https://www.geklaw.com/news/toxic-exposure.html Wed, 11 May 2022 13:01:01 GMT Workers are exposed to hazardous toxins and chemicals on a daily basis, which can lead to any number of injuries or illnesses, some fatal. These toxic substances come in many forms, such as fumes, liquids, gas, solids and powders. https://www.geklaw.com/news/third-party-administrators.html Fri, 25 Mar 2022 13:01:01 GMT The Workers' Compensation system, which was adopted during the second decade of the 20th Century, is based on an agreement between employers and employees. Ideally, treatment is to be provided promptly, however the experience of injured workers in California varies based on how responsive employers and their insurance claims representatives are. https://www.geklaw.com/news/nurse-case-managers.html Wed, 09 Mar 2022 13:01:01 GMT A nurse case manager can play a vital role in an injured worker's Workers' Compensation case, but utilizing such services must be examined on a case-by-case basis. "The role of a case manager can be that of a helpful liaison, but the opposite can also be true," says Erika Vargas, a partner in the law firm of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP (GEK). The law allows for assignment of a nurse case manager, but it does not mandate it. The insurance company pays for the nurse case manager's services. In determining whether a nurse case manager is needed in a case and will be allowed, consider their role and responsibilities in a case. https://www.geklaw.com/news/supplemental-sick-leave.html Wed, 02 Mar 2022 13:01:01 GMT California Governor Gavin Newsom recently renewed the Supplemental Sick Leave benefits for most California workers. https://www.geklaw.com/news/back-pain-on-the-job.html Thu, 17 Feb 2022 13:01:01 GMT Work often causes lower back pain. An experienced Workers' Compensation attorney can help injured workers receive the full range of benefits available. https://www.geklaw.com/news/super-lawyers-2022.html Thu, 20 Jan 2022 13:01:01 GMT Workers� Compensation partners Sherry Grant, Richard Felton, Adam Dombchik and now-retired partner David Goldstein from Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP (GEK) have been selected for inclusion in 2022 Southern California Super Lawyers. All of these GEK attorneys have been selected for this honor repeatedly because of their exceptional legal acumen. https://www.geklaw.com/news/omicron.html Thu, 13 Jan 2022 13:01:01 GMT The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading quickly throughout California�and the entire nation. The next several weeks "are absolutely critical" to help ease the surge, according to Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco's Director of Health. According to Colfax, we can limit the damage caused by this latest wave, but everyone needs to pitch in. https://www.geklaw.com/news/ttd-increase.html Mon, 10 Jan 2022 13:01:01 GMT Minimum and maximum temporary total disability (TTD) rates for 2022 work injury claims have increased as of January 1 as a result of the rise in California's State Average Weekly Wage, according to the Division of Workers' Compensation. https://www.geklaw.com/news/welcoming-2022.html Mon, 13 Dec 2021 13:01:01 GMT All of us at the law firm of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP (GEK) wish you and your family a holiday season filled with joy and a healthy dose of togetherness. https://www.geklaw.com/news/senate-bill-297.html Fri, 19 Nov 2021 13:01:01 GMT California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed Senate Bill (SB) 297 into law, enacting the Wade Kilpatrick Gas Safety Adequacy Act of 2021. This legislation, authored by California State Senator Maria Elena Durazo, will provide additional measures to increase safety and reliability while preventing repeat offenders from hitting natural gas or hazardous liquid pipelines. It will also increase civil penalties for operators or excavators who violate regulations relating to excavations and subsurface installations and cause damage to underground utility infrastructure. https://www.geklaw.com/news/presumption-of-injury-ptsd.html Mon, 15 Nov 2021 13:01:01 GMT Senate Bill (SB) 542 was signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom effective January 1, 2020. The law created a rebuttable presumption (Labor Code Section 3212.15) that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed in peace officers and firefighters is a work-related injury covered by the state's Workers' Compensation system. The presumption is that the PTSD developed or manifested arising out of and in the course of employment. Although an employer may attempt to rebut the presumption by showing that the PTSD was solely caused by some event(s) outside of work, in most cases this is an impossible task. https://www.geklaw.com/news/covid-supplemental-expired.html Tue, 26 Oct 2021 13:01:01 GMT The COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) that Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law expired on September 30, 2021. It provided California workers (at places of business with more than 25 employees) with two weeks of supplemental paid sick leave when they were unable to work for reasons related to COVID-19. https://www.geklaw.com/news/covid-working-from-home.html Thu, 07 Oct 2021 13:01:01 GMT The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020, causing many employees to transition from their "normal" workplaces to remote employment. As working from home is likely to continue to a great extent in the future, many issues need to be considered regarding Workers' Compensation coverage for at-home injuries. https://www.geklaw.com/news/long-haul-covid.html Tue, 07 Sept 2021 13:01:01 GMT The main symptoms of COVID-19�fever, cold symptoms and or cough�typically appear within two to 14 days of exposure, with most people recovering within two weeks. However, some people have symptoms that persist for months, and are often referred to as "long-haulers." https://www.geklaw.com/news/bestlawyers-22.html Wed, 25 Aug 2021 13:01:01 GMT Workers' Compensation partners Sherry Grant, Richard Felton, David Goldstein and Adam Dombchik from the law firm of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP (GEK) were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America� 2022. In addition, Adam Dombchik has been named to the list of Lawyer of the Year 2022. https://www.geklaw.com/news/adam-dombchik-best-lawyer.html Thu, 19 Aug 2021 13:01:01 GMT The law firm of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP (GEK) congratulates Co-Managing Partner Adam Dombchik for the special honor of being named a Lawyer of the Year 2022 (Workers' Compensation Law�Claimants) by Best Lawyers�. Only one lawyer in each legal practice area and community is honored with this award. https://www.geklaw.com/news/workers-compensation-community.html Wed, 07 Jul 2021 13:01:01 GMT In order to best represent an injured worker, a Workers' Compensation attorney must not only know the law, but must also master the medicine involved in a person's permanent disability, which is one of the key ways compensation gets paid. That fact was made perfectly clear during attorney Sherry Grant's panel presentation to hundreds of workers' compensation professionals at a recent convention of the California Applicants' Attorneys Association (CAAA). https://www.geklaw.com/news/unity-police.html Tue, 08 Jun 2021 13:01:01 GMT The primary purpose of the Police Unity Tour (PUT) is to ensure that no police officer killed in the line of duty will ever be forgotten. The secondary purpose is to raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial. In 2021, the names of 394 fallen officers are being added to the memorial wall alongside the 22,600 names that have been included throughout the group's inception 25 years ago. https://www.geklaw.com/news/osha-anniversary.html Thu, 27 May 2021 13:01:01 GMT The statistics regarding workplace injuries may seem staggering, but much is being done to protect workers' health and safety. By taking a proactive approach, employers can make a great deal of headway in protecting their workers. And, for the past 50 years the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) has led the way by defining and enforcing ways for employers to keep their workers safe on the job. As outlined in a recent publication from the AFL-CIO entitled "Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect," more than 627,000 workers have been saved since the OSHA went into effect. https://www.geklaw.com/news/covid-sick-leave.html Wed, 19 May 2021 13:01:01 GMT A little more than a year has passed since California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Executive Order on May 6, 2020, making it easier for the state's workers who contract COVID-19 to obtain Workers' Compensation benefits. And though the pandemic has ravaged our state, our country and the world, the development of three vaccines has brightened the future in many people's minds. https://www.geklaw.com/news/office-move.html Tue, 06 Apr 2021 13:01:01 GMT It is said that the more things change, the more they stay the same. No truer words were spoken when it comes to GEK's Los Angeles office move. While the location may be new (and just down the road), the same high-quality legal representation provided for injured workers remains the same. https://www.geklaw.com/news/covid-19-supplemental-leave.html Mon, 29 Mar 2021 13:01:01 GMT California's Senate Bill 95 has been signed into law, creating two new Labor Code Sections that allow for up to 80 new hours of COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave for employees and in-home support service providers. https://www.geklaw.com/news/hero-pay.html Thu, 04 Mar 2021 13:01:01 GMT When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, frightened Southlanders stormed the supermarkets, stocking up on everything from toilet paper and disinfectant to frozen dinners and bottled water. This madhouse was also a common scene across the nation as people�without even knowing what was to come and how long it would last�panicked to care for themselves and their families. https://www.geklaw.com/news/micop.html Fri, 26 Feb 2021 13:01:01 GMT Many of us living in Southern California can attest to the deliciousness of the locally grown strawberries and raspberries, but how many of us give a second thought to those workers who toil day in and day out in the fields to pick those tasty row crops? A large percentage of these laborers are Mixtecs, indigenous Oaxacan people from Southern Mexico, who live and work in Ventura, and who have been an integral part of the area's economic growth since the 1970s. https://www.geklaw.com/news/super-lawyers-2021.html Wed, 03 Feb 2021 13:01:01 GMT Attorneys Sherry Grant, Richard Felton, David Goldstein and Adam Dombchik from Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP (GEK) have been selected for inclusion in 2021 Southern California Super Lawyers. All of these GEK attorneys have been selected for this honor repeatedly because of their exceptional legal acumen. https://www.geklaw.com/news/medical-mileage.html Wed, 27 Jan 2021 13:01:01 GMT As of January 1, 2021, the reimbursement rate for medical mileage--such as transportation to and from a treating physician, physical therapy and the pharmacy--has decreased to 56 cents per mile, regardless of the date of injury. https://www.geklaw.com/news/partner-promotions.html Wed, 06 Jan 2021 13:01:01 GMT Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton and Goldstein, LLP (GEKLAW) is proud to announce that the following attorneys have been named partners at the firm. https://www.geklaw.com/whatsnew.htm#lydia Thu, 17 Dec 2020 13:01:01 GMT GEKLAW paralegal Lydia Wood knows first-hand the impact of a helping hand, particularly during the holiday season. "I am the middle child in a family of seven children, and many Christmases the only toys we received were donated by the church and/or organizations such as Toys for Tots," she explains. https://www.geklaw.com/news/new-coovid-regulations.htmlk Tue, 08 Dec 2020 13:01:01 GMT The Standards Board of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) has unanimously approved emergency COVID-19 regulations designed to protect the state's workers from the novel coronavirus. https://www.geklaw.com/news/essential-roles.html Fri, 16 Oct 2020 13:01:01 GMT Workers' Compensation attorneys from the law firm of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP (GEK) remain dedicated and active members of the California Applicants' Attorneys Association (CAAA) and its Southern California Chapter, SCAAA. So much so, that they continue to hold leadership positions in both groups. https://www.geklaw.com/news/bestlawyers-21.html Mon, 24 Aug 2020 13:01:01 GMT Workers' Compensation partners Sherry Grant, Richard Felton, David Goldstein and Adam Dombchik from the law firm of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP (GEK) were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America� 2021. In addition, Richard Felton has been named to the list of Lawyer of the Year 2021. https://www.geklaw.com/news/covid-workplace-safety-guidelines.html Tue, 28 Jul 2020 13:01:01 GMT California's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) has created COVID-19 guidance documents covering more than 30 industries so that employers can effectively protect and train their workers. https://www.geklaw.com/news/rebuttable-presumptions.html Thu, 07 May 2020 13:01:01 GMT California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on May 6 that makes it easier for workers who contract COVID-19 to obtain Workers' Compensation benefits. https://www.geklaw.com/news/serving-cases.html Thu, 23 Apr 2020 13:01:01 GMT Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the wheels of justice for injured workers continue to turn�just a little differently. We at Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP (GEK) remain fully operational as our entire staff is working remotely. https://www.geklaw.com/news/covid-california-state.html Mon, 06 Apr 2020 13:01:01 GMT As we are all dealing with the unprecedented changes to our personal and professional lives caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we at the law firm of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP (GEK) are fielding many questions from clients, union leadership and community members regarding Workers' Compensation as it applies to this novel coronavirus. https://www.geklaw.com/news/wc-benefits-covid-19.html Mon, 30 Mar 2020 13:01:01 GMT Our country now has more confirmed cases of COVID-19 than any other country in the world. Many workers have and will contract this dreaded virus as a result of their work activities. Physicians, nurses, hospital employees, law enforcement officers, and first responders work around the clock on the frontline providing care for and in direct contact with those suffering from this illness. https://www.geklaw.com/news/coronavirus.html Mon, 16 Mar 2020 13:01:01 GMT As with any work exposure that results in injury, time off work, and the need for medical treatment, there can be a claim made for contracting COVID-19 at work. As with any work-injury claim, there must be evidence that the virus was contracted arising out of and in the course of one�s employment. If you suspect a work-related exposure, it is legally appropriate to file a Workers� Compensation claim with your employer. https://www.geklaw.com/news/farmworkers.html Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:01:01 GMT A healthy lifestyle, including a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, is a priority for many people. But how many of us give a thought to how those delicious tomatoes or strawberries were harvested? In the United States approximately three million farmworkers are responsible for the tasty bounty, but they pay a hefty price physically because agricultural work is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. https://www.geklaw.com/news/ttd-increase.html Thu, 09 Jan 2020 13:01:01 GMT Minimum and maximum temporary total disability (TTD) rates for 2020 work injury claims have increased as of January 1 as a result of the rise in California's State Average Weekly Wage, according to the Division of Workers� Compensation. https://www.geklaw.com/news/ptsd-law.html Fri, 04 Oct 2019 13:01:01 GMT Senate Bill (SB) 542, which makes post-traumatic stress disorder a "presumptive" work-related injury for most peace officers and firefighters, was unanimously passed by both the state Assembly and Senate without a single "no" vote, and was recently signed in to law by Governor Gavin Newsom. California is now the seventh state in the country to pass such a law. https://www.geklaw.com/news/justice-for-teachers.html Wed, 31 Jul 2019 13:01:01 GMT Rain or shine, they walked the line in 2019 and now they�United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA)�plan to strengthen their strike victory by enforcing the new contract and launching a platform�"Our New Deal for Public Schools"�which was unveiled during the group's 2019 Leadership Conference. https://www.geklaw.com/news/california-assembly-bill-5.html Mon, 08 Jul 2019 13:01:01 GMT A major debate remains among employers and workers regarding appropriate classifications in response to the California Supreme Court ruling in the case of Dynamex Operations West Inc. v. Superior Court of Los Angeles County. https://www.geklaw.com/news/presidents-award.html Thu, 27 Jun 2019 13:01:01 GMT GEKLAW partner Sherry Grant received the inaugural President's Award from the California Applicants' Attorneys Association (CAAA) during the group's 2019 Summer Conference. CAAA is a 1,000-member statewide organization that advocates for injured workers' rights and a better workers' compensation system for all. The award recognizes members who provide outstanding service and make exemplary contributions to CAAA, to the workers' compensation community and to their clients; and inspire others to participate in helping CAAA achieve its goals. Grant was one of four outstanding workers' compensation attorneys who were so honored. https://www.geklaw.com/whatsnew.htm#mud Fri, 21 Jun 2019 13:01:01 GMT "Play in the dirt because life is too short to always have clean fingernails." GEKLAW legal assistant Monica Avalos and about 7,500 other runners recently took that advice to heart when they participated in the 2019 Mud Run on Camp Pendleton. https://www.geklaw.com/news/aging-female-workers.html Fri, 07 Jun 2019 13:01:01 GMT The majority of people in the United States who are 55 years and older are women; they outnumber men in this age group by 6.7 million, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau. And though there are presently more men of that age in the work force, most of the future increases are expected to come from women. https:/www.geklaw.com/workers-compensation/alternative-dispute-resolution.htm Fri, 31 May 2019 13:01:01 GMT An Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program, also known as a "Carve Out," is designed to result in expeditious and equitable settlements between injured workers and their employer and/or insurance company outside of the state court system. https://www.geklaw.com/news/lobby-day-2019.html Mon, 29 Apr 2019 13:01:01 GMT GEKLAW Co-Managing Partner Adam Dombchik was one of more than 40 members of the California Applicants' Attorneys Association (CAAA) who traveled to Sacramento recently to meet with state lawmakers to discuss important issues facing injured workers during Lobby Day. https://www.geklaw.com/news/predesignation.html Wed, 13 Feb 2019 13:01:01 GMT The landscape of access to medical treatment for injured workers, particularly control of medical treatment, has changed drastically in the last 15 years.