Sledding Safety for Kids

The snow is falling and your kid can't wait to go flying down a hill  on a sled. It is, after all, one of the great joys of winter—along with the hot cocoa that comes afterward. But a new study has found that too  many kids are traveling a slippery slope: More than 20,000 are treated  for sledding-related injuries each year, some of them serious. Remind your daredevil about these safety tips before he heads out:

Clear path

Make sure the hill—and the space at the bottom of it—is completely clear of trees, fences, utility poles, and other obstacles. "The vast majority of injuries, we found, are caused by collisions," says Lara  McKenzie, Ph.D., principal investigator at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital, in Columbus, OH, who led the sledding study. In fact, she adds, fractures were twice as  likely to result from banging into something than from falling off the  sled.

Consider a helmet 

The head was the most common area  of the body to get hurt—accounting for 34 percent of all sledding injuries. A helmet is not a must, McKenzie says, but think about it: If your child wears one for snowboarding, biking, and skateboarding, why not sledding, too?

Only one person per sled, please 

Unless the one you're riding on was actually designed for two, stick to one passenger per sled. If you've got a mass of kids clinging to one sled, the odds of someone getting thrown off, bumped, or worse go way up.

Take turns!

"The more people you have jetting down the same hill at once, the greater the chance of colliding with one of them—and that can be just as harmful as running into a tree," says McKenzie.

Get out of the way 

Make sure your child knows that once his run is done, he should quickly move to the side, out of the other sledders' way. Ideally, there will be one side of the hill for sledding down and another side for trudging  back up.

Don't rev up the experience 

"It was pretty surprising how many kids were out on sleds being pulled by a snowmobile or ATV," says McKenzie. "And that scenario accounted for a lot of cases in the emergency room." It may sound fun, she adds, "but it's not something you want to do."

Look who's talking about Ryan & Ryan's Customer Service this Month?

Closing done. E-mail approval worked.
Need to forward policy with transfer ASAP
Good job!
I must say that your team is good at their craft
Thank you!

Edward Ullmann, Owner
Wellness RX, LLC
High Falls, NY

Ryan & Ryan Insurance Broker Inc., Client of the Month for January 2015 ~ Finger Lakes Distilling

It must have been fate when Brian McKenzie and Earl McKenzie met, purely by coincidence, at a craft distillers conference. With the same last name, the same passion for craft spirits, and the same dream of opening a distillery, it is no wonder that these two men succeeded in creating a company as impressive as Finger Lakes Distilling, Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers’ Client of the Month for January.  Finger Lakes Distilling is located on the east shore of Seneca Lake in upstate New York.  Using locally sourced raw materials, a commitment to traditional methods and two copper stills, Finger Lakes Distilling produces some seriously good spirits.  Their products include rich, aged, sipping whiskeys, smooth vodka, unique gins, a range of exceptional liqueurs, and more.  

Brian McKenzie, a former Vice President of an upstate New York bank, met Bob Ryan, a classmate, at the National School of Banking in 2000. They hit it off right away and have stayed in touch throughout the years.  Brian credits Bob as a ‘great mentor’ and his ‘go-to-guy’ for insurance.  Brian left the banking industry in 2007, but when it came time to secure insurance for their distillery business, he knew who to call.  Brian states that “Ryan & Ryan has helped us out with our P&C, Liability, WC, and all necessary bonding for the business.”  It’s a relationship that Brian McKenzie values greatly and he is confident that Finger Lakes Distilling is in good hands when it comes to anything regarding insurance. Brian says that he has also built a great relationship with Jeanne Beck, as she is very responsive whenever something comes up and is always fun to work with.

If you are ever in the heart of Finger Lakes Wine Country, stop into Finger Lakes Distilling. They are open from 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily and visitors over 21 can legally try up to three samples from their full product line for a $3 fee.  From the tasting room you can see most of the the production area, patiently aging barrels of whiskey, and both of their copper stills. Their staff members are always happy to talk to you about the distillery, products, and processes as well as anything else you may be curious about.  The distillery store is located in the tasting room and offers a full line of spirits, as well as branded Finger Lakes Distilling merchandise, local artisan food products, and a variety of cocktail-related items. Be sure to also visit their website at  http://fingerlakesdistilling.com for more information about Finger Lakes Distilling.

Who's talking about Ryan & Ryan's customer service this month?

“In regard to the wind damage claim for Benkert Realty Inc., New York Mutual was very cooperative and fair in handling our claim.  Everything went well!  I am happy with your service and their service as well.”

Paul Benkert, President

Benkert Realty Inc.

Allways Moving & Storage

Allways Self Storage

The Pangburn Group LTD Acquisition

Liquor Liability Insurance

What is Liquor Liability Insurance and Why Do I Need it?

Any establishment that sells, serves, or assists in the purchase or use of liquor (i.e. dram shop) opens its doors for a liability claim as a consequence of someone getting drunk to the extent that injuries or property damages are the result. This includes restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and taverns. While it’s logical that the inebriated person should be the one to pay, in reality the business that served the alcohol could be liable for injuries, damages, or both that occurred as a result of actions, behaviors, or conduct of a patron who drank too much.

Take into Account the Following Scenarios

Liability claims made to a restaurant or bar as a result of damages or injuries caused by an intoxicated person can be quite costly. A common example of an alcohol-related claim occurs when an intoxicated patron leaves a bar, gets into his car, drives, and commits a vehicular manslaughter act. In this case, the victim’s family could now sue the bar for both civil and criminal damages. As another example, suppose at a catered event, a restaurant serves alcohol and two guests are subsequently involved in a fight, whereby serious injuries are incurred. These are just two of the many scenarios that can occur when a business that sells or serves alcohol may be held liable for the actions of the inebriated persons served.

Accordingly, it’s vital that if your establishment serves alcohol, you protect yourself from potential financial losses by being covered with a liquor liability policy. In the above examples, liquor liability insurance could help cover the bar’s legal costs, court fees, and any civil or criminal damages awarded.

Liquor Liability Insurance Policies

The terms surrounding of a liquor liability policy vary, but some commonalities ensue:

▪   Most states in the US require establishments that sell alcohol to carry liquor liability insurance.

▪   Most liquor liability insurance policies exclude the selling of alcohol illegally, such as selling liquor to a minor.

▪   Most liquor liability policies are sold as a stand alone policy or packaged with a general liability policy.

What Liquor Liability Insurance Covers

As might be expected, a good deal of alcohol-related liability claims filed against bars, taverns, and restaurants are a result of liquor-induced fights or altercations. In fact, the mere act of an employee escorting an unruly patron to the exit is frequently all that is necessary to trigger an assault and battery allegation. Therefore, assault and battery coverage should be included in your liquor liability policy. Lastly, litigation costs, including the fees to retain an attorney and court costs are covered under a liquor liability policy.

Take Appropriate Preventative Measures

Aside from investing in liquor liability insurance, establishments should be proactive in limiting their liquor-induced claims. From training employees to refuse serving alcohol to clearly intoxicated persons to requiring strict measuring of mixed drinks to encouraging designating drivers or taxi use, you can reduce your chances of having to deal with a liquor liability claim by implementing and enforcing safe alcohol serving practices.