Dolce Panepinto Law Firm

The Workers’ Compensation Board recently adopted new guidelines for the assessment of permanent impairments. These new guidelines apply only to the assessment of permanency related to extremity injuries, not head, neck or back injuries.

They direct doctors how to determine the schedule loss of use percentage, or award, that an injured worker is due for a permanent injury to an extremity.

The Board was tasked with the job of updating these guidelines by the NYS legislature in early 2017. The intention was for the guidelines to be updated to reflect medical advances since the guidelines were first written, decades ago.

Unfortunately, the Board’s first revision to the guidelines went well beyond what anyone expected, or what could be justified simply based upon medical advancements. The Board’s proposal significantly slashed awards and changed how doctors were directed to evaluate schedule loss of use with little to no justification for these changes.

For these reasons, Dolce, Panepinto and other concerned parties, started a campaign to resist these changes. Among other things, we instituted a mass postcard campaign to let the Board know that injured workers would not stand for these changes.

Due to the support of many of you, we were successful in putting a stop to the Board’s first proposed revision to the guidelines. The new guidelines, that were recently adopted by the Board, are vastly different from the first rewrite.

While the newly adopted guidelines may result in some changes to how doctors assess schedule loss of use, they will not result in the across the board substantial reductions in permanency awards that the first revision intended.

We want to thank our clients, family and friends who assisted us in the post card campaign and in other ways. This amazing result could not have been achieved without your help.

The Workers’ Compensation Board recently adopted new guidelines for the assessment of permanent impairments. These new guidelines apply only to the assessment of permanency related to extremity injuries, not head, neck or back injuries.

They direct doctors how to determine the schedule loss of use percentage, or award, that an injured worker is due for a permanent injury to an extremity.

The Board was tasked with the job of updating these guidelines by the NYS legislature in early 2017. The intention was for the guidelines to be updated to reflect medical advances since the guidelines were first written, decades ago.

Unfortunately, the Board’s first revision to the guidelines went well beyond what anyone expected, or what could be justified simply based upon medical advancements. The Board’s proposal significantly slashed awards and changed how doctors were directed to evaluate schedule loss of use with little to no justification for these changes.

For these reasons, Dolce, Panepinto and other concerned parties, started a campaign to resist these changes. Among other things, we instituted a mass postcard campaign to let the Board know that injured workers would not stand for these changes.

Due to the support of many of you, we were successful in putting a stop to the Board’s first proposed revision to the guidelines. The new guidelines, that were recently adopted by the Board, are vastly different from the first rewrite.

While the newly adopted guidelines may result in some changes to how doctors assess schedule loss of use, they will not result in the across the board substantial reductions in permanency awards that the first revision intended.

We want to thank our clients, family and friends who assisted us in the post card campaign and in other ways. This amazing result could not have been achieved without your help.

The Workers’ Compensation Board recently adopted new guidelines for the assessment of permanent impairments. These new guidelines apply only to the assessment of permanency related to extremity injuries, not head, neck or back injuries.

They direct doctors how to determine the schedule loss of use percentage, or award, that an injured worker is due for a permanent injury to an extremity.

The Board was tasked with the job of updating these guidelines by the NYS legislature in early 2017. The intention was for the guidelines to be updated to reflect medical advances since the guidelines were first written, decades ago.

Unfortunately, the Board’s first revision to the guidelines went well beyond what anyone expected, or what could be justified simply based upon medical advancements. The Board’s proposal significantly slashed awards and changed how doctors were directed to evaluate schedule loss of use with little to no justification for these changes.

For these reasons, Dolce, Panepinto and other concerned parties, started a campaign to resist these changes. Among other things, we instituted a mass postcard campaign to let the Board know that injured workers would not stand for these changes.

Due to the support of many of you, we were successful in putting a stop to the Board’s first proposed revision to the guidelines. The new guidelines, that were recently adopted by the Board, are vastly different from the first rewrite.

While the newly adopted guidelines may result in some changes to how doctors assess schedule loss of use, they will not result in the across the board substantial reductions in permanency awards that the first revision intended.

We want to thank our clients, family and friends who assisted us in the post card campaign and in other ways. This amazing result could not have been achieved without your help.

Dolce Panepinto works tirelessly to protect the rights of injured workers by making sure that those responsible are held accountable. If you or a family member are injured at work, or in your private life, contact us today for a free case evaluation at 585-815-9003.

Below are some previous litigation highlights: 

• A $1.275 million settlement was reached during trial for a plasterer/drywall finisher who was injured while working inside of a building. Our client suffered serious injuries to his back, neck, knee and wrist as a result of a fall down a wet staircase, a condition that had been created by the building owner. 
• A $1.25 million settlement was reached on behalf of a satellite dish Installer who suffered a herniated disc in his back. Our client was performing an installation when icy conditions at his work site caused him to fall. 
• A $1.2 million verdict was reached on behalf of a Laborers’ Local 210 laborer who suffered serious shoulder and neck injuries as a result of a fall at a job site. Our client was performing renovation work in an existing structure when the ceiling collapsed onto him, knocking him off his ladder and down onto the ground below. 
• A $950,000 settlement was reach on behalf of a roofer who suffered back, shoulder, and knee injuries. Our client was removing an existing roof from a commercial structure when it collapsed beneath him sending him crashing through to the concrete below. 

Call Kristin Allen at 585-815-9003 for any of your workers’ compensation needs.

Dolce Panepinto works tirelessly to protect the rights of injured workers by making sure that those responsible are held accountable. If you or a family member are injured at work, or in your private life, contact us today for a free case evaluation at 585-815-9003.

Below are some previous litigation highlights: 

• A $1.275 million settlement was reached during trial for a plasterer/drywall finisher who was injured while working inside of a building. Our client suffered serious injuries to his back, neck, knee and wrist as a result of a fall down a wet staircase, a condition that had been created by the building owner. 
• A $1.25 million settlement was reached on behalf of a satellite dish Installer who suffered a herniated disc in his back. Our client was performing an installation when icy conditions at his work site caused him to fall. 
• A $1.2 million verdict was reached on behalf of a Laborers’ Local 210 laborer who suffered serious shoulder and neck injuries as a result of a fall at a job site. Our client was performing renovation work in an existing structure when the ceiling collapsed onto him, knocking him off his ladder and down onto the ground.
• A $950,000 settlement was reach on behalf of a roofer who suffered back, shoulder, and knee injuries. Our client was removing an existing roof from a commercial structure when it collapsed beneath him sending him crashing through to the concrete below. 

Call Kristin Allen at 585-815-9003 for any of your workers’ compensation needs.

Reasons to hire an attorney for a workers’ compensation claim:

• 1. The workers’ compensation system is complex, confusing, and often difficult to navigate.
• 2. We will look out for your best interests, fight on your behalf against the insurance carrier to maximize your benefits, and make sure your questions are answered.
• 3. In some cases, you may be entitled to a financial award, even if you did not miss any time from work as a result of your work-related injury.
• 4. The insurance carrier will have a team of attorneys working on their behalf, having an attorney fighting on your behalf helps to level the playing field.

Please call Kristin Allen at Dolce Panepinto 585-815-9003 for any of your workers’ compensation needs.

Reasons to hire an attorney for a workers’ compensation claim:

• 1. The workers’ compensation system is complex, confusing, and often difficult to navigate.
• 2. We will look out for your best interests, fight on your behalf against the insurance carrier to maximize your benefits, and make sure your questions are answered.
• 3. In some cases, you may be entitled to a financial award, even if you did not miss any time from work as a result of your work-related injury.
• 4. The insurance carrier will have a team of attorneys working on their behalf, having an attorney fighting on your behalf helps to level the playing field.

Please call Kristin Allen at Dolce Panepinto 585-815-9003 for any of your workers’ compensation needs.

A lot is at stake this November for workers all across the state. New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote on hosting a constitutional convention. The purpose of this convention is to write a new state constitution or revise the existing one. However, if this happens it could lead to many problems for workers and their families. Labor regulations are already under attack in Congress, and it is crucial that we keep state protections for workers. Currently our state constitution gives workers the right to fair compensation and the right to unionize. We need to ensure these rights stay ours and VOTE NO in November.

These are just some of the groups who will be voting against the convention:

• Environmental Advocates of New York
• Equality New York
• New York State AFL-CIO
• New York State Alliance for Retired Americans
• New York State Professional Fire Fighters
• New York State Rifle and Pistol Association
• Strong Economy for All Coalition
• Working Families Party
• NYSUT
• NYS Public Employees Federation (PEF)
• Western New York Area Labor Federation
• New York Professional Nurses Union (NYPNU)
• Buffalo AFL-CIO

If you have any questions or concerns about the upcoming vote please call Dolce Panepinto at 585-815-9003. We are here to fight for workers’ rights.

Dolce Panepinto works tirelessly to protect the rights of injured workers by making sure that those responsible are held accountable. If you or a family member are injured at work, or in your private life, contact us today for a free case evaluation at 585-815-9003.

Below are some previous litigation highlights: 

• A $1.275 million settlement was reached during trial for a plasterer/drywall finisher who was injured while working inside of a building. Our client suffered serious injuries to his back, neck, knee and wrist as a result of a fall down a wet staircase, a condition that had been created by the building owner. 
• A $1.25 million settlement was reached on behalf of a satellite dish Installer who suffered a herniated disc in his back. Our client was performing an installation when icy conditions at his work site caused him to fall. 
• A $1.2 million verdict was reached on behalf of a Laborers’ Local 210 laborer who suffered serious shoulder and neck injuries as a result of a fall at a job site. Our client was performing renovation work in an existing structure when the ceiling collapsed onto him, knocking him off his ladder and down onto the ground below. 
• A $950,000 settlement was reach on behalf of a roofer who suffered back, shoulder, and knee injuries. Our client was removing an existing roof from a commercial structure when it collapsed beneath him sending him crashing through to the concrete below. 

Please call Kristin Allen at 585-815-9003 for any of your workers’ compensation needs.

Reasons to hire an attorney for a workers’ compensation claim:

• 1. The workers’ compensation system is complex, confusing, and often difficult to navigate.
• 2. We will look out for your best interests, fight on your behalf against the insurance carrier to maximize your benefits, and make sure your questions are answered.
• 3. In some cases, you may be entitled to a financial award, even if you did not miss any time from work as a result of your work-related injury.
• 4. The insurance carrier will have a team of attorneys working on their behalf, having an attorney fighting on your behalf helps to level the playing field.

Please call Kristin Allen at Dolce Panepinto 585-815-9003 for any of your workers’ compensation needs.

Dolce Panepinto works tirelessly to protect the rights of injured workers by making sure that those responsible are held accountable. If you or a family member are injured at work, or in your private life, contact us today for a free case evaluation at 585-815-9003. Below are some previous litigation highlights: 

• A $1.275 Million settlement was reached during trial for a plasterer/drywall finisher who was injured while working inside of a building. Our client suffered serious injuries to his back, neck, knee, and wrist as a result of a fall down a wet staircase, a condition that had been created by the building owner. 
• A $1.25 Million settlement was reached on behalf of a Satellite Dish Installer who suffered a herniated disc in his back. Our client was performing an installation when icy conditions at his work site caused him to fall. 
• A $1.2 Million verdict was reached on behalf of a Laborers’ Local 210 Laborer who suffered serious shoulder and neck injuries as a result of a fall at a job site. Our client was performing renovation work in an existing structure when the ceiling collapsed onto him, knocking him off his ladder and down onto the ground below. 
• A $950,000 Settlement was reach on behalf of a roofer who suffered back, shoulder, and knee injuries. Our client was removing an existing roof from a commercial structure when it collapsed beneath him sending him crashing through to the concrete below. 

Please call Kristin Allen at 585-815-9003 for any of your workers’ compensation needs. 

Reasons to hire an attorney for a workers’ compensation claim:

• 1. The workers’ compensation system is complex, confusing, and often difficult to navigate.
• 2. We will look out for your best interests, fight on your behalf against the insurance carrier to maximize your benefits, and make sure your questions are answered.
• 3. In some cases, you may be entitled to a financial award, even if you did not miss any time from work as a result of your work-related injury.
• 4. The insurance carrier will have a team of attorneys working on their behalf, having an attorney fighting on your behalf helps to level the playing field.

Please call Kristin Allen at 585-815-9003 for any of your workers’ compensation needs.

Dolce Panepinto works tirelessly to protect the rights of injured workers by making sure that those responsible are held accountable. If you or a family member are injured at work, or in your private life, contact us today for a free case evaluation at 585-815-9003. Below are some previous litigation highlights: 

• A $1.275 Million settlement was reached during trial for a plasterer/drywall finisher who was injured while working inside of a building. Our client suffered serious injuries to his back, neck, knee, and wrist as a result of a fall down a wet staircase, a condition that had been created by the building owner. 
• A $1.25 Million settlement was reached on behalf of a Satellite Dish Installer who suffered a herniated disc in his back. Our client was performing an installation when icy conditions at his work site caused him to fall. 
• A $1.2 Million verdict was reached on behalf of a Laborers’ Local 210 Laborer who suffered serious shoulder and neck injuries as a result of a fall at a job site. Our client was performing renovation work in an existing structure when the ceiling collapsed onto him, knocking him off his ladder and down onto the ground below. 
• A $950,000 Settlement was reach on behalf of a roofer who suffered back, shoulder, and knee injuries. Our client was removing an existing roof from a commercial structure when it collapsed beneath him sending him crashing through to the concrete below. 

Please call Kristin Allen at 585-815-9003 for any of your workers’ compensation needs. 

Reasons to hire an attorney for a workers’ compensation claim: 

• 1. The workers’ compensation system is complex, confusing, and often difficult to navigate. 2. We will look out for your best interests, fight on your behalf against the insurance carrier to maximize your benefits, and make sure your questions are answered. 
• 3. In some cases, you may be entitled to a financial award, even if you did not miss any time from work as a result of your work-related injury. 4. The insurance carrier will have a team of attorneys working on their behalf, having an attorney fighting on your behalf helps to level the playing field. 

Please call Kristin Allen at 585-815-9003 for any of your workers’ compensation needs. 

Think you may have a Workers’ Compensation claim? The next steps:

Your physical well-being is the top priority after being involved in any type of accident. If you are involved in an accident, you should seek medical attention immediately and report all of your physical symptoms to your medical provider.

Next, you should make efforts to gather any information that could assist you in establishing your claim. You should gather names and contact information for anyone that may have witnessed the accident and file a police accident report.

Lastly, contact a lawyer a soon as possible, as there are certain type of claims that require paperwork to be filed within a certain amount of time. All initial legal consultations with the attorneys at Dolce Panepinto are free and, in most circumstances, you will not be charged any fees unless you recover money from the negligent party in your case.

If you think you have a claim, call us at 585-815-9003 for your free consultation.

In 2016, the Dolce Panepinto team fought for and recovered more than $17 million in settlements and awards for our injured clients. As always, we worked extremely hard to get the best possible outcome for our clients and are proud to have had the opportunity to help them. We would like to congratulate our clients and wish them the best as they continue to move forward beyond their injuries. Here are some of the litigation highlights.

• A $2 Million settlement was reached on behalf of a Local 22 Plumber who suffered a serious back injury. Our client was on a ladder installing cast iron pipe overhead when a length of pipe broke loose and struck him.
• A $1.2 Million settlement was reached on behalf of a Local 210 Laborer who suffered a serious back injury. While unloading a forklift, a section of drywall fell on our client, striking him in the back and knocking him to the ground.
• A $1.2 Million settlement was reached on behalf of a District Council 11 Painter who suffered serious back, neck, shoulder, and knee injuries. Our client was painting a bridge when a large cable fell from above striking him on the head, cracking his hardhat and knocking him onto his knees.
• A $1 Million settlement was reached on behalf of a Local 210 Laborer who suffered serious neck, back, and shoulder injuries. While performing demolition work, he slipped on a chunk of wet concrete and was injured.
• A $850,000 settlement was reached on behalf of a Local 210 Laborer who suffered a serious knee injury. Our client was part of a team working on the bed of a moving flatbed truck, removing traffic cones from the highway when a stack of cones on the truck tipped over and fell on him.
• A $800,000 settlement was reached on behalf of a construction worker who suffered a serious back injury. Our client was carrying a heavy piece of industrial equipment when he slipped on hazardous debris. 

The former Buffalo Jills have something to cheer about this week. A judge ruled in a 2014 lawsuit filed by the Jills against the Buffalo Bills, that the cheerleaders were in fact employees, not independent contractors.

This ruling is important because as employees they are legally entitled to workers’ rights and regulations which they wouldn’t be if they were independent contractors. Under workers’ rights laws, the Jills will have to be paid at least minimum wage for their work.

Dolce Panepinto partner Sean Cooney is one of the attorneys representing the Jills, and is dedicated to protecting the rights of workers. You can find more information on the lawsuit here and here. For further questions contact Dolce Panepinto: click here.

Rights of injured workers threatened workers’ compensation and the rights of injured workers has become a hot topic in today’s news. Recently, an Alabama judge has found portions of their state’s Workers’ Compensation Act to be unconstitutional. The judge ruled that the monetary cap for injured workers violates the due process of the law.

Similarly, here in New York State new workers’ compensation laws have been passed that threaten the rights of injured workers. These laws will not only decrease benefits, but also make it more difficult to qualify for benefits.

Our workers’ compensation team at Dolce Panepinto is always fighting for injured workers’ rights and are here to help. We will continue to keep you updated as changes continue to the workers’ compensation system. If you have any questions about your rights or if you or a family member has been hurt on the job, please do not hesitate to call us at 585-815-9003. Click here for more information.

Congressman Steve King, a republican from Iowa, has reintroduced the Davis-Bacon Repeal Act to Congress that could significantly affect workers’ wages.
The Davis-Bacon Act, passed by Congress in 1931, requires private contractors to pay workers the prevailing wage of their trade or occupation on all federally funded projects worth more than $2,000. Prevailing wages are determined by the Department of Labor and in most cases, the prevailing wage matches the union wage for that job type.

Like the five-day, 40-hour work week, this is an example of labor unions benefitting even nonunion workers. Without the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors would be able to pay their nonunion employees less than their union counterparts.

Dolce Panepinto knows how harmful this legislation would be to Western New York’s working families, and how important it is for workers to receive fair compensation. We stand ready and willing to fight for workers’ rights to guarantee they continue to get the wages they deserve. If you have any questions about this proposed repeal act and how it could affect you, or if you or a family member has been hurt on the job, please do not hesitate to call us at 716-852-1888.