Askeroth Law Group - March 2020

Askeroth Law Group - March 2020

725-867-8495 WWW.ASKEROTHLAW.COM MARCH 2020 GROWING UP (AND WORKING) IN LAS VEGAS

Although I wasn’t born in Las Vegas, I spent a majority of my life here in southern Nevada. When I was a few months old, my parents moved to Las Vegas and brought me along. I spent my entire childhood growing up in the Valley. Contrary to what a lot of people think of Las Vegas, it was a wonderful place to grow up. I learned many important life lessons in my early youth, including the importance of hard work! When I was younger, my friends, family, and I would do all sorts of fun things all over town. We would ride our bikes down to Wet ‘n’ Wild, the old water park that used to be right off the Strip. We’d go exploring and catch lizards out in the patchwork of desert areas interspersed throughout the Valley in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Sometimes we would catch a bus down to the Flamingo Hotel and sneak into the pools during the summer. The lifeguards always looked the other way.

location that used to be over on Jones and Desert Inn. I knew the owners of the restaurant, and I begged and pleaded for them to give me a job when I turned 16, and they finally relented. I was hired and worked as a fry cook. It was my job to sit in the back and prepare, bread, and fry chicken all day. I usually worked after school until about 8 or 9 at night most days of the week. I absolutely loved it there. I even convinced a lot of my friends and some family to come work at the restaurant with me, which made it even more fun. My best friend and a few of my cousins all worked there at the same time. We even convinced a couple of girls from high school to come work with us. We also had some famous regulars. We often saw football player Randall Cunningham and local tennis celebrity Andre Agassi. During one of Randall Cunningham’s visits to Farm Basket, my best friend, who also worked at Farm Basket, told Cunningham that he should return to the NFL because he was the fastest player in the league. Shortly thereafter, Cunningham went back to the NFL after a short break. To this day, my friend tells everyone that he is the reason Cunningham returned to play football! That first job, although it wasn’t very glamorous, was an amazing place to work and taught me a lot of valuable lessons that have stuck with me to this day. All of us employees were friends, and we truly enjoyed working together as a team. Through that experience, I learned the value of hard work, how to be a team player, and how important it is to surround yourself at work with positive people. Working at Farm Basket taught me that having happy employees results in better service to customers.

“HAPPY EMPLOYEES

CREATE HAPPY CLIENTS.”

We would often find interesting ways to keep

ourselves entertained. Decades ago, before the city had flood control measures in place, flash floods were a common occurrence in the Valley. My friends and I would build rafts, grab our inner tubes, and go floating down Flamingo Road or one of the many other roads that would flood and turn into raging rivers. (This was highly dangerous, and I do not recommend the activity!) Las Vegas was a fantastic place to grow up!

Tom, happy to be working at his first job!

When I was younger, my favorite local place to eat was Farm Basket, a fried-chicken place that used to have several locations around town. I frequented the

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EXPLORE THE CHARMS OF BOULDER CITY Boulder City is a charming town only a 20–30 minute drive from the Valley and offers lots to do, including a number of artistic, historical, and outdoor attractions. It makes a great day trip for this time of year when temperatures are mild and crowds are smaller than during the summer.

Developed in the early 20th century, Boulder City functioned as a federal company town to house the workers who were building Boulder Dam, now called Hoover Dam. Boulder City’s historic downtown contains many of the original buildings that housed the dam workers throughout the 1930s, and these structures are still in use today. Walking through the town, you’ll get the chance to see each of these buildings that are now privately owned. The city is also currently one of only two in Nevada where gambling is illegal. You won’t find any casinos inside Boulder City, which might seem odd to some since it’s so close to Las Vegas. While the city itself is an incredible place to visit, there are many attractions in the surrounding area too. The first, and arguably most popular, destination nearby is the aforementioned Hoover Dam, a significant piece of Boulder City’s history and an astounding feat of architecture. The Nevada Southern Railway Museum is also located in Boulder City. This Museum boasts several restored train cars and a train ride in one of the refurbished coaches dating back to the 1930s. Passengers depart from the Nevada Southern Railway station and travel 3.5 miles west along the historic Boulder Branch line to Railroad Pass. Choose a ride in an open air car or an air conditioned/heated Pullman coach. All aboard! WHOSE PICKS WILL GO ALL THE WAY? March Madness Fun for the Whole Family One of the greatest things about March Madness is that you don’t have to be a huge college basketball fan to get in on the fun. Kids of all ages can fill out brackets — or have a parent fill one out for them — and watch their picks duke it out on the court. While healthy competition among family members can be fun all on its own, check out the following tips if you’re looking to go the extra mile and reap as much fun from March Madness as you can. TURN EACH GAME INTO AN EVENT. Not every kid may like watching basketball, but if they fill out a bracket, then they might gain at least a passing interest in who will win each game. To elevate their interest, turn each March Madness matchup into a little party. It doesn’t have to be fancy; make fun snacks to eat while you watch or bet pieces of candy on who will have the most points to create great family bonding opportunities.

You should also bring your hiking shoes because the area also has some great outdoor activities. Just outside the city on the way to Hoover Dam, you can visit the Gold Strike Hot Springs Trail, which Tom and his family have visited on many occasions. The trail runs down a narrow slot canyon through towering cliffs. Keep an eye out for herds of bighorn sheep that roam the area. There are a series of hot springs and small pools along the trail that offer a nice warm soak after a long hike. The trail runs all the way down to the Colorado River, where plenty of other activities, including kayaking and boating, are popular. The water is ice cold because it’s just below Hoover Dam. It’s a great trail to experience, but it can be challenging in some areas that are inaccessible for young children or those with physical disabilities. All of us here at Askeroth Law Group encourage our readers to set a day aside this month to get outdoors and enjoy our beautiful southern Nevada winter weather by visiting Boulder City for a day filled with fun and exploration.

REWARD THE WINNERS WITH PRIZES. Offer prizes to each round winner as well as the overall bracket winner to get the whole family involved. Small prize ideas for each round can include a homemade dinner of the winner’s choice, a week’s supply of their favorite snack, or a coupon for getting out of a chore. Whoever wins the whole tournament (or makes it the furthest with their bracket) deserves a bigger reward. Offer them the chance to see a movie of their choice in theaters or to eat a meal at their favorite restaurant. CREATE A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY. Learning math or geography might not sound like your child’s idea of fun, but it can be when they learn it through the lens of March Madness. See if your kids would be interested in understanding the inner workings of the ranking system or studying where some of the qualifying colleges are located on a map of the United States. They may find it so interesting that they don’t even realize they’re learning valuable skills.

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WORKERS’ COMP CORNER Why Can’t I Pick My Own Doctor? The life lessons I gathered while working at Farm Basket have impacted who I am as a person today. Ever since I worked that first job, I’ve tried to surround myself at work with good people who have the same values and work ethic that I have. When we decided to create our law firm, Askeroth Law Group, we wanted to cultivate that same positive work environment and create a great place where people enjoy their work and helping others. Simply put, I learned early on at my first job that happy employees create happy clients. We’ve tried to continue that tradition at Askeroth Law Group, where we strive to create a healthy, caring, and supportive work environment for all our team members.

P.S. There is still one Farm Basket in operation in Las Vegas. Go visit them on Charleston and Jones! –TomAskeroth

Inspired by RealFoodWithJessica.com

during the claim. However, the law does permit an injured worker, within 90 days of the date of the occupational injury, to select a doctor or request a transfer of care to a different doctor, as long as that doctor is on the panel of treating doctors for that particular insurance company. Second, there are other ways someone might be able to change doctors during a workers’ comp claim, but it’s not easy. For example, the law permits an injured worker to request an independent medical examination when there’s a medical dispute regarding the claim. An independent medical examiner may not be able to provide treatment for the injured worker, but the examiner might suggest alternative treatment options, which may be considered by the insurance company. Third, under certain situations, an injured worker can request a second opinion with a different doctor. A second opinion is usually at the discretion of the insurance company, and often, such a request is denied. Unfortunately, when a request for a second opinion is denied, the injured worker will have to file an appeal and litigate that issue.

ORANGE GLAZED SALMON

Ingredients

•

2 salmon fillets (10 oz total)

•

1 tsp salt

•

2 tbsp ghee

When you’ve been injured on the job and have filed a workers’ compensation claim, you might be surprised to learn that, in most situations, you do not have the ability to select any doctor of your choice. Under Nevada law, an injured person can only receive treatment from a doctor who is on a panel of providers chosen by the insurance company covering the worker’s comp claim. This means an injured worker in Nevada cannot be treated by a medical professional outside of the insurance company’s panel of doctors. However, a new law took effect January 2020 that expands the list and number of doctors that insurance companies have on their panel of providers. Although an injured worker theoretically has more options for treatment with this new law, there are still several restrictions in place under the law that limit an injured worker’s ability to choose a doctor. Here are some things to remember about doctor selection in workers’ comp claims.

•

1 tbsp garlic, minced

•

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

•

Zest from 1 orange

•

1/3 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

•

1 tsp tapioca starch

Directions

1.

Heat oven to 425 F, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Salt each fillet with 1/2 tsp salt. Bake for 6–8 minutes.

3. In a saucepan, combine ghee and garlic and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.

In our experience here at the Askeroth Law Group, getting our clients to the best possible doctors is a top priority in workers’ comp claims. Having a good treating doctor during a claim is absolutely essential to a successful outcome. 3 725-867-8495 | WWW.ASKEROTHLAW.COM | WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AND PERSONAL INJURY 4. Add rosemary, zest, and juice. Cook for another 3 minutes. 5. Stir in tapioca starch until lumps disappear and mixture thickens. 6. Plate salmon and top with orange sauce.

First, an injured worker in Nevada does not have the ability to change doctors at will

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Growing Up (and Working) in Las Vegas

Explore the Charms of Boulder City March Madness Fun for the Whole Family Choosing Your Doctor After an Injury Orange Glazed Salmon

Celebrating National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day

GIVING BACK TO LOCAL COMPANIES On National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day

March 29 is National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day, which is huge for small businesses everywhere. Mom-and-pop businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy; Small Business Trends reports that mom-and-pop businesses account for 64% of gross domestic product (GDP) and generate 78% of all new jobs. Furthermore, no matter what turns the economy takes, small-business owners are less likely to lay off their employees than big corporations. Mom-and- pop businesses support all communities, and you can support them by celebrating this unofficial holiday! GIVE YOUR LOCAL ECONOMYA BOOST! Shopping locally has a massive impact on your community. Local businesses return three times the amount of money to the local economy than larger corporations do. With that big of a returned investment, your community can support even more small businesses that generate a wealth of jobs and keep the cycle going.

them a better value for your dollar. Take this day to shop for birthday and holiday gifts for your loved ones that will bring them great joy and last a lifetime. GET SOCIAL AND SPREAD THE WORD! While small businesses utilize every form of marketing available, social media is essential for their success and growth. After shopping at your favorite mom-and-pop business, share that experience on your social media! When you write a post on Facebook or take a picture for Instagram, be sure to tag the business and use relevant hashtags so your friends, family, and everyone else in your community can shop there too. Writing reviews on Google Reviews and Yelp helps establish validity for the company. When another potential customer looks for reviews, they know they’re getting quality products and services from a well-established pillar of the community. The local businesses that are active on social media may post deals and sales for that day only, so keep your eyes peeled and be sure to follow all your favorite businesses!

In addition to the economic boost, products from small businesses are usually higher quality, which makes

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