’s the belief that one must constantly seek pleasure, and do whatever one wants.  It’s all about me, myself and I. And,  it is totally destructive.

The idea of self-sacrifice is anathema, yet it is the foundation of real,true love.

It should be no surprise that most in all generations fail to appreciate the sacrifices of those who lost their lives fighting for our freedom, or take a highly indifferent attitude toward the spiritual, where the greatest story of sacrifice was told.

Mere recitation of the pledge is not enough. It is not some sort of cure-all. It is a problem that cuts much deeper; a problem of the heart.

Like the Star Spangled Banner at a baseball game, or prayer in school.

What about ” in sickness and in health?” Yes, marriage too and the promises that bind us are no longer seen as a commitment, but merely words.

Sickening, self-interested and self-centered behavior is rampant. And it is part of the human condition.

In the injury law business I get to see a lot of folks who sacrifice for others, and it is refreshing.

In fact, it is inspiring.

So while this blog may seem like a whole lot of bitching about the human condition, it is not. The fact is that, while none of us comes close to perfection in the self-sacrificial arena, many manage to do the job.  There are a lot of folks who get it right– at least some of the time.

The old move Brian’s Song about the Chicago Bear ( Brian Piccolo I believe), had it right–” I am third.”

Yet all of us at one time or another & to some degree or another, live our lives as if to say— “I am first.”

They don’t do a lot of things the way they used to, and when we can all do a better job at self-sacrifice, we will do things better, and really mean it.

Thanks for reading these  rambling thoughts.

More street-side philosophy from your local injury lawyer.

Keep your strength.

Charlie Donahue

injury lawyer

Have fun but be safe.

Independence Day might be a thing of the past if we, as a country, don’t get our act together.

I saw a great sign the other day.  It said: ” If you think you can trust big government, ask an Indian.”

Very true.

As an injury lawyer, one immersed in the workings of the law, I can tell you we are much better off with a smaller government, one much less powerful and corrupt.

I sense in our country a resurgence, an anger, and an unwillingness to accept the way things are being done by the politicians.

It’s about time.

Hopefully the politicians will get the message.

After all, it is supposed to be government of the people, by the people, and for the people—–  not of, by and for special interests.

Freedom is what made us great, and day by day we allow big government to take it away.

This 4th of July our Founding Fathers are rolling in their graves.

Better days are coming.

Keep your strength & keep the Faith.

Charlie Donahue

injury lawyer

I’ve seen him around town, but we’ve never talked before, and he couldn’t wait to tell me how he felt.

I figured he must have had a bad experience or been hearing the news about a local injury lawyer who is in the process of getting disbarred for taking advantage of a very seriously injured client.

That story would gag a maggot. The same joker got caught cheating in law school, got censured by the NH Supreme Court for lying to a judge, and, it has recently been recommended he be tossed from the profession for his lack of a moral compass.

Getting disbarred takes work. I mean you really need to be a bad actor.

I can’t blame folks for hating lawyers.

Sadly there are so many horror stories– usually involving greed or dishonesty.

The fellow at the golf course was really bitter, and I could not blame him one bit. I admire the fact he felt comfortable enough with me that he could tell me exactly how he felt. I appreciate his honesty, but it’s a shame because there are a lot of excellent, honest lawyers out there.

I’ve always run a clean shop.

Keep your strength.

Charlie Donahue

injury lawyer

That’s when a lawyer asks questions of the other side or its witnesses. They are taken under oath and in front of a stenographer, who transcribes the questions and answers. Its done at one of the lawyers’ offices, and is a very important part of the litigation.

For one thing it gives the lawyer an opportunity to check out/ eye-ball the witness, and to see how he or she responds to certain things. At all times a judgment is being made as to how a lawyer thinks a jury of 12 lay people will like the witness.

In the area of personal injury law, depositions are very important. They can make or break a personal injury case.

The other day I had a barn-burner.

I’m representing the victim of an auto accident. The fellow was creamed by a foreign fellow who was driving a commercial van for a big business. The guy was rushing, and driving too fast for the road conditions. He lost control and smashed my guy’s car causing him to suffer some pretty serious personal injuries, including fractured hips.

Rather than do the right thing and admit his carelessness, the other driver is trying to blame the road conditions. Worse yet, the company he works for and which is responsible for his actions under the theory of Master-Servant liability ( a company is responsible for the actions of its workers while on the job), is also trying to weasel out of responsibility.

Nothing makes me madder.

We are in suit and I have targeted the case for trial unless the wrongdoers come to terms with their responsibility— a position I made plenty clear at the deposition.

The company made 4 billion dollars in sales last year. Its CEO made 1 million dollars, as did its CFO!

When all is said and done it will rue the day it decided to play games with my client!

Thankfully we are entitled to a trial by jury, and I am entirely confident we will prevail, and that justice will be done.

Keep your strength.

I’ll try to keep mine.

Charlie Donahue

injury lawyer

“Let me give you a quick example of something that could happen to anyone with a dog. Say you are out walking your Pit Bull and a jogger comes by, but trips over the dog’s leash and falls. Ghost, your dog, barks a couple of times because when the jogger fell, he yanked Ghost’s leash hard, causing him to choke,” explained Charlie Donahue, a New Hampshire personal injury lawyer located in Keene. Donahue handles injury cases in New Hampshire and across the United States.

“Ghost, the very soul of discretion and joviality, took the incident in good humor and wagged his tail happily. The jogger on the other hand later claimed he’d fallen because Ghost lunged at him. Are you covered by the liability portion of your renter’s, condo or homeowner’s insurance? Maybe,” said Donahue.

The first question that a lot of people ask is why aren’t they covered? “Usually the answer has to do with the insurance company holding the policy for your residence. Many companies are not willing to provide liability coverage for a dog if they feel it has a history of past transgressions or they don’t like the breed. In this instance, the Pit Bull has a bad rep and the insurance company wouldn’t want to take that risk,” remarked Donahue.

Research shows that many carriers won’t write a residential insurance policy if the person applying has a dog (any breed) with a history of biting. Others carriers will issue a policy, but with an exclusion; the exclusion being any injuries caused by dangerous breeds such as wolf hybrids, Pit Bulls, Dobermans, Akitas, Boxers and other dogs with an attitude. In other words, it’s darn hard to find an insurance company that will include dog bite liability coverage in a residential insurance policy.

“This isn’t to say that you can’t find it, it’s just hard to find. It’s definitely something you need to know about if you happen to own one of the breeds insurance companies aren’t very fond of for various reasons. If all else fails, you might find an independent that could help you out,” Donahue suggested.

There are a number of people who conveniently forget to answer questions about their dog’s history or breed when they apply for insurance or are dealing with a renewal form. For some reason they figure avoiding the issue and the truth won’t make any difference later. Unfortunately, things just don’t work that way and if the carrier gets wind of the fact that an insured withheld information that would have disqualified them in the beginning, they will cancel the policy.

“That isn’t the only thing that could happen if you choose not to tell the company you have a dog. If they find out later when they are defending a dog related claim, they would have clear grounds to refuse to hire an attorney to defend a court action or pay a claim or adverse judgment,” outlined Donahue.

“Think you could handle a lawsuit on your own? You might want to give that some serious thought first, because it’s a proven fact that dog bites comprised about one-third of all homeowner claims, costing insurers a cool $356 million in 2007 alone. Add to that the fact that your average dog bite claim may run to about $25,000, a figure that creeps up every year. And, over 4.7 million people get bitten every year with close to 1 million needing medical attention,” Donahue added.

In a nutshell, there are other options for dog owners who have breeds that come with a questionable history, but the policy pricing tends to be fairly high. Foregoing insurance if the dog is known to have its moments isn’t a wise move. The choice is ultimately up to the owner, but having insurance is likely to be far less costly than a personal injury lawsuit settlement.

To learn more, visit http://www.donahuelawfirm.com.

After all, such highly charged topics could alienate somebody; make somebody mad. And, that somebody could be a potential client.

So, the conventional wisdom is to stay away from such topics, especially in a blog which is there for the public to see.

Well, I’ve spent almost 28 years throwing my first to conventional wisdom, and doing things my own way, and I’m not about to stop now.

This is my blog, and the beauty of that, is the freedom to do as I damn well please.

I decided from the start to talk about things that interested me, and that I wanted to share with my readers.

It has always been my view that I have nothing to hide, and I welcome folks to get to know me better.

An injury lawyer becomes a partner on your case. We’re in it together. The more we know about each other, the better.

Had I listened to conventional wisdom years ago I never would have opened my own law practice, and I’m convinced beyond any doubt that I would not have been anywhere near as successful as I am today.

I like being a bit of a rebel.

J. Fulton Sheen observed many years ago that dead bodies go with the flow.

Moreover, I truly believe that most folks want a lawyer who stands for something, and is not afraid to take a stance.

It is therefore my observation that the only prejudice the mainstream media tolerates is Anti-Christianity, particularly Roman Catholicism.

Not only is it allowed, the prejudice is encouraged.

There is hell to pay if anyone says anything against any other group, but as for these causes, it has been open-season.

The prejudice is palpable– and dead wrong.

We all have the right to practice our own faiths, and even a lack of faith, if we are so inclined. As Americans that is up to each of us. There must be tolerance for everybody’s right to practice what they want— period. That does not mean we need to accept as truth, or as moral equivalents everyone’s thoughts on the matter, because that would not make sense.

It is fine, and good, to listen to everyone with an opinion. At the end of the day that will only strengthen one’s own faith. It’s good to know the arguments. As in personal injury law, or any law for that matter, it is important to know all sides of an argument, issue or disagreement.

These days there is a misuse of the concept of tolerance.

It should never mean watering down of one’s own beliefs solely because somebody else has a differing view-point.

Live and let live. Or, as our license plates here in the Granite State of New Hampshire remind us: ” Live free or die!”

Thanks for listening/reading these thoughts.

Keep your strength, and have a great weekend!

Summer is here at long last.

Charlie Donahue

injury lawyer/ personal injury law

Most of us have been in a car accident or two or three over our lifetime. There are very few people, other than those who don’t drive, who can say they have never caused an accident or been in one. The interesting question when it comes to car accidents is, “Are car accidents really accidents or are they the result of just plain stupidity?”

Over the years that I have practiced personal injury law, I’ve seen an awful lot of things that would try the patience of a Saint. The things that people do in their cars just boggles the imagination. In fact, some of those things are so astounding it makes me wonder “why” people would do them in a moving vehicle in the first place. Cars don’t drive themselves and if you don’t control them, they control you.

Certainly people don’t get into a potentially deadly machine with the intention of getting into a crash. However, one wonders if they at times leave their brain cells in neutral while driving. While “you” may be a safe driver, that doesn’t mean the “other” person is, and that they aren’t doing something they shouldn’t either.

The examples I am going to mention in this article are cases that I have either handled or have heard about, and some of them will make you wonder how some of these people got driver’s licenses.

There was the case of the big rig driver who was watching an X-rated movie on his laptop computer while driving. He struck and killed a young mother and her child. There was one case involving a 20-year-old driver who was heading home after a long day at work. For some reason he decided to text while driving at highway speeds. He never saw the big rig that hit him head-on.

There was also the case of a teenager eating on his way back to school and trying to drive at the same time. He ran a red light and creamed the side of a TV news van, putting the driver into hospital. Along these same lines was the instance where a woman was trying to get a shoe off the floor of the driver’s side mat when she hit another vehicle and sent in into the oncoming lane of traffic. That vehicle flipped several times and killed all the occupants.

One of the more graphic cases I’ve ever heard about was the biker who zig zagged past a big rig and then abruptly cut back in front of him and jammed on the brakes because there was another car in the road. The trucker had no place else to go and couldn’t stop in time.

Think when you’re driving. It could save someone’s life, including your own.

Charlie Donahue is a New Hampshire personal injury lawyer located in Keene. Donahue handles injury cases in New Hampshire and across the United States. To learn more about New Hampshire injury attorney, Charlie Donahue, visit Donahuelawfirm.com.

More sadly, he has an Irish last name, as do I.

Most sadly is the fact some people might confuse us because of the Irish names.

I met a potential client today who told me about the confusion.

Well, I can assure all my readers, clients and friends that I am not that fellow; that I run a clean shop; and that I’ve been involved with injury law and personal injury cases for over 27 years with no end in sight.

If other injury lawyers conduct themselves in such a way as to mistreat their own clients that is their choice. As for me, my client’s best interests always come first— period.

Those who know me, and have dealt with me, know that I am not that other guy— never have been, never will be.

Keep your strength.

Charlie Donahue

personal injury lawyer