Pennsylvania’s legislators try their best to represent their constituents; I believe this is true the vast majority of times. But, there are certainly times when the results of their actions are very difficult to reconcile with the best interests of those they have sworn to protect. Currently pending in the…
Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Lawyer Blog
Jobs in Labor Market Survey/Earning Power Assessment Must Actually be Open and Available to Injured Worker in PA Workers’ Compensation
Several years ago, we were excited to tell everyone about the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania decision in Phoenixville Hospital v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (Shoap). It was this case that made clear workers’ compensation insurance carriers in PA could not simply use a classified “help wanted” ad to reduce every…
Fatal Claim Benefits in PA Workers’ Comp Not Automatic to Spouse
Among the benefits available under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act (Act), are “fatal claim” benefits. Since these are only relevant for work accidents which involve the death of a worker, these are not things we like to often see. Unfortunately, sometimes these things do happen, and they are cases which…
The Honorable Paul Baker Retired
As we have previously mentioned, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers’ Compensation rarely provides official or formal notice regarding the addition or subtraction of Workers’ Compensation Judges (WCJs) in the Commonwealth. As usual, it is up to us to point out these changes, from our contact with other attorneys, and from…
Injured Worker Cannot “Reinstate” Disability Benefits Never Granted in PA Workers’ Comp
Sometimes odd facts in a Pennsylvania workers’ compensation case make for an odd decision. Yet, even then, we can often find something of use in that decision. Seeing how appellate courts approach different situations helps us understand how that may translate to other fact patterns and enable us to better…
Is Massage Therapy “Medical Treatment” in PA Workers’ Compensation?
What is “medical treatment”? Though most folks know that medical treatment for a work injury is covered under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act (Act), even the courts seem confused as to what constitutes “medical treatment.” In some ways, this issue was recently clarified by the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. In…
Fact That Injured Employee Unsuccessfully Applies For Jobs In LMS Is Relevant, But Not Dispositive, In PA Workers’ Compensation
One of the tools in the arsenal of the workers’ compensation insurance carrier in Pennsylvania, in their fight to take away benefits from injured workers, is the “Labor Market Survey” (LMS), also known as an “Earning Power Assessment” (EPA). Once an injured worker in PA has shown an entitlement to…
Attorney Glenn Neiman Acting as Moderator for Continuing Legal Education Seminar
We are proud when our attorneys are asked to participate in continuing legal education seminars. Being invited to help educate other lawyers can only be viewed as a tremendous compliment. And, so we are pleased to relay that one of our attorneys, Glenn Neiman, has been invited by the Workers’…
Injured Workers’ Rights to Medical Treatment in PA
Just the other day, an injured worker called us, complaining that their employer refused to send them to a “workers’ compensation doctor.” It seems that there is more confusion in this area than in many within the complicated world of Pennsylvania workers’ compensation. While medical treatment for the work injury…
Settling a PA Workers’ Compensation Case
One of the frequent questions we are asked is regarding the settlement of a Pennsylvania workers’ compensation claim. In fact, there is a page on our website just devoted to settlements. When considering whether to settle his or her case, there are several things an injured worker should consider. Initially,…