Today, Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson issued his long-awaited decision concerning Pennsylvania's controversial legislation requiring voters to show identification before being able to vote. Specifically, Judge Simpson preliminarily enjoined the Commonwealth (and election officials) from requiring voters to show ID prior to being permitted to vote. The decision, in Applewhite…
Read MoreOur periodic newsletter, "A Summary of Recent Appellate Decisions from Pennsylvania and Other Jurisdictions," is now available, featuring summaries of important decisions from the Pennsylvania Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth Courts, as well as the U.S. Supreme and other federal courts. The newsletter focuses on decisions relating to civil procedure, causes…
Read MoreThe Pennsylvania Supreme Court has affirmed in Commonwealth v. WCAB (Harvey), No. 14 EAP 2009 (April 29, 2010), that the use of actuarial data to calculate pension offsets for injured employees who also receive pension benefits from a defined benefit plan is permissible. Affirming the Commonwealth Court, Justice Saylor held…
Read MoreThe Pennsylvania Supreme Court has released its latest report on medical malpractice filings and verdicts, and they show an ongoing decline in the number of lawsuits filed, and in the number of verdicts in favor of plaintiffs. To read the various reports (including those from prior years), click here. Of…
Read MoreOn March 30, 2010, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court declined to hear the employer's appeal in Philadelphia Gas Works v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Board (Amodei), which means that the en banc (full court) decision of the Commonwealth Court has been affirmed and is the law of Pennsylvania. In Amodei, the Commonwealth…
Read MoreOur office represented the claimant, John Amodei, in Philadelphia Gas Works v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Board (Amodei), No. 350 C.D. 2008 (Pa.Cmwlth., February 4, 2009), in which the Commonwealth Court ruled that, when an employer seeks an offset from workers' compensation benefits for pension benefits paid to a claimant,…
Read MoreWith the Super Bowl just moments away, it seems fitting that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court "punted" rather than decide an issue of importance to all attorneys who handle medical malpractice cases in the state. On January 28, 2009, just a few days before the big game, the Court issued its…
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