I got in a car accident but I have no medical insurance– how can I get treatment?

How can I get treatment if I was in a car accident but I have no medical insurance? Everyone in New York State is required to carry No-Fault Insurance on their car. No-Fault Insurance pays for medical benefits and lost wages (up to a certain limit) for anyone injured in a car accident regardless of… Read More

Legalese Defined: Defendant and Plaintiff

Plaintiff The Plaintiff is the person bringing a lawsuit. For instance, say you are rear-ended at a light and break your leg. You then bring a lawsuit against the other driver. In that case, you would be the plaintiff. The plaintiff files the first complaint with the court. Personal injury attorneys or accident lawyers can… Read More

Legalese Defined: Personal Injury- Complaint

The complaint is the legal pleading that starts a lawsuit. The complaint briefly states who the plaintiff and defendant are; what happened; and what legal claims are being made. The rest of the lawsuit will be based on the claims made in this document.

What happens if I get fired while on workers’ compensation benefits?

In New York it is illegal for your employer to fire you in retaliation for filing a workers’ compensation claim. That means that your employer can’t fire you simply because you filed a claim. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be fired while you have an open workers’ compensation file. Sometimes, employers are forced… Read More

Legalese Defined: Workers Compensation – No Compensable Lost Time (NCLT)

In workers’ compensation cases, No Compensable Lost Time (or NCLT) means that you have not lost any time beyond the statutory waiting period (the first seven days of any disability) as a result of your work related injury. This can occur either when you are: a) back to work b) out of work due to… Read More

Legalese Defined: Workers Compensation – Permanent Partial Disability (PPD)

In workers’ compensation cases, a permanent partial disability is a disability which is a) permanent in nature and b) not totally, 100% disabling such that you could get some kind of job, even if it isn’t the work you were doing before you were injured. For instance, if you injure your neck or back on… Read More

Legalese Defined: Workers Compensation – Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI)

In workers’ compensation cases, maximum medical improvement (or MMI) is the point at which, in your physician’s opinion, your injuries have improved as much as they are likely to and no further change in your condition is expected. When your physician finds that you have reached maximum medical improvement he or she will usually also… Read More

What Does It Mean To “Settle” A Workers’ Compensation Case?

A settlement is a private agreement between two parties in a legal action where one party agrees to end the legal proceedings in exchange for something, usually money.  In the Workers’ Compensation context this is a called a “section 32 agreement.”  In a section 32 agreement the injured worker agrees to close their workers’ compensation… Read More

Case Update: Dog Owner Liability

As we’ve previously discussed in this blog, in order to find an animal owner liable for the actions of that animal, as in the case of a dog bite, the animal must have “vicious propensities,” meaning a history of biting or aggression.  However, a recent case from the New York City creates a new exception… Read More

How is My Weekly Workers’ Compensation Benefit Calculated?

The weekly amount you are actually paid for a workers’ compensation injury is different than your Average Weekly Wage (AWW).  Your AWW is what you would be making if you were still working in the position you were in at the time of your injury. To calculate your AWW read our recent blog entry.  Your… Read More