The most common complaint we receive from our New York Workers’ Compensation clients is that they are improperly examined by IME’s. What is an IME? An IME or “Independent Medical Examiner” is a doctor hired by the insurance company for the purpose of checking on, and limiting, the injured worker’s claim against the insurance company. IME’s […]

Did you know? Applying for and receiving Social Security Disability Benefits, ( when one is UNDER retirement age and unable to work for at least 12 months,) bestows perks from the Government that many people don’t know about. These include (if you win): *Wage Freeze: If there is a period of time you are not […]

There’s an insurance industry radio ad campaign currently running, containing the following warning: Don’t commit Workers’ Comp insurance fraud or you’ll end up in jail and you will shame your family. It’s clearly aimed at injured workers. I get it. What the public generally does NOT see is the other side of the coin…when insurance companies […]

While everyone knows that an accident that happens to an employee inside a workplace or work building is clearly a Workers’ Comp case in New York, what about accidents that occur OUTSIDE the office building or workplace? This winter was particularly cold and there is a lot of ice everywhere. It’s likely that employees somewhere […]

Did you know that some nursing homes have bariatric wards where Certified Nurse’s Aides (CNA’s) must care for obese patients? What happens when, due to staffing issues, the direct caregivers get little or no co-worker assistance with these patients and must care for these extra-heavy patients alone?? And must at all times ensure that their […]

In NY, an injured worker is entitled to weekly payments equalling two-thirds (2/3) of their salary while they are out of work. The figure used for their pre-injury salary is known as their “average weekly wage” (“AWW”). How does the Workers’ Compensation Board determine their AWW? Well, the answer is a bit complicated. In determining […]

I’m a sports nut- like many people I know. I follow all four major pro sports and have read literally hundreds of sports books and publications in my lifetime. I’ve been to and watched countless games. What many people don’t know, interestingly, is that almost all pro sports injuries in the U.S. are covered by […]

Workers’ Comp in New York State is constantly changing. Recently, I was asked by union officials to give a second legal opinion about a situation where a union member (not my client) had been accused of Workers’ Comp (WC) fraud. Lately, insurance companies are raising such fraud charges against workers more and more often, regarding the […]

Labor Day just passed, and for most of us it’s back to our day-to-day work lives. Some, however, have given their lives while performing their jobs. Rather than just celebration, Labor Day should bring us reflection, as well, and commemoration, for ALL workers, including those who have died in the course of their labor. Currently, […]

In a previous essay I wrote about Workers’ Compensation (WC)  permanent injury awards: “Permanent injuries to joints of the body, vision, and hearing, qualify for “schedule loss of use” awards regardless of whether a person is working or not“,  I explained. As a follow up to that, I can tell you that it has become very […]