Blog
- Workers’ Compensation and Pre-Existing Conditions
May 7, 2018
The Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act provides for Workers’ Compensation benefits for employees who suffer a work-related injury. This no-fault system covers medical expenses, lost wages, and disability for injured workers. This may be true even if the employee has a pre-existing condition. If the pre-existing condition is aggravated or worsened by the work an employee is currently doing, then treatment for that condition must be covered. The pre-existing condition does not have to be related...Read More - Richard Schubert Receives Judicial Ranking from Martindale Hubbell
May 3, 2018
We are proud to announce that Richard J. Schubert of AlpernSchubert P.C. received a judicial ranking from Martindale Hubbell, which is the highest possible designation granted by the organization. This prestigious honor is bestowed upon those who have been recognized by both peers and judges in the legal industry and denotes professional excellence in legal abilities and ethical standards. The entire team at AlpernSchubert congratulates Mr. Schubert on this outstanding achievement. Mr. Schubert, a Pittsburgh...Read More - Sexual Orientation Discrimination
Apr 30, 2018
In a landmark decision, a New York federal appeals court ruled that the protections in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 extend to claims of employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. While it has long been established that Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin, there has recently been much debate surrounding whether it also prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. The 2nd Circuit Court...Read More - Tire Maintenance Key to Safety
Apr 26, 2018
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 11,000 crashes happen every year due to tire-related issues. Maintaining your tires is critical to your safety and that of passengers traveling with you, as well as other drivers sharing the road. Good Tire Maintenance Certain drivers think engine maintenance is the key to a car’s performance and do not give much thought to their tires. Putting off tire maintenance will result in poor performance, potential safety...Read More - Bill Reclassifying Asbestos Claims as Workers’ Compensation Proposed
Apr 17, 2018
The House and Senate in Pennsylvania are close to approving a bill that would classify asbestos claims under the umbrella of Workers’ Compensation. Five years ago, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court removed asbestos and other related claims from the realm of Workers’ Compensation. However, the proposed bill to reverse that action is gaining traction. Labor groups, trial lawyers, and plaintiff attorneys plan to fight the bill, arguing that it applies to a number of latent diseases...Read More - April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Apr 11, 2018
For the second consecutive year, more than 40,000 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents. Preliminary estimates from the National Safety Council (NSC) reveal that the number of deaths in 2017 is six percent higher than in 2015. Many of these fatal accidents are caused by distracted driving, a behavior that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says was responsible for 3,477 deaths in 2105 alone. April is distracted driving awareness month, and many...Read More - Fatal Gas Leak Spurs OSHA Fines
Apr 4, 2018
The largest power plant in Pennsylvania and an Ohio-based engineering company have been issued fines by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for their roles in an industrial accident that led to the deaths of two workers and injury of four others. The workers were exposed to a toxic gas, hydrogen sulfide, while inside a confined area of the plant. According to OSHA, the workers were part of a maintenance crew that was working on...Read More - Bill Weakens ADA
Mar 28, 2018
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 to prevent workplace discrimination based on disabilities. It also guarantees the civil rights of people with disabilities to participate in state and local government programs and services, and in everyday life as consumers. Now a bill has been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that will protect business owners from “frivolous” lawsuits by making it harder for disabled employees to sue their employers for...Read More - Fatal Work Injuries Spike
Mar 21, 2018
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has released a report for 2016 that shows double-digit increases in workplace violence and overdose fatalities. Fatal work injuries increased by seven percent over 2015 numbers to the highest level seen since 2008. A total of 5,190 people died in the U.S. in 2016 from work injuries vs. 4,836 in 2015. Overall the fatal injury rate increased to the highest level seen since 2010. In 2016, it reached 3.6...Read More - Operation Safe Driver Week Results
Mar 12, 2018
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance holds an annual event in October geared toward driver safety. This year during Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement throughout the United States and Canada increased their enforcement of traffic safety rules and educational efforts with the goal of raising awareness of dangerous driving behaviors. Over the course of a week there were a total of 59,193 warnings and citations issued to commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers and passenger vehicle...Read More