Uncategorized Archives - Anthony Greer

How Legal Blogs Can Educate and Empower Clients

Legal blogs help people understand the complexities of the law. By making this information accessible, your potential clients become more informed about what to expect and appreciate why they need to hire you over someone else or defend themselves.

Here’s how else having a legal blog can help your clients:

1. Legal Blogs Keep Things Current

Laws and regulations are constantly evolving. Legal blogs help people stay informed about these changes by providing timely updates on new laws, court decisions, and regulatory clients. Just six weeks ago, the FTC banned noncompetes. If you specialize in business law, you’ll likely have clients needing this information.

Keeping your audience up-to-date is invaluable. It helps your readers remain compliant and aware of their rights, so they can confidently navigate the shifting legal landscape.

2. Build Trust and Credibility

Earning your audience’s trust is always important — especially regarding legal matters. Legal blogs allow you to showcase your expertise and credibility. By freely sharing your knowledge and insights through blog posts, you demonstrate your commitment to client education and empowerment.

Also, when a client reads a well-crafted, easy-to-understand blog post about a legal issue they’re struggling with, they’ll know they’ll be in capable hands if they select you to take their case.

3. Offer Practical Advice and Tips

Legal blogs offer valuable information that clients can apply to their situations, like what to do if you’re in a pedestrian accident or what to expect when in traffic court. These tips give clients actionable insights if they find themselves in these situations, which can make all the difference when trying to win a case.

4. Encourage Engagement

Legal blogs often encourage engagement through comments, social media shares, and direct inquiries. This interaction allows clients to ask questions, seek clarification, and discuss their legal concerns. Not only will your audience appreciate your personalized responses — they’ll know who to turn to when it comes time to hire an attorney.

For instance, a startup may need help determining whether they should form an LLP or an S corp. By writing about the benefits of each, the business owners can make a better-informed decision. Then, when they’re ready to select a business entity, they’ll know to come to you to draft vital legal documentation, like an operating agreement.

5. Apply Real-World Scenarios

People learn by example. A legal blog allows you to share case studies and real-world examples to illustrate how laws are applied in practical scenarios. By providing tangible context, your audience will better understand how legal principles play out in real life.

For example, you may highlight a case study of a small business navigating Chapter 11 proceedings when writing a blog post about bankruptcy law. Instead of telling readers how Chapter 11 works, you’ll show them the journey the small business took and give your audience someone to visualize. Laws are often dense and difficult to understand, so providing tangible examples will offer your readers something to connect with.

Seattle Legal Blogs with AWC

81% of people research legal services online before contacting an attorney. Starting and maintaining a legal blog can make sure they’re finding you.

Are you ready to save time, increase visibility, and grow your legal blog? Let’s talk content today!

How Does an LLP (Limited Liability Partnership) Work?

Limited liability partnerships (LLPs) are legal business structures commonly formed by medical practices, law firms, and other licensed partnerships—and for good reason: They assume limited risks and have the potential for great rewards.

Here’s everything you should know about LLPs in Washington State, including how they work, their pro and cons, and how they differ from other legal business entities:

How Does an LLP Work?

An LLP is a form of general partnership. Like general partnerships, an LLP must consist of at least two partners. Unlike general partnerships, the partners decide the amount of control each has and the amount of proceeds they retain.

LLPs have the flexibility of a limited liability company (LLC). They’re usually member-managed so that they can decide on their management structure.

Depending on how you draft your partnership agreement, one, some, or all of the partners can be responsible for the company’s day-to-day operations. The same goes for making almost all major decisions for the company. The only decisions they can’t make are those that involve changes to the partnership agreement, which require all partners’ approval.

The Limited Liability Partnership Agreement

A partnership agreement is a legal document that shares much in common with an LLC’s operating agreement. We cannot stress enough how critical the document is and that you should work with a business law attorney when drafting one.

Your partnership agreement outlines how you’ll run your LLP, including your rules, regulations, and liabilities. It also exists to resolve any legal or financial disputes. Without it, the courts may make critical decisions for you, and a judge’s ruling might not be in your, your partners, or your LLP’s best interests.

Your partnership agreement clearly outlines several key elements of your partnership, including:

Division of ownership
Membership responsibilities
Profit distribution
Dispute resolution procedures
Protocols for partnership selling or dissolution

Before signing, you and all of your partners should agree on and clearly understand how your partnership agreement works. Once signed, you can make changes when all partners approve of them.

Protections Provided to LLPs

In an LLP, you are not responsible for any tortious damages other partners commit.

Every partner has limited personal liability for the debts they may accrue. However, if you enter into a contractual agreement that makes you personally responsible for your LLP’s debts, you can be held accountable, depending on the terms.

LLPs also offer partners limited liability when they are actively involved in managing the business. Suppose a court finds that partners are improperly distributing funds or are trying to defraud creditors. In that case, they may disregard an LLP’s liability protection and rule that they must return funds to the creditors. The criteria for such actions are determined case-by-case based on state law.

LLP Benefits

Here are a few reasons why licensed professionals and other business owners prefer LLPs:

Reduced Liability Exposure

If one of your partners fails to exercise reasonable care in their professional duties or adequately oversee their employees, you won’t be liable for any injuries or expenses. You’re also not responsible for any debts another partner owes or any wrongdoings they commit.

For example, you and your partner, Eric, run a private practice. Eric neglects to read a patient’s chart and prescribes that patient something that contains an ingredient to which they’re highly allergic, causing them to spend a few days in the hospital. Eric is personally liable. You are not.

Experience Economies of Scale

Along with limited personal liability protection, the LLP framework enables professionals to minimize costs associated with expenses like staff, rent, and equipment. Being part of a more prominent organization also gives you access to vital business elements that may currently be beyond your reach, like lead generation strategies, marketing outreach, and enhanced branding.

Flexible Partner Roles

LLPs give you operational flexibility. You and your partners can hire someone to manage day-to-day operations or take that task on yourselves. You can also divide responsibilities based on your skill sets and personal interests. Whatever you decide, clearly outline it in your partnership agreement.

LLPs are Easy to Form

In Washington State, any business with two or more partners can become an LLP. All you have to do is meet the basic requirements outlined in the Limited Liability Partnership Registration form and pay the filing fee.

These requirements include:

The name of your LLP (which must contain the words “Limited Liability Partnership” or an abbreviation thereof)
Effective date of formation
Principal place of business address
Number of partners in your LLC and their names, addresses, and signatures
Your registered agent’s name and address
A brief statement about what your partnership does

You should also include your limited liability partnership agreement.

Enjoy Pass-Through Taxation

Corporations experience “double taxation.” LLPs do not.

Corporations pay taxes on their profits. Then, their shareholders pay taxes on the distributions they receive.

LLPs are “pass-through entities,” meaning federal tax laws don’t tax them as separate entities. The LLP itself doesn’t pay taxes on its profits. Instead, profits and losses are “passed through” to the partners, who then report their shares on their individual tax returns. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act also allows pass-through entities to deduct up to 20% of their business income from their federal taxes.

LLP Drawbacks

No legal business structure is perfect. Here’s what you should know about LLPs:

Limited Liability Has Limits

Liability isn’t absolute. You’re responsible for your own negligence and wrongdoings. If you don’t exercise reasonable care or fail to oversee your employees adequately, you may be personally liable for any costs or injuries.

If you enter into personal guarantees or other contractual agreements stating that you’re personally responsible for the debts your LLPs accrue, you’re liable for those, too.

State Laws Vary

In Washington State, any business with two or more partners can become an LLP. Other states have different laws; some may not recognize LLPs as valid legal business entities. Do your research if you intend to move your principal place of business because you may find yourself trying to abide by multiple, sometimes conflicting, sets of regulations.

LLP vs LLC: What’s the Difference?

LLPs and LLCs share many similarities. Here’s where they differ:

Business Structure:

LLP owners are called “partners,” and there must be two or more.
LLC owners are called “members.” LLCs can consist of one or more members

Liability Protection:

LLP partners usually aren’t personally liable for the overall partnership’s obligations and debts. However, there are exceptions, like professional negligence or malpractice.
LLC members aren’t personally liable for the business’s obligations and debts unless they fail to maintain the LLC’s separate legal stature or in cases of personal wrongdoing.

Taxation:

LLPs are usually taxed as pass-through entities.
LLCs can be taxed as sole proprietorships, partnerships, or corporations, depending on the number of members and their preferred taxation treatment.

Legal Status:

Not every state recognizes LLPs as legal business entities. Some states have specific, sometimes conflicting regulations.
Every state recognizes LLCs as legal business entities.

LLPs vs General Partnerships and Limited Partnerships

There’s more than one way to form a partnership. Here’s how general and limited partnerships (LPs) compare to LLPs.

General Partnerships

General partnerships are business structures in which two or more partners form a business together. Each partner shares profits, losses, responsibilities, and liabilities in a general partnership.

The main difference between general partnerships and LPs and LLPs is their unlimited personal liability. Each partner is personally liable for the business’s debts and responsibilities. You and your partners are individually and collectively liable. If one of your partners is negligent in paying their share of the debt, it falls to everyone else to pay for it. Otherwise, creditors can go after everyone’s personal assets, not just the assets of the negligent partner.

Limited Partnerships

Limited partnerships consist of one or more general partners and one or more limited partners. General partners make decisions, manage the business, and are personally liable for the partnership’s debts and responsibilities.

Limited partners contribute capital to the partnership but aren’t involved in the decision-making or management processes. They also have limited liability, so they’re only personally liable for the amount they invest in the business. Unlike general partners, their personal assets are protected.

Should You Form an LLP?

LLPs are typically the best legal business structures for you if you need a license to do business and your state recognizes them as business entities. You’ll enjoy LLPs’ many benefits, like pass-through taxation and economies of scale, without the downsides of other business structures, such as double taxation and unlimited liability.

Consult with a business law attorney before you start to make sure it’s the right decision for you. Your attorney can guide you through the LLP formation process and draft a legally sound partnership agreement that clearly outlines each partner’s roles, responsibilities, and liabilities. By having a solid legal foundation for your business, you can grow your partnership with confidence and peace of mind.

How to Maximize Your Business By Forming An S Corp

If you run a small business with 100 or fewer shareholders, consider forming an S corp (or S Corporation). An S corp is a tax classification that can save you money as you grow your business.

Like limited liability companies (LLCs), S corps are pass-through entities, meaning you don’t pay corporate taxes. Instead, S corps can pass corporate credits, deductions, income, and losses to their shareholders for federal tax purposes.

However, S corps aren’t suitable for everyone. Before you elect to become one, here’s what you should know:

What are Corporations?

Corporations are business entities that have directors, officers, and shareholders, and each has a role to play:

Directors make major decisions, oversee company strategy, and represent shareholder interests
Officers run the day-to-day operations
Shareholders own stock in the business

Corporations are legally separate from their shareholders, so you’re not personally liable for the company’s debts if you’re a shareholder. Instead, your liability is limited to your investment.

Corporations also have specific legal obligations, like conducting regular meetings and stringent record-keeping. Other business structures, like LLCs and sole proprietorships, don’t require this.

What is an S Corp?

S corps get their name from Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. While S corps fall under the corporate business entity umbrella, they’re exempt from paying federal corporate income taxes. Instead, you get taxed on the income you receive from dividends at the individual level based on your marginal income tax rate.

If you’re an S corp shareholder meeting specific criteria, you can offset corporate losses with income you receive from other sources on your personal tax return. C corp shareholders lack this tax benefit. They have to pay personal income tax on dividends at their marginal tax rate after the corporation’s profits are taxed at the corporate rate (a.k.a. “double taxation”).

Requirements for Forming an S Corp

To qualify, you have to submit Form 2553, Election by a Small Business Corporation with all your shareholders’ signatures. You must also:

Be a domestic corporation
Be an eligible corporation*
Have 100 shareholders or fewer
Have only one class of stock
Only have allowable shareholders (e.g., individuals, estates, certain trusts)

*You cannot form an S corp if you’re an insurance company, a domestic international sales corporation, or certain financial institutions.

Pros and Cons of S Corporations

S corps come with several benefits and drawbacks. Let’s start with the benefits:

S Corp Benefits

Pass-through taxation: S corps don’t have to pay federal taxes at the corporate level, which can save you a lot of money. Newer companies, in particular, can benefit from this.
Personal tax benefits: As an S corp owner, you can reduce your personal income tax burden. You can also decrease your self-employment tax liability by receiving income as a salary or dividends.
Reduced Social Security and Medicare taxes: If you’re an S corp owner who is also an employee, you pay taxes based on your compensation rather than on the company’s net earnings.
Limited personal liability: Shareholders can’t be held personally liable for the S corporation’s actions. Your personal assets are protected if the S corp files for bankruptcy or has creditors looking to collect.
Dividend benefits: If you’re a shareholder and an employee, you can receive tax-free corporate dividends based on your stock basis (your initial invested value). If your dividends exceed this, the excess gets taxed as capital gains, which is still typically lower than the ordinary income tax rate.
Asset transfers, simplified: Avoid adverse tax outcomes and convoluted accounting requirements when transferring interests or adjusting your property bases.
Bolstered credibility: Having an S corp is like having a status symbol in the business world, and it can boost credibility with clients, investors, vendors, and employees.

S Corp Drawbacks

Time-consuming filing process: You can’t elect to become an S corp overnight. As the business owner, you must file your Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State, select a registered agent, appoint a board of directors to govern your company, hold regular meetings, and keep records of your meeting minutes.
Startup and recurring fees: Forming and maintaining an S corporation isn’t free. Depending on your location and industry, you’ll have to pay incorporation fees, annual report fees, and other miscellaneous fees.
Growth limitation: S corps must have 100 shareholders or fewer. If you’re growing rapidly and want to attract venture capital and more prominent investors, you may find yourself stifled.
Strict distribution rules: As an S corp, you lack flexibility when allocating profits and losses to shareholders. Your distributions are tied to the number of shares or owner percentage of each individual shareholder.
Increased admin burdens: S corps have more requirements than partnerships and LLCs to remain compliant, including annual board and shareholder meetings.
Increased IRS Scrutiny: Before making any distributions, you must pay your shareholder-employees a reasonable salary. The IRS pays close attention to this because S corps can categorize salaries as corporate distributions to evade payroll taxes.
Risk of removal: If your S corp fails to distribute profits and losses properly or has other noncompliance issues, like errors in filing requirements, elections, stock ownership, etc., the IRS may revoke your Subchapter S status.

How to Start an S Corp

Forming an S Corp may seem like a straightforward process, but we strongly recommend working with a business attorney to make sure you’ve done everything right.

1. Select Your Business Name

Start by conducting a business name search on your Secretary of State’s website and county clerks’ offices. If you plan to do business in other states, visit their respective Secretary of States’ websites as well.

When choosing a name, you must include “corporation,” “incorporated,” “inc.,” or an abbreviation thereof.

2. Apply for Your Employee ID Number (EIN)

The IRS requires businesses that operate as corporations to have an EIN. An EIN is a nine-digit number assigned to your business for tax purposes. You can apply for one online.

3. Choose Your Registered Agent

Your registered agent is a person or business entity responsible for receiving your S corp’s legal and financial documentation. They must have a physical address in the state where you’re forming your LLC, not just a P.O. Box.

After you form your S corporation, your registered agent’s address becomes public. If you’re concerned about sharing your personal information with the world, you can use a commercial registered agent service instead.

4. Register Your Business as a Corporation

To legally incorporate your business, file your Articles of Incorporation with your state. While not required, you should also have an operating agreement. We strongly recommend working with a business attorney on both of these documents. If there are any errors or the terms and conditions are unclear, member disputes can wreak havoc on your business — especially when the courts end up making decisions for you.

5. Obtain S Corp Status

Once registered as a corporation, you must file Form 2553, Election by a Small Business Corporation (as mentioned in the requirement section of this article) with the IRS. Upon approval, you now have an S corp!

Alternatives to S Corps

S corps have many advantages but are only one of several legal business structures. Here are a few others that might be a better fit:

LLCs

An LLC is a business structure, whereas an S corp is a type of tax classification. Both LLCs and S corps enjoy limited liability protection and pass-through taxation.

LLCs enjoy more operational and profit distribution flexibility than S corps. Still, S corps have more tax benefits, like allowing owners to be paid a salary and receive dividends, which can reduce their self-employment taxes.

Unlike S corps, where ownership is represented through stock shares, LLC owners are called “members.” LLCs can be member-managed or manager-managed, depending on the operating agreement. These are just a few of the differences between LLCs and S corps.

Sole Proprietorship

You and your business are considered the same entity in a sole proprietorship. It is easy to set up, and you’ll have operational autonomy because you’re the only one in the business.

While you’ll enjoy the same tax benefits as an LLC, you’re personally liable for anything that happens to your business. While S corporations cost time and money to set up, the tax benefits, liability protection, and enhanced credibility are often worth it.

Partnerships

A general partnership is like a sole proprietorship but consists of two or more individuals or entities. Each partner shares in your business’s profits, losses, and management. You are also personally liable for the debts and obligations of your partnership (unless you form a limited liability partnership).

Is Starting an S Corp Right For You?

Forming an S corp is a huge decision that can have a short- and long-term impact on your business going forward. You’ll enjoy many benefits as a corporation without experiencing double taxation. However, the limited number of shareholders allowed can bring a fast-growing company to a halt.

Whether you select an S corp as your tax classification or opt for something else, make sure your contracts are legally sound. At Exordium Law, we understand Washington’s legal complexities. We’re here to guide you through every phase of business growth while providing the legal guidance you need to thrive. Let’s work together to lay a strong legal groundwork for your business.

Forming an LLC: What Business Owners Need to Know

Whether you’re starting a new company or have been at it for a while, selecting a limited liability company (LLC) as your business structure could be a smart move. LLCs combine a corporation’s liability protection with a sole proprietorship’s operational flexibility. Plus, they come with excellent tax benefits.

However, forming an LLC can be deceptively complicated. The steps are easy to follow, but to ensure you’re fully protected, you should hire a business attorney to draft the paperwork on your behalf.

Before we get there, let’s break down what an LLC is and if it’s the right business structure for you.

Understanding LLCs

LLC managers and members enjoy many key benefits other business structures offer. LLCs provide limited liability protection, so if your business goes into debt or you get sued, you typically won’t risk losing your personal assets, like your house or car. They also let you choose from numerous ownership arrangements and decision-making processes, so you’re not as constricted as you would be if you were running a corporation.

LLCs don’t have an official tax designation and can be taxed as sole proprietorships, partnerships, S corporations, or C corporations.

Forming an LLC

Here’s the step-by-step process of forming an LLC:

1. Getting Your Business Name

Once you decide on your organization’s name, conduct a business entity search on your state’s government website. Since you’re forming an LLC, you must include Limited Liability Company, LLC, or another accepted version of this in your name.

If your desired business name is available, you can reserve it for $30 ($20 if you’re a nonprofit organization) while you get the rest of your paperwork in order. You can also register a Doing Business As (DBA) name for $5.

2. Select Your Registered Agent

A registered agent is whoever will receive your LLC’s legal and financial documentation. They can be a person or business entity, but they must have a physical address in the state where you’re forming your LLC. Having a P.O. Box in the state alone won’t be enough.

You can be your own registered agent, but be aware that your registered agent’s address becomes public knowledge after you form your LLC. If you’re concerned about sharing your personal information with the world, you can use a commercial registered agent service instead.

3. File Your Articles of Organization

The Articles of Organization are the legal documents you must file with the Secretary of State when forming your LLC. They may sound intimidating, but most of the information required is pretty straightforward, including items such as:

Your organization’s name and address
Your registered agent’s name and address
The names and contact information of your LLC’s organizer and officers
Your annual report contact information
Your organizer’s name and signature

4. Draft Your Operation Agreement

An operating agreement is like your organization’s constitution. Washington State businesses aren’t required to have an operating agreement because this agreement may be verbal or implied. However, creating one is strongly recommended — even if you’re the only member of your LLC.

Your operating agreement outlines your LLC’s rules, regulations, and liabilities. If your LLC ever encounters a legal or financial dispute, this document can help resolve it. Without it, the courts may make critical decisions for you, and a judge’s ruling might not be in your or your LLC’s best interests.

An operating agreement answers vital questions like:

What are your liability clauses?
How are profits and losses divided?
Who has voting rights?
What are members’ powers and responsibilities?
How are new members inducted?

Operating agreements also outline a plan for dissolving the LLC. It never hurts to have a plan in case the business goes under, or you and your members decide on a new venture.

5. Pay Your Annual Fees

After forming an LLC, you must remain in good standing by filing your annual report, which is similar to your Articles of Organization. In many cases, all you have to do is verify that your contact information is up to date and pay the annual fee. However, you may be required to inform shareholders and other interested parties about your company’s activities during the year in question and provide details about your LLC’s performance.

6. Additional Items to Consider

In addition to everything mentioned above, certain occupations and municipalities may require specific permits, licenses, and registration forms. Check your local government website to figure out what you need.

If your LLC offers a taxable service or retail component, you’ll also need a Sales and Use Tax Permit.

Benefits of Forming an LLC

LLCs come with numerous perks. Here are a few:

Limited Personal Liability

We can’t stress enough how important this is. Properly drafted LLCs legally separate you and your business so that your organization’s debts don’t become yours. If you get sued or file bankruptcy, your personal assets are protected.

Tax Advantages

Single-member LLCs (SMLLCs) are designated as a disregarded entity. Simply put, the IRS “disregards” the organization’s separate existence, so you report your business’s income and expenses on your personal tax return, much like a sole proprietor.

LLCs with two or more members can choose pass-through taxation or corporate taxation. Pass-through taxation prevents you from paying taxes twice — once on your LLC’s profits and again on the profits you receive as an individual member. Corporate taxation can reduce your overall tax liability depending on your LLC’s income level and other factors.

Operational Flexibility

LLCs can be “member-managed” or “manager-managed,” meaning that the members can run it themselves or hire a manager to handle daily operations. These designations give some members the option to be less involved than others.

LLCs aren’t bound by strict profit distribution requirements. While corporations distribute profits according to the number and types of shares shareholders hold, LLCs can select a distribution structure that works best for them. For example, if one member does twice the work of the other, they can opt for a two-to-one split.

Also, record-keeping requirements are less strict for LLCs than for corporations, making it easier for you to focus on your business’s objectives.

Drawbacks of Forming an LLC

The pros of LLCs usually outweigh the cons, but here are a few you should be aware of:

LLC Dissolution

In theory, corporations can exist forever. However, an LLC may be dissolved if a member files for bankruptcy or passes away. In Washington State, your LLC’s operating agreement usually determines what happens under these circumstances. If it’s not clearly addressed, state law governs.

Risk of Misunderstandings

If your operating agreement fails to outline member roles and responsibilities clearly, there’s potential for confusion later. The end result can be a nightmare for organizations, especially when there’s a lack of transparency around items such as capital contribution requirements and profit distribution agreements.

Incorrect Taxation

Regarding taxes, LLCs can select which business structure works best for them. However, you can also select a structure that requires you to pay more than you should. Consult a business attorney or tax professional to determine which structure you should opt for based on your situation.

LLCs vs Sole Proprietors

	LLCs	Sole Proprietors
Personal liability protection	Yes	No
Tax options	Can be considered a disregarded entity or opt for pass-through taxation or corporate taxation	Considered a disregarded entity
Operational flexibility	Yes	Yes
Legal structure	Establishes a separate legal entity distinct from its owners	The owner operates the business as an individual
Compliance requirements	Requires Articles of Organization; We wrongly recommend drafting an operating agreement	No
Organization continuity	Can exist in perpetuity based on what’s outlined in the operation agreement	Ceases to exist upon incapacity or death of the owner

Who Should Form an LLC?

Every organization is different, and while LLCs are excellent options for many businesses, there may be better options for you. Here are a few of the many scenarios where you’ll typically benefit from forming an LLC:

Entrepreneurs, freelancers, and consultants: LLCs let you separate your business and personal assets if someone gets hurt or sues your organization.
Startup owners: LLCs provide startups with the operational flexibility they need as they expand and grow. In some cases, it’s advantageous to restructure into an S corp, but until you reach that bridge, forming an LLC is typically the way to go.
Rental property owners: Like startups, rental property owners often benefit from the ability to expand and grow as an LLC. However, remember that you’ll also require other safeguards, like rental property insurance.

Hiring a Business Law Expert When Forming an LLC

Forming an LLC can be one of the best business decisions you ever make, so long as your business contracts are legally sound.

At Exordium Law, we’re here to guide you through every phase of business growth while providing you with the legal guidance you need to thrive. Don’t wait until it’s too late to resolve a member dispute. Address problems before they become problems by partnering with an expert who knows the law. Let’s work together to build a solid legal foundation for your business.

What Should You Do If You’re in a Pedestrian Accident?

When a pedestrian collides with a motor vehicle, the pedestrian loses.

Roughly 5,500-6,000 pedestrians are killed in traffic accidents every year
Pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than vehicle occupants to be killed in a car crash
Almost half of crashes that result in a pedestrian death are alcohol-related

Pedestrian accidents are often harsh reminders of the vulnerability we face on the streets. You may be lucky enough to walk away with just a few bruises, but some victims of pedestrian accidents experience life-altering impairments or fatal injuries.

Drivers have a responsibility to be aware of their surroundings. If the accident is due to another party’s recklessness or carelessness, you deserve to get the maximum compensation.

Here’s what you should do after being in a pedestrian accident, common injuries you should look out for, and how an attorney can help.

What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident

Getting hit by a motor vehicle or witnessing a loved one in a traffic accident is a very traumatic experience. Along with physical injuries, you’re probably going to feel emotional and psychological distress. It’ll be hard to think straight, but what you do next is crucial.

1. Seek Medical Attention

The shock and adrenaline from the accident mask injuries. Even seemingly minor collisions can result in lingering or serious injuries. If you feel dazed or experience a loss of consciousness, you could be dealing with a concussion or closed head injury. A timely medical evaluation is imperative to address potential cognitive or behavioral damages.

2. Document the Scene

If it’s safe to do so, take photos of the damage and gather contact information from anyone who witnessed the accident. Detailed notes about the incident, including time, location, and any hazardous conditions, can be valuable documentation.

3. Call the Police

Accidents can blur memory, so you may not be able to recall every detail of the incident accurately. To the best of your ability, tell the officer who arrives at the scene exactly what happened. Avoid speculation and stick to the facts. Don’t get frustrated or lose your temper if the officer asks clarifying questions. They are just trying to understand what happened.

If the officer asks if you are injured, say that you are not sure. The shock and adrenaline from the accident may not have worn off yet, and you may feel injuries after.

4. Exchange Relevant Information

Get contact information from other persons involved in the accident, including:

Names
Phone numbers
Insurance companies
License plate
Make and model of the vehicle(s)

5. Contact Your Insurance Company

Even as a pedestrian, most car insurance policies will cover you. Promptly file a medical or disability claim after your accident to help ensure your insurance provider will adequately handle your case.

6. Contact Your Attorney

Do not leave your well-being solely in the hands of your insurance company. While they may offer you a settlement, they often undervalue damages. Once they settle your claim, it’s challenging to revisit for additional compensation, even if your injuries worsen over time. A pedestrian attorney can help you get the financial compensation you deserve.

Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries

Even if you are lucky enough to survive a collision with a motor vehicle, there’s no shortage of potential injuries you may experience. The most common injuries include:

Broken bones and orthopedic injuries
Crushed or amputated limbs
Internal bleeding
Several internal and soft tissue damage
Traumatic brain injuries
Spinal cord injuries
Extreme lacerations and disfigurement

If you’re experiencing any of these, contact a medical professional and your attorney immediately.

How a Seattle Pedestrian Accident Attorney Can Help

Pedestrian accidents can result in serious, often life-changing consequences. From physical injuries to emotional turmoil, the aftermath can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, it’s very common for victims to find themselves grappling with medical bills, lost income, post-traumatic stress, and permanent disabilities resulting from the accident.

As passionate advocates with your best interests in mind, we’re committed to tirelessly fighting for your rights and securing the maximum compensation you deserve. Your well-being is our top priority, and we’ll be by your side throughout the journey, offering guidance and support every step of the way.

Active vs Passive Voice: How to Engage Your Audience

Which sentence sounds better:

I grabbed the mug.
The mug was grabbed by me.

The odds are that you picked option #1. “I grabbed the mug” is written in an active voice, while “The mug was grabbed by me” conveys the same idea but in a passive voice.

You should usually write web copy, blog posts, and other marketing materials in an active voice. This improves clarity and keeps your readers engaged.

Here’s everything you should know about active vs passive voice, including their benefits and when to use them:

Understanding Active Voice

When the subject of a sentence does the action conveyed by the verb, you’re using active voice. In other words, the order of the sentence is subject-verb-object. I (subject) grabbed (verb) the mug (object).

Here are a few other examples:

Ashley went to the store. Subject = Ashley. Verb = went. Object = The Store.
Carlos threw the baseball. Subject = Carlos. Verb = threw. Object = The baseball.

However, it’s not always quite that simple. For example:

Learn how to engage your audience.

The subject of this sentence is you, even though you aren’t in the sentence. The verb is learn, and the object is how to engage your audience. How to engage your audience is technically a complete object, but that’s a grammar lesson for another day.

Understanding Passive Voice

Passive voice occurs when the subject of a sentence receives the action of the verb, hence the term “passive.” The subject isn’t actively doing something; something’s being done to them. Passive voice focuses on a verb-object relationship. Grabbed is still the verb, and the mug is still the object, but I didn’t actively grab it. It was grabbed by me.

Here’s a visual representation to help you understand the difference:

I grabbed the mug.

In this clip, I’m actively grabbing the mug.

The mug was grabbed by me.

I’ve already grabbed the mug in this picture, so the action isn’t taking place. You’ve already missed it. I’m telling you that I’ve already grabbed the mug, rather than showing you the action of me grabbing the mug. Sorry!

Here are a few other examples of passive voice:

The store was gone to by Ashley.
The baseball was thrown by Carlos.

No actions here! Ashley and Carlos already performed them.

To recap, here’s the difference between active vs. passive voice:

If the subject is doing something, you’re using an active voice.
If something is being done to your subject, that’s passive voice.

Active vs Passive Voice: The Benefits

To enjoy the benefits of both voice types, here’s when you should use them…

Active Voice

Engage Readers: Active voice keeps the focus on the action. It shows you what’s happening rather than telling you it’s happened. It feels more immediate and, therefore, more engaging.
Clarity: Active voice tends to be more straightforward because it eliminates ambiguity. If I said the mug was picked up, instead of The mug was picked up by me, you wouldn’t know who picked the mug up. It could’ve been you, me, Ashley, Ryan Gosling, Karen from finance — anyone!
Directness: Sentences are shorter in active voice, which is great for conveying important information. I grabbed the mug is four words, and you know exactly what I did. The mug was grabbed by me is six words. You still know what I did, but it took you longer to get there. We live in the age of scrolling. Be concise.

Passive Voice

Focus on the Object: If you want to focus more on the object of the sentence rather than the subject, you can use passive voice. Is “the mug” more important than “me?” If it’s 8 a.m. and that mug has coffee in it, probably!
Formal Writing: If you’re writing technical manuals, scientific reports, or legal documents, passive voice may make more sense. Passive voice conveys information without attributing actions to specific individuals. The mug was grabbed. By whom? Not important!
Avoid Responsibility: What if you spilled the coffee, and now there’s none left for anyone in your office? That would suck! You don’t want to get blamed for that. Instead of writing a message stating You spilled the coffee, you could say, The coffee was spilled. Ashley, get more from the store before coming in. K, thanks!

Active vs Passive Voice: Final Thoughts

Usually, you want to use an active voice in your writing, but passive voice has its benefits, too. Want to learn more about the differences between active vs passive voice? Here’s an awesome academic guide.

And if you don’t give a damn about the differences between them and just want to save time, increase visibility, and get your marketing done, check out the content creation package. All of your primary marketing channels are covered with one simple plan. All you’ll have to do is copy and paste!

Content Marketing for Small Businesses: Is It Still Worth It?

Short answer: Yes.

Content marketing for small businesses is more important than ever before:

54% of businesses will increase their content marketing budgets in 2024
Businesses that make blogging a main priority are 13x more likely to see a positive ROI
75% of us use social media when researching brands

As consumers, we’re overwhelmed. There’s content everywhere we go — and most of it sucks! And because it sucks, you have a unique advantage: the chance to infuse your brand with personality, passion, and purpose.

Let’s dive into what content marketing for small businesses should look like and the benefits you’ll reap when you do it well:

Content Marketing for Small Businesses

Believe it or not, content marketing isn’t about persuading someone to buy your product or service. It’s about sharing educational, entertaining, and engaging content that exemplifies you as a thought leader and strengthens the relationship between your brand and your audience. When your connections transcend transactions, you’re on the right track.

It’s also easier said than done, and there’s a lot of competition out there, and a lot of it is bigger and louder than you are.

Luckily, that doesn’t matter nearly as much as you may think…

How to Break Through the Noise

How do you make your voice heard when everyone is vying for attention? It’s not about being the loudest; it’s about being consistent.

Be consistent in your message, authenticity, and when and how often you post. When creating something, ask yourself: What do I want my audience to get from this, and is it relevant to them? You should also be consistent in your follow-through.

Being consistent makes you dependable, and being dependable makes you trustworthy. When you establish trust, you don’t have to worry about making your voice heard. Your audience will be listening for it.

Content Marketing Benefits:

When you’re consistent in your content marketing, here are some of the benefits you’ll enjoy:

Forge Authentic Relationships

When crafting compelling content, you’re also shaping perceptions, sparking conversations, and (hopefully) forging genuine connections with your audience. Blogs, social media, and newsletters shouldn’t be forms of one-way communication. They exist to open a dialogue with your audience and build relationships with them.

Increased Organic Traffic:

Paid ads can give you a boost, but it comes at a price. No, literally. They cost you money. Also, when they’re gone, they’re gone. Organic traffic won’t give you instant gratification, but it’s free and pays in perpetuity.

Organic traffic is when people find your website through natural search engine results, like Google. It’s free, and when it ranks high on a search engine query, it signals to users that the information is authoritative and relevant.

Scalability

Organic traffic generates a higher volume of quality leads, catalyzing scalability. It’s simple math: When you have more people interested in your products or services, you’ll have a greater opportunity to grow and hire more people and/or free up time by outsourcing tasks you don’t need to do.

Is Content Marketing Still Worth It?

Long answer: Yes.

Content marketing gives you a competitive advantage, creates and strengthens relationships, cost-effectively increases your visibility, and helps you scale your business.

So yeah, I’d say it’s worth it. It’s just difficult and time-consuming.

However, it doesn’t have to be difficult and time-consuming for you. Do you want to save time, increase visibility, and get your marketing done? Check out my content creation package page, or send me a message!

Content Creation 101: The 3 E’s Your Content Needs

Content Creation 101 lesson #1: Most content sucks.

Why does it suck? Because it doesn’t provide value to your audience.

Whether you’re writing a blog, email, web copy, or something on social media, you need to ask yourself if you’re following the three E’s of content creation. Is it…

Educational
Entertaining
Engaging

Not every piece of content will be all three (e.g., the information you find on PubMed will be educational, not entertaining), but you’ll start seeing results if you consistently create with the three Es in mind.

Let’s cover some content creation 101 basics, then explore each E further:

Content Creation 101

Here are a few general rules when creating content:

Set Clear Objectives

Would you invest $10,000 in a stock because the name sounds pretty? Hopefully not. Before you even begin researching a company, its financial statements, and evaluating risks, you should understand your investment goals.

Content creation is no different.

What are your goals for creating content? Do you want to:

Boost brand visibility by 50%
Increase your organic traffic to your website by 80%
Double your current number of monthly leads

Whatever your goal may be, make it a SMART one.

Don’t say, “I want to increase organic traffic to my website.”

Say, “I want to increase organic traffic to my website by 80% within the next six months by writing a weekly blog post and posting on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram three times a week.” That’s a SMART goal.

Also, start thinking about what you want to learn or do when engaging with your material. Knowing this ahead of time will drive the direction of your content.

Know Your Audience

How do you get your audience to view your content? Start by knowing who they are.

How familiar are they with your product or service?
What are their interests?
What platforms do they use?

An audience interested in the latest in fashion will be different from those who follow the vast potential applications of gene editing. If your audience consists of CRISPR-loving fashionistas, then that, my friends, is what we call a niche. Now, find out where they are and what content they want to see.

Encourage Feedback

Get your audience to participate in your posts. These types of interactions:

Help build brand trust
Strengthen customer relationships
Drive more engagement

The easiest, most straightforward way to encourage feedback is by asking for it. End your post with a call to action, whether it’s to click a button or answer a question.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s break down the three Es of Content Creation 101:

Educational Content

How do you get your audience to read and learn something? Make it enjoyable for them!

Here’s how:

Know your audiences’ learning styles. What types of content does your audience engage with most? Do they enjoy graphs and charts? How-to videos? Informative blog posts? When you create content they enjoy absorbing, you’ll leave a lasting impression.
Diversify your content. Customers typically need to see a message 7+ times before taking action. However, that doesn’t mean you should share the same content seven times. Communicate your information by sharing it in multiple formats. Use videos, infographics, charts, quizzes, etc.
Provide relatable context. Don’t be bland. Use real-world examples, pop culture references, and demonstrations to let the knowledge sink in. It works for John Oliver, and it can work for you too!

Entertaining Content

Don’t bore your audience. Beguile them!

Hook your audience. Grab their attention from the get-go. Use humor, suspense, curiosity, or emotion to draw them in and keep them engaged.
Tell stories. We love stories, so tell us one! It can be a personal experience, an anecdote, or a work of fiction. Whatever it is, it better be interesting!
Are you interested? If you’re writing something you find boring, your audience will find it boring, too. Even content that’s dry as hell has an interesting angle. If you’re writing about parking lots, hook your audience with an interesting fact like: Did you know that there are eight parking spots for every car in the US?

Engaging Content

Want your audience to engage with you? Make them want to!

Be authentic. Being authentic and relatable helps you build trust with your audience. Don’t just tell them about a product; show them how it works. Share personal experiences and behind-the-scenes content. People love that stuff!
Keep it short. As it turns out, Goldfish actually do have good memories — but we still don’t. Keep your posts short and sweet; by short, I mean cut the fluff. Your audience doesn’t have time for it!
Stay current. Keep your content timely, fresh, and relevant. What’s going on in your CRISPR-loving fashionista niche? Talk about it!

Altogether Now!

When creating your content strategy, you must set clear objectives by making SMART goals. You also need to know your audience and how you want them to interact with the educational, entertaining, and engaging content you’re producing. If you’re ever unsure whether or not you’re hitting the marks, ask yourself these questions:

Educational: Am I communicating what I want my readers to learn?
Entertaining: Is this something that my audience will find interesting? Do I?
Engaging: Will this content help build trust and encourage my audience to take action?

That’s it!

So… Is your content educational, entertaining, and engaging? Don’t have time to create it?

Then here’s another way to save time, increase visibility, and get your marketing done: let’s create content together!

Does Functional Medicine Work? The Importance of Holistic Medicine

Sir William Osler, one of the first Physicians-in-Chief at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, once said that “the good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.” Functional medicine isn’t a new concept. Its roots are derived from modern scientific medicine and functional medicine clinics are living by Osler’s words.

Functional Medicine is a systems biology-based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of a disease. Functional medicine clinics take the holistic approach to understand who you are, knowing that every person is unique and should have a medical plan that is custom fit for their needs.

Instead of determining which drug will cure a disease, functional medicine clinics have doctors that discover why you have an ailment in the first place, and to restore what’s no longer functioning.

Think of medicine in terms of a science experiment. Experiments with limited variables are easier to find solutions for. The more complex the problem, the more difficult the solution becomes. The human body is full of variables. Lifestyle, genetic makeup, personality, and environmental factors are just a few, and within each of these basic categories are countless more variables.

Too often, traditional physicians treat the disease and not the patient. They don’t take the time–and, in their defense, can’t take the time–to understand all of the variables that make you unique. While the standard model of care works well for acute diseases, trauma, infection, and emergencies, it fails to care for the chronic diseases that affect over 133 million Americans.

Principles of Functional Medicine

According to Mind Body Green, there are five principles of functional medicine:

Everyone is different, both genetically and biochemically. With this in mind, functional medicine clinics take a personalized approach, treating the patient and not the disease. Instead of tackling the disease directly, functional medicine practitioners find ways for the body’s normal healing mechanisms to resolve the problem.
Functional medicine is science-based. There is a complex network of interconnected relationships within our body, not unlike the many webs that connect us in other ways. By understanding those relationships, functional medicine practitioners can have a deeper comprehension of the body.
The human body has the capacity of self-regulation. Your body has millions of systems that are interconnected with one another in a delicate balance. Sometimes certain conditions can knock your body off balance.
Your body can often heal itself and can prevent nearly all of the diseases of aging.
Health is a state of immense vitality, not just the absence of a disease or an ailment.

One Condition, Many Causes. One Cause, Many Conditions

Functional medicine clinics and the doctors who run them know that one condition can have many causes. In turn, one cause can spurn many conditions. The Institute for Functional Medicine expresses that depression can be caused by a combination of multiple factors such as inflammation, an Omega-3 deficiency, a low thyroid count, and antibiotic use, to name a few. Meanwhile, inflammation can be caused by a combination depression, heart diseases, diabetes, and/or a million other things.

Functional medicine practitioners know that each symptom or differential diagnosis may be a contributing factor to an individual’s illness. By identifying and treating the root cause(s) of an illness, functional medicine has a much higher chance of properly treating the patient. Functional medicine clinics use scientific principles, advanced diagnostic testing and treatments to restore balance in a patient’s physiological processes.

Functional Medicine and Chronic Health Conditions

The medical management model that traditional practices use is often too quick to resort to drugs, surgery, and other acute care treatments. This application is fine for acute health problems, but not for chronic health conditions. According to Your Medical Detective, chronic health conditions often require a two-step solution:

Add what’s lacking in the body to nudge its physiology back to a state of optimal functioning
Remove anything that impedes the body from moving toward this optimate state of physiology

Functional medicine practitioners try to first determine why the body is not functioning properly. They do this by using the patient’s unique history as a guide, by the use of advanced lab testing, and a deep dive into a patient’s overall lifestyle. Treatment often involves nutritional and lifestyle alterations, counseling (emotional and/or nutritional, if necessary), a combination of natural agents such as herbs, homeopathics, and supplements, and medication, if needed.

Does Functional Medicine Work?

Functional medicine physicians encourage their patients to take an active role in their own health. By educating a patient about their own body and its processes, that patient will have a greater chance of being treated successfully and living a healthier life.

Even without a medical degree, it just makes sense that functional medicine’s holistic approach would be effective more often than by following a traditional medical management model. Chronic diseases have many different causes.

Treating them with blanket solutions isn’t the most precise way to make someone optimally functional again. The human condition is made out of countless variable and no single solution can satisfy all of them or even satisfy each subcategory. The most functional approach to medicine involves figuring out what is not functioning within an individual, not a collection of individuals that might have the same disease by radically different genetic makeups, medical histories, and lifestyles. In short, the question shouldn’t be “does functional medicine work?” It should be “do traditional medical models work well enough?”

Some functional medicine practitioners charge upwards of $1,000 per consultation plus the cost of labs. Boston Direct Health charges $500 for a consultation, but they are free for members. For more information about functional medicine and how to receive consultation please visit our functional medicine page and learn more about how a holistic approach to medicine can improve your health.

Direct Primary Care: Quality Care that Cuts Costs

Direct Primary Care (DPC) is an innovative medical philosophy that completely eliminates third party insurance and redefines the physician-patient relationship. According to Qliance Medical Management, Inc., patients enrolled in a Direct Primary Care program have on average:

80% fewer surgeries,
62% fewer references to specialists,
59% fewer ER visits, and
Spend 30% fewer days admitted in a hospital.

They are also saving money in the process.

DPC’s model is simple: for a monthly membership fee—usually between $75-$125—you have immediate access to a private physician. Boston Direct Health’s (BDH) membership covers ingrown toenail removal, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, and many services in between.

Rising Healthcare Costs

A Health System Tracker study found that the US spent $10,224 per person on health in 2017, about half the average spend of most countries. From 2015-2025, health spending is project to grow at an average rate of 5.8% per year or 4.8% on a per capita basis. It’s growing 1.3% faster than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per year during this period.

Overall health spending growth is expected to accelerate by an average of 6% from 2020-2025. Even if you’re currently spending less per year on healthcare than the average American, your spending is likely to climb significantly as you get older and as new treatments become available.

Not only is this costly for individuals, it’s even more expensive if you work at a firm that have fewer than 200 employees. A Kaiser Family Foundation 2017 Employer Health Benefits Survey revealed that the average worker’s contribution to a premium for family coverage was $6,814 compared to just $5,264 for larger companies. The average general deductible for smaller firm employees was $2,120, compared to $1,276 for employees of larger companies. The cost of deductibles alone tends to be higher than year-long Direct Primary Care membership with none of the perks.

Direct Primary Care can reduce your firm’s healthcare spend by 15%-20% in a single year when combined with a transparent Rx program. Meanwhile, self-insured employers who implement a DPC program have saved as much as $260 per member per month.

Boston Direct Health offers special discounts for both families and businesses. With DPC, you save money by having direct access to your primary care physician, enjoy reduced costs of procedures, and get extra time with a private physician who helps you navigate away from your potential health risks.

Wait Times and Urgent Care

A study conducted by Merritt Hawkins, an AMN Healthcare company, found that the average wait time for a new patient to see a physician was 18.5 days. Among the largest US cities, Boston ended up having the longest wait time. To see a specialist, Boston residents have to wait an average of 45 days. To see their family doctors, the residents have to wait an average of 66 days.

One main problem here is that not all patients have 1.5-2 months to wait for their appointment. Many will instead go to the emergency room or urgent care to seek a faster solution. This results in expensive and needless bills for the patient.

A simple visit to urgent care without any sort of vaccination, procedure, or medication can range anywhere from $75 to $250 without health insurance. With insurance, copayment for urgent care is usually between $50-$150. If you haven’t met your deductible, it may cost more. ER visits tend to be even more financially damaging. Some insurance companies have estimated that an in-network urgent care visit can cost up to 80% less than an ER visit!

Members a DPC program enjoy same day/next availability, evading the process of waiting for their appointment entirely. Patients also enjoy unlimited office visits, no co-pays, and direct, unlimited communication via text, phone, email, or video chat. Outside of some procedures, medications, or labs, the only cost you incur by being a DPC patient is your membership fee.

Additional Savings

The CDC found that roughly 60% of US adults have a chronic disease and that 40% of them have two or more. Chronic medical condition management for common illnesses such as hypertension, asthma, diabetes, depression, and anxiety are covered in most DPC memberships, including at Boston Direct Health.

BDH members also save an average of 90% on labs. Routine diabetes lab work costs $37 as opposed to $200-$300. Typical labs ordered for a 40-year-old cost approximately $1,500 every year. At BDH, the amount is reduced to $137, with the difference being around the cost of a one-year membership.

Consultations for functional medicine, a systems biology-based approach that focuses on addressing and identifying the root cause of a disease, can cost $300 or more. It’s free with a DPC membership at Boston Direct Health.

Other membership benefits include (but are not limited to):

Sutures and stitches
Vaccines (provided at cost)
Lab draws (phlebotomy)
EKGs
Skin lesion removal/destruction (warts, skin tags, sun spots)
Skin lesion excision and biopsy (lab tests not included; provided at cost)
Incision and drainage of abscess (lab tests not included; provided at cost)
Ear wax removal
Breathing treatments (nebulizers)
Pap smears (lab costs not included; provided at cost)
Thrombosed hemorrhoid – removal of blood clots
Botox and facial fillers (provided at 20% off for members)

Redefining the Physician-Patient Relationship

Traditional doctors spend an average of 15 minutes or less with their patients. One of the key ingredients of quality care is the physician-patient relationship. It’s difficult to develop one when you spend 45 or 66 days waiting to tell your physician about your medical history in 15 minutes or less. Shorter visits increase the likelihood that patients leave with a prescription as opposed to physicians taking more time to determine the root causes of an illness.

Most traditional doctors dislike abbreviated visits, but they lack other options. A study by the American Medical Association that followed 57 US physicians in internal medicine, family medicine, orthopedics, and cardiology revealed that physicians spent 27% of their time seeing patients can 49.2% of their time doing paperwork for the electric health record. While seeing patients—for 15 minutes or less—they spend approximately 37% of that time doing paperwork for the electric health record as well.

DPC patients get a full hour with their physicians and none of that time is interrupted by insurance paperwork. That time is spent developing the physician-patient relationship. This allows for physicians to firmly understand your medical needs, your passions and goals, and to have a vested interest in your well-being. Having a strong relationship with your physician can allow your doctor to provide more accurate advice on subjects such as nutritional counseling, lifestyle care, preventive care, and your overall medical well-being. There’s no putting a price on that level of care.

Learn More About Your Healthcare Opportunities

Whether you’re an employer, an employee, or somewhere in between, it’s essential to educate yourself about the difference between DPC and traditional health insurance to determine which—or both—best fits your needs.

One popular strategy utilized by members involves having a low-cost insurance plan with a high deductible. These members use DPC as a way to offset the cost that they would be paying via that deductible. DPC provides an innovative option that eases the stresses caused by our inefficient healthcare system. Learn more about how you can benefit from becoming a DPC member.