New PA Workers’ Compensation Judges Announced

As discussed in a previous blog entry, PA workers’ compensation proceedings are usually held in the County in which the injured worker resides. Counties are then grouped by “Districts.” In the State of PA, there are four Districts: Eastern, Southeastern, Central and Western.

Hearings for the Eastern District are located in Allentown, Bristol, Lancaster, Malvern and Reading (also, though not officially listed on the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation official website, some hearings take place in Doylestown and Dresher). The Southeastern District sees hearings in Northeast Philadelphia and Center City Philadelphia, in addition to Upper Darby. Harrisburg, Hazleton, Pottsville, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Williamsport comprise the Central District. Throughout the State of Pennsylvania, there are now a total of 95 Workers’ Compensation Judges (WCJ).

This number includes four new WCJs who have just been introduced by the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. In the Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Hearing Office (Southeastern District), Timothy Bulman and Sandra Craig have been added. Robert O’Donnell has joined the Lancaster Workers’ Compensation Hearing Office (Eastern District). The Western District, Johnstown Workers’ Compensation Hearing Office, has added Steven Minnich.

More information on the division of workers’ compensation hearing offices across Pennsylvania, and on the Workers’ Compensation Judges in PA, is available on the PA Bureau of Workers’ Compensation office website.