Mooney & Associates has formally requested to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry to consider a change in workers’ compensation hearing location for residents of the Shippensburg, Pennsylvania area. The change was requested because of the Franklin/Cumberland County divide of Shippensburg.
Currently, if you are an injured worker and reside in the Franklin County portion of Shippensburg, your hearing location is fifteen minutes away in Chambersburg. However, if you reside in Cumberland County portion of Shippensburg, then your hearing location is 45 minutes to an hour away in Harrisburg. That seems illogical and unfair. Many people who are hurt at work are suffering from back, shoulder, neck, and other injuries that make traveling for an extended period of time quite uncomfortable, if not impossible.
Our firm’s Workers Compensation Attorney, Mark Buterbaugh, served in various local government positions in Shippensburg and has resided in Cumberland County portion of Shippensburg since 1994. He is well aware of the frustrations the Shippensburg community faces in various local, county, and state government services because of the county division. Attorney Buterbaugh represents several Shippensburg residents in workers compensation matters and has heard that frustration directly. That is why he decided to reach out to Deputy Secretary Elizabeth Crum at the Pa. Department of Labor and Industry to make a change. Attorney Buterbaugh also enlisted the help of State Senators Richard Alloway and Pat Vance as well as State Representatives Rob Kaufman and Mark Keller.
Here is a nippet of Attorney Buterbaugh’s letter to the Department
Given the close proximity of Chambersburg to Shippensburg, it makes logical sense to relocate the hearing location of all Shippensburg residents to Chambersburg. I find many of my Shippensburg clients seek medical treatment in Chambersburg and have heard the frustration from those who must make the hour-long commute to Harrisburg. I realize that hearing locations are based on County line, but given the uniqueness nature of Shippensburg and the significant geographical differences between hearing locations, I believe it is request worthy of consideration.
Mooney & Associates prides itself on local representation of the communities we serve. We have opened a brand new office in downtown Shippensburg. Our office is located at 34 West King Street in the same building as the former J. Paul Fogelsanger Insurance, now Bell Insurance. It is located right across King Street from Pague & Fegan Hardware Store. The office will host evening hours every other Tuesday from 5:00PM to 7:00PM beginning on Tuesday July 10, 2012 and Attorney Buterbaugh will be present at the Shippensburg office on most Fridays from 8:00 PM to 5:00 PM. However, as a convenience to Shippensburg residents, any of our criminal, family, estate/wills, and business law attorneys can meet in Shippensburg at anytime by appointment.
