Jeffrey T. Strittmatter

Secured a favorable claim petition decision on behalf of a specialty steel manufacturer denying an alleged low back injury and avoiding an estimated past wage loss exposure of $50,000 plus associated past and future medical treatment expenses. In doing so, extensive employer testimony was offered regarding the claimant’s work environment, as well as testimony from the employer offering rebuttal to the claimant’s purported mechanism of injury. Our aggressive discovery efforts unearthed evidence of a long- standing pre-morbid low back condition.

Obtained a decision on behalf of an industrial manufacturer denying and dismissing a claim petition seeking the award of past and future workers’ compensation wage loss and medical benefits for an alleged plantar fasciitis injury. In doing so, the employer offered lay testimony rebutting the claimant’s depiction of his work environment and confirming the employer’s use of padded flooring in and around claimant’s workstations, as well as an independent medical examination which refuted not only causation of the claimant’s injury but the allegation that claimant’s work-related standing and walking activities caused an aggravation of a pre-existing condition. The decision avoided substantial exposure for the payment of past wage loss and future wage loss benefits in excess of $100,000.

Obtained a denial of a first notice claim petition for a meniscus tear/knee injury by a waitress/short order cook for a national restaurant chain avoiding the imposition of surgical costs, and past and future wage loss benefits in excess of $50,000. The use of social media surveys and hospital canvassing allowed a critical finding regarding claimant’s complained of knee condition being inconsistent with her post-injury surgical presentation and a favorable IME opinion to contest causation.

Successfully prosecuted a review petition to eliminate claimant’s post-injury hip-related care as being non-work related, thereby facilitating a favorable settlement of the claim by eliminating treatment costs, potential hip replacement surgery, and an injury which claimant was alleging prohibited his ability to seek treatment for his accepted low back injury.

Obtained an aggregated $75,000 in supersedeas fund reimbursements for wage and medical benefits on behalf of various self-insured employers, third-party administrators, and workers compensation insurance carriers.

Obtained a reimbursement from the Pennsylvania supersedeas fund of more than $85,000 for wage and medical benefits for a trucking firm client. The judge cited Weber Gallagher’s use of medical records in issuing his decision.

Obtained the suspension of disability payments and reimbursement of past payments for a swimming pool distributor in litigation with an employee who had refused duties offered him when he was cleared to work. Evidence included the employee’s past convictions for conspiracy to defraud a former employer uncovered by Weber Gallagher in a search of federal and state criminal court dockets.

Successfully defended a shipping company against an employee’s claim that repetitive activities related to scanning packages had caused his meniscal tear, bolstering the client’s position against other employee claims of repetitive trauma.

United Parcel Service and Liberty Mutual Insurance Company v. Mark Hohider, 2008 PA, Super 148, 954 A.2d 13, Filed July 7, 2008.