| by Barry Harris Hinden, Esq.
There may be an opportunity for disability discrimination (employment lawyers), personal injury, and workers’ compensation attorneys to benefit through cooperation. Many workers’ compensation claims overlap with employment discrimination cases. Likewise, many workers’ compensation claims involve personal injury, products liability, premises liability, and/or construction site injury claims.
We can all benefit through shared discovery. Medical and employment records can be subpoenaed in the workers’ compensation case at the expense of the workers’ compensation insurance carrier and shared with plaintiff attorneys representing said worker in civil suits (at no cost!).
Depositions taken of the injured worker can include the civil attorneys in the preparations and the actual deposition itself. Workers’ compensation attorneys can notice the depositions of witnesses, supervisors and medical practitioners and have the civil attorney participate, provide questions or at the least, receive copies of the transcripts. All of the above can be provided at little or no cost to the civil attorneys. By working together, we gain essential information while protecting the interests of our respective clients.
Barry Harris Hinden, Esq. is a partner at Hinden & Breslavsky. Their practice focuses on workers' compensation and personal injury. He can be reached at (323)954-1800 or via e-mail at barry@hinden.net.