Tag Archives: COVID-19
I have been summoned to jury duty; is it safe?
The Maryland Court System is due to enter the next stage of reopening on October 5, 2020. This means courts will resume full operations including the long-awaited jury trials. However, jury duty and jury trials will look different as many new safety protocols have been implemented to make the process as safe as possible… Read More »
On the Hot Seat; What In-Person Hearings Look Like for Injured Workers’ During COVID19
Beginning on June 8, 2020, the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission reinstituted In-Person hearings at all hearing sites. For many who recall attending hearings in the past, all the cases scheduled on a docket would arrive for a 9:30 a.m. start time. The Commissioner would take the bench, call the docket and then the cases… Read More »
Hearings on the Horizon!
Covid-19 has changed the way we communicate as a community and a culture. This is also true for businesses and governments; these entities have had to quickly adapt into the age of virtual communications. When the pandemic hit, the Workers’ Compensation Commission was in the process of dramatically upgrading their online portal, and in… Read More »
Great News; The Ban On Medical Treatment Has Lifted!
It has been over six weeks since Governor Hogan banned elective and non-urgent medical procedures in the State of Maryland. However, the question which remained was, “Is it elective to have an epidural shot or surgery if I am in a tremendous amount of pain?” Well, no need to answer this question any longer,… Read More »
Do I have a workers’ compensation case if I get injured while working from home due to COVID-19?
We at Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP are thinking about all our clients during this unprecedented time! A vast majority of the public (including the attorneys and staff at Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP) are having to work from home. With so many people trading in their commutes and business attire for… Read More »
Workers’ Compensation Hearings Update as of April 17, 2020; Covid-19
True to their mission, the Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC) is continually trying to balance the interests of the injured worker with that of the health and safety of the community at large. Therefore, in response to the recent extension of court closings by Chief Judge Barbera of the Maryland Court of Appeals, the WCC… Read More »
Workers’ Compensation Hearings and the Maryland Courts Update as of April 15, 2020; Covid-19
Unfortunately, since our last court update, two weeks ago, COVID-19 cases have risen significantly in Maryland. This information reaffirms our states’ decision to social distance and work from home, wherever possible. Our online legal work is bustling between virtual mediations, depositions and motion writing. Thankfully, we have learned to navigate virtually because another extension… Read More »
The Interchange of Coronavirus, Federal Regulations, the FELA, and the FRSA – Part 3 of 3
Part III – Manifest: Can the FRSA Protect Your Safety Concerns? The railroads refuse to do anything to protect you from the coronavirus. So many railroaders are asking us, is there anything contained in the Federal Rail Safety Act to protect railroaders who make safety complaints related to coronavirus? The FRSA makes it illegal… Read More »
The Interchange of Coronavirus, Federal Regulations, the FELA, and the FRSA – Part 2 of 3
Part II – Slack Action: How the FELA Can Protect You If You Contract the Coronavirus. The railroads’ refusal to undertake even the most basic safety measures is going to bunch down the consist until the slack runs out and has dangerous consequences. Railroaders will get sick. So many railroaders are asking us right… Read More »
The Interchange of Coronavirus, Federal Regulations, the FELA, and the FRSA – Part 1 of 3
Part I – Bad Order: the FRA is No Longer Looking Out for Your Safety, Period. There is a mechanical defect here – a big one. As many of you may already know, the SMART Transportation Union sent an Emergency Petition to the Federal Railroad Administration – the agency whose mission is supposed to… Read More »