Check out our July newsletter!
Justice MONTHLY
229-888-0888 • www.puttingpeoplefirst.law
JULY 2018
A HOBBY ON HOLD DRE AMING OF TAK ING TO THE SK I E S
O ne day a few months back, I was about to taxi out on the runway in a little Cessna 172 trainer with my flying instructor when we received a message on the radio from the tower. Some big-shot Fortune 500 CEO was flying in on his $65-million Gulfstream G650. He was coming into our little airport to do some quail hunting on a local plantation he’d recently bought, and let me tell you, at the airport, this was quite the event. We were told to wait while they shut down the runway. The 100-foot, gleaming machine touched down and was quickly surrounded by black Suburbans and a frenzy of activity. I have to say, as I watched that ridiculous piece of equipment land in my small town, I had a moment where I wondered if I had made the right career choice. I could hardly imagine flying in such a streamlined, cushy, high-class aircraft, much less piloting it, but I will say that I did my best to fantasize. The entire production just screamed “big money,” and as I patiently waited for this incomprehensibly rich man to make his way out of the Gulfstream and off to his sprawling plantation, I could only chuckle to myself. Somebody recently asked me what my dream plane to own would be, the vehicle I’d most like to fly someday, and that Gulfstream immediately came to mind. It may not be the most exciting answer in the world — many aviation buffs would cite some obscure dogfighting plane from WWI, or the lightning- fast SR-71 Blackbird from the late ‘90s — but we can all dream, can’t we? If I had to give a more traditional, realistic answer, I might say the wide-winged Evangel 4500, or the breakneck Aerostar 702 that my dad used to fly. I’ll admit though, with my limited, 20ish hours in the cockpit, I’m not sure I’d be able to handle such a fast machine just yet. Unfortunately, I haven’t really had any time at all for the past year or so to get up in the air myself. Even if I had a Gulfstream, I’d be too busy to ever take it out. Between opening a second location for the firm, searching for an
associate attorney to take over a small share of my growing workload, and just generally wrangling cases day in and day out, I’ve had my hands full. While I’m far from complaining — I absolutely love doing everything I can for my clients — I do wish I could make time to take to the skies every once in a while to continue my flight training. But even as the thunderstorms continue and my schedule piles up, I’m certain that I’ll get the chance again in the future. I guess the cost of having such a complicated, involved hobby is that it has to go on the back burner every once in a while. Until then, I’ll just look out the window at the passing clouds and wait my turn to cruise among them again.
-William F. “Trey” Underwood, III
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.TheNewsletterPro.com
www.puttingpeoplefirst.law | 1
CREATIVE TWISTS ON THE CAMPFIRE CLASSIC CAN I HAVE S’MORE?
STRAWBERRY S’MORE-CAKE If you really want to wow your guests at the next bonfire, try your hand at this creative take on the summertime classic. Gooey s’mores meet fresh strawberry shortcake in a dessert that’s as delicious as it is original. Find the whole recipe, including tips on making the perfect shortcake, at aspicyperspective.com/smores-strawberry-shortcake-recipe.
You’re just three ingredients away from the perfect summertime treat: chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows. The s’more is a fan favorite on camping trips and at backyard bonfires alike. Though they say you can’t improve perfection, we’ve found a few creative twists on the classic treat that will make your summer a little sweeter. THE ELVIS A campfire snack fit for a king
S’MOREO A simple but memorable twist on the campfire classic. Grab a box of Oreo cookies, pull a cookie apart, and use that in place of your graham cracker. The cream filling will pair nicely with the chocolate and toasted marshmallow.
— of rock ’n’ roll, that is. This s’more pays homage to Elvis Presley’s love of peanut
butter and banana sandwiches. Swap out the chocolate bar for a peanut butter cup candy and add a few slices of fresh banana between the graham cracker and marshmallow. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can even add some bacon. S’MORES IN A JAR Here are s’mores you can
S’MORES MILKSHAKE Too hot for a campfire? Cool down with a s’mores milkshake! The trick is to lightly toast the marshmallows in the oven so they mix well with the other ingredients in the blender. Get the recipe at spoonfulofflavor.com/2013/08/30/smores- milkshake to enjoy this sweet treat even in the heat of summer. It’s the simple recipe that opens the door for creative interpretations of the classic s’more. Be adventurous this summer and see what great new s’mores you can create!
enjoy all year long. Layers of crushed graham cracker, melted marshmallow, and creamy chocolate turn a simple jar into a great dessert! Learn how to make the perfect s’mores on the go at family. disney.com/recipe/smores-in-a-jar.
OUR OFFICE MANAGER EXTRAORDINAIRE Meet Erica Cooper
In order to ensure all of our wonderful clients know just how valued they are by our team here at the Law Office of William F. Underwood, III, we have to do some pretty fancy logistical
“Lately, we’ve been busier at the firm than ever,” she says. “But I try to always be the calm in the middle of the chaos. When others get frustrated, I’m the person telling them, ‘Don’t worry — everything’s going to be okay!’” Since she started here in September, Erica’s come to see the Underwood team as more than a collection of coworkers. “We’re really like a family,” she says. “We’ve all developed such a deep trust between one another, which is important when you need to sit down and collaborate to find solutions.” Outside of the office, Erica loves to spend time with her 16-year-old daughter and her 10-year-old son, going to the lake and spending time outdoors. “Work and kids are basically my life,” she says. “But I keep it fun in both categories. Though it’s important to manage your time and stay organized, you also need to leave room to joke around and really connect to the people you care about.” Whether she’s fielding client questions or wrangling paperwork, we’re lucky to have a talented individual like Erica on our team. Although she’s only been here a little under a year, we’re excited to see all the incredible things she accomplishes moving forward!
footwork behind the scenes. It’s vital to us that every case be treated with the careful consideration and attention to detail that characterizes our approach here at the firm, no matter how big or small it may be. To do that, our small team needs to be constantly at the top of our game, preventing even the smallest of details from falling through the cracks. Luckily, we’ve got our incredible office manager, Erica Cooper, on our side, using her keen logistical eye to keep everything shipshape. Aside from being an essential part of our day-to-day operations, she’s a consistently positive presence around the office, thriving even in the midst of the most hectic days imaginable. But, of course, Erica didn’t become an organizational expert by accident. She has years of experience. From her 15 years as a banker to her experience in facilitating the operations of startup corporations, she’s the office manager most businesses could only dream of.
2 | 229-888-0888
2 MORE WEIRD WORKERS’ COMP CLAIMS
Each month in the Justice Monthly, we look around for some of the weirdest workers’ compensation claims from the past few years. And every month, we’re surprised by these bizarre cases — it really shows you that the world is always stranger than you might think, even after years of working in the law. STONED BEAR FEEDER GETS COMPENSATION When a certain Mr. Hopkins became an employee of the “Great Bear Adventures” bear park, he probably didn’t expect to ever
In response, the Workers’ Compensation Court Judge James Jeremiah Sheah stated that “when it comes to attacking humans, grizzlies are equal opportunity maulers, attacking without regard to race, creed, ethnicity, or marijuana usage.” He ruled that Hopkins was indeed an employee and was entitled to benefits under the law. WHEN YOU CLIMB OUT A WINDOW ONTO THE ROOF, YOUR FALL IS NOT COMPENSABLE After bar-hopping between three different establishments one night in upstate New York, a budget examiner and a pair of her colleagues were hanging out in the second-story suite of their small hotel when they had an idea. A couple of bad decisions later, they were relaxing on the roof. The budget examiner leaned against a railing when it suddenly broke, leaving her injured on the ground. She filed a workers’ compensation claim, but during evidence collection it came up that roof access wasn’t just a matter of opening a second-story door — the team had clambered out of a small bathroom window to get up there. Therefore, her conduct was unreasonable, and the injury didn’t arise out of the course of her employment. She appealed this decision, but to no avail. Her case wasn’t compensable.
have to battle a grizzly bear face-to-face. (One might argue, though, that anybody hired to feed wild bears is putting themselves at risk …) At any rate, Hopkins definitely didn’t deserve what happened to him one day when a huge grizzly turned on him during a feeding session and inflicted severe injuries. Soon after, Hopkins filed for workers’ compensation benefits, but in response, his boss asserted that he wasn’t an employee at all — he was a “volunteer.” What’s more, he argued, Hopkins had been smoking weed that morning, which had probably been the reason he lapsed and got attacked in the first place.
Have a Laugh!
Kielbasa Kabobs
This take on the classic Italian sausage and peppers uses fully cooked Polish kielbasa so you can prep the kabobs and bring them to your next cookout.
Ingredients •
2 pounds fully cooked smoked kielbasa
• • •
2 cloves garlic, minced
• • •
2 large onions
1/4 cup olive oil
2 green bell peppers 3 red bell peppers
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions 1. Heat grill to medium. 2. In a small bowl, combine oil, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. 3. Cut pepper, onion, and kielbasa into 1-inch chunks.
4. Thread onto skewers, alternating ingredients. 5. Brush with oil mixture and grill, covered, 10–12 minutes. Inspired by Good Housekeeping
www.puttingpeoplefirst.law | 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
229-888-0888 www.puttingpeoplefirst.law
1918 DAWSON RD. ALBANY, GA 31707
inside Trey Underwood on His Dream Plane PAGE 1 Take Your S’mores to the Next Level PAGE 2 Meet Erica Cooper, Our Fantastic Office Manager PAGE 2 2 More Weird Workers’ Comp Claims PAGE 3 Kielbasa Kabobs PAGE 3 Common Misconceptions PAGE 4
L IES YOU’VE BEEN TOLD F I C T I ON THAT HOLD S TOO MUCH WE I GHT
Fallacies are fed to us on a daily basis, and some are more believable than others. Here are a few popular misconceptions. CRACKING YOUR KNUCKLES WILL CAUSE ARTHRITIS Studies show that there aren’t any dangers to cracking your knuckles, besides annoying someone with the noise. For a long time, many speculated that the cause of the cracking or popping
sensitive to vibrations — they won’t willingly approach a breathing or snoring human. It isn’t in our eight-legged friends’ nature to crawl into a person’s mouth. YOU USE ONLY 10 PERCENT OF YOUR BRAIN Your brain is constantly in use. Every single action you perform, including digestion, coughing, speaking, thinking, and breathing, is carried out by processes in the brain. There are levels of consciousness that cause parts of your brain to be less active than others, but there isn’t one singular area that ceases to work for any long period of time. THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA IS VISIBLE FROM SPACE While the size of the Great Wall is truly spectacular, that doesn’t mean it can be seen from outer space. It’s not at all visible from the moon, and even from low orbit, it’s difficult to spot the wall with an unaided eye. According to NASA, the theory was first shaken by Yang Liwei, a Chinese astronaut, who said he was unable to see the Great Wall from space. Later, a camera with a 180 mm lens and a 400 mm lens captured the wall from a low orbit.
noise was either the resetting of joints and tendons or the formation of fluid that lubricates the joints. Dr. Donald Unger was the first person to conduct an experiment with the hypothesis
that cracking your knuckles doesn’t lead to arthritis. He cracked only the knuckles in his left hand for over 50 years. Later in life, both hands were arthritis-free. YOU EAT SPIDERS WHILE YOU SLEEP
You may have heard this chilling myth before, but it’s simply not true. Spiders are very
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.TheNewsletterPro.com
4 | 229-888-0888
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online