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Meehan Law Firm Obtains Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Doe Run Lead Worker

Meehan Law Firm — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 20:18:42 +0000

The Meehan Law Firm recently obtained a substantial Workers’ Compensation settlement for a contract worker at the Doe Run smelter in Washington County, Missouri. This worker had been directly exposed to the shredder area of the smelter, where some of the most toxic levels of lead exist. The employer had furnished insufficient respiratory masks, which exposed this worker to excessive levels of lead.

Lead exposure in adults can cause neurologic problems, kidney problems, joint pain and cognitive issues. The employer denied any liability; however, after obtaining medical records and obtaining an expert medical report, the Meehan Law Firm was able to negotiate a substantial settlement for the employee.

If you or anyone you know has been exposed to lead in the workplace or nearby a lead smelter, please contact the Meehan Law Firm to protect your rights. You or your loved ones may be entitled to substantial compensation. By the way, Brown & Crouppen, Brown & Brown and Cofman Townsley do not take these kinds of cases. You need the expert legal help of the Meehan Law Firm. Contact us today.

Divorce Clients Need to be Wary of Evergreen Retainer Arrangements

Meehan Law Firm — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 20:24:43 +0000

A new development in the representation of divorce clients has been the adoption of evergreen retainer arrangements. Several firms that advertise for domestic litigation, notably Cordell & Cordell, require clients to provide them with unrestricted access to a credit card that automatically renews the retainer to some arranged amount. This is known as an evergreen retainer. The danger in such an arrangement is that it grants a law firm unlimited access to funds and serves as an incentive to generate as many billable hours as possible in order to maximize the retainer. The Meehan Law Firm has been contacted by several individuals making complaints of extraordinarily large legal bills that have been generated under this arrangement.

An example cited to the Meehan Law Firm has been legal bills in excess of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) for simple divorces that do not require extensive discovery.

In these cases, the divorce clients have been charged over Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) to investigate simple cases that do not involve complex legal issues, business valuation, or any other extensive litigation. Instead, the charges typically go for reviewing the file and ordering documents that do not ordinarily need to be ordered.

If you think you have been victimized by an evergreen retainer arrangement and been overbilled by an attorney, please contact the Meehan Law Firm.

Truck Accidents and the Commercial Driver Shortage

Meehan Law Firm — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:50:09 +0000

A new commercial driver safety report indicates transportation companies are processing more applicants than ever to contend with a driver shortage. In fact, the number of driver verifications tripled in the first half of 2012 over the prior year.

The American Trucking Association claims the driver shortage the industry is now experiencing — about 20,000 to 25,000 — could jump to as high as 239,000 in just 10 years. Ironically, the driver shortage may be a result of increased regulation at the federal and state level to address safety issues.

Commercial trucking firms are required to maintain up-to-date files on their drivers’ qualifications, including complete applications, motor vehicle records, road tests, physical exams and other measures designed to ensure only qualified drivers are behind the wheel.

But while the number of drivers applying for work is rising, so are the number of errors in their qualification files. This suggests drivers are giving incomplete or inaccurate information in order to gain employment.

A recent transportation study revealed that a record 43 percent of driver applications are missing or incomplete, up from 12 percent in 2010. The second most missing or incorrect information in the driver qualification files was road test documentation and the third was the medical examiner’s certificate, which evaluates whether drivers are physically up to the job.

Other top concerns with drivers’ qualifications included:

1.Inaccurate motor vehicle records, including status suspended, revoked, surrendered and expired

2.Driver’s license copies not legible

3.Incomplete safety sensitive questions, and questions left blank or completely overlooked

4.Previous employer check

Trucking accidents can have many causes, but unqualified drivers are more common than people like to think. In you have been injured in a truck accident, find out how to get help with your personal injury claim by contacting the Meehan Law Firm in St. Louis for a free consultation. To learn more about commercial truck accidents and your rights, visit www.motruckaccident.com.

Sources:

-LexisNexis® 2012 Commercial Driver Safety Report

- http://www.ccjdigital.com/ata-releases-analysis-of-driver-shortage/

-www.meehanlawfirm.com

When To Seek Legal Help in a Workers’ Compensation Case

Meehan Law Firm — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 23:59:23 +0000

The State of Missouri protects all injured workers. Missouri requires that any employer with five or more employees must carry insurance for workers’ compensation. In addition, construction employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance if they have at least one employee.

By law, if an employer fails to carry workers’ comp insurance is guilty of a misdemeanor. An employer can face fines up to $50,000 and will be reported for fraud to the Division of Workers’ Compensation.

Missouri employers with five or more employees are required to have workers’ compensation insurance or qualify as a self-insured. Construction industry employers are required to have workers’ compensation insurance coverage if they have one or more employees.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Benefits may include dollar-for-dollar medical coverage, two-thirds of your weekly gross salary if a doctor concludes that you are unable to work while recovering from your injury, and – most importantly – a lump sum money award for permanent injuries.

When to Seek Legal Help

These workers’ compensation benefits, although state ordered, are funded by private insurance companies. Because of this, the system can be confrontational and adversarial, and you often need an attorney to ensure that you are receiving your proper benefits from the insurance company. Additionally, major changes in the workers’ compensation law were passed in 2005. These changes make it harder to obtain workers’ compensation benefits.

The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations advises:

“An injured worker may also elect to bring an action for personal injury in circuit court against an employer that fails to insure its workers’ compensation liability. Making a claim against the Second Injury Fund and filing a suit in circuit court are complex legal matters. Before taking such action, it is advisable that you consult a lawyer.”

The Meehan Law Firm

If you have a workers’ compensation case, you may need a skilled and experienced attorney to manage your case properly. The attorneys of the Meehan Law Firm can help you get the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve. Contact us to discuss your case today.

Sources:

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/your-right-to-workers-comp-benefits-faq-29093.html

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/your-right-to-workers-comp-benefits-faq-29093-8.html

http://labor.mo.gov/DWC/Injured_Workers/employer_no_insurance.asp

http://meehanlawfirm.com/workers-compensation-benefits.html