Independent contractors are widely utilized in the construction business to help reduce costs and bring in valuable outside expertise. For employers, using independent contractors means employment tax savings and the avoidance of certain labor laws. But, problems arise when employers start calling regular employees “independent contractors.” Misclassified workers miss out on a number of benefits,… Read more

Almost anyone injured on the job in Pennsylvania is entitled to workers’ compensation. But when dealing with doctors, there are a number of things injured workers should be aware of. The first decision anyone who has been injured faces is which doctor to see. Of course, if the injury victim needs immediate medical attention, often… Read more

Nursing is a well-respected profession that many aspire to as a noble calling. Unfortunately, the profession has been hit by a wave of violence in which nurses have reportedly been the targets of violent assaults by patients. In one recent incident, at Temple Hospital in Philadelphia, two nurses were assaulted by patients, one of whom… Read more

On November 27, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell put an end to the hopes of firefighters across the state when he vetoed HB 1231, a bill that would have expanded the types of cancer considered occupational diseases for firefighters under the state’s workers’ compensation programs. The Governor’s veto was made despite the popularity of the bill… Read more

When the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 became law, it ushered in a new era of protection for workers. The Act initiated a federal program that studied work-related accidents and held business accountable for workplace safety. By April 1971, the regulatory agency we know as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had… Read more

It is a common and unfortunate reality that many working people complain about being mistreated by a coworker or boss at one point or another in their careers. For many, this mistreatment is most likely an isolated incident or the result of a misunderstanding, but for some, it may be part of the phenomenon of… Read more

In Pennsylvania, workers generally must be unable to perform any type of work to receive total disability benefits, which also are referred to as “wage loss benefits.” Once the worker returns to employment, then the employer may petition for a modification or termination of the worker’s total disability benefits. Until recently, there was a question… Read more

When a party wants a utilization review under Pennsylvania workers’ compensation law, it seeks an independent determination of whether a medical treatment for a work injury is reasonable or necessary. The typical workers’ compensation utilization review process begins when the insurance carrier or employer receives the bills for an employee’s medical treatment and believes the… Read more

In a recent study, the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute found that the costs for prescription drugs used to treat injured workers in Pennsylvania were higher than the median cost. The Cambridge, Massachusetts, based research group found that the average payment per claim for prescriptions was $445, which was eight percent greater than the median established… Read more

The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court recently ruled that in workers’ compensation cases, an expert’s opinion could be held valid even if the expert did not personally examine a specific injury the worker suffered. In Stancell v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board, the court affirmed a benefits termination petition after the employer’s medical expert testified regarding the employee’s… Read more