BEEF GRADES DECODED
Understanding USDA Beef Guidelines
USDAChoice: A lot of people purchase USDA Choice when they want a good cut of beef but don’t want or cannot afford to pay the USDA Prime price. These cuts generally have less marbling, but they are still fairly high quality. When you just want to throw a few steaks or burgers on the grill, Choice will serve you well. USDASelect: This grade of meat is decent quality, but it doesn’t have the level of marbling found in Prime and Choice cuts. Because of this, Select cuts are usually less tender and flavorful. These aren’t great options for steak, but if you’re making a stew, you can’t go wrong with Select. Standard and Commercial: These cuts of beef don’t always make it to the supermarket, but when they do, they’re often priced lower. They also have limited marbling, which can mean a tougher texture with less flavor. Keep in mind that these cuts are not often labeled anywhere on the packaging, so if you see beef packaging that lacks a grade, it may be a lower-grade cut. Utility, Cutter, and Canner: Many people never encounter these grades at the supermarket. These are cut from very lean, older cattle and are usually sold directly to food manufacturers to make processed meat products, such as hot dogs. These grades are also used in dog food.
If you’ve ever purchased a cut of beef or strolled past the meat counter at your local grocery store, you’ve probably noticed the different grades of beef. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has guidelines for the meat sold in stores across the country. Before the meat is sold, it receives a grade. As a shopper, it can be difficult to understand what these grades really mean. Here’s how the grades break down: USDA Prime: If you want a high-quality cut of beef, you should get USDA Prime. These cuts of meat tend to be more expensive, but for the price, you get a tender, flavorful, well-marbled cut of meat. For a fantastic steak, you should reach for Prime.
BEWARE THE ADJUSTER In an ideal world, insurance companies would exist to financially protect us when disaster strikes. But the insurance industry is just that: an industry. These companies want to maximize their own profits, which means minimizing the claims they pay out each year. That’s where adjusters come in.
They ask to see your medical history. In negotiating a claim, you will have already sent off relevant medical records to your insurer. But sometimes the adjuster wants more information. This can be an innocent request, such as wanting to see X-rays from your visit with a radiologist. However, be on the lookout for record requests that predate or have no relevance to your injury. The adjuster may be hunting for information to discredit or embarrass you. They get personal. A common tactic in the adjuster’s arsenal is to ask seemingly harmless questions about your job, hobbies, and home life. While this is often framed as the adjuster “getting to know you,” their intent is to build evidence that your life and livelihood have not been affected by your injuries. There are a lot of pitfalls when speaking with an adjuster. They are counting on your inexperience with the insurance process to save their company money. Having an experienced personal injury lawyer in your corner can help you keep the adjusters and their companies honest.
Insurance adjusters are some of the friendliest strangers you’ll ever meet. They are trained to be empathetic and charming, but make no mistake; they are industry professionals looking for any excuse to minimize or deny your claim. When you’ve been in an accident and find yourself chatting with an adjuster, it’s important to keep an eye out for these red flags. They want to record you. The first thing insurers will push for after an accident is for you to give them a recorded statement. No matter how urgent they make this request out to be, always remember that this is a request , not an order. You are not legally obligated to agree to a recorded statement, and refusing will not hurt your claim. However, if you do agree to be recorded, anything you say can and will be used against you as admissible evidence.
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