The Legal Tech Blog

In Steets v. Celebration Fireworks, Inc., the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held on May 30, 2025 that an injured worker is entitled to specific loss benefits under the Workers’ Compensation Act (WCA) after her death from work-related injuries. The decision overturns more than two decades of cases barring such a recovery.​…

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed Senate Bill 1232 (2024 Act 126), mandating Employers and Insurers to offer direct deposit for workers’ compensation wage loss benefits. This law, effective December 28, 2024, modernizes the payment system, reducing delays and losses associated with paper checks. Key Points of Senate Bill 1232: Effective…

Social Security Administration benefits will see a 2.5% increase in 2025. This cost-of-living adjustment will affect (1) retirees, (2) people receiving Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits, and (3) recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The increase rate is lower than in previous years—3.2% in 2024, 8.7% in 2023, and 5.9%…

The Social Security Administration has issued a notice to recipients of Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income, and Retirement benefits to be aware of potential scams. There has been an increase in fraudulent activities targeting individuals through text messages, emails, phone calls, and social media. Understanding Social Security Scams The…

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced some big changes aimed at simplifying the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) online application process. SSI provides monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have limited income or resources, but the current application can be tricky to navigate. Many applicants find…

The Social Security Administration has updated its requirements and now only asks for five years of work history instead of 15 when applying for Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Starting June 22, 2024, any job lasting fewer than 30 days will also be excluded. This…

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has updated the criteria for evidence admissible in hearings for Disability and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims. This welcome and much-needed revision will allow more applicants to qualify for disability benefits, particularly at the fifth step of the evaluation process. The SSA Disability Evaluation Process…

When our kids go off to college, we don't usually think about them needing estate planning documents. We might have them for ourselves, but not for our kids. But here's the deal, once our kids turn 18, even though we still see them as our babies, legally, they're adults. That…

The Social Security Administration recently announced dramatic revisions to its system for addressing overpayments. For the first time, it is recognizing that the system as it stood was often unfair. It’s about time. For forever, the system has been arbitrary and unfair, and we have seen clients seriously impacted even…

Suppose you receive workers’ compensation wage loss benefits and were hurt in Pennsylvania. In that case, your Employer is generally entitled to credit for any severance or separation payments it makes to you. However, the Employer is only entitled to a credit for the net amount you receive—not the gross amount…