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May

Pennsylvania Worker’s Compensation Law Sets The Average Weekly Wage

May 17, 2012 – If you have questions about your work related accident and injuries and losses you should probably contact an attorney who specializes in worker’s compensation. However, when exploring your options always remember that a lot of the law in Pennsylvania is based upon statutes and yearly adjustments. One of them is the average weekly wage.

Pursuant to the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, Section 105.1, the Department of Labor & Industry has determined that the statewide average weekly wage for injuries occurring on and after Jan. 1, 2012,
shall be $888 per week. For purposes of calculating the update to payments for medical treatment rendered on and after Jan. 1, 2012, the increase in the statewide average weekly wage is 3.5 percent. Under the act, workers suffering a work-related injury are entitled to indemnity (wage-loss) benefits equal to two-thirds of their average weekly wage.

However, there are minimum and maximum adjustments provided in the act, and the benefit rate is set using the annual maximum in place at the time of injury. The maximum is based on the Department of Labor & Industry’s calculation of the statewide average weekly wage.

For a schedule of current and past weekly rates, and for instructions on how to calculate the weekly
rate, visit www.dli.state.pa.us.

Click on “Workers’ Compensation,” then “Claims Information,” then “Statewide Average Weekly Wage.”

The Pennsylvania Worker’s Compensation attorneys with Schmidt Kramer Injury Lawyers can answer any questions you may have if you are injured in a work related accident anywhere in the Commonwealth. Contact Tom Cook or Melissa Leininger if you still have questions or need a worker’s compensation lawyer.
Schmidt Kramer PC
209 State Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 232-6300 – Telephone
(717) 232-6467 – Facsimile
Facebook.com/SchmidtKramer
Twitter.com/TalkToALawyer

May

Remember – When Applying For Social Security Disability You Also Need To Have Worked For A Certain Time

Many people think as long as they are considered “disabled” and qualify for a disability under social security guidelines that they are eligible. However, this is not automatically the case. There is also a work requirement. In addition the definition of disability, you must have worked long enough–and recently enough–under Social Security to qualify for disability benefits.

Social Security work credits are based on your total yearly wages or self-employment income. You can earn up to four credits each year. The amount needed for a credit changes from year to year. In 2012, for example, you earn one credit for each $1,130 of wages or self-employment income. When you’ve earned $4,520, you’ve earned your four credits for the year.

The number of work credits you need to qualify for disability benefits depends on your age when you become disabled. Generally, you need 40 credits, 20 of which were earned in the last 10 years ending with the year you become disabled. However, younger workers may qualify with fewer credits.

Always remember that whatever your age is, you must have earned the required number of work credits within a certain period ending with the time you become disabled. If you qualify now but you stop working under Social Security, you may not continue to meet the disability work requirement in the future.

The Social Security Disability attorneys with Schmidt Kramer Injury Lawyers can answer any questions you may have about applying for and qualifying for social security disability. Contact Tom Cook or Melissa Leininger if you have any questions or need a social security disability lawyer in Pennsylvania.

For more information you can also go to the federal government website at www.ssa.gov.
Schmidt Kramer PC
209 State Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 232-6300 – Telephone
(717) 232-6467 – Facsimile
Facebook.com/SchmidtKramer
Twitter.com/TalkToALawyer

May

Straban Township Crash On Wet Roads Leads To Serious Injuries

May 15, 2012 – Slick roads lead to a car crash on Route 30 yesterday, May 14, 2012, in Straban Township. The Hanover Evening Sun is reporting today about a car accident on Route 30 yesterday which resulted in one person being flown to the hospital for treatment.

According to reports, a Carlisle woman was flown out with serious injuries and two other drivers were taken to the hospital for treatment after a three-vehicle crash on Route 30 in Straban Township. Michelle Smith, of Fairfield, was traveling west in a car just east of Flickinger Road around 1:30 p.m. when she drifted into the eastbound lane and struck a car driven by Kim Nowak, of Carlisle, according to a police press release. A car traveling east, driven by Dennis Murphy, of Gettysburg, then struck Smith’s vehicle.

Nowak was taken to York Hospital by medical helicopter. The other two drivers also went to area hospitals for treatment.

For more on the accident and investigation go to the Hanover Evening Sun at:

http://www.eveningsun.com/ci_20618737/two-vehicle-accident-closes-route-30

A Car Accident that results in injuries can occur when you least expect it. That is why the Pennsylvania Injury Lawyers with Schmidt Kramer Injury Lawyers suggest calling the authorities and an attorney if another driver causes a crash and you sustain injuries as a result.

Scott Cooper

Scott B. Cooper
Schmidt Kramer PC
209 State Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 232-6300 – Telephone
(717) 232-6467 – Facsimile
scooper@schmidtkramer.com
Facebook.com/SchmidtKramer
Twitter.com/TalkToALawyer

May

Schmidt Kramer’s Scott Cooper Comments On Penn State Hazing Scandal

May 10, 2012 – Below is Annie McCormick’s May 9, 2012 report from CBS affiliate WHP TV-21 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania updating the Penn State hazing scandal. Schmidt Kramer Injury Lawyer Scott Cooper commented on the ongoing investigation. For more go to the WHP TV-21 website at the link which follow the article.

Three students did not walk at graduation in wake of PSU hazing scandal. One employee has resigned and several students are not allowed to graduate following a story you saw first on CBS 21 News.

Freshman Asya Trowell spoke first to CBS 21 about the abuse she endured while pledging for a “little sister program” affiliated with a fraternity off-campus.

Last week we showed you the written account from that night from multiple witnesses. The four people accused all denied it and one included a staff member.

After we aired Asya Trowell’s story of alleged physical abuse while pledging an auxiliary group to PSU fraternity Omega Psi Phi it caught attention.

One of the four accused is Claude Mayo, a graduate assistant employed by the University. We’ve now learned amid the investigation he has resigned and the other three are students that did not walk at graduation.

“It confirms the employees knew about it and this could not have been the first time and she wants them to investigate further,” stated Trowell’s Attorney, Scott Cooper. Cooper wants to make sure in light of allegations of a cover up in the Sandusky case the same didn’t happen to Asya.

“What we’ve been saying since you broke the story is what the school should have been doing which is being proactive, not reactive,” Cooper commented.

PSU says they continue to investigate since Asya filed her complaint on April 9th and Wednesday released the following statement:

“Criminal charges have not yet been filed, though those may be forthcoming. The same is true for campus judicial charges. Those accused students who planned to graduate last weekend were prevented from doing so pending the outcome of these inquiries. One employee in Residence Life who has been accused in the matter was immediately placed on administrative leave and has since resigned. A graduate assistant who was overseeing a program within the College of Science and who also has been accused of misconduct has resigned as well”

The second person mentioned in the press release is not linked to Asya’s case, rather another hazing allegation against the same group.

http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story/Three-students-did-not-walk-at-graduation-in-wake/iVX6VAHrmkurZo0TnHfoxg.cspx

The Pennsylvania attorneys with Schmidt Kramer Injury Lawyers can answer any questions you may have if you are injured anywhere in the Commonwealth, especially if you or a loved one have been seriously injured due to the intentional, negligence or recklessness of another person, company or organization.

May

Penn State Hazing Allegations May Involve Former School Employees

May 9, 2012 – The Centre Daily News is continuing to report on hazing allegations at Penn State. Below is a copy of Matt Carroll’s article in today’s paper. It appears that at least one school employee may have been involved.

A Penn State employee resigned and students were held from spring graduation in the wake of investigations into alleged hazing on campus.

Aaron Holloman stepped down from his position as resident life coordinator of Pennypacker Hall effective Monday, said university spokeswoman Lisa Powers.

According to a university police report, officers found 10 men in Holloman’s Pennypacker Hall room during spring break, engaged in what police suspect was hazing activity.

Police said Holloman left his room unlocked during spring break. A student, Claude Mayo, allowed the individuals to access the room.

Mayo, a graduate assistant at Pennypacker Hall, resigned from that position effective May 2, Powers said.

According to the university’s website, the Pennypacker Experience is a scholarly and diverse living and learning community. “Its main goal is to create a supportive environment for first-year students,” the website said.

Mayo and Holloman, who were both on the hall’s advisory board, were named in a police report into alleged hazing on campus.

No charges have been filed, but several students were prevented from graduating as investigations continue, university officials said.

In a report, Penn State police said Mayo was seen allowing unauthorized individuals into Holloman’s room. Officers responded and heard “slapping sounds” coming from the room.

“Upon entry into the room, several paddles were found in a bag,” police wrote in a report. “The paddles had been hidden in an attempt that police officers would not locate them.”

The information is outlined in a police report made in early April after freshman Asya Trowell came forward and claimed she was badly injured in a separate hazing incident.

Trowell said she was punched and slapped to the point where she had two black eyes and was bleeding from the nose, according to her attorney, Scott Cooper, and the account she gave to university police.

She told police she was assaulted while pledging for Omega Essence, a “little sisters” group with the fraternity Omega Psi Phi.

In the report, police said Trowell claimed Mayo is a brother in the fraternity.

Mayo served as the program assistant coordinator for the Pennypacker Experience, according to its website.

The website said program assistants are students from various majors who serve as mentors to provide first-year students in Pennypacker Hall with “guidance, mentorship and a shoulder to lean on.”

“They know what you are facing as a first-year student and are here to help — but you have to ask,” the website said.

Holloman served as resident assistant coordinator. Resident assistants are responsible for enforcing the rules of the residence hall, according to the website.

Many Pennypacker Hall residents are in the first-year science and engineering house program, are undergraduate fellows, athletes or participants in the Schreyer Honors College. Many are first-year students.

Neither Mayo nor Holloman could be reached for comment Tuesday.

Penn State Police Chief Tyrone Parham said no charges had been filed in either case. He said investigations will continue.

University police also are investigating a third alleged hazing incident. On April 4, a female student reported she was harassed and exposed to hazing by members of a sorority between January and February.

Parham said the student, whom he did not identify, reported she was subjected to mostly verbal abuse, but also to physical hazing activity.

Powers said some students accused of hazing were prevented from graduating pending the outcome of the investigations. She did not say how many students’ graduations are being delayed.

“The accusations are serious, and there are serious implications attached if students are found guilty,” she said.

Trowell, who was also a resident of Pennypacker Hall, according to police reports, is in the process of transferring from Penn State, Cooper said Tuesday.

Cooper said Trowell, who returned home to Maryland, is still having health issues, and is experiencing problems related to her injuries.

He said the university has been helpful since Trowell came forward with her accusations, helping her get back her belongings, transfer to a new school and finish up her finals.

“She’s pleased with that,” he said.

For more go to the Centre Daily News at:

http://www.centredaily.com/2012/05/08/3190171/two-step-down-after-penn-state.html

May

AAA Foundation Study Finds Teen Driver Fatality Risk Quadruples With Multiple Young Passengers

May 9, 2012 – A new AAA Foundation study shows that there is a strong association between teen driver fatalities and multiple young passengers in the vehicle.

The press release states in part:

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety today released a study showing a strong association between the number and age of passengers present in-vehicle and the risk of a teen driver dying in a traffic crash.
The report, “Teen Driver Risk in Relation to Age and Number of Passengers,” found that the likelihood of a 16- or 17-year-old driver being killed in a crash, per mile driven, increases with each additional young passenger in the vehicle. Compared to driving with no passengers, a 16- or 17-year-old driver’s fatality risk:
- Increases 44 percent when carrying one passenger younger than 21 (and no older passengers)
- Doubles when carrying two passengers younger than 21 (and no older passengers)
- Quadruples when carrying three or more passengers younger than 21 (and no older passengers)
Conversely, carrying at least one passenger aged 35 or older cuts a teen driver’s risk of death by 62 percent, and risk of involvement in any police-reported crash by 46 percent, highlighting the protective influence that parents and other adults have in the car.
The study analyzed data on crashes and the number of miles driven by 16- and 17-year-olds to assess the effect on a teen driver’s safety of having passengers in the vehicle. Though widely accepted that passengers pose a risk, recent changes – such as the adoption by most states of varying passenger restrictions for novice teen drivers, and a substantial overall decline in teen traffic fatalities – beg the question of just how significant the risk is.
Despite recent progress, the new report confirms that carrying young passengers (under 21) is still a major risk factor for 16- and 17-year-old drivers.
“We know that carrying young passengers is a huge risk, but it’s also a preventable one,” said AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety President and CEO Peter Kissinger. “These findings should send a clear message to families that parents can make their teens safer immediately by refusing to allow them to get in the car with other young people, whether they’re behind the wheel or in the passenger seat.”

For more on the study go to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety at:

http://www.aaafoundation.org/pdf/2012TeenDriverRiskAgePassengersPR.pdf

The Pennsylvania attorneys with Schmidt Kramer Injury Lawyers can answer any questions you may have if you are injured in Harrisburg, Central Pennsylvania and around the Commonwealth, especially if you or a loved one have been seriously injured due to the intentional, negligence or recklessness of another person, company or organization.

May

Lancaster County Man Critically Injured In Industrial Accident – Police Still Investigating

May 8, 2012 – Ephrata police responded to the scene of an industrial accident Monday, May 7, 2012, in a storage parking lot at Leeland Business Complex in the 1000 block of Pointview Avenue. According to police Chief William Harvey, a worker was loading the cherry-picker-style crane onto a flatbed truck around noon when the crane toppled from the trailer.

The workman, identified by police only as a 29-year-old New Holland man, was taken to Lancaster General Hospital, where Harvey said, he was in “very critical condition.” Police continue to interview witnesses, Harvey said.

The truck is owned by Scenic Ridge Construction of Gordonville. If you have any information which may help the police with the investigation please contact them immediately.

For more on the accident go to the Lancaster New Era at:

The Central Pennsylvania attorneys with Schmidt Kramer Injury Lawyers in Harrisburg can answer any questions you may have if you are injured in a work related accident anywhere in the Commonwealth.

May

Rockland County Woman Killed In Pennsylvania Accident On I-80

May 7, 2012 – The Scranton Time Tribune reports today that a New York resident from Rockland County is dead after a one-vehicle crash on Interstate 80 in Monroe County on Saturday night, May 5, 2012.

Antonia D. Luhers, 38, Nyack, N.Y., died at the scene from “extensive injuries” after she was thrown from the vehicle, according to state police. The crash occurred at 9 p.m. near mile marker 302 when the driver lost control of the vehicle and it went off the road before rolling over. The driver, Edward F. Swann, 34, also of Nyack, was taken to Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg after suffering moderate injuries, police said.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact state police at 570-839-7701

Read more on the investigation by going to the Scranton Time Tribune at:

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/n-y-woman-killed-in-crash-on-i-80-1.1311595#ixzz1uBMeCoHF

Scott Cooper

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May

Crash In Lancaster County Involving Amish Buggy Injures Two

May 7, 2012 – The Lancaster New Era reports today that two people were injured on May 6, 2012 in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County when a car struck a horse and buggy.

Katie King, 70, of Narvon, was listed in serious condition at Lancaster General Hospital Sunday night, a nursing supervisor said. Benuel King, 77, also of Narvon, was listed in fair condition. According to state police, Eli Stoltzfus, 18, of Strasburg, was driving north on Route 897 at 5 p.m. when a horse and buggy driven by Benuel King pulled out in front of him from a driveway near Seldomridge Road. The car crashed into the buggy, causing it to break apart. The horse was not hit in the collision, according to firefighters at the scene.

For more read the Lancaster New Era online at:

http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/642938_UPDATED–Buggy-crash-injures-two.html#ixzz1uBJszggf

A Pennsylvania Car Accident that results in injuries can occur when you least expect it. The Pennsylvania Injury Lawyers with Schmidt Kramer Injury Lawyers suggest calling an attorney if another driver causes a crash and you sustain inuries as a result.

May

Police Investigating Franklin County Crash In Greene Township

May 4, 2012 – The Chambersburg Public Opinion is reporting that three people were injured, two of them seriously, in a two-car crash near Fayetteville, Franklin County on Saturday April 28, 2012. According to the reports, police said Tye A. Hawbaker, 19, Waynesboro, was driving west on U.S. 30 when he drove through a red light at Mont Alto Road. His Chevy Silverado struck a Mercury Monterrey driven by Eva R. Tosten, 48, Chambersburg, who was heading north on Mont Alto Road.

Tosten suffered moderate injuries, while her 14-year-old passenger suffered major injuries in the crash. Both were transported by EMS. Hawbaker suffered minor injuries in the crash, and was not transported by EMS. If you have any information on the accident please contact the police in Chambersburg immediately.

To read more on the crash go to the Chambersburg Public Opinion Online at:

http://www.publicopiniononline.com/ci_20537888/3-injured-greene-township-crash

A Pennsylvania Car Accident that results in injuries can occur when you least expect it. That is why the Pennsylvania Injury Lawyers with Schmidt Kramer Injury Lawyers suggest calling the authorities and an attorney if you suspect another driving is operating a vehicle erratically and if you sustain inuries as a result.

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