On October 24, 2018, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed Act 111 of 2018 into law. This law revives the previously determined unconstitutional Impairment Rating Evaluation (IRE) process for injured workers in Pennsylvania. The new law requires that impairment rating evaluations be performed under the 6th edition (second printing April 2009) AMA Guides to Evaluation of […]
Read MoreJoin Jon Koutcher, partner with Eric Pearson Koutcher, live the third Monday of every month from 12-1 on WWDB AM 860 to discuss important PA workers’ compensation topics! Pearson Koutcher Law, a workers’ compensation litigation firm representing injured workers throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from its headquarters in Philadelphia, is proud to be a part […]
Read MorePearson Koutcher Law is excited to announce we will be partnering with the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section and its Subcommittee of Charitable Events and Community Service to provide a hot lunch to those in need at the 4th Annual Saint John’s Hospice Lunch on November 14th and 15th. Pearson Koutcher has been a […]
Read MoreLet’s look at a few scenarios to answer the question. Suppose you have been receiving Social Security Disability benefits for a shoulder injury. You then return to work part-time, four hours a day. (If you return to work full-time, or in any position in which your gross monthly earnings exceeded $1,180, and are able to […]
Read MoreOn July 16, 2018, Governor Wolf’s administration released Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for healthcare providers that provide treatment for injured workers. Regardless of whether you are an injured worker suffering from pain, a healthcare provider, or a concerned relative of an injured worker you may be wondering how these new guidelines will affect treatment. The new […]
Read MoreIf you’re collecting Workers’ Compensation benefits, don’t be surprised if the insurance company for your employer schedules you for a vocational evaluation? So what exactly is a vocational evaluation, and how can it affect your right to Workers’ Compensation benefits? A vocational evaluation is conducted by a person with expertise on the job market — […]
Read MoreIt’s bad enough if you injure yourself at work once – what happens if you do it a second time? Let’s take a look at various scenarios so you’ll have an idea of what your rights are if you encounter this unfortunate situation. Let’s say that two years ago, you injured your neck unloading a […]
Read MoreOn Saturday, October 13, 2018 Local 1201/SEIU 32BJ, whose membership represents over 3500 Public School Employees among which are Cleaning, Bus Drivers, Bus Attendants, School Aides, Building Engineers, Maintenance, Trade Mechanics, Environmental, Pest Control Workers, Field Grounds and Inspectors, invited Eric Pearson, Esquire, Managing Partner and cofounder of the Workers’ Compensation firm of Pearson Koutcher […]
Read MoreOn Wednesday, October 10, 2018 Eric Pearson, Esquire, Managing Partner and co-founder of the Workers’ Compensation law firm of Pearson Koutcher was invited to speak at the General Membership Meeting of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Local 614. The meeting, which took place in Collegeville, PA, had over one hundred members in attendance. […]
Read MoreIn our prior blogs, we have talked a lot about the phrase “course and scope of employment” and how that standard is used to determine what is and is not considered to be a work injury. Most people are unaware and equally surprised to learn that under the right circumstances, an injury sustained while playing […]
Read MoreIn our previous blog we discussed what defines a work injury. We discussed the importance of the “course and scope” requirement and how activities like using the bathroom at work do not take an employee outside the course and scope of their employment. In this blog, we will explore the circumstances that exist where an […]
Read MoreOn its face, evaluating whether an injury is a work injury seems relatively simple. If you are on a family vacation in a different country and break your leg on a water slide, this clearly is not work-related. Conversely, if you trip while carrying a new water jug to the dispenser in your office kitchen, […]
Read MorePearson Koutcher Law is pleased to announce that founding partners Eric Pearson and Jon Koutcher have each been named to the 25th Edition of “The Best Lawyers in America” for their work representing injured Claimants in Workers’ Compensation Law.The “Best Lawyers in America” list is comprised of the top 5% of private practicing attorney’s in […]
Read MoreOne of the largest misconceptions seen in Workers’ Compensation is that a worker must exaggerate their pain complaints in order to be successful in obtaining benefits. Injured workers are almost always required to testify in any form of Workers’ Comp litigation, whether they are seeking benefits in a Claim Petition or the employer is trying […]
Read MoreWe are not saying every employer misleads injured employees about their right to worker’s compensation benefits but too often do we encounter cases where an employee has been taken advantage of by either their employer of their employer’s insurance carrier. Even if you have an excellent relationship with your manager or co-workers, this does not […]
Read MoreOne of the most common, if not the most common, misconception in Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation is the belief that the average Workers’ Compensation case is worth a small fortune. Unfortunately, it is relatively certain that winning your Workers’ Compensation claim in Pennsylvania will not set you up to retire on an island for the rest […]
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