Pennsylvania Workers Compensation Attorney Blog http://www.pennsylvaniaworkerscompensationattorneyblog.com/ Published By Kunkel & Fink, LLP en-us 2010-07-05T11:33:15-05:00 Study Documents Challenges Faced By Workers In Federal Court http://www.pennsylvaniaworkerscompensationattorneyblog.com/2010/07/study_documents_challenges_fac_1.html As a lawyer who regularly represents workers who have been injured or discriminated against in the workplace, I was interested to read a recent study published in the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, that analyzed the outcomes in employment discrimination... Employment Rights Gregory T. Kunkel 2010-07-05T11:33:15-05:00 Commonwealth Court Holds That Employers Must Provide a Notice of Ability to Return to Work Form To Obtain Modification of Benefits http://www.pennsylvaniaworkerscompensationattorneyblog.com/2010/04/commonwealth_court_holds_that.html The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court recently handed down a decision in Struthers Wells v. WCAB (Skinnner), 990 A.2d 176 (Pa. Commw. March 12, 2010) which makes clear that employers are required to provide injured workers with a Notice of Ability to... Workers' Compensation Gregory T. Kunkel 2010-04-24T14:16:02-05:00 Social Security Sets SGA Levels For 2010 http://www.pennsylvaniaworkerscompensationattorneyblog.com/2010/01/social_security_sets_sga_level.html We are often asked whether an individual is eligible for social security disability benefits ("SSDI") even though the invidual is still working. The answer typically depends on how much the individual is earning every month. In order to qualify for... Social Security Disability Gregory T. Kunkel 2010-01-26T11:50:02-05:00 PBA Fall Section Meeting http://www.pennsylvaniaworkerscompensationattorneyblog.com/2009/09/pba_fall_section_meeting.html I just returned from the annual Pennsylvania Bar Association Workers' Compensation Fall Section Meeting which is held every September in Hershey, Pennsylvania. I always look forward to attending the Fall Section Meeting because it provides a great opportunity for Pennsylvania... Workers' Compensation Gregory T. Kunkel 2009-09-15T07:56:27-05:00 PA Supreme Court Ruling Permits Injured Workers To Amend The Description of The Injury During Termination Proceedings http://www.pennsylvaniaworkerscompensationattorneyblog.com/2009/09/pa_supreme_court_ruling_permit_1.html Workers injured on the job in Pennsylvania often end up litigating the scope and extent of the work injury, even when the employer voluntarily accepts the work injury by issuing a Notice of Compensation Payable ("NCP"). For example, an employer... Workers' Compensation Gregory T. Kunkel 2009-09-02T11:20:39-05:00 Federal Court Approves Class Action Settlement In Anchor Glass Plant Closing Case http://www.pennsylvaniaworkerscompensationattorneyblog.com/2009/08/federal_court_approves_class_a.html The lawyers at Kunkel & Fink, LLP are pleased to announce that by order dated July 24, 2009, United States District Court Judge David S. Cercone approved a $480,000.00 settlement of a class action lawsuit alleging a violation of the... Employment Rights Gregory T. Kunkel 2009-08-01T16:21:16-05:00 Recent Commonwealth Court Ruling Requires Claimants' Doctors To Dot Their "I's" and Cross Their "T's" http://www.pennsylvaniaworkerscompensationattorneyblog.com/2009/06/recent_commonwealth_court_ruli_1.html Utilization Review ("UR") is the exclusive method under the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act for an employer to challenge the reasonableness and necessity of medical or chiropractic treatment related to a work injury. Under the administrative regulations, the employer initiates the... Workers' Compensation Gregory T. Kunkel 2009-06-17T15:20:17-05:00 Employers Must Produce Evidence Of Job Availability Even If Injured Worker Is Released To Full Duty http://www.pennsylvaniaworkerscompensationattorneyblog.com/2009/05/employers_must_produce_evidenc_1.html We often get telephone calls from injured workers complaining that the workers' compensation insurance carrier has threatened to suspend their benefits because the company doctor has released them back to work without restrictions even though the employer has not called... Workers' Compensation Gregory T. Kunkel 2009-05-27T20:41:31-05:00 DOL Issues New FMLA Regulations http://www.pennsylvaniaworkerscompensationattorneyblog.com/2008/11/dol_issues_new_fmla_regulation_1.html On November 17, 2008, the Department of Labor ("DOL") issued new administrative regulations interpreting the provisions of the Family Medical Leave Act ("FMLA"). On the positive side, the new rules reflect new rights under the FMLA for military families and... Employment Rights Gregory T. Kunkel 2008-11-25T15:21:07-05:00 Pennsylvania Social Security Disability Cases http://www.pennsylvaniaworkerscompensationattorneyblog.com/2008/09/pennsylvania_social_security_d_1.html Social Security Disability Insurance ("SSD") and Supplemental Security Income ("SSI") are federal insurance programs that provide benefits to disabled persons who are unable to work for at least twelve months or more due to a severe physical or mental impairment.... Social Security Disability Gregory T. Kunkel 2008-09-22T15:43:00-05:00