The recent upward trend in mining fatalities looks, unfortunately, to still be on the rise. Last year, we blogged about a Department of Labor (Mine Safety and Health Administration) report that showed an increase in mining death between 2012 and 2013. The numbers for 2014 are in, and they show that mining-related deaths held steady… Read more
Here in Pennsylvania, as is the case in the U.S. as a whole, there are many kids who are on the autism spectrum. Finding out that one’s child has a developmental disorder, like autism, can be a very difficult moment for a parent. However, it is very important for parents to remember that a child… Read more
When most people think of workers’ compensation, they think of work-related illnesses or workplace accidents in terms of their own workplace. But work-related illness and injury can occur in any type of workplace, including many situations that you may never envision even in your wildest dreams. Did you ever think that being robbed would entitle… Read more
The application process for Social Security disability benefits can get pretty complicated. It is important to note though that complications can also arise after a person has been approved for such benefits. One way complications can arise is through an overpayment of benefits. When the Social Security Administration makes an overpayment of disability benefits to… Read more
While many of the questions we receive about workers’ compensation relate to benefits and the process for obtaining them, numerous clients have been equally curious about the workers’ compensation system itself. What is it? How long has it been around? What types of injuries are affecting others throughout the state? Below, we provide a quick… Read more
How did the state Liquor Control Board fight a workers’ comp claim that a liquor store manager filed after being robbed at gunpoint at work? By asserting that being robbed was a “normal working condition” for liquor store employees in the Philadelphia area. Luckily, the Commonwealth Court recently ruled in the store manager’s favor, and… Read more
Depression can negatively impact the function of some very basic things for a person. One such thing is a person’s memory. For example, a recent study indicates that depressive thoughts may impair a depressed person’s working memory (a form of short-term memory). In the study, 157 undergraduate students (some were classified as depressed and others… Read more
The Social Security Administration (SSA) details dozens of conditions in the impairment listing manual or “Blue Book,” as it’s commonly referred to. Claimants who meet the criteria spelled out in the Blue Book are typically awarded benefits through the Social Security Disability application process. Many people don’t realize, however, that there are more than 200… Read more
January 2, 2015 (Philadelphia) – The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court yesterday issued an affirmative ruling on a case it previously denied in 2011, after the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania vacated that first decision earlier this year. The ruling now awards former liquor store manager and Martin Law client Greg Kochanowicz benefits for the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)… Read more
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently cited a Pennsylvania manufacturing company for having more than 30 safety violations at its various facilities. The violations involved a wide range of situations and machinery, including welding equipment, high power machinery and elevated catwalks. The investigation that led OSHA to issue these citations was a part… Read more
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