Often I field questions on what is proper timing for Notice to be given to the employer that a person has been injured at work. First, what does notice mean? Actually quite simple, your Employer can not begin investigation of your injury claim or even know you are injured at work until you tell them. That is notice. You can provide notice of injury to your employer either verbally or through writing. Either method is sufficient. However, I always recommend…
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate increased a slit .2 points. The increase raises the unemployment rate from July of 7.9% to August 8.1%. Here are the unemployment rate numbers for the areas we serve. Adams County, Pennsylvania: 6.8% Cumberland County, Pennsylvania: 6.8% Franklin County, Pennsylvania: 6.9% York County, Pennsylvania: 8.0% Harrisburg-Carlisle Metro Combined Area: 7.4% Visit us online at http://www.mooney4law.com
Our law firm went to bat for injured workers in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. As one of the unique communities that is divided by a county line, many injured Shippensburg workers had to drive an hour for a workers' compensation hearing. Those living in Franklin County had their hearings heard in Chambersburg, a mere fifteen minutes away. Those living in Cumberland County had to make the hour trek to Harrisburg. We decided to do something about it. We sent a letter to…
The latest Facebook discovery request case comes out of the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas in a decision authored by the Honorable Stanton Wettick Jr. In this case, Judge Wettick denied Facebook discovery in a motor vehicle accident litigation case. In the decision, Judge Wettick balances the level of intrusion versus the value of the discovery requested. Here, Plaintiff was seeking access to Defendant's Facebook profile to show the Defendant's whereabouts at and near the time of the motor vehicle…
A Shippensburg business, Shippensburg Domestic Castings, Inc, has been slapped with $49,000 in fines from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The repeat violations involve unguarded machinery and live electrical parts, and the citations carry $44,100 in penalties. A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. The company was…
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…
General Motors is recalling all 2011 and 2012 models of Chevy Cruze for risk of engine fires. The recall applies to over 400,000 vehicles. The recall covers the 2011 and 2012 model years and affects more than 475,000 cars, which have ranked among the top-selling U.S. compacts over the past two years. The fires can ignite when fluids, mainly oil spilled when it is being changed, drip onto a hot plastic shield below the engine, the company said Friday. GM…
I often am asked whether an injured worker must with a Company Doctor. The short answer to that question is, probably. The Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation statute provides for 'panel doctors". What does that mean? Quite simply, if your employer has a list of panel doctors and has complied with all regulations regarding that list, then you MUST treat with the company panel doctors for a period of 90 days. If your Employer does not have a list of panel doctors…
Often times, an injured individual will come to my office with a difficult problem in their workers' compensation case, mostly because they attempted to navigate the complex workers' compensation laws themselves, signed something they should not have, or were afraid to hire an Attorney because of repercussion of their employer. Problem is not having a workers' compensation attorney can inflict potentially irreversible damage to your claim and your workers' compensation rights. So when should you hire a Workers' Compensation attorney?…
We have been getting some questions of late of whether individuals who qualify and get approved for social security disability (SSD) are eligible for social security supplemental income (SSI). First, let's explain the two programs briefly. Social Security Disability is a disability benefit program through the Social Security Administration. To qualify, individuals must meet three elements. First, an individual must have insured status, meaning they paid enough employment taxes and have worked enough to have the necessary work credits. A…