New Law Permits 9/11 Ground Zero Workers to Sue NYC according to Lawyer Rosasco

Posted on September 30, 2009 by Troy Rosasco

Great legal news for injured and ill 9/11 rescue and recovery workers!  In an article published in Newsday today, Governor David Paterson has just signed a new law effective September 16, 2009 allowing workers who missed lawsuit filing deadlines to sue New York City for negligence for telling workers that the air at Ground Zero was safe, when in fact it was deadly soup of toxins.

Any sick 9/11 Ground Zero worker who had a prior claim dismissed or who never filed a claim in the first place should contact our office immediately at 1-877-NY-DBLAW (1-877-693-2529) to discuss a new lawsuit. These lawsuits are not the same as the filing a World Trade Center workers' compensation claims, which we have been handling now for many years.

Our office would be glad to explain the difference and your filing options   given the new law.  There are additional strict filing deadlines in the new law.  Ask to speak to Troy Rosasco at extension 123.

Many thanks to State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) and Governor Paterson for their continued concern and support for 9/11 rescue and recovery workers and volunteers.

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Rosasco to Lecture on Workers' Compensation & Disability Law to State Bar Association

Posted on September 21, 2009 by Troy Rosasco

I will be travelling to Albany this Friday to present a lecture to the New York State Injured Workers' Bar Association (IWBA) entitled "The Interplay between Long Term Disability Claims, Social Security Disability Claims and Workers' Compensation Claims".

The Fall IWBA conference is always one of our most heavily attended and this year, with discussion of major claims procedure changes coming down from the New York Workers' Compensation Board and our recent LaCroix bill victory, I expect a packed house.

Hope to see you there!

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Remembering 9/11: Ground Zero Ironworker Picurro Still Fighting for Life

Posted on September 11, 2009 by Troy Rosasco

On the eighth anniversary of 9/11, it seems appropriate that we all recognize that the health impacts on both victims and Ground Zero rescue workers continue in many cases to increase, not decrease. A colleague forwarded me this excellent video from this morning's Democracy Now program regarding Ground Zero and the case of rescue worker Joe Picurro. 

Although I am personally familiar with Joe's tragic story of the health consequences that Ground Zero workers face, this excellent update, which includes interviews with 9/11 Ground Zero funding champion Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Dr. Jacqueline Moline of the Mt. Sinai Medical Center World Trade Center Monitoring program is a must see for anyone interested in the long term health effects of the WTC tragedy.  Mt. Sinai has now screened over 27,000 workers, and new Ground Zero workers compensation cases (usually involving lung disease, cancer  and post-traumatic stress disorder) still come into my office on an all too regular basis.

All the attorneys and employees of Turley ,Redmond, Rosasco & Rosasco, LLP offer their ongoing support to our clients and all those impacted by the 9/11  tragedy.  God bless you. We will never forget.

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Happy Labor Day 2009 from Queens' Workers Compensation Lawyers

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Troy Rosasco

Turley, Redmond &  Rosasco, LLP,  New York's Leading Construction Accident Lawyers and Workers' Compensation Lawyers,  wishes all NY workers, either healthy or injured, a restful Labor Day 2009.  You deserve it. Stay safe out there! 

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Is Daniel J. Hickey, Jr. the "Bernie Madoff" of New York Workers Compensation?

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Troy Rosasco

That's my opinion as quoted recently in an excellent piece of investigative journalism by Mary Beth Pfeiffer of the Poughkeepsie Journal.  Why label him the "Bernie Madoff" of NY Workers' Comp?

As a result of his alleged actions, many small employers throughout New York State are now facing tremendous liabilities and possible bankruptcy because Daniel G. Hickey, Jr. and his former company, Bermuda based Compensation Risk Managers (CRM) allegedly submitted false information to the New York Workers' Compensation Board about outstanding claims and reserves, hired a public relations firm to post fake messages on the Yahoo Finance message board, and his company admitted acting as unlicensed claims adjusters. Read here about CRM's pull out from the NY market.

Despite his alleged misdeeds, according to the Journal story, Mr. Hickey resigned last March just in time to get a $3.3 million severance package an 2 million shares of company stock! Only in America!

To many small employers, the failure of the trusts administered by CRM is a financial calamity.  One member of the Elite Contractors Trust, which was managed by CRM, recently received a bill for over $300,000 to cover unfunded claims. Few employers can withstand such an unforeseen financial impact.  How many layoffs will this cause?  Only time will tell.

This is another example that proves that the most expensive and pernicious NY workers' compensation  misdeeds are not committed by injured workers.  For his role in the CRM scandal, the New York Disability Law Blog  inducts Daniel J. Hickey, Jr. into it's "Wall of Shame".

 

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