Emery Law Office July 2018

Emery Law Office July 2018

JULY 2018

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THE JOURNEY, NOT THE DESTINATION MEMORIES FROM THE ROAD W hen I was growing up, my mom worked for McDonnell Douglas building airplanes. She was a union employee. Every two years or so, the union would renegotiate its terms. Before the negotiation period, Mom would have to work a lot of overtime. That’s because the negotiations would take a long time, during which employees would be laid off. I guess you could say the company was making sure they could hold out for as long as possible. The reason I bring this up, apart from the fact that it’s a cool job, is that our family road trips would always occur during those layoffs. Our vacations always included stereotypical American road trips.

wasn’t a legal option. My dad told the officer where we were heading and where the tornado was, but the officer still didn’t budge. We felt like we had no choice but to keep marching toward danger. We inched along for a little while, but we eventually knew that driving any further would be stupid. “If they want to ticket me, they can,” my dad said. To be as safe as possible, we parked the car beneath a viaduct. Then we waited. I don’t recall exactly how long we were there, but it was definitely a white-knuckle experience. The car was rocking back and forth. At one point, I heard the telltale whistling sound that indicates you’re in the middle of a tornado. My 14-year-old self was thinking, “When will this be over?” Today, I probably would’ve thought, “I hope we have good insurance coverage.” Thankfully the storm passed, and we made it out unscathed. Looking back on it, adventures like those are part of what make road trips so special. You never know what will happen. We certainly didn’t have “get stuck in a tornado” on the itinerary that year. Was it scary? Absolutely, but it’s also an experience none of us will ever forget. Road trips offer us the chance to take a vacation where planning and surprise happen in equal measure. If you’re packing up the station wagon this year, I hope you’ll stumble across some magical adventures. -Melissa Emery WWW.EMERYLAWOFF I CE . COM | 1

We’d load up the station wagon, squeeze in, and hit the road. One trip would be a loop through the Southeast, the next would be through the Southwest. Growing up in St. Louis, we had the perfect jumping-off point to see every corner of the lower 48. To be honest, I don’t know how much I appreciated the trips at that time, but I still have a lot of memories from them. I remember when we got a National Park pass and visited as many parks as we could. We even made a stop at a “haunted” plantation. Our greatest adventure, though, didn’t occur at a planned destination. Instead, it happened on the side of the road in Kansas. We were stopped at a fish restaurant on our way back home when we heard a tornado warning on the radio. We didn’t really know what to do. We’d be heading right into the eye

“Our vacations always included stereotypical American road trips. We’d load up the station wagon, squeeze in, and hit the road.”

of the storm, but we weren’t about to sit in the restaurant for hours to wait for the weather to clear. Eventually, we decided to brave the conditions and head out.

It wasn’t long after we got moving that things got dicey. In a panic, we decided to pull over to the side of the road and hang on until the tornado had passed. A police officer pulled up behind us to let us know that sitting on the roadside

HOW MUCH SUNSHINE IS TOO MUCH?

KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE

from the sun gives your body the time it needs to recuperate and helps prevent sunburn and heatstroke.

To many people, summer is all about heading outside to enjoy the weather. But getting too much sun can be dangerous. To have a fun-filled summer with your family this year, remember that it’s essential to protect yourself from harmful UV rays.

COMMON MYTHS ABOUT SUN EXPOSURE

COVER UP

Many people think that a tan is better than a sunburn, but the result of tanning is still sun damage. When your skin tone changes due to the sun, regardless of whether it tans or turns red, it’s a result of the epidermis reacting to damage caused by UV rays. Both are symptoms of harmed skin. While vitamin D is important, the sun does not contribute to its creation as much as you might think. Doris Day, a New York City dermatologist, explains that if your skin were to constantly produce vitamin D from being in the sun, it would reach toxic levels. Vitamin D is the only vitamin that your body can produce on its own, through a common form of cholesterol or 7-dehydrocholesterol. Spending time in the sun does help vitamin D form, but you need far less exposure than you think.

Covering your skin is one of the best ways to avoid skin damage. Wide- brimmed hats, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants or skirts can protect your skin from direct exposure to UV rays. While this tactic protects you from the sun, it offers poor defense against the heat. So, if you opt for cooler attire, it’s important to cover all exposed skin with a copious amount of sunscreen. Be sure to reapply every two hours for maximum skin protection.

SPEND LESS TIME IN THE SUN

If you’re planning to spend a significant amount of time in the sun, consider your environment. Will there be plenty of shade? Will you have to bring your own? What’s the best way to step out of the sun for a few minutes? Wearing sunscreen and protective clothing are great ways to shield yourself from UV rays, but it’s important to avoid being in direct sunlight for long periods. Taking a break

Knowing how to protect yourself from UV rays is the first step to having a safe, fun-filled summer!

IS YOUR INSURANCE POLICY VACATION-READY?

DON’T LEAVE THE STATE UNTIL YOU’RE SURE

As you may know, insurance policies are based on the laws of a given state. Everything, from minimum coverage requirements to what’s included in that coverage, is based on state laws. Most road trips, though, include visiting multiple states. Because you’ll be crossing state lines, you’ll want to make sure your coverage is up to snuff no matter where you’ll be traveling. Most insurance providers offer what’s known as a “broadening clause” for drivers who will be traveling out of state. This clause allows you to temporarily expand your coverage to meet the requirements of every state you’ll be traveling to. Expanding your coverage is extremely valuable in the event of an accident outside your state. For example, minimum bodily injury liability per person is $25,000 in Kentucky. In Maryland, that number is $30,000. If you don’t expand your coverage and do get in an accident, that remaining $5,000 will come out of your pocket. Before you head off on your road trip, make sure you give your insurance representative a call. If you aren’t comfortable dealing with your representative, the team at Emery Law Office can help you review your policy to make sure you can enjoy your trip without worry. We can’t help you remember that favorite toy, though.

Summer is road trip season. If you’re heading off for a family adventure this year, you know that it’s important to be prepared. Realizing that one of your children doesn’t have their favorite toy an hour into your trip can lead to tears and frustration. To avoid having your trip turn south in a hurry, it’s a good idea to create a pre-trip checklist. Think about what you’d put on that list. I’m guessing it would include things like “have plenty of water,” “make sure the GPS is working,” and “make sure the kids pack their toothbrushes.” Perhaps the hyper-diligent among you would have included an auto tune-up on your list. However, there’s one essential step that you may have overlooked. No, I’m not talking about having plenty of car chargers, though that’s probably a good idea. I’m referring to your insurance policy.

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HAVE A LAUGH!

AN EMERY LAW PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT We’ve all experienced getting into a car after it’s been sitting in the sun for a few hours. Super unpleasant, right? Some days it can get so bad that you want to turn the car on and run the air-conditioning for a few minutes before driving. While driving in a car that feels like an oven is nobody’s idea of a good time, being left in a hot car is a much more serious issue. According to the safety organization Kids and Cars, an average of 37 children die every year after being left in a hot vehicle unattended. The number of pets that die from the same cause is even higher. These statistics are so tragic because the fatalities are entirely preventable. My advice is simple: Don’t ever leave your child or pet in a car unattended. You may think you’re just running into the store for a couple of minutes, but there’s no point in risking it. Having to hold your child’s hand as you walk the aisles or tie your dog up outside is not much effort when it guarantees the safety of your loved ones. Remember that it doesn’t need to be sweltering outside for your car’s interior to reach unsafe temperatures. Vehicles are excellent at trapping heat, so the temperature inside a parked vehicle will be higher than the ambient temperature outside. That’s doubly true when you’re parked in a sunny area. After all, a sealed car isn’t the place to feel a summer breeze. There are a number of ways to keep your car cool during the summer. You can use a sunshade, park in a shady area, and keep the windows slightly cracked. I also recommend covering any parts of your car that get particularly warm with a hand towel. That way, when you get into your car, you won’t recoil the second you touch the steering wheel. DON’T LEAVE KIDS OR PETS IN A HOT CAR

BLUE CHEESE BUFFALO DOGS AND CELERY SLAW • 1 package of your favorite hot dogs • 1 package hot dog buns • 1 bottle Frank’s RedHot sauce • 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese FOR CELERY SLAW • 4 celery stalks, very thinly sliced • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest INGREDIENTS

Inspired by Bon Appetit magazine

• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice • 1 teaspoon olive oil • Celery salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

WE WANT YOU TO THINK OF US AS YOUR LAW FIRM. If you have a legal matter that needs attention, let us know. If we can’t handle the matter, we will refer you to a firm that can. Please feel free to refer us to your friends and family for their legal needs. We welcome the opportunity to help. 3. Assemble hot dogs, douse with hot sauce, and top with celery slaw. 4. Top with blue cheese, add another splash of hot sauce if you’re feeling extra spicy, and serve. 1. For slaw, toss all ingredients together and season with celery salt and pepper. 2. Grill hot dogs and toast buns.

No matter the precautions you take, it’s just not a good idea to leave pets or children in a vehicle. There’s too much at stake to leave their safety up to chance.

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INSIDE

PACK UP, HEAD OUT, SEE AMERICA 1

BATTLING THE SUMMER SUN! CHECK YOUR COVERAGE BEFORE YOUR ROAD TRIP 2 THE DANGERS OF HOT CARS BLUE CHEESE BUFFALO DOGS AND CELERY SLAW 3

THE HISTORY OF HOT DOGS AND BURGERS 4

THIS AMERICAN GRUB

HOW HOT DOGS AND HAMBURGERS BECAME NATIONAL TREASURES

I f your plans for this Independence Day involve firing up the barbecue, you’ll probably be cooking two American classics: hot dogs and hamburgers. Come the Fourth of July, families will be grilling up burgers and dogs from sea to shining sea, but it wasn’t always this way. The story of how beef patties and sausages became culinary symbols of our nation will give you plenty of food for thought.

dogs had become so unquestionably American that Franklin Roosevelt famously served them to King George VI during his royal visit in 1939.

THE BURGER Like the hot dog, the exact origin of the beef

patty’s eventual “sandwiching” is lost to history. Once again, it was German immigrants who brought their recipes for “Hamburg steak” with them across the Atlantic, but reports vary as to who first sold the meat patty inside a bun.

THE HOT DOG It was German immigrants who brought the “frankfurter” and the “wienerwurst” to American soil in the 1800s. There is much debate over who first decided to place one of these franks in a bun, but by

Multiple diners and fairgrounds across America claim to be the home of the first hamburger. All of these claims date to the turn of the 20th century, a time when our nation was faced with feeding a growing working class quickly and cheaply. By the 1950s, the burger had become a symbol of the American everyman. Both the hot dog and hamburger embody the history of our nation. Immigrant traditions merged with blue-collar needs to create two uniquely American foods. It’s fitting that we celebrate America’s birthday with the grub that has grown along with it.

the opening of the 20th century, hot dog stands had popped up all over the Eastern Seaboard. We do know the identity of the man who took the hot dog’s

popularity to a national level: Nathan Handwerker.

A Jewish immigrant from Poland, Nathan sliced buns for a hot dog stand on Coney Island. After scraping together enough money, he quit his job and opened a stand of his own, undercutting his former employer’s prices by half. Not only did Nathan’s hot dogs outsell the competition, the Great Depression made them the perfect food for a nation suddenly living on a tight budget. By the 1930s, hot

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