Have Fun

Summer in Arizona is hot – hot –hot. Plan indoor activities such as museums, movies, laser tag, skating or even the Polar Play Ice bar. Outdoor activities can include a trip to the water park, or a road trip to the Grand Canyon, or Watson Lake for a camping trip. Being a divorced parent doesn’t mean you can’t still have family adventures!

Keep Your Agreements

Be sure that you are following your Parenting Plan including any parameters around where you can or can’t take the kids and for how long. Keep honest, open communication with your co-parent, with a focus on what’s best for the kids.

If a parent wants to do a special outing, encourage it rather than resorting to jealousy. Talk about the financial aspect as well to avoid any confusion about child support obligations or cost sharing.

Optimize the Time Off

While the kids are out of school, consider what important tasks can be taken care of, such as dental visits, physicals, vision or hearing tests and more. Often these can become stressful during the school year when schedules are more rigid. If there is something that has been put off, use the summer flexibility to get it done.

If your Parenting Plan allows, the summer may be a great time for kids to visit relatives to keep the family bonds strong even though parents are separated.

Keep the Kids Busy

Keeping some sort of schedule with the kids will help them ease back into their school routines when the summer ends. Find activities for the kids to do, whether or not you are at work, and use your shared time off to get in quality bonding time.

Local libraries offer summer reading programs, and several other businesses offer day long camps for anything from cooking classes, to arts and crafts, or sport camps. Use these shorter sessions to help awaken a new skill or interest in your child.

Whether filing for divorce, or modifying your child support or custody agreements, Simon Law Group has over 20 years of experience in family law. They are more than just a good divorce attorney in Arizona, they have the credentials and experience to make sure you have a successful divorce- before, during and after. Call 480-745-2450 today for your free consultation, and remember, Experience Matters!

What can you do to reduce the chance of injury to you, or your children? Here are 5 tips to keep you, and those around you safe:

Understand the risk

When you purchase a ticket and attend an event, you are agreeing to the fact that you are willingly participating in a dangerous activity. Most the time, this means that if you are injured, you aren’t able to sue the sporting venue, ownership, etc. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, and only speaking to an attorney about your case will clear it up.

If you are more vulnerable to injury because you have small children with you, or are limited in mobility, take extra precautions for safety such as choosing a safer seating area, such as in an enclosed area.

Stay alert

Texting or keeping your eyes on your cellphone isn’t a safe practice when there is a potential of an object flying towards you. Keep your eyes on the game and watch for projectiles.

Bring a glove

Most spectator injuries happen at baseball games, so be aware of where you are sitting (some areas are more prone to foul balls then others), and bring a glove to catch a baseball or softball before it collides with you, or nearby spectators.

Shout

If you see a projectile coming your way, shout for a ‘heads up’ or ‘duck’ for those who may not be paying attention.

Teach your kids

Teach your kids safe spectator practices, such as watching for objects, and how to protect their head, face and extremities from injuries from projectiles.

When Something Goes Wrong at a Sporting Event

Since there is a little chance of remedy if you are injured at a sporting event, it is better to take proactive steps to protect yourself. If you have been injured, it is still a good idea to contact a personal injury attorney to determine if your unique situation allows for compensation for your injuries, or for the injuries of a loved one.

Simon Law Group has been serving the Greater Phoenix area’s personal injury needs for over 20 years, and would love to earn your trust but showing you an ethical and honest approach to getting the fair compensation you need to care for you and your family after an accident that was no fault of your own. Give us a call today at (480) 745-2450 to schedule your free consultation, and remember, Experience Matters!

We’ve all made mistakes with driving – not seeing a vehicle in our blind spot, or stopping short, or not soon enough, because we misjudged distance. These are true accidents. But when someone chooses to drive impaired, and that action results in damage to property, and physical harm, the injured party has the right to be compensated for their loss.

Your Rights as an Injured Person

Many people who have experienced damages caused by an impaired driver assume that insurance will handle it, and in some cases, this is true. However, for others, the settlement the insurance company offers isn’t enough to cover the expenses, either now or in the future. When this happens, they will typically call a personal injury attorney to learn more about what they can ask the insurance company to pay for. Typically, injured parties are entitled to:

Property Damage. If you have damaged property, such as to the vehicle you were driving and significant items inside, or your landscaping or home (yes, impaired drivers have been known to damage homes), you can get compensation to repair or replace that property.

Medical Bills. Medical bills will begin to build up quickly, and can continue for a significant amount of time. The insurance company will offer a settlement that limits the amount of money they will pay out over the lifetime of the injury. Significant injuries can be life-changing, and future medical bills must be part of the equation.

Loss of Life/Loss of Quality of Life. When the accident results in death or dismemberment, the quality of life for the person and/or their family is severely impacted. This impact has several factors that need to be reviewed in order for compensation to be considered. While no amount of money will be a replacement for a life or lifetime disability, it will help the family transition into a “new normal”.

Lost Wages. Especially in a significant injury, it is likely there is a hospital stay, rehabilitation and follow up appointments, resulting in lost wages. Future lost wages can also be compensated when there is a permanent disability as a result of the accident.

Pain and Suffering. While more objective than tangible doctor bills, some cases allow an awarding of compensation for pain and suffering for both the injured party and their family members who become care takers or have suffered a loss from the accident as well.

Because there are several factors that go into what can be compensated, and at what levels, working with a personal injury attorney is critical to obtaining a result that is truly supportive of your needs, not just what the insurance company wants to offer to protect themselves.

With over 20 years of experience, Simon Law would like to earn your trust as a local personal injury lawyer here to support you in getting the money you need to take care of yourself (and/or loved ones) after an accident. Contact us to discuss your case at 480-745-2450. Get your free consultation, and remember, Experience Matters!

It’s important to know when you can petition for either visitation or custody to your grandchildren, and have the backing of an Arizona Family Law attorney with a strong understanding of grandparent rights in Arizona.

General Factors

Whether a grandparent is seeking visitation or custody, the court will look at factors such as:

• The parent’s ability and willingness to care for the child(ren)
• The relationship between the grandparent(s) and child(ren)
• The amount of time requested by the grandparent
• The motivation of both parents and grandparents in regards to access to the child(ren)
• Whether or not the child(ren) is in danger

When Visitation is Granted

So, the first qualification for grandparent visitation is that the parents were never married, or have been divorced for a least three months. If the parent of the child has been missing or deceased for at least three months, that is also a qualification that would allow a grandparent to create a visitation right.

When Custody is Granted

When a grandparent wants to file for custody, rather than simply visitation, there are three criteria that must be met. First, except for in the case of harm to the child, there must not have been a custody decision for the child made in the last year. Second, it must be determined that the grandparent’s custody is in the best interest of the child, more than that of staying with their parent. And thirdly, the grandparent must be providing for the majority of care for the child(ren) already.

Family Court will dismiss any case that doesn’t meet all three of the above criteria.

When something as important as a child’s health and safety is at stake, courts must be diligent in their understanding of the case. Having legal representation will help to make sure your side is presented accurately and robustly to the courts to help them make their decision.

If you are needing help with understanding your rights, and/or petitioning the court for visitation or custody of your grandchild(ren), Simon Law Group can help. With over 20 years in Family Law, we have the experience needed to listen, ask questions, and present the best case for a higher chance of success with your grandparent custody matter. Contact us today at (480)-745-2450 to schedule your free consultation.

When it comes to Grandparent rights, remember, Experience Matters!