News About the Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel, LLC

Disciplinary Board of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Cites Attorney Daniel J. Siegel’s Article and Continuing Legal Education Course About IOLTA/Trust Accounts

NOVEMBER 17, 2023 – The November 2023 Newsletter of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania cites Daniel J. Siegel’s article in the Pennsylvania Bar Association Magzine and his Pennsylvania Bar Institute Continuing Legal Education course focusing on IOLTA/trust account best practices.

You can read the entire newsletter at https://mailchi.mp/0a4f02243cae/0xofi6dpv6-244417?e=c8f10eae49.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules That Employers May Not Take Settlement Funds From Injured Workers Whose Injuries Were Caused by Drunk Drivers; Attorney Daniel J. Siegel Was Appellate Counsel for the Injured Police Officer

May 16, 2023 – Today, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled, in Alpini v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (Tinicum Township), that an employer may not subrogate (receive funds from a settlement) in claims in which an employer paid Heart and Lung Act benefits to an employee injured in a motor vehicle accident that included negligence and Dram Shop Act (serving a person who is visibly intoxicated) claims. Attorney Daniel J. Siegel of the Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel, LLC was counsel for the injured police officer. The case reversed a series of cases that allowed employers to claw back funds paid to injured workers.

Attorney Siegel regularly serves as appellate counsel in cases, as he did in this case. He and his firm also represent injured workers in workers’ compensation and other claims.

Attorney & Tech Guru Daniel J. Siegel Helps Pennsylvania Create a Unified E-filing Court System

Attorney Daniel J. Siegel, the founder of the Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel, LLC and of Integrated Technology Services, LLC, is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Task Force investigating the creation of a statewide electronic filing and retrieval system. In that role, Dan co-chairs a subcommittee that focuses on the technology necessary to create a unified system.

“It is an honor to serve on this Committee,” says Siegel, “as I did when the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas asked me to serve on their working group.

It was especially nice to have President Jay Silverblatt refer to my friend and colleague, Jennifer Ellis, as “two PBA technology ‘gurus.'” Usually, I am called the ‘Geek Lawyer.’ It is a pleasure to help bring a unified system to Pennsylvania.”

Now Available: How to Do More in Less Time: The Complete Guide to Increasing Your Productivity and Improving Your Bottom Line, Second Edition

Attorney Daniel J. Siegel‘s latest book, How to Do More in Less Time: The Complete Guide to Increasing Your Productivity and Improving Your Bottom Line, Second Edition, is now available from the American Bar Association. Written for the busy professional, this book explains how to identify the right activities that need to be accomplished and then how to most efficiently perform those activities. This popular and invaluable resource will help you learn effective strategies for taking control of your day and become more productive.

Attorney Daniel J. Siegel Featured in Venteur Magazine

Havertown, Pennsylvania Attorney Daniel J. Siegel, founder of the Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel LLC, was recently featured in the October 16, 2022 edition of Venteur Magazine. The article, “A Founder’s Journey Includes Family and Friends With Daniel J. Siegel,” focuses on Dan’s journey as an entrepreneur, operating his law office and Integrated Technology Services, LLC, since October 2005.

The profile features questions and answers about Dan’s life as his own boss, including the importance of family and friends. Click here to read the article.

Among the questions Dan addressed were “What are three things you see that are often overlooked by entrepreneurs you encounter, and how can other entrepreneurs be aware of these things from the beginning?” Dan’s three answers were (1) Value Your Family, (2)  Stay on Top of Costs, and (3) Get Advice. When asked to name the three seemingly insurmountable obstacles he faced as an entrepreneur, and how he overcame them, Dan listed (1) Competition That Wants To Put You Out of Business, (2) Juggling Schedules, and (3) Find Good People.

Click here to read the full article, including the many questions and answers Dan offered.

Havertown Lawyer Daniel J. Siegel Receives Pennsylvania Bar Association Clarity Award

HARRISBURG (April 20, 2022) – The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Plain English Committee will present its 2022 Clarity Award to Daniel J. Siegel, owner of Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel LLC, Havertown, at an awards luncheon during the PBA Annual Meeting, May 11-13 in Hershey.

The award was created by the committee to recognize “those who have done the most to foster plain English in the legal field.” The committee’s mission is to reward and encourage efforts to improve access to the law by demystifying legal language and to enable lawyers to better counsel clients and increase respect for the legal profession by removing the barriers of legalese.

For more than 30 years, Siegel has focused his practice on workers’ compensation, personal injury and Social Security disability claims, handling cases from major mass torts to small claims matters. He also assists families with estate planning, such as wills, living wills and powers of attorney. In addition, Siegel often serves as a silent second chair for other attorneys through various phases of trial and as an appellate counsel in state and federal courts.

A frequent speaker and author, Siegel has presented at more than 400 events, written more than 250 articles and published 14 books on legal topics. Examples of his use of “plain English” can be found in his writing that aims to be clear and succinct and to avoid legalese. He often uses drawings, tables, bulleted lists, footnoted citations and other attributes to make his legal documents more understandable for his audiences.

Siegel’s nominator said: “He wants his audience to see what matters or understand it without having to read tons of material. He often says no one reads legal documents because they are dense; they read novels, so write like it’s a novel.”

Active in the PBA, Siegel serves as chair of the Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee, member of the Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Committee and member of the Plain English Committee. His other professional interests include serving as chair of the American Bar Association Law Practice Division’s Professional Development Board, member of the Delaware County Bar Association’s Board of Directors and member of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Professional Guidance Committee.

His accolades include being named Best Lawyers 2022 Workers’ Compensation Law—Claimants “Lawyer of the Year” in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Business Journal—Best of the Bar and Delaware County Daily Times—Best Personal Injury Firm in Delaware County.

Siegel holds a B.A. from Franklin and Marshall College and a J.D. from Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law.

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association exists to promote justice, professional excellence and respect of the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 27,000 lawyers who are members of the association.

Pa. Commonwealth Court Orders Revisions To Workers’ Compensation Utilization Process To Assure That All Impacted Entities Are Given A Due Process Right to Participate – Another Appellate Victory for Attorneys Daniel J. Siegel and Christa Frank High

In a decision requiring the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to revise the entire Utilization Review process, the Commonwealth Court on December 12th ruled that entities such as pharmacies, testing facilities, etc. cannot be barred from payment without being provided notice and a right to participate:

… we hold that for UR procedures occurring after the date of this opinion where an employer, insurer, or an employee requests UR, a provider which is not a “health care provider” as defined in the Act, such as a pharmacy, testing facility or provider of medical supplies, must be afforded notice and an opportunity to establish a right to intervene under the usual standards for allowing intervention. Although this Court may not usurp the powers of the General Assembly and exceed the parameters of legislation pertaining to medical cost containment, it bears repeating that the polestar of Armour I is that the Act must be construed in accordance with due process of law.

Click here to read the opinion.

A Huge Victory for a Small Firm Against an Insurance Goliath, Court Dismisses as Meritless All Claims Against Doctors, Pharmacies and Others

Insurance companies know that we will fight every case, in this case they learned that if they bring a meritless lawsuit, we will defend our clients until the case is dismissed.

In the case, Liberty Mutual v. 700 Pharmacy, insurance conglomerate Liberty Mutual Group filed a lawsuit seeking millions of dollars in damages against numerous physicians, pharmacists, pharmacies, and lay persons, alleging that they engaged in a fraudulent conspiracy to prescribe and dispense compounded pain creams. In reality, the insurance company was upset that these creams – a safe alternative to deadly and addictive opioids – were so expensive. We successfully refuted Liberty Mutual’s allegations, and as a result of the motion to dismiss that we filed, the court dismissed all of the insurance company’s claims, upholding the legality of our clients’ business model, and finding that our clients used appropriate prescribing procedures and did not inflate the pricing of the medications.

Small firms don’t handle multi-million dollar litigation like this. Despite being a small firm, our clients’ trust was well-placed and resulted in an important victory. Click here to read the opinion.

Another Commonwealth Court Victory By Attorney Dan Siegel Affirms That Medical Providers Have a Right to Payment Under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act

The Commonwealth Court has affirmed on August 7, 2020 that insurance companies and their attorneys may not take actions that prevent medical providers from being paid for care for injured workers. The decision, in Workers First Pharmacy Services, LLC v. Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Fee Review Hearing Office (Cincinnati Insurance Co.), disallowed a procedure used by an insurer and its counsel intended to prevent a pharmacy not only from being paid, but also from having a hearing about its right to payment. “I am proud that this case, and others my office has handled, have expanded the rights of every medical professional in Pennsylvania. My firm’s recent cases have extended the rights of more injured persons and their medical providers than any other firm’s,” said Siegel, founder of the Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel, LLC. He also credited attorneys Christa Frank High and Nicole A. Kratzer, who also handled the case. Click here to read the decision authored by President Judge Leavitt.

Attorney Dan Siegel Named “Best of the Bar”

The Philadelphia Business Journal has named Attorney Daniel J. Siegel a “Best of the Bar” Honoree in the area of Plaintiff Personal Injury. In addition to having great success with individual workers’ compensation and personal injury matters, Dan is being honored because of his numerous appellate victories over the past year, cases that have dramatically expanded the rights of injured workers and others.

Dan will receive his Award at a ceremony on Thursday, October 25th. He is one of only three personal injury attorneys being honored, and the only appellate lawyer being honored in this category. Click here for more information.

The Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel, LLC is here to help you! Give our office a call at (610) 446-3457, send an email, or fill out the form below.