Practice Areas

Personal Injury

We represent individuals who are injured by the carelessness or neglect of others. This includes, but is not limited to: individuals injured in automobile accidents; workers' compensation; premises liability; and products liability.

Most people have heard the term "Personal Injury", but do not fully understand what it means. "Personal Injury" includes all claims resulting in bodily injury, including psychological problems. There are three basic groups of personal injury.

Negligence
The failure to use reasonable care to avoid foreseeable harm to a person, place or thing. People are liable if their unreasonable act or failure to act causes an injury, even if the harm is not intended.

Intentional Harm
The "malicious" or "intentional" infliction of harm that results in injury. As an example, if a person involved in a heated argument with you purposely hits you with the intention of bodily harm, that person is liable for your injuries.

Absolute Liability
This occurs when a person is responsible for injuring another person regardless of negligence or intent. Some instances in which the law might apply absolute liability are with regard to product liability, dangerous or hazardous activities and pet owner's liability. For instance, a person may be entitled to compensation after a defective product injures him or her regardless of whether the manufacturer was actually negligent. In other words, the person only has to prove that a product is defective or dangerous and that the defect caused personal injury. It is not necessary to show that the manufacturer was intentionally careless or negligent.

If you are unable to work due to a job related illness or injury you have a claim!
Utilizing the Pennsylvania's Workers' Compensation Act (Act) you can be provided with wage-loss compensation benefits and medical expenses. Wage loss benefits can last until you return to the workplace. Death benefits for work-related deaths can be also covered and are usually paid to the person's dependent survivors.

Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act covers almost all Pennsylvanian employees.
Employers must provide workers' compensation coverage to all of their employees this would include part-time and seasonal staff. Nonprofit corporations, not incorporated businesses, and even employers with only one employee, must comply with the Act's requirements.

The law also covers you regardless of where the you were hired and in some cases injury outside of the sate can be covered.

Workers Compensation claims can require depositions, cross examinations by defending attorneys, sworn testimony, more than one court appearance and a vast knowledge of the governing laws that protect you as an employee in the state of Pennsylvania.

Social Security

What Is Social Security Disability Insurance?  This is an insurance program for workers who become unable to work. The Social Security Administration is responsible for the operation and administration of this fund. Moneys for this fund come from "FICA" tax withheld from workers' pay and employer contributions. Workers who have worked and paid FICA tax for at least 5 of the 10 years prior to onset of their disability are usually covered.

Dependent upon age others may be qualified to receive benefits with fewer years of work.

Eligibility is dependent upon two factors. One, you must be able to prove to the Social Security Administration that you cannot perform your job or any other type of work because of your disability. Two, disability must be one that will last, or is expected to last, 12 months or longer. If you are not sure if you are eligible for benefits please contact the Law Offices of Thomas More Holland.

The Social Security Administration uses a formula based on your average lifetime earnings and the total number of years you have worked to calculate the benefit amount. You can receive up to a maximum of approximately $1,500 per month, depending on your past earnings. If you have a family, you could receive additional benefits, up to 50 percent of your own monthly benefit amount.

Here is a partial list of conditions that can make you or someone you know eligible for Social Security Disability benefits. This is not a complete list of conditions.

• Back Problems
• Arthritis
• Heart Disease
• Diabetes
• Lung Disease
• Asthma
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Cancer
• Kidney Disease
• Psychiatric Problems

Facts about Social Security Disability

More than 700,000 children with disabilities currently receive Social Security disability benefits.
 

People with HIV infection or AIDS may qualify for Social Security disability benefits when they can no longer work or they must limit their work due to the disease.
 

The Social Security office will help you with your application and, if necessary, with your appeal as entitled to representation. Your representative may not collect a fee from you without first obtaining approval from the Social Security Administration.

If you wish to contact The Law Offices of Thomas More Holland to learn more about your rights concerning Social Security benefits, please send us an email Here.

Malpractice Law ? the area of the law which focuses on representing those who have suffered negligence, misconduct, lack of ordinary skill, or a breach of duty in the performance of a professional service (medicine, law etc.) resulting in injury or loss.

Products Liability Law ? the area of the law focusing on the liability imposed on a manufacturer or seller of a defective and unreasonably dangerous product.

Discrimination -  the area of law dealing with unfair or unequal treatment of a person or persons based upon their belonging to a protected class.