Author Archives: Site Administrator
Maryland Workers’ Compensation – Ten Rules For Speaking To Doctors
Anybody that has watched TV for more than fifteen minutes can recite the Miranda warnings from all the cop shows; I bet you know them … “You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you …” you get the picture. But, what does that have to… Read More »
Avoid Naming Your Minor Children As Beneficiaries
Beneficiary designations can be an effective tool to avoid probate, if used appropriately. (See Beneficiaries Instead of Probate: Use Caution). Assets can go quickly and directly to loved ones after your death. However, there are certain types of beneficiaries that should be avoided. First and foremost – no minor beneficiaries! I recently represented a… Read More »
Can I Work While Receiving Social Security Disability Benefits?
Unfortunately, many of my clients find the monthly check they receive from the United States Treasury is too small to live on. I am always receiving calls from former clients asking if they can return to work part time and still receive their Social Security Disability benefits? The answer is not simple. And, in… Read More »
Maryland Workers’ Compensation Dependency Benefits – The 2011 Legislation
As of October 1, 2011, Maryland’s manner of compensating dependents of employees who die due to injuries or diseases sustained as a result of their job has changed! The new law will immediately impact all employees and their dependents other than employees of municipal corporations or counties that have a right to claim their:… Read More »
Crohn’s Disease And Ulcerative Colitis As Basis For Social Security Disability
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are both included in a larger set of conditions known collectively as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Over the years I have assisted many clients obtain social security disability benefits on the basis of their IBD alone. In this post, I discuss these conditions as well as how the conditions… Read More »
Beneficiaries Instead Of Probate: Use Caution
The term “probate” refers to the court process whereby a decedent’s assets are gathered together and, after the payment of the decedent’s debts, distributed to the decedent’s heirs. One way to avoid probate is through the use of beneficiary designations. The only assets that pass through probate are assets the decedent owned in his… Read More »
The Recent Court Of Appeals Decision Regarding The Firefighter’s Rule: Now What?
It has not been an easy few weeks for the auto tort practitioner or motorists in Maryland. A few cases have come down from the appellate courts that have left a stinging sensation in their wake. The first is one that may not apply to too many people reading this blog, but is important… Read More »
3 Issues To Consider When Drafting Your Power Of Attorney
So you are now convinced that you need a Power of Attorney (POA) in place to help your family and loved ones take care of you in your time of need. Or maybe you and your aging parent have decided that a POA needs to be executed in anticipation of deteriorating health. Below are… Read More »
Can You File For Unemployment And Social Security Disability Benefits?
The application process for Social Security disability benefits can take years. During that time period the claimant is – by definition – not working. (See 3 Reasons Your Claim Was Denied). How does the claimant pay for food and shelter during that long wait? Some claimants are fortunate enough to have spouses or family… Read More »
Back Problems: The Most Common Source Of Disability Claims
If your back has ever “went out,” you understand just how devastating back problems can be. In my practice, impairments involving the spine are the single most common disabling condition. What follows below is my legal (as opposed to medical) understanding of back problems and my strategies to obtain disability benefits as a result… Read More »