Quatrini Rafferty partner Ronald J. Fonner was a featured panelist at the statewide Workers' Compensation Conference hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Mr. Fonner's portion of the seminar addressed medical cost containment in the workers' compensation system, including the legal ramifications of a panel physican, legal considerations on a utilization review appeal, basic procedures of hearings, compelling an independent medical examination (IME), the physician's comments on an IME, the rights of parties (including providers) and litigating a fee review appeal. More details on the conference can be found on the Department of Labor and Industry's website:
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Ronald J. Fonner Serves As Panelist For Annual Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Conference
Quatrini Rafferty partner Ronald J. Fonner was a featured panelist at the statewide Workers' Compensation Conference hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Mr. Fonner's portion of the seminar addressed medical cost containment in the workers' compensation system, including the legal ramifications of a panel physican, legal considerations on a utilization review appeal, basic procedures of hearings, compelling an independent medical examination (IME), the physician's comments on an IME, the rights of parties (including providers) and litigating a fee review appeal. More details on the conference can be found on the Department of Labor and Industry's website:
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Vincent J. Quatrini, Jr., Named Pennsylvania "Super Lawyer" For Sixth Consecutive Year
In June 2009, Quatrini Rafferty managing partner Vincent J. Quatrini, Jr., was named a Pennsylvania "Super Lawyer" by Pittsburgh Magazine, Philadelphia Magazine and Law and Politics Magazine. This is the sixth consecutive year for Quatrini.
Pennsylvania Super Lawyers is published in June in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Magazines, which has a monthly readership of more than 486,000. Pennsylvania Super Lawyers magazine is delivered to Pennsylvania lawyers, the lead corporate counsel of the Russell 3000 companies and all ABA-approved law school libraries, to reach more than 49,000 readers. Law and Politics Magazine selects "Super Lawyers" from a poll distributed to all lawyers in Pennsylvania. Only 5% of the lawyers in Pennsylvania are selected as Super Lawyers by Law and Politics.
Quatrini concentrates his practice in the exclusive representation of injured employees in workers’ compensation cases. He is a past chairman of the Workers’ Compensation Law Section of the Pennsylvania BarAssociation. Since the late 1990s, he has served on the Workers’ Compensation Rules Committee, appointed by the Secretary of Labor and Industry. Mr. Quatrini is one of a statewide team of attorneys who co-authors (since 1992) the publication Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Practice & Procedure. He is a member of the Westmoreland County and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, the Westmoreland County Academy of Trial Lawyers, and past president of the Westmoreland County Bar Association.
Congratulations to Vincent Quatrini on this remarkable achievement.
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Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry Announces Grant To Retrain Veterans
The Department of Labor and Industry recently announced a grant in the amount of $311,000 to help retrain veterans for welding jobs. The grant, which will be used by the Steamfitters Local, will fund the Returning Veterans Welding Program, which is scheduled to start in the fall. The veterans will receive 96 hours of beginner welding training during an eight-week period.
An article covering the program in detail can be found on the Pittsburgh Post Gazette website:
http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/09147/972933-407.stm
Anyone interested in applying for a position in the Returning Veterans Welding Program should contact Steamfitters Local at 800-253-6960 or 412-381-1133
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An article covering the program in detail can be found on the Pittsburgh Post Gazette website:
http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/09147/972933-407.stm
Anyone interested in applying for a position in the Returning Veterans Welding Program should contact Steamfitters Local at 800-253-6960 or 412-381-1133
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Friday, May 22, 2009
Vincent J. Quatrini, Jr., Begins Work On New Edition of Pennsylvania "Workers' Compensation: Practice and Procedure"
Quatrini Rafferty partner Vincent J. Quatrini, Jr., recently traveled to Harrisburg, PA to begin work on the 2010 edition of the Pennsylvania Bar Insitute's publication "Workers' Compensation: Practice and Procedure."
The workers' compensation manual, widely referred to as the "Bible" in workers comp circles, is touted by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute as "a complete survey of the substantive law of workers’ compensation practice, the Workers’ Compensation Act, and the Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act." PBI also notes that "this book can be found in the chambers of the Commonwealth Court and on the desks of the commissioners of the Appeal Board, workers’ compensation judges, lawyers, and claims personnel throughout Pennsylvania."
Quatrini, who has served as a co-editor of the manual since 1989, will also serve as a moderator for the continuing legal education seminars that accompany the manual's publication.
Publication is scheduled for Spring 2010.
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Wednesday, May 6, 2009
QR Legislative Alert: Elimination of Civil Legal Services Funding
Quatrini Rafferty received an email from the Pennsylvania Bar Association which issued the following warning about the reduction in Civil Legal Services Funding:
The Pennsylvania Senate introduced SB 850 as their proposed 2009-2010 state budget on Friday, May 1st. That legislation is poised to be voted on, and adopted, by the Senate tomorrow, Wednesday, May 6th. SB 850 eliminates all state funding (all $3,172,000 of the state's appropriation) for civil legal services. Access to justice is a major concern to the members of the PA Bar Association. The reduction of funding for legal services at a time of substantially increased need due to current, severe economic recession is remarkable.
Please call your state senator immediately. Implore him/her to restore the state appropriation for civil legal services. Tell him/her that access to justice for the poorest among us is not an appropriate "bargaining chip" for budget negotiation.
As the PBA urges, please contact your State Senator and/or your local Representative immediately to share your opposition to the reduction. You can find either one through the link below:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm
Thank you.
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The Pennsylvania Senate introduced SB 850 as their proposed 2009-2010 state budget on Friday, May 1st. That legislation is poised to be voted on, and adopted, by the Senate tomorrow, Wednesday, May 6th. SB 850 eliminates all state funding (all $3,172,000 of the state's appropriation) for civil legal services. Access to justice is a major concern to the members of the PA Bar Association. The reduction of funding for legal services at a time of substantially increased need due to current, severe economic recession is remarkable.
Please call your state senator immediately. Implore him/her to restore the state appropriation for civil legal services. Tell him/her that access to justice for the poorest among us is not an appropriate "bargaining chip" for budget negotiation.
As the PBA urges, please contact your State Senator and/or your local Representative immediately to share your opposition to the reduction. You can find either one through the link below:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm
Thank you.
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Sunday, May 3, 2009
Article from Quatrini Rafferty "Legal Blog" Featured on OpenCongress.org
We here at the QR Legal Blog are excited to report that OpenConress.org has featured the April 20, 2009 blog article entitled "Bill Introduced to End Two Year Waiting Period for Medicare" on their site:
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1719/show
According to its website, OpenCongress is "a free, open-source, non-profit, and non-partisan web resource with a mission to help make Congress more transparent and to encourage civic engagement." The website is a joint project of the Sunlight Foundation and the Participatory Politics Foundation.
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http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1719/show
According to its website, OpenCongress is "a free, open-source, non-profit, and non-partisan web resource with a mission to help make Congress more transparent and to encourage civic engagement." The website is a joint project of the Sunlight Foundation and the Participatory Politics Foundation.
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Congratulations to 2009 Pittsburgh Marathon Participants!
The attorneys at Quatrini Rafferty would like to extend their congratulations to all of the runners competing in the 2009 Pittsburgh Marathon, and, to the City of Pittsburgh on a successful event!
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Friday, May 1, 2009
New Secretary of Labor Confirmed by Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania Bureau of Labor and Industry, the administrative body that oversees workers' compensation and unemployment in Pennsylvania, recently announced that Sandi Vito will formally take over as Secretary of L&I effective April 22, 2009. The Bureau issued a press release announcing the appointment, which we have reprinted below:
Senate Confirms Sandi Vito as Pennsylvania Secretary of Labor & Industry
HARRISBURG – Sandi Vito, named by Governor Edward G. Rendell to serve as Secretary of Labor & Industry, was confirmed today by the Pennsylvania Senate.
Vito is Pennsylvania’s 32nd Secretary of Labor & Industry, and the second woman to hold the post.
“Sandi has done a tremendous job as acting secretary of Labor & Industry, especially during these challenging economic times,” Governor Rendell said. “I am pleased that members of the Senate, in their vote to confirm Sandi, have shown the same confidence I have in her.”
“Sandi has done a tremendous job as acting secretary of Labor & Industry, especially during these challenging economic times,” Governor Rendell said. “I am pleased that members of the Senate, in their vote to confirm Sandi, have shown the same confidence I have in her.”
As secretary, Vito oversees the commonwealth’s fifth-largest agency, employing approximately 6,000 employees in 200 offices. L&I serves many worker and business interests through a variety of programs and initiatives, including unemployment and workers’ compensation, labor law compliance and vocational rehabilitation.
In addition, the department’s workforce development initiatives help Pennsylvanians obtain skills needed for in-demand jobs, and keep businesses competitive in the global economy.
Prior to being named acting secretary last year, Vito served as deputy secretary for workforce development for five years. She helped to reform the commonwealth’s workforce development system and expanded employment and training opportunities in high-skill, high-wage jobs.
“I am honored by the Senate’s vote of confidence,” Vito said. “Pennsylvania is facing significant economic challenges, but L&I is determined to help people find and maintain employment and provide the valuable services that workers and businesses need. I look forward to continuing to work with the General Assembly to carry out our mission, revitalize Pennsylvania’s economy and strengthen our workforce."
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Thursday, April 23, 2009
Quatrini Rafferty Attorneys Volunteer Time for "KD and You and The Law"
Quatrini Rafferty attorneys Ronald J. Fonner and Michael V. Quatrini volunteered their time and legal knowledge on April 21st for the 25th Annual "KD and You and the Law Program" sponsored by the Allegheny County Bar Association and KDKA.
The annual event includes more than 100 attorneys answering legal questions from the general public. It is estimated more than 2,000 telephone calls were received during the event.
The video from this year's event is not online yet, but you can learn more from KDKA's 2008 coverage:
http://kdka.com/video/?id=40107@kdka.dayport.com
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The annual event includes more than 100 attorneys answering legal questions from the general public. It is estimated more than 2,000 telephone calls were received during the event.
The video from this year's event is not online yet, but you can learn more from KDKA's 2008 coverage:
http://kdka.com/video/?id=40107@kdka.dayport.com
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Monday, April 20, 2009
Bill Introduced to End Two Year Waiting Period for Medicare
As most of our clients are aware, disabled individuals must often wait two years for medical coverage through Medicare despite being unable to work. Well, good news might be on the way!
On March 25, 2009, two bills were introduced, one in the United States Senate and the other in the United Stated House of Representative, to eliminate the waiting period over the next ten years. The authors of the bills are Democrat Senator Jeff Bingaman from New Mexico and Democrat Represenative Gene Green from Texas.
Our friends at the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives authored a very concise article on the propsed change here: http://www.nosscr.org/medicarewait.html
For those that are interested, the text of the House bill is as follows:
"By Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas (for himself and Mr. TERRY):
H.R. 1708. A bill to amend title II of the Social Security Act to phase out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits, to eliminate the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned."
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?r111:@OR+(+@1(H.R.+1719)++@1(H.+R.+1719)++)
A version of the Senate bill, which is lengthy, is also available here:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.700.IS:
Feel free to contact your local Congressional Representative or U.S. Senator and urge them to support passage of either bill!
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On March 25, 2009, two bills were introduced, one in the United States Senate and the other in the United Stated House of Representative, to eliminate the waiting period over the next ten years. The authors of the bills are Democrat Senator Jeff Bingaman from New Mexico and Democrat Represenative Gene Green from Texas.
Our friends at the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives authored a very concise article on the propsed change here: http://www.nosscr.org/medicarewait.html
For those that are interested, the text of the House bill is as follows:
"By Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas (for himself and Mr. TERRY):
H.R. 1708. A bill to amend title II of the Social Security Act to phase out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits, to eliminate the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned."
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?r111:@OR+(+@1(H.R.+1719)++@1(H.+R.+1719)++)
A version of the Senate bill, which is lengthy, is also available here:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.700.IS:
Feel free to contact your local Congressional Representative or U.S. Senator and urge them to support passage of either bill!
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