U.S. Department of Labor Reports on PA Fatal Work Injuries in Pennsylvania

May 10, 2017 By

The United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics has released a report on fatal work injuries in Pennsylvania in 2015. Overall, the number of work-related deaths decreased from 179 in 2014 to 173 in 2015. Nationwide, that number totaled 4,836.2015 Fatal Work Injuries

Each year, the study breaks down those numbers by type of incident (transportation-related, falls/slips/trips, equipment contact, violence, or “other”), type of industry, worker occupation and whether the worker was full-time or contracted. The figures are also broken down by sex, race and age.

Overall, the private construction business saw the highest number of industry-related fatalities in Pennsylvania (35), with falls, slips or trips being the major cause. Transportation/material moving and construction/extraction had the highest number of occupational-classified fatalities at 50 and 42, respectively. Pennsylvania worker deaths in 2015 included 33 individuals who were classified as contract workers. 92% of work-related deaths in PA were males, 80% were white/non-Hispanic workers, and 60% of the deaths were 25-54 years old.

In some cases, work-related deaths can be the subject of a lawsuit if it involved negligence or a product defect. To schedule a free, private meeting with an experienced Pennsylvania work injury attorney, call us anytime at 855-289-1660 or e-mail us.

Filed Under: Construction Site Accidents, On the Job Injury, Personal Injury, Premises Liability, Workplace Injury

How Long Do You Have to Sue?

January 25, 2017 By

personal_injury

The Statute of Limitations | Personal Injury Lawsuits

Under the laws of Pennsylvania, when you have been hurt because of the carelessness of negligence of another person, there’s a limited amount of in which you can file a lawsuit to recover for personal injury and/or property losses. The statute that sets forth this time limit is known as the statute of limitations. The statute can be extended, but only in extremely limited situations, so it’s important that you take swift action to retain legal counsel, so that your attorney can gather, assess and preserve evidence, and can file your claim before the expiration of the statute.

In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury action is two years. As a general rule, the statute begins to run on the date of your injury. However, if you were involved in an accident, but did not know at the time that you had suffered any injury, or did not know that a specific defendant’s actions caused an injury, the running of the statute will be “tolled,” or suspended until your discovery of the injury and/or the fact that a certain defendant caused the injury. It’s not uncommon, in cases involving toxic torts or other unseen dangers, that injury or illness not manifest until years or decades after exposure. In those types of situations, a court may be inclined to toll the statute until the discovery of either the injury or its cause.

There are other instances where the statute of limitations may be tolled:

  • If the injured party lacks legal capacity—is a minor, mentally ill or insane—the statute may be tolled until the party has capacity, although it’s not required
  • If a defendant has left the jurisdiction, you may be able to suspend the statute of limitations until his or her return

Contact Us

To schedule a private meeting with an experienced personal injury attorney, call our foreclosure hotline at 855-289-1660 or e-mail us . Evening and weekend meetings can be arranged upon request. We will travel to your home, if necessary, to meet with you.

Filed Under: Medical Malpractice, On the Job Injury, Personal Injury Tagged With: ,

Snow Blowers Still Causing Injury Despite Recall

January 10, 2017 By

Foot soft splint for treatment of injuries from tendon inflammat

It’s January in Pennsylvania—it would be pretty unusual not to have snow on the ground. Shoveling’s pretty hard work, so why not fire up the snow blower? Before you do, though, take a good look at the brand. If it’s an MTD Snow Thrower and you’ve had it for a while, there’s a good chance that it could be extremely dangerous to operate. The MTD Snow Thrower was subject to voluntary recall some 10 years ago, but company officials acknowledge that a significant number of the machines have not been returned and still pose a serious risk of injury.

According to court documents filed against MTD, the manufacturer, more than 130,000 snow blowers manufactured by the company had tire rims that were extremely dangerous. The rims were made of a plastic material, and when users overinflated the tires on the snow blower, the air pressure had a tendency to cause the rims to explode, sending plastic shrapnel flying through the air. Sources say that hundreds of owners have reported a wide range of injuries, from cuts and bruises to broken bones, including fingers and toes. Company officials say the snow blowers were sold through Sears, Home Depot and other hardware outlets. The Sears product carried the Craftsman logo.

Contact the Law Office of Shaffer & Gaier, L.L.C.

If you or someone you love has been hurt because a consumer product was negligently designed or poorly manufactured, you have a right to pursue compensation from anyone in the chain of distribution. Let us help.

At Shaffer & Gaier, we offer a free initial consultation to every client. To set up an appointment, contact us online or call our office in Philadelphia at 215-751-0100, or in New Jersey at 856-429-0970. Evening and weekend meetings can be arranged upon request. We will travel to your home, if necessary, to meet with you.

Filed Under: Medical Malpractice, On the Job Injury, Personal Injury, Workplace Injury Tagged With: , ,

Faking Workplace Injuries – Why it’s a Bad Idea

December 10, 2014 By

Workplace Injury Attorneys in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

When the physical or mental demands of a job become more than we can bear, it’s not uncommon to daydream about winning the lottery or finding a “dream” job” that will magically make our lives better. Unfortunately, frustration with work or unhappiness in one’s personal life leads some people to fake a workplace accident in the hopes of getting rich quick and quitting work. Some may think it’s unlikely they’ll get caught or, if they do, it’s a minor offense. In reality, faking a workplace injury constitutes insurance fraud.

Faked Job Injuries and Insurance Fraud

Recently, Attorney General John J. Hoffman of the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor announced the indictment of a 31-year old Perth Amboy man on charges of insurance fraud. According to the indictment, the Middlesex County man faked an accident at his workplace in order to receive over $500,000 in medical benefits to cover injuries he sustained prior to his employment.

Vinny Curbelo, the man under indictment, also received more than $55,000 in temporary disability benefits over the course of a two-year period following his faked accident. Mr. Curbelo worked at an auto body shop and is alleged to have stolen roughly $17,000 from the bank accounts of the body shop as well. The defendant faked his accident by pretending he fell at work, filing claims for his injuries under his employer’s worker’s compensation insurance.

Worker’s Comp Fraud – A Criminal Matter

Mr. Curbelo is charged with second-degree healthcare fraud, second-degree theft by deception, second-degree attempted theft by deception, second-degree insurance fraud, second-degree computer criminal activity, and third-degree theft by unlawful taking. What is important to remember here is that faking a workplace accident can lead to multiple charges and, depending on whether a computer was used, funds wire or transferred, or Social Security benefits received, potential federal charges as well.

Insurers have a Number of Investigative Resources

Getting away with insurance fraud after a faked workplace accident isn’t as easy as it may seem at first. Insurers use investigative resources that check up on employees that allege they’ve been injured. They check an employee’s use of social media for any evidence their injuries are not as serious as they claim, observe employees in public places to determine if they’re faking an injury, and may periodically request a medical exam to verify an injury claim.

Contact Philadelphia Workplace Injury Attorneys Shaffer & Gaier

If you’ve been injured in a workplace accident or have questions about whether or not you have legitimate grounds to file a worker’s compensation claim, contact workplace injury attorneys Shaffer & Gaier today. We offer a free initial consultation. To set up an appointment, call our Philadelphia office at 215-751-0100 or our Haddonfield, New Jersey office at 856-429-0970.

Filed Under: On the Job Injury, Workers' Compensation, Workplace Injury Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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