THE WORKERS` COMPENSATION LAW FIRM.

THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION LAW FIRM.
2015 VOL. 2
IN THIS ISSUE Unmistakable: Partners and attorneys recognized as
Unmistakable: Partners and
attorneys recognized as Super
Lawyers® for exceptional
practice
Super Lawyers® for exceptional practice
Pond Lehocky is proud
to announce workers’
compensation certification for
senior attorneys
Pond Lehocky named to the
2015 Top Workplaces list for
fourth consecutive year
“The Demolition of Workers’
Comp”: Workers suffering
because of states’ slashed
workers’ comp benefits
Partners Sam Pond, Jerry Lehocky and Dave
Stern were selected to the Super Lawyers® Top
100 in Philadelphia list. Jerry Lehocky was also
named to the Top 100 in Pennsylvania list.
2015 marks the 11th year that Sam and Jerry
have been recognized by Super Lawyers® for
their outstanding practice.
Fox, Alexis Handrich, Kevin Harchar, Mike
Parker and Allison Wheeler were selected
to the 2015 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers®
Rising Stars list, an honor bestowed on only
2.5 percent of attorneys. Rising Stars must be
under 40 years old and have practiced for less
than 10 years.
We can now assist
Russian-speakers
Partner Tom Giordano, Jr., along with
Associate Attorneys Melissa Chandy, Chris
Learn what makes our attorneys Super
Lawyers® on our website.
Torn Apart campaign wins
12 awards for advertising
excellence
Three new hires bring unique
value to the firm
Pond Lehocky is proud to announce workers’
compensation certification for senior attorneys
Settlement highlights
Attorneys Melissa Chandy, Frank Ciprero,
Chris Fox and Alexis Handrich have been
certified as legal specialists in workers’
compensation law by the Pennsylvania
Bar Association’s Section on Workers’
Compensation Law as authorized by the
Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Leaders in the legal
community
POND LEHOCKY STERN GIORDANO, LLP
800.568.7500
www.pondlehocky.com
For many years, these experienced attorneys
Frank N. Ciprero
Alexis C. Handrich
have focused their practices exclusively
on workers’ compensation and defending
injured workers’ rights. We are proud to have
such dedicated and talented people fighting
on behalf of our clients.
Learn more about what makes Melissa,
Frank, Chris and Alexis workers’
compensation specialists.
Melissa R. Chandy
Christopher M. Fox
Pond Lehocky named to the 2015 Top Workplaces list
for fourth consecutive year
For the fourth year in a row, Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano was selected as one of the Top
Workplaces by Philly.com and The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Based entirely on employee feedback, Top Workplaces recognizes the best 100 employers in the
Philadelphia area. Honorees are determined by an anonymous survey designed by Workplace
Dynamics, a leading research firm on organizational health and employee engagement.
Learn more about what makes Pond Lehocky a Top Workplace.
Torn Apart campaign wins 12 awards for advertising excellence
Our Torn Apart campaign took home
10 regional awards and two national
ADDY® awards from the American
Advertising Federation. These awards
honor excellence in advertising using
the highest creative standards in the
industry.
The Torn Apart campaign
encompasses art and video to convey
three clients’ personal journeys. The firm commissioned
acclaimed British artist/illustrator Ian Wright to create
large-scale portraits using his innovative torn paper
technique. Three clients who suffered serious workplace
injuries were asked to participate:
Ms. Barbara Daquilante, food service
worker; Mr. George “Moose” Beerley,
union operating engineer; and Mr.
Francis Elliott, parking attendant.
Wright used their actual case files,
personal stories and emotions to show
how a life torn apart by a work injury
can be put back together. All three
clients were also interviewed about their stories to create
videos to accompany the artwork.
Learn more about Torn Apart here.
“The Demolition of Workers’ Comp”: Workers suffering because of
states’ slashed workers’ comp benefits
Workers’ compensation costs are the lowest they’ve been since the 1970s, causing insurance companies to profit while injured
workers struggle to stay above the poverty line, according to an in-depth report from ProPublica and NPR.
The article explores the drastic cuts to workers’ compensation benefits across the U.S. Since 2003, legislators in 33 states have
passed workers’ comp laws that reduce benefits or make it more difficult for those with certain injuries and diseases to qualify
for them, the study reports.
Read the full article.
Workers’ compensation costs for
specific injuries vary vastly by state.
How much
is your arm
worth?
Pennsylvania
$389,910
New Jersey
$268,983
National average
Delaware
$166,393
$169,878
Rhode Island
$56,160
French German
Farsi English Russian Croatian
Mandarin-Chinese
Sign-language Spanish Cantonese-Chinese
Gujarati Romanian
Italian Dutch
We can now assist Russian-speakers
The firm welcomes Ms. Olga Shum as a legal assistant.
She is fluent in both Russian and English. We are now
able to assist clients in 14 different languages.
Settlement
Highlights
.........................................
$249,999.99
A union Sprinklerfitter fractured both of
his heels, which required surgery after
falling off a ladder while on the job.
Managing Partner Sam Pond settled
the case for $249,999.99.
.............................................
$249,000
Three new hires bring unique value to the firm
A union machinist collapsed at work
while standing on a 2-foot ladder.
He suffered traumatic brain injuries
and underwent surgery to stop
bleeding in his skull. The man had
residual cognitive deficits, anxiety
and depression. Partner Dave Stern
secured a $249,000 settlement.
.............................................
$217,500
An HVAC technician slipped on a
piece of plywood, shattering his
knee and fracturing his back. The
man underwent surgery for his back.
Partner Jerry Lehocky settled the case
for $217,500.
Associate Attorney Susan
Nanes joins us after seven
years as Pennsylvania
Supreme Court Chief
Justice Ronald D. Castille’s
law clerk. As an attorney
on our brief writing
team, Susan reviews and
communicates the latest
court rulings on workers’
compensation to our firm.
Her long-term experience
in the Supreme Court
will ensure that the firm
receives steady updates on
new developments in case
law. This knowledge will
help us continue to arm our
attorneys with the most upto-date information about
workers’ compensation,
further solidifying our
position as THE workers’
compensation firm.
Michael Brown is Pond
Lehocky’s workers’
compensation project
specialist. For more than
20 years, Mike worked as
a workers’ compensation
claims adjuster. We are one
of the only law firms to hire
a former claims adjuster for
the benefit of our clients,
providing an inside view
of insurance companies’
behaviors. Adding Mike
to the firm is part of our
constant dedication to
building a high-quality staff
that ensures our clients
receive unmistakable
service.
Edward Brittingham is the
firm’s referral department
manager. He specializes
in building and sustaining
relationships with other
attorneys and medical
providers across the
country. Ed brings more
than 20 years of experience
in the legal industry. He has
an extensive knowledge of
workers’ compensation and
worked as a paralegal for
18 years. His role ensures
that no matter what legal
or medical need our clients
have, it is taken care of by
high quality providers.
..............................................
$213,000
A manager was transporting a delivery
when he fell backwards to the floor.
He herniated five discs and damaged
nerves in his back, which left him with
severe pain in his lower back and right
leg. Frank Ciprero settled the case for
$213,000.
..............................................
$203,387.60
A union glazier tore his rotator cuff
after a door closed on his shoulder at
work. The man had surgery to repair
the injury, but it was unsuccessful
and he still had residual pain. His
only options were a total shoulder
replacement or another surgery to add
muscle to shoulder. Alexis Handrich
secured a $203,387.60 settlement.
POND LEHOCKY STERN GIORDANO, LLP
CONVENIENT OFFICE LOCATIONS
MAIN OFFICE:
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, 18th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
ADDITIONAL OFFICES:
Northeast Philadelphia, PA
South Philadelphia, PA
Scranton, PA
Malvern, PA
Lehigh Valley, PA
Pennsauken, NJ
New Brunswick, NJ
New York, NY
800.568.7500
www.pondlehocky.com
Leaders in the legal community
S
amuel H. Pond – Mr. Pond was selected to the
2015 Super Lawyers® Top 100 Pennsylvania list
for the eleventh time. On May 8th, he presented
the 25th annual Marie Pond Scholarship,
which honors his mother, to two members of the
Torresdale Boys Club. He also receive the Club’s
President’s Award for his long-time support of its
young men and women. Mr. Pond was featured in
the Pennsylvania Law Weekly article, “Judges Hint
at Broader Rule on Workplace Violence,” where
he commented on a recent workers’ comp case. He
also co-wrote the article, “The Unavoidable Bias
of an Independent Medical Exam,” with Associate
Andrew Ruder. The article explores how doctors
commissioned by employers have an inherent bias
when evaluating injured workers.
Jerry M. Lehocky – For the eleventh consecutive
year, Mr. Lehocky was selected to the 2015 Super
Lawyers® Top 100 Pennsylvania list. He was also
named to the Top 100 in Pennsylvania list. In
April, Mr. Lehocky was a featured speaker at the
Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and
Allied Professionals’ (PASNAP) annual House of
Delegates conference where he discussed workers’
compensation for healthcare professionals.
David F. Stern – Mr. Stern was named to the
2015 Super Lawyers® Top 100 Pennsylvania
list. He participated in the 18th Annual Richie
Ashburn Memorial Home Runs for the Heart at
Citizens Bank Park to raise awareness for heart
disease. An alumnus and four-year letterman, Mr.
Stern was invited by the University of Delaware
Athletic Department to speak to the Division
One baseball team. He was also interviewed by
The Legal Intelligencer for the article, “Helping
Injured Worker Is Within Scope of Employment,”
which highlighted a recent Pennsylvania workers’
compensation decision.
Thomas J. Giordano, Jr. – Mr. Giordano was
selected to the 2015 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers®
Rising Stars list, an honor bestowed on only 2.5
percent of attorneys. He was a featured speaker at
the National Business Institute’s program Handling
a Social Security Disability Case. Mr. Giordano
was honored at the 2015 Golden Gloves boxing
tournament for his dedication to protecting disabled
Americans’ rights. He was also a special call-in
guest and answered callers’ questions about Social
Security disability live on Supra 97.1 FM’s “Enterate
Inmigrante.”