Premier Law Group - August 2020

Premier Law Group - August 2020

Premi er Law

captain’s log

Aug 2020

FromMy First Summer Job to Today

How Experiences Shape Who We Become

of service job is one of the best jobs you can have. If you’re a good waiter, especially in a busy restaurant, you can handle anything. You learn how to juggle multiple things at once and, because nothing ever goes the way it should, you learn how to manage expectations — and bounce back. I had to think on my feet and do everything I could to keep customers happy. When you’re a waiter, you deal with both customers and kitchen staff. These are two very different worlds and you’re the go- between. I tried to have a good customer rapport, to maximize tips, all while making sure orders were delivered to the kitchen staff to keep things moving. One thing I’ve noticed as a lawyer and business owner is that some of our best admins at the firm were baristas. They make excellent legal assistants and paralegals. When you have a service job, like a barista, you have to balance so much on your plate. Legal assistants and paralegals are in that same position. On any given day they have a lot to handle. For me, every job I’ve ever had was a learning experience. It added something to my life. And with each new job, I learned even more. I was prepared for each new chapter. Then, when I became a lawyer and a business owner, I was ready to take on the role to be the attorney and manager I needed to be. Think about Captain Kirk or Captain Picard. Over the course of their respective television shows, we learn a lot about where they came from. They didn’t just become the captains we all know; they worked through the ranks. They got their hands dirty and they learned many lessons along the way. There’s an episode of “The Next Generation” that really explores this. It’s called “Tapestry.” In this episode, Picard undergoes heart surgery. As we learn, Picard has an artificial heart — which he received after a deadly bar fight when he was younger. During the episode, Picard dies. At death, he is greeted by his nemesis, Q, an omniscient alien who is

When I was about 15, I had my first “real” summer job. I got together with a couple of friends and started my own auto detailing business. We would go around the neighborhood and pick up cars that belonged to the parents of my friends. We brought the cars back to my parents’ house where we worked to make those vehicles look as good as new. Then, we drove them back. It was a full-service operation. As 15-year-olds, we had fun driving around such nice cars. Plus, it was my first experience running a business. I had to figure out what we needed to buy, how much, and what to charge our customers. I was taking inventory and managing how much time we spent working on each car. We made a little money, but more than that, I learned a lot about business. The next summer, I worked as a bagger at a local grocery store. For a 16-year-old, it was a tough job, but apparently the store management thought I was responsible enough to put me on floor-shine duty. They had me come in at 5 in the morning on Sundays. I would buff the floors of the store — a three-hour job. The buffing machine would cough fumes at me every second of those three hours. It wasn’t all bad. Once finished, I went to bagging groceries and helping people to their cars. Other times I’d be able to leave early. But the time that made my day was when I bagged groceries for a Seattle Supersonics player. I was a huge Sonics fan, and I was excited that I even got to take his groceries out to his car.

From there I went on to what became the most important job of my youth. I worked at a restaurant busing and waiting tables. I worked at various restaurants up until I started law school. In many ways, this kind

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The Big Leagues Do You Have What It Takes to Become a Professional Bowler?

The Claims Adjuster’s Toolkit 3 Ways Insurance Companies Mislead You They won’t recognize the full scope of your medical needs. Even if you have complete documentation of your medical requirements and the associated costs following an injury, an adjuster may claim your medical charges are too high. They may tell you they will compensate you for your medical bills, but then offer less than you really need. Adjusters may go as far to say they looked into what various health care providers charge for certain treatments in your area and will compensate you accordingly, but it can be difficult for you to verify the accuracy of these claims. They won’t discuss the fine print about your coverage or benefits. It’s always important to know exactly how you are covered. Too many people with insurance do not know the full scope of their coverage. Many adjusters are not going to walk you through your coverage and benefits line by line. They’ll leave it up to you to know. You may assume you have specific coverage — such as underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage — only to discover after a car wreck that you don’t, which can put you at a disadvantage. Always read the fine print of your policy and review it annually. of bowling! Anyone can score high, but comparing your Wednesday night league average to a pro is like comparing the score from your pickup game of soccer to the scores at the World Cup. For starters, unlike what you’d find at any standard bowling alley, the lanes in a professional setting are oiled specifically to create a more difficult path for the ball, forcing the pros to toss mechanical-like throws. This takes time and dedication to perfect. Find Monetary Support Unlike many other professional sports, bowlers make very little money. The average bowler makes more than $40,000 annually, but they often have to provide their own funds for lodging, travel, and tournament entry fees. Some professional bowlers even have side gigs to supplement their income from the sport. However, many bowlers admit that it’s not about the money. Instead, it’s the friendly competition and the glorious sound of the pins that bring them back for more. Learn more about these professional leagues at PBA.com or PWBA.com if you’re interested in picking up bowling as a professional sport or just a hobby!

Bowling is a fun activity for all ages, and the game has been providing good times since 5,000 B.C. in Egypt. In modern history, bowling has had its fair share of glory, but if you think you have the aptitude to join the ranks of professional bowlers, then consider what it takes to become the best of the best. Join the Pros The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) are the premier leagues for professional 10-pin bowlers in the United States. Unlike the NFL or MLB, in which players are drafted onto teams before participating professionally, it’s fairly simple to join the PBA or PWBA. Members either pay an annual fee or have to meet certain requirements: scoring a 200 or higher at each tournament they’ve entered, bowling at least 36 games, or having an overall average of 190 or better. To participate in the PWBA, bowlers must have a scoring average of 190 or higher in any recognized United States

Bowling Congress (USBC) league. Practice, Practice, Practice

You may see a professional bowler score 190 at a regional tournament and think, “I can do that.” That’s the beauty

We all know insurance companies work hard to avoid paying anyone who deserves compensation following an accident. When you get in a car wreck and hop on the phone with an insurance adjuster, their goal is to get you to accept the lowest dollar amount possible as part of your settlement. These professionals are trained in a number of tactics to get you to agree to their terms. Here are three examples. They will tell you that you don’t need a lawyer. Insurance companies love it when claimants settle without a lawyer. It makes their job quicker and easier. However, if you mention that you are thinking about hiring an attorney, they may tell you that most of your settlement will go to pay that lawyer and you will be left with much less or nothing at all. This is very misleading. A study by the Insurance Research Council found that, on average, those who hired an attorney received 3 1/2 times more money than those who settled alone.

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Stuck Inside?

3 Activities to Keep You Busy Summertime means getting out of the house to enjoy the sunshine and the bright blue sky. But even during this great time of year, you may have to spend some of these precious days inside, not outside. Rather than scrolling through social media or reminiscing about better days, here are a few ideas you can use to turn a day spent indoors into a fun summer memory! Get Crafty You’re bound to have a few materials floating around the house that you can use to create a new art project or even start a new hobby. If you have extra sheets of paper lying around, then give origami a go. Do you have a shirt you don’t wear anymore but still love? Turn it into a new pillow cover or a bag. You can also create fun garden decorations by painting rocks, making a wind chime, or repurposing an old boot into a new plant holder. You never know — whatever you choose to do could become your next passion. Plan Your Next Vacation Spending the day inside might just be the perfect time to plan your next vacation. Use this time to calculate the expenses of the trip, such as travel, board, food, and souvenirs. You can also research and figure out where you’re going to stay ahead of time, whether that be a hotel or an Airbnb, to optimize your experience. Once you have the groundwork done, you’ll have a better idea of how your trip will go and be able to focus on the fun stuff when the time comes! Change It Up If you’ve been putting off rearranging or reorganizing a room in your house, then a day at home is a great chance to get started. Switching up the layout of your stuff gives your home a fresh new look and provides you with an opportunity to deep-clean your space. If you have a patio or porch, then try sprucing up those outdoor spaces with new furniture, potted plants, or trendy decor. Just imagine how satisfying it will feel once everything is in a new place and sparkling clean. Even when you’d rather be outside enjoying the last days of summer, these indoor activities will keep you entertained and give you something fun to look forward to!

3 www.premierlawgroup.com | 206-285-1743 When I did start my law firm, it was just me. I did every job and came to understand what every position entailed. When I started hiring, I knew what I needed to hire for and how to be a better manager. I could put together a crew and get the results I wanted because I had been through it all. I had the necessary experience to be a leader for my team. -Jason Epste in fascinated by Picard. Q gives Picard a chance to relive his youth and make different decisions. Picard accepts the offer and avoids the bar fight that severely injured him. He goes through this new life, working his way through the ranks — except it’s very different. He’s a different person and he doesn’t achieve many of the goals he had originally achieved. The episode is a study on how our experiences culminate to make us who we are meant to be. I wouldn’t be the lawyer I am today without those summer jobs. If I didn’t detail cars when I was 15 and get my first taste of running a business, I might have never started my own company. There’s no greater compliment we can receive than a referral from our clients. When you share that trust with family members, friends, and acquaintances, it means so much to all of us at Premier Law. If you know somebody in need of a lawyer, please give them this newsletter and tell them to give us a call at 206-285-1743. Thank you for spreading the word about Premier Law! . . . Continued from cover

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On Screen

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All Experiences Lead to Who We Are Today Think You Can Be a Professional Bowler? Find Out! How Do Insurance Companies Mislead You? Engaging Indoor Activities

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Don’t Forget About Backpack Safety

This publication is intended to educate the general public about personal injury, insurance claims, and small-business issues. It is not intended as legal advice. Every case is different. Our newsletter may be freely copied and distributed as long as the newsletter is copied in its entirety.

The World on Your Shoulders

3 Tips to for the Best-Fitting Backpack

support. Padding is helpful, but how the bag sits on the shoulders is more important. Get a backpack that fits. A large pack on a young child is a recipe for trouble. It has the potential to be overfilled, which may strain a smaller child’s neck and back. Make sure the pack doesn’t sag too far under the waistline or sit up too high on the shoulders. If you can find a backpack with hip or chest straps and buckles, even better. These straps help distribute weight more effectively. Organization is key. Partitions in the backpack help keep books, binders, and other items from shifting around. Avoid bags with only one or two large compartments. Backpacks with multiple pockets are your best bet. Partitions also help keep the bag from being overfilled. Once you’ve picked out a backpack, organize everything heaviest to lightest. Place the heaviest items closest to the back for more support and better weight distribution.

When it comes to back-to-school season, one of the big safety topics is traffic. While many schools are conducting online classes this year, others are welcoming back students for in-person lessons. Naturally, there will be more cars and buses on the roads. But there’s one topic that often gets overlooked: backpack safety. As kids of all ages return to school or start school for the very first time, they’ll step into the classroom with backpacks full of binders, notebooks, textbooks, and countless other supplies. As kids get older, the contents of their backpacks can seriously weigh them down and put strain on their shoulders, neck, and back. This can cause chronic health problems as they enter adulthood, and it can impact their abilities in the workforce. What can you do? Find a backpack with proper support. Some packs offer more support than others, and some are designed to better carry the weight of books, laptops, and other items. Look for a backpack that offers both shoulder and back

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