Author Archives: Site Administrator
How Maryland Workers’ Compensation Law Is Made And Changed
Three types of laws impact the Workers’ Compensation process. They are: Statutes, Regulations, and Appellate decisions. In addition, the Workers’ Compensation Commission develops specific policies that guide them but do not bind them. Statutes The starting point for workers’ compensation is statutory law. A statute is a written law. If it is not covered… Read More »
How Does The New Fiscal Cliff Legislation Affect My Estate Tax Planning?
On January 2, 2013 the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was enacted, avoiding the so-called “fiscal cliff.” In addition to income tax changes, the law contained provisions on estate taxes which certainly did avoid something very cliff-like. Had the law not been enacted, the federal estate tax exemption would have reverted to $1… Read More »
The Importance Of The “Disability Onset Date” In Social Security Disability Decisions
The “Disability Onset Date” (DOD) is the date that the Claimant has met the evidentiary requirements to prove “disability” as defined by the Social Security law. This date is extremely important in evaluating disability cases. For instance, if the DOD is after the Claimant has turned 50 years old, the Medical Vocational Guidelines might… Read More »
My Advice For Avoiding Car Crashes This Holiday Season
Stay off the road on New Year’s. When I was a teenager, my parents would not let me drive or ride in a car on New Year’s eve. I thought they were being over protective, and generally they were. Nonetheless, the advice is still good. According to the Maryland State Police, Maryland suffered 171… Read More »
What Is So “Special” About A Special Needs Trust?
The Problem. You have a disabled child who is currently receiving need-based public assistance such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. Your child is receiving those benefits because he or she is disabled and because he or she does not havesufficient income and resources. As a parent, you want to make sure that… Read More »
Can I Apply For Social Security Disability Benefits If I Am Still Receiving Workers’ Compensation?
There are no prohibitions against receiving both Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits and workers compensation (WC) benefits. The law merely provides that there may be a reduction in your monthly SSD check because of the simultaneous receipt of WC benefits. In this post I will explain the calculation of that reduction, reasons for and… Read More »
10 Things You Need To Know About IMEs (Independent Medical Evaluations)
The insurance company has the right to send you to a doctor of their choice for a medical opinion. This doctor is not going to provide you with any treatment or become your doctor, but rather only give an opinion. Here are 10 things you need to know: The IME is for the benefit… Read More »
Medical Treatment Rights Under Maryland Workers’ Compensation Law For Out Of State Treatment
Last month I discussed medical treatment rights stemming from a compensable Maryland Workers’ Compensation claim. Since medical costs are controlled by the Maryland Workers’ Compensation system, you never have to pay anything for treatment required for injuries sustained as part of your compensable claim – with one catch – the treatment must be in… Read More »
What Are Your Medical Treatment Rights Under Maryland Workers’ Compensation Law
The easy answer is that you have the right to medical treatment reasonably related to your injury on the job. Furthermore, once accepted by the workers’ compensation insurance carrier, you do not have to pay deductible or co-pay if the medical provider is in Maryland (see my next blog article for out of state… Read More »
Preparing For The Death Of A Loved One: 7 Practical Recommendations
This is not an easy time and, emotionally, there is not much that your lawyer can do to help. What we can to is to assist you in understanding some of the practical issues involved. Below we describe seven recommendations of things to do before your loved one passes. At a minimum, this list… Read More »