Law Offices Of William F Underwood - October 2019

WATERCOOLER TALK When it comes to explaining the disease and its consequences, younger children may require fewer details and broader concepts, while older kids may need more comprehensive answers to their As pink-clad products line store shelves this October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, children are bound to be curious. Since they rationalize the world around them with what they already know, kids may ask silly questions like, “Is cancer contagious?” Whether you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer or you just feel it’s time to educate your children about the disease, answering questions can be difficult. These tips can help you prepare. Always Tell the Truth Telling a child that you or a loved one has cancer can be complicated. To start, the American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends giving yourself time after hearing the news of a cancer diagnosis to process this new reality. Two-parent households should tell their children together, while single parents are encouraged to ask an adult with a positive influence on the child’s life to join the conversation. Remember, your child will be experiencing the same emotions as you but in a kid’s body, where hormones and developmental changes are already wreaking havoc. Monitor their emotions and offer them space and opportunities to discuss their feelings with a professional. A DIFFICULT DISCUSSION

TALKING TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT CANCER

questions. A 5-year-old is going to have different concerns than a 16-year-old, so your approach must be different. However, regardless of your child’s age, always tell the truth. Focus on Prevention Education A loved one doesn’t have to be diagnosed with cancer for you to educate your family about the disease and its prevention. Studies have linked prevention efforts, including anti-smoking campaigns and healthy lifestyle programs, to actually preventing cancer. (In fact, half of all cancers can be prevented!) Teach your child about the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, and excessive sun exposure to foster healthy habits and lifestyles. Organizations that host walks, benefits, and other events for cancer prevention and research can be great sources of education for families, too. injured. Employers can face serious federal legal repercussions if they fire an employee after said employee was injured at work. Trey Underwood’s father used to say he’s never seen an employer take a risk and fire their employee after an injury, and Trey Underwood has only witnessed it happen to a client of his once. (Needless to say, it wasn’t a wise choice for the employer.) However, many employers now understand that if an employee is injured at work, they can anticipate an attorney to be involved in the legal proceedings. And if they don’t realize legal aid is involved, they will once our law firm mails them a legally mandatory letter outlining our involvement in the case. This makes your communication with your boss crucial to this process. At the Law Offices of William F. Underwood, III, P.C. we recommend clients give their boss as many or as few details from their workers’ compensation case as they feel comfortable disclosing. Many employees prefer to give their bosses notice of an attorney’s involvement, which often opens up healthy forms of communication. But if you have a great working relationship with your boss, we will never advise against total honesty. Fortunately, it is our experience that many employers are understanding of the legal involvement in a workers’ compensation case and are supportive of the employee. Instead, our biggest points of conflict often come from insurance companies denying treatments or payments. The ACS has resources for families living with cancer or those wanting to learn more. Visit Cancer.org for more information.

HOW DO I TALK TO MY BOSS AFTER I’M INJURED AT WORK?

It can be really uncomfortable to get

injured at work. In addition to the pain and treatments you undergo, it can be difficult to avoid the awkwardness that can stem from getting injured while on the job. You may feel embarrassed about what happened, and you may struggle to know what you can and cannot say to your boss. Some employees also fear their job may be at risk because they were injured.

The good news is that the justice system has

put safety nets in place to prevent an employer from getting spooked and firing an employee after they are

If you have additional questions about your workers’ compensation case, call 229-888-0888.

2 | 229-888-0888

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