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Coronavirus and Social Security

Published on: March 26, 2020 | O'Connor Law

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the country and globe with many people being severely sick and not able to work. This pandemic can be tough for older and disabled Americans who are trying to file for Social Security disability. Even people who are able to work in their job even though they may have qualified for SS disability may not be able to find work moving forward due to the virus. People who want to file for Social Security Disability should know the proper actions to take in order to receive benefits they need.

When there is threat of a national shutdown, it is common for local Social Security offices to close. Here is what to expect when your local Social Security office closes. Social Security benefits will continue to get paid out without disruption. Online services, including all the information on the Social Security website and the various tools for looking at your own specific Social Security record, are still available. This situation is much better than what people have experienced in the past during government shutdowns. This is due to local Social Security offices not being entirely shut down. Even though that these offices are closed to the public, the staffers are still available on site and online handling people’s needs.

How Can You Apply for Benefits Online?

Stop Wine-ing

Published on: November 15, 2019 | O'Connor Law

Weird, quirky, and unique legal cases are always the source of intrigue. Many times, lawyers, law firms, and those familiar with law are confronted with questions regarding individuals’ or their kin’s rare legal issues. Most legal knowledge found online and through casual sources will be generic and almost definitely not personalized, which makes it tough to find answers regarding these unique cases. A recent legal battle involving a woman, a country club, and a staff member of the country club highlights the hoops you may have to jump through just to receive proper compensation.

The battle stems from an October 29^th lawsuit filed by a female patron of the Alpine Country Club of New Jersey, in which the woman claims a waiter of the club spilled wine on her seemingly irreplaceable $30,000 handbag, while she enjoyed dinner at the club. The club denied all liability for the incident and even went as far as to sue their own employee (the waiter) for the damages caused to the woman’s handbag. The handbag, which is typically a relatively inexpensive accessory, was a rare, discontinued Hermès Kelly bag that was gifted to her by her husband for her 30^th birthday.

The representation for the woman affected by the spill admitted it was an accident, but also mentioned it was necessary to specify exactly what happened and who did it. According to documents, the waiter is not mentioned by name, but rather “John Doe.”

Vaping and Juuling

Published on: November 4, 2019 | O'Connor Law

Cigarettes, once a staple in American society and culture, reached a record low 14% usage rating among adults in 2017, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For comparison, at the height of U.S. adult usage, the CDC reported 42.4% of adults smoked. Many factors play into this decline, but perhaps the most relevant is the emergence of e-cigarettes or “vapes”.

Vapes, or vaporizers, act as an alternative nicotine option to cigarettes and chewing tobacco. They work as follows: 1.) A sensor in the device acknowledges an inhalation 2.) The sensor triggers a vaporizing device that heats up the nicotine-containing flavored liquid to such an extreme temperature, it turns into vaporized smoke 3.) The smoker extracts and inhales the vaporized smoke through a mouth piece.

There has been an immense amount of controversy surrounding the flavored liquids; those who oppose them argue that companies like San Francisco-based Juul, and their flavors, target minors and young people. Juul, who named its vaporizing device “juul” as well, made headlines recently when it pulled its tasty flavors, limiting its production to just “Virginia Tobacco, Classic Tobacco, Mint, and Menthol”.

August is National Back to School Month

Published on: August 3, 2017 | O'Connor Law

The beginning of August fast approaches, and that means that summer is ending for students across the country. With the start of school comes increased road traffic from school buses and teen drivers, as well as plenty of children on bicycles, and young pedestrians hurrying to get to and from school.

Safe driving can save lives. Slowing down and paying extra attention to your surroundings, especially when you’re near a school, can help avoid tragedies. The National Safety Council has published a few recommendations to help make sure that back to school season is safe for everyone.

Pennsylvania Legislature Working on New Laws for Self-Driving Cars

Published on: August 1, 2017 | O'Connor Law

For the last several years various companies have worked to make self-driving cars a reality. Google has been working on a self-driving car since 2009. Automaker Tesla has gone a step further, their “Autopilot” feature has been available on consumer vehicles since 2014. Tesla CEO Elon Musk estimates that by 2019 “Autopilot” will allow vehicles to drive people to their destinations safely while the driver sleeps.

This sudden growth in self-driving car technology raises questions about safety, and many states, including Pennsylvania, have been working on laws to deal with the issue. The Pennsylvania legislature has been working on two bills that deal with self-driving cars.

The Wait For Social Security

Published on: November 11, 2016 | O'Connor Law

More than one million Americans are waiting. They wait as their livelihoods hang in the balance. They wait an average of 575 days for a hearing about their Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability claims. During this waiting period, people struggle to pay rent, buy groceries, and merely survive.

Since 2010, Social Security’s budget has been cut by more than 10%. Between field and mobile offices, hundreds have been forced to close. But the cuts don’t stop there. A proposed $250 million more in cuts are being considered by Congress in a bill that could happen in 2017. This cut would not only affect Americans, but also SSA employees who would be off work for two weeks. The stall in hiring would only push delays and waiting time even further. Retirees, survivors and disabled citizens would all suffer. Funding would increase somewhat, but other basic resource needs would go untouched.

It’s up to us to act and fight for fairness. Encourage those around you to contact their members of Congress and urge them to make sure SSA’s budget is entirely funded for next year, and the future overall.

Schuylkill County Sponsoring Fall Clean Up

Published on: August 12, 2016 | O'Connor Law

via Skook News

Schuylkill County has schedule a Fall Clean Up that will be open to all county residents.

The clean up is scheduled from September 12th to September 24th and will be funded through the County Commissioners Office at the State Department of Environmental Protection.

Summer Tips for Protection Against the Sun

Published on: July 13, 2016 | O'Connor Law

Dangers in the workplace can come from many sources, and for those who frequently put in their hours outdoors under the hot summer sun, it is important to be familiar with crucial safety tips.

July is National UV Safety month, and what some people don’t realize is that skin is our largest organ that protects us against the heat and sunshine. Failing to protect our skin against the harmful UV rays from the sun can lead to more serious consequences than just sunburn and peeling skin. It can cause skin cancer, age spots and eye problems.

Here are some tips on how to battle against the UVs this month, and all summer long:

Attorneys Michael J. O’Connor & David Miller Named to Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists 2016

Published on: May 13, 2016 | O'Connor Law

Attorney Michael J. O’Connor has earned a place on the 2016 Super Lawyers list for his work in the workers’ compensation field, and Attorney David Miller has been named to the Rising Stars list for his work in PI General: Plaintiff. Both are prestigious honors.

This is Attorney O’Connor’s thirteenth time on the Super Lawyers list Attorney Miller’s eighth time named to Rising Stars.

Both Attorneys O’Connor and Miller will have this achievement published in the June 2016 editions of Pennsylvania and Delaware’s Super Lawyers Magazine, Philadelphia magazine and Pittsburgh Magazine. This opportunity will allow thousands of people to learn about the impressive work the lawyers at O’Connor Law provide.

Chrysler Recalls 1.4 Million Vehicles After A Jeep Was Hacked.

Published on: July 24, 2015 | O'Connor Law

Imagine driving down the highway when all of sudden you have no control over your car. Someone, possibly thousands of miles away, is now in control of the entire car; the steering, the brakes, the audio, the locks; everything. That’s what happened to one man while two security researchers were demonstrating what could happen if a flaw is exploited in the computer system of the Jeep.

Owners of Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler vehicles made after 2012 should check this link to see if their car is on the recall list. http://blog.fcanorthamerica.com/2015/07/24/unhacking-the-hack-ensuring-security/

Although no one was hurt by this hack, and the security researchers did this demonstration in attempt to show that these vehicles could be hacked, the Federal Highway Safety Committee has launched an investigation into the matter. If this is possible in these vehicles, it could be possible in others as well.