As mentioned in a previous blog post, Pennsylvania Courts have become increasingly strict with regard to cutting off PA workers’ compensation benefits to retired injured workers, even when the retirement is due to the work injury. Those of us who represent injured workers’ in PA workers’ comp were surprised and…
As a Claimant’s lawyer, practicing exclusively in PA workers’ comp, I was thrilled when the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania decided Lewis v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (WCAB) in 2007. The Court in Lewis limited a PA workers’ comp insurance company’s ability to continually file petitions to terminate a claimant’s workers’…
In an interesting study, posted on www.medscape.com, patients with lumbar disc herniations have been found to recover better than those patients who refuse surgery to concentrate on medications, exercise and physical therapy. An injured worker suffering a herniated disc in his or her back (or neck, for that matter) is…
A recent article on www.emaxhealth.com noted that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an extended-release version of the chronic pain medication, Ryzolt (sold under the name of “Tramadol”). Though Tramadol has previously been available, this simplified dosage is new. Unfortunately, chronic pain is something we see all…
It still amazes me when I see an injured worker represented by a general practice attorney. As you folks can see from the frequent postings on our blog, the law in Pennsylvania workers’ comp frequently changes. Lawyers who do not handle PA workers’ compensation cases on a regular basis can…
A recent post on Workers’ Comp Insider, a blog devoted to workers’ compensation cost control, explores the problems being faced by FedEx and its workers. FedEx has managed to avoid having its workers join a union, by classifying them instead as “independent contractors” rather than “employees.” The blog entry points…
Recently, two pharmaceutical companies, Genzyme Corporation and Osiris Therapeutics, announced that they have joined to develop two adult stem cell treatments. These medications, known as Prochymal and Chondrogen, may be a valuable resource to treat a wide variety of conditions. Benefits from these treatments may include control of inflammation, development…
We are excited to report that Glenn C. Neiman, one of the partners at Brilliant & Neiman LLC, was approached by Lawline.com, a division of LAWLINE, with an invitation to join their esteemed faculty. LAWLINE is the longest running legal TV show in New York City. Lawline.com is a leading…
As we have mentioned in previous posts, the Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Hearing Office has been in the process of moving. We are pleased to now report that the new hearing office has opened on schedule. Hearings on workers’ compensation cases will no longer be held at the State Office Building,…
Generally speaking, an injured worker in PA can ask a Workers’ Compensation Judge (WCJ) to review an accepted description of a work injury “at any time” (within the statute of limitations, of course) to amend those conditions for which the workers’ compensation insurance carrier should be responsible. In other words,…