Firm News & Community Updates | Schmidt Kramer Injury Blog

How Employers Could Legally Require Their Employees to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine

Posted on behalf of Schmidt Kramer on December 29, 2020 in General

Many health care providers and long-term care facilities are starting to receive the first doses of COVID-19 vaccines. However, almost half of the public remains hesitant about getting vaccinated, saying they probably or definitely will not get the COVID-19 vaccine even if it is free and deemed safe. As a result, many employers are considering […]

COVID-19 Vaccines Could Become Mandatory and What History Tells Us About Outbreaks

Posted on behalf of Schmidt Kramer on December 08, 2020 in General

The promise of a COVID-19 vaccine is on the horizon from multiple pharmaceutical companies. However, many people are questioning whether getting vaccinated will be mandatory. This could certainly happen. Schmidt Kramer Partner Scott Cooper shared his thoughts in an interview with FOX 43. He says that historically, states have had the power to mandate vaccinations […]

Schmidt Kramer Ranked in the 2021 Edition of U.S. News’ Best Law Firms

Posted on behalf of Schmidt Kramer on November 05, 2020 in General

We are proud to announce our law firm was included in the 2021 Edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” in two different tiers and six different categories. The “Best Law Firms” list is compiled through a detailed evaluation consisting of evaluations from clients and lawyers, peer reviews from attorneys, and a […]

2020 Election: How You Can Vote By Mail in Pennsylvania

Posted on behalf of Schmidt Kramer on October 09, 2020 in General

The 2020 presidential election is fast approaching and so are the deadlines to register to vote and request an absentee ballot. Voters are increasingly choosing absentee and mail-in ballots because they are a convenient way to vote. Below, Schmidt Kramer outlines the proper steps to take to vote by mail in Pennsylvania and make sure […]

How COVID-19 Has Significantly Impacted Homeowners Insurance

Posted on behalf of Schmidt Kramer on September 30, 2020 in General

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted many aspects of society, including homeowners insurance. The new normal has transformed the housing market in many ways. New and existing homeowners are becoming more attuned to digital channels, are moving to the suburbs, and have a preference for community in the places where they live, work and play. Below, […]

Seven Schmidt Kramer Attorneys Chosen for Best Lawyers in America

Posted on behalf of Schmidt Kramer on August 20, 2020 in General

Schmidt Kramer is proud to announce seven of our attorneys were selected for the 2020 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Daryl Christopher was named Lawyer of the Year for Insurance Law and Michael Kosik was named Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. All three partners were included in the […]

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules Uber Drivers Can Continue Receiving Unemployment Benefits

Posted on behalf of Schmidt Kramer on July 29, 2020 in General

If you are unemployed and have thought about driving for Uber, you may have decided against it because you did not want to endanger your unemployment benefits. However, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently ruled that Uber drivers are employees. The case was filed by someone who was unemployed, and his benefits were in danger of […]

Small Businesses Taking Legal Action Against Insurers for COVID-19 Losses

Posted on behalf of Schmidt Kramer on April 20, 2020 in General

Small businesses losing lots of money during the coronavirus shutdown may expect insurance to cover their losses. Unfortunately, many insurers are denying COVID-19-related claims, leaving small businesses to fend for themselves. Several Pittsburgh restaurants have taken legal action against their insurers in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas claiming that financial losses sustained during […]

Who Do You Want to be June 1?

Posted on behalf of Schmidt Kramer on April 10, 2020 in General

My own journal entry was staring back at me. I was contemplating my answer amid what has been a tough couple weeks, coming to grips with this new reality we are going to be navigating for the foreseeable future. The short-term implications are painful and tragic, and the long-term consequences of shutting down our economy […]

Attorney Jessica Mitchell and Her Family Took Part in Alzheimer’s Walk, Helped Raise Over $5,000

Posted on behalf of Schmidt Kramer on September 16, 2019 in General

On Saturday, Schmidt Kramer attorney Jessica Mitchell and her family participated in the 2019 Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Johnstown, PA. With the generous support of her family and friends, Jessica was able to raise $880 toward Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Her fundraising team was also able to raise a total of $5,193, exceeding […]

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$10,043,952.13 Personal Injury
Schmidt Kramer, P.C.partner Gerard C. Kramer won a personal injury action for $10,043,952.13 in Northumberland County on behalf of a volunteer firefighter who was the victim of Intentional Tort. The 50-year-old volunteer firefighter was seriously injured when a barn collapsed, causing a spinal injury which left him a paraplegic. The claim was brought against the arsonist who intentionally started the fire. It is believed that the verdict is the highest ever in Northumberland County.
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$4,034,000.00 Personal Injury
Yesterday a Judge in Union County (Lewisburg, PA) awarded a couple from New Berlin, Pennsylvania, over $4,000,000 because the husband was shot while turkey hunting.You might ask yourself, how does a turkey hunting accident end up with that type of verdict? In order to understand the verdict you would have to know our clients. They are good people who had their life wrecked. Plus, you would have to know the defendant, who should not have been hunting with a gun because he was prohibited after a previous criminal conviction.It is a good verdict, because the Judge was able to do two things with his decision. First, he communicated to two very good people that their losses were something that those of us on the outside could appreciate and value. Mike Hobbins (our client) is a 51 year old guy who lost his sight because a convicted felon --who should not have even possessed a gun-- went hunting illegally, and broke with impunity the most fundamental rule in hunting: identify your target before you pull the trigger. The Judge accepted the financial loss Mr. Hobbins' suffered, but listened closely to the evidence of less tangible losses. When Mike broke down on the stand, because his daughter would end up walking him down the aisle at her wedding, as opposed to how it was supposed to go, the Judge was listening. When Mike could not keep it together, because of how emasculating it was for him not to be able to provide financially for his family, the Judge was listening. It was facts like these that the Judge cited to support the $2,000,000 award for non-economic damages. Second, the Judge wanted to send a message. Union County is a hunting county. Many of the residents hunt there, and people from outside the area come to Union County to hunt. It was my impression, from the Judge's statements as he rendered his decision, that he wanted to send a message to the people in Union County to protect them in their sport. The rules in place to restrict people convicted of crimes not to have a gun are not to be broken. Hunting is serious and you have to identify your target before you shoot. When you turn your back on the rules that are set to provide safety in a sport, you risk being an example. Here, the $1,000,000 punitive damage award sends that message loud and clear.When it really comes down to brass tacks, the right action was taken against a Defendant who may never truly appreciate what kind of impact his reckless choices caused.At Schmidt Kramer, we are injury lawyers. That means we work with people who were hurt in car accidents, who were hurt by the neglect of nursing homes, or those that were seriously injured because of the reckless, thoughtless acts of others. If you or a loved one have been injured in Pennsylvania, we may be able to help. While the verdict yesterday is not one that is representative of every case we do, it does show that serious and dedicated representation can bring good results.Joe ChapmanJanuary 18, 2013
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$2,200,000.00 Auto Accidents
On Monday, January 6, 2014, Schmidt Kramer accident lawyer Scott Cooper obtained a verdict on behalf of his client who is the widow of a man who died in a fiery crash on Interstate 78 in Lebanon County. The awarded verdict of $2.2 million was in a nonjury proceeding before a federal judge in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. That verdict includes $100,000 in punitive damages assessed against the owner of the trucking company.Kamilah Claxton won summary judgment in November after the defendants, Sukhwinder Singh and the trucking company for which he worked, failed to file a brief in opposition to Claxton's motion, which was made in September. The verdict in Claxton v. Singh was issued after the court held a non-jury assessment of damages earlier this month."Mr. Sukhchan Singh, the employer, is liable on the basis of respondent superior, but was also grossly negligent in failing to maintain his vehicle in compliance with state and federal law, particularly with regard to having required safety inspections and correcting defects in its braking equipment," said U.S. District Judge William W. Caldwell of the Middle District of Pennsylvania in his opinion accompanying the verdict."He was also grossly negligent in entrusting his vehicle to Sukhwinder Singh, an inexperienced truck driver who had failed the written test and driving test multiple times before finally earning his commercial driving license," Caldwell said.
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$1,200,000.00 Personal Injury
A Dauphin County jury has awarded a $1.2 million verdict to the parents of a 5-year-old who had an anoxic brain injury and stopped breathing after he had a tonsillectomy.2012-06-26 10:00:00 AMDate of Verdict: June 19. 2012Court and Case No.: C.P. Dauphin County No. 2009-CV-14003-MMJudge: Scott EvansType of Action: Medical malpracticeInjuries: Anoxic brain injuryPlaintiffs Counsel: Terry S. Hyman, Schmidt Kramer, HarrisburgPlaintiffs Experts: Dr. Anna H. Messner, liability; Lucille Packer, Pediatric Otolaryngology, Palo Alto, Calif.; Terry P. Leslie, vocations and earning capacity, Lancaster; Dr. Hilary B. Berlin, pediatric psychiatry, Great Neck, N.Y.Defense Counsel: Andrew H. Foulkrod, Darlene K. King, Foulkrod Ellis, Camp Hill, PADefense Experts: James C. Reilly, Pediatric Otolaryngology, Wilmington, DEComment: A Dauphin County jury has awarded a $1.2 million verdict to the parents of a 5-year-old who had an anoxic brain injury and stopped breathing after he had a tonsillectomy.The entire verdict came against Dr. Andrew M. Shapiro, the doctor who plaintiffs Reginald Graham and Tykeisha Metz alleged chose to have the boy monitored at a pediatric ward. The plaintiffs argued Shapiro failed to tell nurses caring for the baby about, and how to care for, the boy's enhanced risk for respiratory failure.The jury came back on June 19 and awarded Reginald Graham and Tykeisha Mets $500,000 in non-economic damages and $686,170 in loss of future earning capacity, according to the plaintiffs counsel.According to the statement, the baby's mother brought him to Shapiro because she was "'afraid that he might stop breathing during his sleep,'" the plaintiffs' pretrial statement said. Shapiro performed a sleep study and observed the baby's Apnea Hypopnea Index to be 43 — four times higher than what's considered severe. A tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy were performed.According to the plaintiffs, the baby's sleep study results put him at an increased risk for post-operative respiratory complications. Despite this, they argued in the statement, Shapiro ordered the pediatric nurses at the Harrisburg Hospital general pediatric ward to observe the boy as they would any other patients — about once every four hours.The pretrial statement said that one in four children who have an AHI in the 40s and oxygen desaturation below 80 have some type of respiratory problem. The younger the child, the greater the risk of a respiratory problem, the statement said.According to the statement, Shapiro took off the child's pulse oximeter, the finger-mounted device used to measure blood oxygen, and ordered a heart and respiratory rate monitor. The child was 11 months old at the time.The plaintiffs pled that the baby was last seen at 4 a.m. There was no record of his oxygen saturation for the next hour and 45 minutes. He stopped breathing a 6:40 a.m., and his brain was without oxygen long enough to cause demonstrable injury on an MRI."Immediately prior to his surgery, [the child] was a normal child, who could say mama, eat finger foods, and was just on the verge of walking," the statement said. "After his code, [he] was like a newborn. He could not lift his head or sit up. He could not talk. He could not move."In his pretrial statement, Shapiro argued that he recognized the child's pre-operative sleep study showed he was driven to breath by decreased blood oxygen saturation, which he said was typical in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.He argued the American Academy of Otolaryngology dictates that admission to the intensive care unit is not the standard of care. In the statement, he said nurses did not observe signs of respiratory distress. No alarms sounded until the child arrested, the statement said.He said the baby likely arrested as a result of hypoglycemia and/or an acute aspiration, which he argued would not have been identified by blood oxygen saturation.— Ben Present, of the Law Weekly
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$1,024,040.80 Auto Accidents
Scott Cooper settled a wrongful death case on behalf of the widow of a police office who was killed in a car accident in the line of duty for $1,024,040.80. The claim against the other driver was amicably resolved before suit was filed for the entire available policy limits for the other driver. The case took place in Adams County, PA.
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Testimonials

I wanted you to know that I'm so glad that I switched to Schmidt Kramer and that you are my Attorney. I think you are doing a great job for me, and wanted you to know that, A+++Thank you againKen
I can't thank Schmidt Kramer, P.C. enough for their dedication and hard work on my case. After my injury, dealing with the insurance company was overwhelming, but their team stepped in and fought tirelessly to ensure I got the benefits I needed for treatment. They kept me informed every step of the way and worked diligently to reach a fair settlement. Their professionalism, expertise, and compassion made all the difference. If you're looking for a personal injury firm that truly cares and delivers results, I highly recommend Schmidt Kramer, P.C.!
Erhan Yayla
Mike Kosik and his team were incredible. I cannot thank them enough for their hard work and dedication after taking on my case following an auto accident in April 2022 where a driver pulled out in front of me. I highly recommend them should you ever need a personal injury attorney. Thank you so much!
My Atty took good care of all my needs during my issues I was well represented and everything was made clear and up front. I would highly recommend using this office
I can't thank Schmidt Kramer, P.C. enough for their dedication and hard work on my case. After my injury, dealing with the insurance company was overwhelming, but their team stepped in and fought tirelessly to ensure I got the benefits I needed for treatment. They kept me informed every step of the way and worked diligently to reach a fair settlement. Their professionalism, expertise, and compassion made all the difference. If you're looking for a personal injury firm that truly cares and delivers results, I highly recommend Schmidt Kramer, P.C.!
Erhan Yayla