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NOVEMBER 2022 Kunkel Case Files 888-228-9680 • www.KunkelLawFirm.com • GKunkel@KunkelLawFirm.com
Protecting Your Furry Friends
FROM THE DESK OF
Gregory Kunkel, Esq.
Every year during the traditional back-to- school season, workers’ compensation lawyers from across the Commonwealth meet in Hershey for the annual Fall Section Meeting of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section. I have been attending the two-day Fall Section Meeting since 1999, when I was young lawyer eager to learn more about the practice of workers’ compensation law. Over the years, attendance at the Fall Section Meeting has grown from a handful of lawyers to over 200 lawyers in attendance this year. This year’s meeting was held on Oct. 13–14 and was extremely well-attended by attorneys and judges from across the Commonwealth. The meeting provides a great opportunity to review and discuss recent cases that have been handed down and to informally exchange ideas with colleagues from across the Commonwealth. This year’s presentations covered topics ranging from significant court decisions impacting injured workers to litigating medical expenses and representing parties at mediations. As the workers’ compensation law continues to evolve, it is more important than ever for
Give Them a Good Life After You’re Gone
Have you ever wondered where your pets would go if something happened to you? Who would be their primary caretaker and cover their costs for living and medical needs? You may not be able to leave your beloved pets money, but you can still set them up for a good life after you are gone! Options for Estate Planning for Pets When it comes to planning for your furry friends, it can be just as challenging as planning for your loved ones. Thankfully, there is a range of options for you to choose from! You can make simple arrangements or a complex trust or even leave your pet with an organization dedicated to taking care of pets.
Each case is different, but when planning ahead for your pets, you should start by considering the following questions:
• Do your pets have any unique care requirements that require special planning (health concerns, unusual behaviors, etc.)? • Where do you want your pets to live — at your home, with a friend or family member, or at a sanctuary? • Who will be responsible for providing daily care? • Who will be responsible for the oversight and administration of the assets left for the benefit of your pet? Pets in Your Will You can actually use your will to leave your pet and the money to take care of them to a trusted caretaker. I like to think of it this way — if my health was declining and I
injured workers to consult an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer if they suffer an injury on the job.
–Greg Kunkel
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• Describe how the pet should be cared for • Name a person to go to court and enforce the terms of the trust, if necessary • State what should be done with any money left over when the animal passes
was concerned about what will happen to my beloved dog when I pass, I would ask a trusted friend to look after them.
Unfortunately, my friend is on a tight budget and isn’t sure how they will pay for food, vet bills, and occasional boarding. I would use my will to leave my dog to my friend and leave my friend some extra money for my dog’s care. This type of arrangement is legal in the sense that my dog will legally belong to my friend. However, my friend has no legal obligation to use that money on my dog. If he used the money to play the lottery, there would be no legal recourse. So, it’s always a good idea to name an alternate caretaker in case your first choice cannot do the job. Pet Trusts A stronger but more complex and expensive legal option is to make a pet trust. With this trust, you can designate money and a legal obligation to care for your pet. If the caretaker fails to follow your instructions, they can be sued.
Legacy Arrangements Unfortunately, not everybody has a person both willing and able to take care of their pets, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have options! Several organizations allow you to leave your pet to a trustworthy caretaker, such as programs with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), veterinary school programs, and private animal sanctuaries and rescue organizations. All pet owners want to be sure their furry friends are well cared for after they pass, so be sure to give careful consideration to the best ways to provide for their lifetime care.
In this document, you:
• State the pets that are covered • Name a caretaker • Leave an amount of money to be used for pet care
GUARD CAT MODE ACTIVATED
Feline Defender Prevents Robbery
We’ve heard of guard dogs, but have you ever heard of a guard cat? Well, Bandit the calico cat somehow knew exactly what to do when she spied intruders at her owner’s back door! Some may call it instinct, some may call it luck, but to Fred Everitt, she’s a hero. Everitt, a 68-year-old retired oral surgeon, was sound asleep in his Mississippi home on Sunday, July 24, when Bandit started letting out deep meows sometime between 2:30–3 a.m. Everitt assumed Bandit had seen another cat or other animal outside. Cats tend to be active at night, and Bandit is no exception. She’s been known to roam the living room and explore the kitchen cabinets while Everitt sleeps soundly. He quickly realized it was something else when she came into his room and tried to pull his comforters off and clawed at his arms. Bandit’s behavior was unusual, so Everitt knew something was wrong. “She had never done that before,” Everitt said. “I went, ‘What in the world is wrong with you?’” Bandit’s persistence eventually pulled him from bed, and after throwing his robe on, he went to investigate. When he finally got into the kitchen, he noticed two figures — one with a crowbar and one with what looked like a handgun — trying to break into his back door.
By the time Everitt returned from retrieving his own handgun, the intruders were gone. Thankfully, it didn’t turn into a confrontational situation, and Everitt gave credit to the 20-pound cat that he adopted from a humane society. If it hadn’t been for Bandit’s alertness, it could’ve been a completely different story. “I want to let people know that you save a life when you adopt from a pet shelter or rescue one,” Everitt said, “but the tides could be turned. You never know when you save an animal if they’re going to save you.”
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Save Room for Good Food and Finances Preparing Dinner Is a Lot Like Financial Planning
Are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year? From planning grocery lists, cooking meals, and decorating, you may find some parallels to financial planning along the way. Consider the following financial lessons you may encounter this year while cooking Thanksgiving dinner! Create a budget. Thanksgiving dinner is one of the most expensive meals of the year, so most people need to budget for ingredients before going to the grocery store. It’s essential to determine the number of people attending your dinner to get a better sense of how much you’ll need to spend. This task alone is a prime example of building a financial budget — by determining how much you will need to spend ahead of time, you can give yourself more time to save. Develop a plan. Like any other social gathering or event, Thanksgiving dinner requires some planning. You will need to find the recipes ahead of time, check to see which ingredients you have or don’t have, and be sure to have enough space for all your guests.
Similar to finance, developing a plan allows you to put aside the money you need for your event while saving enough money for other expenses.
Improvise when necessary. Life is unpredictable, and things don’t always go according to plan. But sometimes, you just have to wing it
and make the most out of the situation. Let’s say you forget an ingredient, but the stores are already closed. What should you do? You may consider using a different ingredient as a substitute or run next door to ask a neighbor if they have what you need. Whatever the situation may be, learning to utilize your resources proves to be essential when things don’t always go your way. There are several valuable takeaways from this holiday season, just like how the main course can change each year, your financial planning goals can always evolve too!
Have a Laugh
APPLE CRANBERRY CRISP
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
Ingredients
• 3 cups peeled and chopped tart apples • 1 1/2 cups cranberries • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided
• 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 1/3 cup butter, cold • Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 2. In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries, 1/4 cup brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. 3. Grease an 8-inch baking dish and pour the mixture into it. 4. In a small bowl, mix flour and the remaining brown sugar. Cut in cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle this over the fruit. 5. Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Gregory Kunkel, Esq. PAGE 1 Estate Planning for Pets PAGE 1 Calico Cat Saves Owner From Would- Be Burglars PAGE 2 3 Financial Lessons Learned From Thanksgiving Dinner PAGE 3 Have a Laugh PAGE 3 Apple Cranberry Crisp PAGE 3 Low-Impact Exercise for Aging Adults PAGE 4
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A LIFE-CHANGING SECRET The Benefits of Low-Impact Activity for Aging Adults
Yoga Yoga and improves your flexibility, builds muscle, strengthens and stabilizes your core, and benefits your joints. If you’re new to yoga, don’t worry — there are many yoga programs specifically designed for new yogis or older adults. Pilates Similar to yoga, Pilates is extremely gentle on your joints, but it incorporates a bit more strength training. The focus is on your core, but Pilates also works your arms and legs while also improving your flexibility and posture. It can be done with or without equipment such as yoga balls, rings, and weights. Aerobic Activities Endurance activities such as swimming, jogging, walking, and bike riding are all great options for boosting your cardiovascular function and building stamina. According to the CDC, adults who are 65 years or older should get at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week — or 30 minutes five times a week. Staying active into your golden years is essential for your mental and physical health. It can prevent health complications and enable you to keep up with your children and grandchildren for years to come.
As we age, it’s important to remain active and maintain a healthy combination of strength training, aerobic activity, and flexibility exercises. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), aging adults benefit greatly from regular exercise. However, you may find that there are certain movements you can no longer safely do or that your range of motion just isn’t what it used to be when you were younger. Low-impact activity is a great way to reduce the strain exercise can put on your joints while still allowing your body to reap the benefits. If you’re looking for some ideas or fresh workouts to incorporate into your routine, here are some that use safe strength and resistance training, proper stretching practices, aerobic exercise, and highly beneficial mobility work.
Strength Training Don’t worry, we aren’t talking about bench-pressing 150 pounds! Instead, situps, pullups, wall pushups, squats, single-leg stands, and stair climbing are all different types of low-impact body weight exercises that you can do at home without any equipment. They will help you burn body fat and reverse muscle loss. If you’d like to incorporate strength training, opting for hand weights is a great option.
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