Oct 13, 2025 | Personal Injury, Work Injuries
When it comes to worker’s comp cases— there are plenty of cases that come through our offices. From slips and falls, broken bones, construction injuries… It seems that hurt workers emerge from every field— no matter the assumed danger. However, what happens when you’re faced with workplace violence?
Workplace violence can come in different forms. From verbal and physical abuse, sexual violence, robbery… This type of violence comes in many different forms, which means that there are many ways to address it…
Workplace Violence: Addressing Unexpected Trauma
Prevention
Quite obviously, the best way to handle this type of trauma— is to prevent it. While accidents will always happen— there are certain steps you can take to prevent violence…
- Review your hiring and vetting process. Consider more in-depth background checks, reference checks— and even annual or semi-annual reviews of all staff.
- Review security and update. Install cameras, metal detectors, or whatever security settings you see fit to prevent danger in your workplace.
- Encourage staff to report threats, incidents, or fears of workplace violence in a way that makes them comfortable. Anonymous tips, emails to HR, and other means of reporting can prevent many issues.
- Take time every now and then to encourage team building exercises
- Provide workplace counselors for those in need, or those who face tragedy in their work or personal life.
Understand common stressors, causes, and red flags
There are some issues that can be outside of your control— such as sexual abuse, or armed robbery. However, much workplace violence occurs when there are angry employees, faulty protocol, improperly vetted employees, or general stress.
If you find yourself suspicious of potential workplace violence, or the victim of such, it’s important that you seek out assistance…
…Whether that comes in form of calling the police, reporting to your boss, or an attorney after the fact— there are options for prevention and also dealing with the problem.
If you have been the victim of workplace violence, we offer our condolences. The events you have endured can lead to injuries, physical and emotional trauma, as well as resulting medical costs— depending on the event. Therefore, you might need an attorney to defend your right to damages.
Aug 18, 2025 | Personal Injury, Workers' Compensation
If you have been hurt on the job, and the doctor says you could potentially face life-long impairment, you might hope to seek a second opinion. After all, you only get one body and one chance at life. So, why not make sure it’s in the best condition possible? However, the difficult bit about seeking a second opinion in a worker’s injury, is that worker’s comp claims and processes are quite strict in what they cover, and who you see…
Seeking Second Opinion in Worker’s Injury: Am I Allowed?
With normal cases of sickness or injury, you are able to visit your personal doctor. After receiving their diagnoses, you have the option to seek out a second opinion if you wish, especially if the first doctor is suggesting something major. However, when it comes to a worker’s injury, getting that second opinion can be difficult due to the worker’s comp process.
May I seek out a new perspective?
While there are plenty of reasons you may want a second opinion in your worker’s comp case, the question is can you get one? For the most part, you may be able to request another doctor in order to get another opinion. However, while you may request a second opinion from the worker’s comp insurance, there is no guarantee they will approve it. In addition, it will most likely still be within the same network of your employer’s choosing. Therefore, the doctor will likely garner the same opinion. In short, a second opinion may be available, and you can request it but there is no guarantee.
Why seeking a second opinion might be the way to go
In most cases, employers will require that you see a doctor of their choosing. Since they are covering the medical bill through worker’s comp, they hold the right to choose your doctor. However, this means that you will be using a doctor you are unfamiliar with. This can be counterproductive for a number of reasons… For one, you may not feel fully comfortable divulging all information. Therefore, your treatment options and their perception might be different than what you need. For example, you may hesitate to fully describe the events of your accident or the pain you are in. Furthermore, you may feel you cannot fully trust his method of treatment. In some cases, you may feel the doctor is bias since your employer is the one who employed him.
If you choose to seek out a second opinion…
You will likely have to do so on your own, and out of your own pocket, if you wish to see the doctor of your choosing. But, it might be worth doing so for your own safety and healing process. The treatment plan your personal doctor can be supplemental to the worker’s comp assistance, or you can choose to take that route entirely. Ultimately, your healing process is up to you. However, if you choose to see your own doctor, the costs might be a bit higher for you… However, an attorney can typically request a hearing to order that second opinion. Ultimately, the hope of any worker’s comp claim is to reduce disability as much as possible.
Mar 16, 2025 | Personal Injury, Work Injuries
The days, weeks, or even months following a work injury can be particularly difficult on the person facing injury and recovery. They’re dealing with financial stress, loneliness, and a loss of life quality. For these reasons, and many others, having a solid support system post-injury makes a big difference in how your loved one copes and recovers. So, what can you do to help get the people you love through this difficult time?
Support System Post-Injury: Lifting up Loved Ones
Give them your company
Sure, you can cook meals, clean, run errands, or do other chores and it will be greatly appreciated. But, more than anything you set aside time for, keeping them company is at the top of the list. When facing an injury of any kind, you quickly begin to realize that the world is going on around, and without, you. Your friends are going out, playing sports, shopping, your place of work is still moving along… When you consider the fact that time hasn’t stopped, your condition can begin to feel quite lonely.
This is where a support system post-injury comes in. Depression, anxiety, and general loneliness are extremely common amongst injured workers. Therefore, taking some time to sit with them, have a conversation, or watch a movie, can brighten someone’s day.
Check in
You have a busy schedule, and we understand that. You have family, work, and maybe you even live in a different city or state. Therefore, when you can’t be there physically— be there in another way. Checking in with your loved ones can be as simple as sending a text and saying, ‘I’m thinking of you’. A support system post-injury can look plenty of different ways.
Encourage them to ‘let it out’
There are a lot of feelings that come along with a work injury. Not to mention, on top of that, you’re spending more time alone than you’re used to. No to mention, when you have no one to listen, and no way to exert injury? It’s easy for those feelings to bottle up. So, whether you go for a visit or just a phone call, encourage them to speak freely. It doesn’t matter if you’re three hundred miles away. Doing a little, and listening, can go a long, long way.
Mar 2, 2025 | Personal Injury
There are plenty of different types of personal injury. From injuries in the workplace, at a friends house, on the lake, and even in the dog park. You might find that, in any setting, something can occur which alters your quality of life. Take, for example, if you’re bit by a dog. Dog bite injuries can be serious, painful, and can lead to infection if not handled properly.
Therefore, if you’re bit by a dog— what steps can you take to ensure your safety, treat your injury, and avoid paying for an injury which was out of your control? In the event of a dog bite, there are a few different things you’ll need to do to cover your bases, and treat your wound…
Dog Bite Injuries: Post-Incident Steps
When you’re bitten…
At the time of dog bite injuries, if you’re in the condition to do so, you should take a few actions. If possible, request vaccination records for the dog that has bitten you. Vaccination records will help to establish whether or not the dog that has bit you has also put you at risk of rabies. Furthermore, you’ll want to get information regarding the owner, dog, and their contact information.
After you’re bitten…
Depending on the severity of the injury, you’ll want to consult with a doctor and establish a treatment plan. The bite may cause a puncture wound, a broken bone, or serious bruising. The type of resulting injuries can go on to determine how a doctor will treat the wound.
Now that you’re on the path to healing, it’s time to decide what exactly you want to do in terms of legal and financial actions. Do you plan to take the owner to court? Do you merely want to be reimbursed for your medical costs? And furthermore, do you want to take action in terms of the dog who bit you?
Many people who sustain dog bite injuries will file a report with local animal control agencies. In doing so, there is the possibility that the dog will be taken away, or put down. While your course of action is entirely up to you— you ultimately must decide whether you think the dog is a danger to others.
If you choose to press charges…
Most personal injury lawyers are well-versed in dog bite cases. Therefore, personal injury attorneys will be able to help you navigate a course of action. In short, many dog bite cases can result in settlements that help to cover your medical bills and resulting trauma. Every state has different laws when it comes to dog bite injuries. Your lawyer will help you to understand those laws, as well as the best argument and potential outcomes.
Jan 5, 2025 | Accident prevention, Personal Injury
Figure skating is a beautiful, graceful, and challenging practice. However, when you’re getting started, the practice can be difficult, and even dangerous. If you consider all of the pieces involved in figure skating, such as skates, blades, hard ice, and cold muscles— it is easy to see how you might incur some figure skating injuries along the way…
Figure Skating Injuries: Ice Issues
When you begin a serious, competitive practice…
For anyone who begins figure skating, you know it can be pretty addicting. Many people hit the ice for the first time and never want to leave. For this reason, overuse injuries are quite common— and come in many different forms. From stress fractures, muscle pain, shin splints, lower back pain, and even simple blisters and irritation. While these are only a few common overuse injuries, there are plenty more that even the most seasoned figure skater can fall victim to.
You’ll likely be spending between 2-4 hours on the ice, plus 1-3 hours off the ice, to increase strength, flexibility, aerobics, choreography, and so forth. In short, you’re putting your body under a lot of stress in a new environment.
Your skates
When you start figure skating, you’ll likely get a new pair of skates. As anyone knows, breaking in new shoes can cause blisters, discomfort, and other issues. This problem is not just limited to your every day shoes. In fact, the discomfort you feel when breaking in new skates is practically tenfold. Furthermore, a poor fit can actually be dangerous.
New skates look nice, bright, and shiny. However, breaking them in can cause friction, rubbing, and pressure that makes skating successfully… difficult. Furthermore, an ill fit can affect alignment, your ability to jump and land properly, and to skate comfortably.
Smaller injuries
These types of figure skating injuries are common to all skaters. However, there are plenty of smaller injuries that are going to be more common to beginners. Take, for example, slips and falls on the ice. Ideally, you will be wearing some sort of padding in a training setting. However, even if you are, a nasty fall can be pretty painful. Furthermore, your body is cold, your muscles are likely tight, and taking a tumble could lead to concussion, sprains, soreness, bruises, or even catching another skate to the fingers.
Figure skating is a beautiful, yet dangerous sport…
However, there are plenty of ways to avoid injury. Figure skating can be a ton of fun, especially when you begin to see your hard work pay off. Therefore, follow these tips, find ways to decrease injury, and skate safe. Having a good instructor can make all the difference…
Jul 21, 2024 | Family Law, Personal Injury
If you’re wondering if you need to make a will, the answer is fairly simple. Anybody can choose to have a will, and it will direct what happens to your assets after you die. However, many put off making a will until it becomes necessary. You need to create a will if you are married. Similarly, if you are a parent, you need to create a will. If you have a positive net worth, then it’s also a good idea to make a will. However, anybody can make a will and probably should. Make sure that you find an experienced attorney to walk you through the process.
When Is It Important to Make a Will? Protecting Yourself and Others
How Does a Will Work?
When you make a will, you are protecting your future in a way. If you pass away and you have a will, then your assets will be distributed the way that you want. If you have certain things you’d like to designate to certain family members or money set aside for charities, you will make that possible. However, if you die without a will, the court decides what happens to your assets.
Married
You need to create a will when you marry somebody. When you die, if you have a will, your assets will go to your spouse and children if you’d like. However, it’s not guaranteed if you die without a will or intestate. The courts typically prioritize spouses and children but it’s not always the case. If you’d like to direct your assets to anybody else, you can also accomplish this through a will.
Parents
Anybody with children needs to make a will. This is incredibly important because the assets that you leave your children are all you can do to set them off on the right foot financially for the rest of their life. If you have important possessions that you’d like certain children to get, you can outline this in your will. Your will is also extremely important because it will direct who will be the guardian for your children. This is the person that you choose who will raise your children in your absence, so it’s important to get a will in place so that you have control over this.
Net Worth
Finally, if you have a positive net worth, then you’ll need to make a will. Positive net worth means that your assets and savings total more than your debts. Especially if you’re net worth is over $100,000. A will can also help you establish what happens to your assets if you’d like to leave certain things to certain people or charities. You can also include details about what to do with your business if you’re a small business owner.
If you’re wondering if you need to make a will, the short answer is that if you have any desire to have a say in what happens to your assets when you die, you need one. If you’re a spouse and want to direct your assets to or away from your husband or wife, a will can do this. Additionally, it’s important for parents to have a will as well. This will make sure that their children inherit their assets and can also direct who is their guardian. Finally, if you have a positive net worth, you need to make a will. Just remember to use an experienced attorney to help you make your will so that it is legally binding and covers all of your bases.
