Malloy Law Offices - February 2022

Malloy Law Offices - February 2022

Malloy Monthly

MALLOY LAW OFFICES, LLC

Alexandria 5680 King Centre Dr. #600 Alexandria, VA 22315 (703) 337-3328 Bethesda 7910 Woodmont Ave. #1250 Bethesda, MD 20814 (202) 999-3898

Clinton 9135 Piscataway Rd. #215 Clinton, MD 20735 (301) 889-9950 Baltimore 400 E. Pratt St., 8th Flr. Baltimore, MD 21202 (410) 498-6085

February 2022

CELEBRATING NATIONAL GET UP DAY Perseverance Is Key

The holiday season was wonderful! It sounds like many of you had a fabulous time creating lasting memories with family, friends, and those you hold dear. As we wind down from the hustle and bustle, many of us are still resting up and taking the time to ease back into our normal routine. 2021 was a challenging year for many, and we all could use the reminder that it’s okay to fall down, as long as you get back up. Feb. 1 is National Get Up Day, a day set aside to remind us that after we get knocked down, whether it’s due to stress, failure, anxiety, or depression, it is important to persevere and get back up. No matter how many times we feel like giving up, the key is to try again. Every day, we face obstacles in our lives. At work, maybe a meeting didn’t go as planned or a project was running late. At home, possibly fear and anxiety are keeping you from achieving your health and wellness plans. But, without goals and intentions to overcome the challenges life presents us, we would never progress. Through perseverance, despite difficult circumstances, we become stronger. The power of perseverance is displayed in our willingness to move forward to find a silver lining, no matter how difficult it is.

The origin of National Get Up Day traces back to professional skating. January is National Skating Month and Feb. 1 marks the official end of a month celebrating figure skating communities worldwide. One of the main lessons each skater learns is how to get back up after they fall. This translates to all aspects of life. Ice skaters and others worldwide celebrate National Get Up Day by sharing their stories with others for encouragement. Whether you’re on or off the ice, we can all come together this month (and every month) to help others when they stumble or fall. Remember that failure is only a stepping stone on the way to success. Part of getting back up involves working through the situation to determine how to approach it differently on the way back up. Our challenges are growth opportunities — if we allow them to be. My hope is that in 2022, we all can better ourselves by learning to grow from our stumbles. Failure isn’t the opposite of success; rather, it’s a key component. Over the past year, as we struggle with the pandemic, we have all stumbled a bit in one aspect or another. Our lives have all been affected. Let’s use National Get Up Day to motivate ourselves to grow, find success, and create opportunities for advancement as we thrive in the new year. “Failure isn’t the opposite of success; rather, it’s a key component.”

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Motor Vehicle Accidents • Workers’ Compensation • Slip and Fall • Social Security Disability • And More

In the event that someone is ever badly injured or disabled and unable to return to work for an extended period of time (or in some cases, a lifetime), Social Security disability benefits can be obtained. In order to qualify, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has certain criteria that candidates must meet. You could qualify for disability benefits based on how much you are earning monthly. This number changes every year and can be verified on the SSA’s website. The net qualification is based upon how severe your injury is. If it significantly limits your ability to perform basic tasks, then you meet this criterion. This can include engaging in basic tasks such as walking, lifting, standing, or sitting, for at least 12 months. You may also qualify for Social Security disability if the injury prevents you from doing your work. The SSA looks at your ability to perform other job duties in another line of work. Your past work history, age, and education are all taken into account, and if you are deemed well enough to perform work elsewhere, your claim may not be approved. It is important to know about the two different types of disability benefits. Before you apply for Social Security disability, know and understand the difference between Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSI MENTAL DISORDERS AND SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY Does It Qualify?

February is host to a sports tradition that dates back more than half a century: Super Bowl Sunday! Whether your team is playing or not, the Super Bowl is the NFL’s biggest stage, and it’s arguably one of the most-watched events on the sports calendar. For impressionable kids, watching players on the world’s biggest stage can be like watching their heroes duke it out, inspiring many to join their own peewee leagues. But is that safe? In recent years, increased reports of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) among retired players have some parents questioning if this great American tradition is worth it. Here’s what you need to know. Physical activity always comes with risks. It’s important to remember that all forms of sports can induce injury. Your child can sprain their ankle running in track and field, just as they can while running down the football field. Proper technique, great coaching, up-to-date equipment, and clean play can all deter potential injuries. But fear of injury is not reason enough to keep a child out of a sport that can teach discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship. However, prolonged exposure is the issue. This is where football deviates. While any sport increases the risk of injury, football’s consistent exposure to contact is what makes it more dangerous. A 2017 Boston University study first exposed this, citing that more than 99% of the 202 former NFL players had CTE, often categorized as a complex brain injury. That’s terrifying news for any parent. But knowing the risk can reduce the exposure. Since these findings have been made public, the NFL and youth football leagues have made changes to their concussion protocols, equipment, and tackling techniques. In fact, concussion reports in the NFL dropped by 24% in 2018. Furthermore, parents can arm themselves with this information not to discourage their children from playing football but to instead encourage safer play styles. For example, flag football can be a safer, healthier alternative for young players. If you’re concerned about your little footballer hitting the field, talk to your child’s physician about risks and preventive measures. And ask about mouthguard options for dental protection! Should Your Children Play Football?

Take a Break

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Motor Vehicle Accidents • Workers’ Compensation • Slip and Fall • Social Security Disability • And More

Maybe it’s not a case of the Mondays after all. Social jet lag, the discrepancy between sleep on a workday and sleep on a weekend, is a real thing! Your chronotype — your body’s natural sleep and wake preferences — is deeply impacted when you switch up your schedule on a whim. The hustle and bustle of your busy weekends may be making your job at the office more difficult or even compromising the accuracy of your work. What can be done? The Silent Productivity Killer SOCIAL JET LAG:

helps out people of all ages who are disabled with a basic fund and SSDI is funded through payroll taxes and paid out to those who cannot work.

But, what about emotional damage, distress, and mental health concerns? Can you qualify for SSI or SSDI if you are experiencing PTSD or another mentally incapacitating challenge? Scan the QR code to visit our blog and find out!

As a general rule, to avoid social jet lag, aim for at least seven hours of sleep within your normal sleep-wake window.

While you may think that one way to combat social jet lag is by catching up on sleep, it may be a stopgap fix, but it certainly does not cure the problem. Instead, you

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must make changes in your daily routine so that your circadian rhythm, your internal

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clock that keeps your sleep-wake cycle normalized, is aligned

and your sleep deprivation low.

You can do this by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. If the temptation to sleep in on the days you

don’t have to be at the office takes over, only allow yourself to sleep in an extra hour.

This ensures that your circadian clock isn’t thrown off too much. But, if you can resist the urge to sleep in and keep your sleep-wake schedule on track, an afternoon nap is a quick way to catch some z’s. Because our chronotypes are mostly set in stone, it’s easier to work with them than against them. But, if you must shift it, do so gradually to allow your body time to catch up. And, most importantly, prioritize sleep. Without it, showing up at work on Monday morning with social jet lag can make it extremely difficult to get going.

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Motor Vehicle Accidents • Workers’ Compensation • Slip and Fall • Social Security Disability • And More

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7910 Woodmont Ave. #1250 Bethesda, MD 20814 (202) 933-7277 • www.malloy-law.com

InsideThis Issue

1

The Key Is to Get Back Up

2

Should Your Children Play Football?

2

Mental Disorders and Social Security Disability

3

Beating Social Jet Lag

3

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breast

4

Rose Color Meanings

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com

Roses: A Love Language

Red Rose As stated above, red roses are symbolic of a deep and passionate love. If you’re looking to say “I love you,” opting for red roses is the way to go! Pink Rose Pink roses symbolize different things based upon their shade. If they are dark pink, it could be used as a way to say “thank you,” but if it’s a light pink rose, it symbolizes gentleness or joy. White Rose The white rose has always indicated purity and innocence, which is why white roses are popular in weddings. A white rose can also symbolize young love, loyalty, a feeling of spirituality, and eternal joy.

Purple Rose Adoration and fascination are shared via purple roses. Giving your loved one purple roses on Valentine’s Day says you’re intrigued and happy with them. It’s a great way to bring joy to a happy or proud situation or event. Yellow Rose A yellow rose is bright and fun, symbolizing caring and friendship. As a rule of thumb, if you are romantically involved with or interested in someone, never send them yellow roses, as this may indicate you would like to be just friends. Roses can mean much more than romantic love. So, use this as a guide to better understand meanings behind the colors of roses. Happy Valentine’s Day!

In 2019, people spent $20.7 billion on Valentine’s Day, according to the National Retail Federation — that includes $1.9 billion on flowers alone, which averages out to a little over $15 per person. The tradition of giving flowers on the day of love dates back to the 17th century, and roses, especially red ones, are most popular because they resemble “deep romantic love and passion.” For many years, different meanings have been attributed to different species and colors of flowers. While roses in general represent love, each color of a rose carries a different meaning: red, pink, white, purple, and yellow. Here is what each rose color has come to represent.

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Motor Vehicle Accidents • Workers’ Compensation • Slip and Fall • Social Security Disability • And More