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FROM THE DESK OF JULY 2021 KunkelCase Files 888-228-9680 • www.KunkelLawFirm.com • GKunkel@KunkelLawFirm.com A/C Down? Gregory Kunkel, Esq.
Here Are the 5 Best Ways to Stay Cool
SSA DISABILITY APPROVAL RATES INCREASED IN 2020 According to data released by the Social Security Administration (SSA) for Fiscal Year 2020, approval rates for individuals seeking disability improved across all levels of appeal with SSA. At the initial level, 39% of applicants were awarded benefits compared to 37% in 2019. Approval rates at the reconsideration level improved slightly to 14% compared to 13% in 2019. More significantly, favorable-decisions rates at the hearing level increased significantly from 45% in 2019 to 49% in 2020. The Appeals Council, the next level of review, remanded only 14% of the cases filed, but the federal courts reversed and remanded 55% of the disability cases that were filed. It is encouraging to see an increase in SSA’s approval rates, but pursuing a disability claim remains an uphill battle. You should be aware that handling your disability claim without an attorney puts you at a disadvantage. At Kunkel Law Firm, we help individuals on a daily basis to navigate through the Social Security claims process. Call us today for a fee evaluation of your case.
Like many, there’s a lot I love about the summer, from enjoying the outdoors to eating new seasonal fruits. However, I think it’s fair to say that paying higher energy bills for air conditioning isn’t anyone’s favorite part of summer. In the right (and unfortunate) outdoor heat conditions, a malfunctioning air conditioner could be a life-threatening emergency. It’s very important to get your air conditioner fixed as soon as possible in those scenarios. However, if you’re just looking for a few ways to cut down your energy bill and still keep your house cool, then check out these options! No. 1: Reduce incoming sunlight. According to the Department of Energy, over 76% of energy from sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows will convert into heat and raise the temperature of our homes. This is also known as “solar heat gain.” To reduce solar heat gain, make sure your curtains and shutters are completely closed wherever possible. Light- colored curtains can reduce solar heat gain up to 33%, while insulated cellular shades (pleated, accordion-like shades) can reduce it by up to 80%. If you don’t want to block your view, you can purchase reflective window film, which acts like a semi-transparent sticker adhesive layer over your window. Studies show it will reduce your home’s temperature anywhere from 8–18 degrees Fahrenheit.
–Greg Kunkel
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No. 2: Use fans — when you’re in the room.
all of the excess liquid (so it’s simply damp). Afterward, leave it in the refrigerator — the longer you leave it in, the better! Don’t apply ice directly to your skin, as this can actually result in a burn! Wrap ice in a towel or blanket and use it for no more than 20 minutes every 2–4 hours. No. 4: Purchase cooling pillows, sheets, and blankets. It can be very difficult to sleep in the heat, but did you know that there are cooling pillows and bedsheets to help you find your most comfortable slumber? If you purchase a cooling blanket, make sure you fold it after use. It keeps it cooler for when you use it again! No. 5: Eat refreshing, cool foods. From watermelon to mint peach limeades, there are plenty of delicious foods and drinks for you to feast on while keeping cool! Don’t hesitate to eat a salad, either. it’s a great way of eating a full meal without heating up your kitchen.
Fans create a windchill effect that helps you cool down, but wind circulation won’t actually cool your room. A ceiling fan is the most effective at cooling you down from anywhere in the room, but feel free to turn it off when you leave. If you really miss your air conditioning, you can also put a bowl of water and ice in front of a regular standing fan to blow a colder breeze! One last fan tip: Exhaust fans, such as the fans in your bathroom and kitchen, can help push hot, rising air from your home to the outdoors. Turn them on when the heat is a little over the top.
No. 3: Keep cold washcloths near pulse points.
Most importantly, drink lots of water! Dehydration leads to many heat-related illnesses, and you can greatly reduce your risk by drinking as much fluid as possible.
Applying a cold, damp towel near your pulse points is scientifically proven to lower your body temperature. Your pulse points include your wrists, your underarms, the back of your neck, and your groin. Cool down the towel by wetting it with water, then squeeze out
With these tips, hopefully you can stay cool this July. Thanks so much for reading!
High on the slopes of Bristen, a mountain in the Glarus Alps in central Switzerland, a pair of skiers discovered something unexpected. At 4:30 a.m., the skiers climbed toward the summit of Bristen when they realized they weren’t alone. They were being followed by a cat — not a lynx or a wildcat, but a little mewling house cat. How does a house cat end up on the slopes of a snow-covered, 10,000-foot mountain? This was an answer the skiers wouldn’t get. They weren’t even sure what to do with a cat in general. It’s likely that it simply wandered away from one of the nearby towns or villages near the base of the mountain, but even for a human, that’s a major undertaking. Lost, the cat followed the only sign of civilization it could find: the skiers, Cyril and Erik Rohrer. “She started to shiver, and her paws began to bleed from the hard snow,” Cyril noted. “We picked her up and carried her when she was too exhausted to walk uphill anymore. We were definitely confused. I felt really sorry for the cat. She was really exhausted on the ridge underneath the summit.” The cat stayed with them for some time before they met up with another group of hikers who were headed down the mountain. The cat joined them for what would hopefully be a journey back home. And it was! Remarkably, the cat’s owners were found. They revealed that their cat had vanished four days earlier and apparently followed yet another group of hikers up Bristen. “Animals do weird things. And they are way tougher than humans. They’ll never give up. Even though they are hurting really, really bad,” Cyril said of his feline hiking companion. Hopefully, that will be the little feline’s last trip up for some time!
The Meow
at 10,000 Feet
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Poor Safety Meets Molten Enamel Nothing Cold About These Refrigerators
If you don’t know what enamel is, you’ve probably seen it around: It’s the colorful, protective coating that covers tiles and all kinds of fancy cookware. But how does it get on to things? For that, you need heat — enough to melt enamel into a workable, molten-hot liquid. It’s dangerous stuff to work with, which means facilities need to provide extensive training, personal protective equipment, and proper maintenance. The Grand Rapids Refrigerator Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan, had not met its duty in any of those three areas when Harry Adams, an employee, was working for them in the early 1900s. The company used enamel to line the inside of its refrigerators in a process that involved introducing molten enamel to water, a hardening reaction that had a high potential for disaster. And disaster struck in November 1906 when, in the course of Adams’ normal duties, the holding tank full of molten enamel exploded while he operated it at close distance — at the instruction of his foreman who was overseeing the operation.
It’s a miracle that Adams wasn’t killed, although he lived in severe pain for the rest of his life. His employer attempted to dodge all responsibility, and Adams was forced into the courts to get some kind of justice. As you can imagine, the judicial system took note of the incident and, after examining everything in detail, came to some groundbreaking conclusions, at least for the day.
The chief one was that Adams’ injury could not have been foreseen by an average person, because although he had experience, he lacked understanding of the materials he was working with — an understanding that his employer had not provided. Molten enamel has similar properties to lava, and an exploding tank full of the stuff is not a hazard anyone should have to deal with in the workplace. The shockwaves of Adams’ near-fatal injury have reverberated for over a century now and provide valuable precedence when it comes to the duty employers have to their employees, whether that person has experience or not, which is why even today, when we attend ongoing, yearly safety training, we benefit from the hard lessons learned in Adams v. Grand Rapids Refrigerator .
Take a Break!
THE BEST TEXAS-STYLE SMOKED BRISKET
Inspired by AllRecipes.com
Impress guests at your next barbecue with this perfectly smoked brisket. Plus, you’ll have plenty of leftovers!
Ingredients
• Wood chips • 1/4 cup paprika
• 1/4 cup chili powder • 1/4 cup garlic powder • 1/4 cup onion powder • 1/4 cup salt • 1/4 cup pepper • 10 lbs brisket
• 1/4 cup white sugar • 1/4 cup ground cumin • 1/4 cup cayenne pepper • 1/4 cup brown sugar
Directions
1. In a bowl, soak wood chips in water overnight. 2. In a large bowl, mix paprika, white sugar, cumin, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. 3. Rub spice mixture on the brisket and refrigerate for 24 hours. 4. Preheat smoker to 230 F. Drain wood chips and place them in the smoker. 5. Smoke brisket until it has an internal temperature of 165 F. 6. Remove brisket and wrap it in aluminum foil. 7. Smoke brisket further until it reaches an internal temperature of 185 F.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Gregory Kunkel, Esq. PAGE 1 5 Best Ways to Stay Cool Without A/C PAGE 1 The Miraculous Mountain Cat PAGE 2 Poor Safety Meets Molten Enamel PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 The Best Texas-Style Smoked Brisket PAGE 3 Fourth of July Fun Facts to Share With the Kids PAGE 4
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Fun Facts About the Fourth of July You Can Share With Your Kids
Two future presidents signed the Declaration of Independence: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. They both died exactly 50 years later, on July 4, 1826. This fact is an interesting coincidence sure to fascinate both kids and adults. It’s also a great way to introduce kids to some of the Founding Fathers and share how they helped shape the United States today. In 1776, the year the United States was founded, only 2.5 million people lived here. Today, the U.S. population is 331 million. Lots of people have been born in the United States since it was founded, and millions more came here from other places, hoping to find a better life. Many succeeded, too. Many people want to call this country home! On the Fourth of July, around 155 million hot dogs are eaten in the United States. Okay, so this fact might not have anything to do with American history, but it’s still pretty funny! If anything, the fact that we have so many hot dogs to eat on that day is evidence of the prosperity so many people enjoy in the United States of America.
What do your kids know about the Fourth of July? Do they know it’s a day when you have a barbecue, spend time with friends and neighbors, and watch a fireworks show? These hallmarks of the holiday certainly do make it fun and memorable, but they don’t really exemplify why we celebrate the Fourth of July, the anniversary of when the United States declared its independence from Britain. So, along with the sparklers and hot dogs, here are a few fun facts about Independence Day you can share with your kids to help them understand the significance of the holiday. The Fourth of July marks our country’s independence because it’s when the Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence. This fact might seem like a no-brainer, but it contextualizes the holiday for kids. It’s a great jumping-off point to talk about why the United States wanted to be its own country, what the Continental Congress was, what the Declaration of Independence said, and what it means to “ratify” something.
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