COVID-19 Update

Greetings,

We wanted to provide an update on the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Office Remains 100% Operational. The health and safety of our clients, staff, and community is a top priority. O’Connor Law has taken the necessary precautions to help mitigate the spread of the virus. Our attorneys and staff are working remotely, and our physical offices are closed. You can still reach all of our attorneys and staff by calling our main office number or by email. We have been preparing for the possibility of remote work for years, and have systems in place to maintain our ability to help our clients and community.

While many other firms have ceased operations or have had to cut back on their services to their clients, we are proud to remain 100% operational and committed to continuing our work. A lot of changes are happening in the legal field right now as a result of this outbreak, and as your attorneys, it is our duty to keep you informed of these changes so that you can be prepared to weather the storm.

Unfortunately, this situation is unprecedented. There are a lot of questions that remain unanswered. We are staying on top of all of these developments, and will be posting blogs and webpages to help you stay on top of these developments. Our goal is to keep you informed regarding how this pandemic impacts the legal field, your rights, cases, and our firm. Please check our social media, blogs, and website for updates, and feel free to reach out with any questions.

How is My Workers’ Compensation Case Affected by This Outbreak?

If you have any questions about your workers’ compensation case due to your business being temporarily closed, you should contact us immediately for more information. If you were working light duty due to a workers’ compensation injury and you are no longer working at all, you may be entitled to additional benefits.

If your place of work is still operating and you contract the virus, you may be entitled to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits. Governor Wolf has announced that workers who contract the virus at work can be compensated as they would for any other illness contracted at work. The biggest challenge here is proving that you contracted the illness during the course of your work day. It is crucial that you open any potential cases as soon as possible so that evidence is still usable.

Additionally, if you were injured at work before this situation arose and were delaying opening your claim because you were still able to work, now may be the time to consider filing your claim.

What if I Was Laid Off From Work?

Pennsylvania has seen a massive increase of people filing for Unemployment Compensation as a result of this outbreak. Unfortunately, many employers are still denying these claims. Governor Wolf announced several changes to the Unemployment Compensation system to help employees who find themselves laid off from work. You can find more information regarding the changes implemented during this time of uncertainty on our website and our blogs. The new federal aid packages may also step in to increase the unemployment benefits that you are entitled to, and it is now easier than ever to attain these benefits.

Is Now a Good Time to Apply for Social Security Disability?

We have also seen an increase in people who would have qualified for Social Security Disability in the past who are now filing their claim. This is because many of those people had jobs that they were able to work at, even with their disabling conditions. Now, many of these people have been laid off and may not be able to find a job in the future that is as accommodating as the jobs they were previously working. If this sounds familiar, now may be the time to consider filing your claim for benefits.

Many health experts are predicting that this disease will get worse, before it gets better. This will make job hunting for older workers and those with medical conditions extremely hard. You may have been able to work prior to the pandemic, despite restricting conditions, but worry about your outlook when we return to normal functions. We are unsure of what the lingering effects of this virus could be, but feel strongly that COVID-19 will be treated no differently than any other illnesses when determining whether or not you qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits.

Stay Safe!

We ask that all of our clients, friends, partners, and everyone else do their best to stay safe and healthy during these trying times. The State and Federal Governments are consistently updating their recommendations to slow the spread of this virus so that our healthcare system is not overwhelmed by cases all at once. The economic impact of this situation is still unclear, but rest assured that we are working tirelessly to help our clients stay afloat during this crisis. We understand our services may be needed now, more than ever. Our trained attorneys and staff are here to help and answer any and all questions. If you have a question, and would like to speak to a member of our staff about it, please call us at 1-800-518-4LAW-4529.

Sincerely,

The Attorneys and Staff of O’Connor Law