Unfortunately, many businesses looking to keep spending down may choose to cut corners when it comes to workplace safety. A workers compensation attorney in New York can help injured employees understand their legal rights if they've been injured or a loved one was killed in an on-the-job accident.

A recent column emphasized the importance of being proactive in the creation of a safe and secure workplace environment. This is especially true among small business owners and employers, who oftentimes have fewer resources than their larger competitors and other counterparts.

Steps to take to prevent workplace injuries

According to Newsday, officials from the U.S. Department of Labor Long Island office speculate that employers pay close to $1 billion per week in direct workers' compensation costs. Other costs include training replacement workers, investigating accidents, implementing corrective measures and facing increased employee call-outs after an accident.

The article speculates that the cost of workers compensation could be crippling to a small business owner who may not be able to afford workers' compensation costs or fines levied upon their business by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). Even still, many small businesses may be hesitant to implement policies for fear of their upfront costs.

However, Newsday speculates that many of the most common causes of workplace injuries- such as slip and fall accidents and stairway or ramp accidents - are easily preventable. In order to prevent accidents at small businesses, Newsday recommends employers and small business owners take the following precautions:

• Implement a formal safety policy at the workplace.
• Create an injury and illness prevention program, emphasizing hazard identification and assessment, hazard prevention and control, education and training.
• Train management and employees alike about safe work practices.
• Hire a "point person" to ensure safety policies are communicated and enforced.
• Conduct periodic self-inspections of your store or business with employees.
• Consult with OSHA to find potential hazards at work sites.
• Properly train all employees and emphasize proper apparel and safety gear.
• Communicate with employees to understand job-related hazards that have raised concerns at the workplace.
• Contact insurance companies who sometimes offer training and safety classes to members.

No matter the size of a business, safety needs to come first for employers and employees alike. The key to on-the-job injury prevention ultimately starts with the creation of a safety-minded workplace culture. If you're an injured employee looking for help with a workers' compensation or personal injury claim, don't hesitate to discuss your legal options with an experienced attorney.

If you are disabled in New York, contact the Law Offices of Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP today by calling (800) 692-3717.��

Social Security Disability benefits are already very difficult to qualify for and, for those on SSI at least, provide a very limited amount of money for someone who is suffering from an impairing long-term condition that makes work impossible. Social security disability attorneys in New York are often called upon to help applicants whose benefits claims are denied, and an experienced attorney at Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano should be consulted to help those who need benefits but are not receiving them.

New Commission to Improve Social Security

According to the , Republican Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma and Democratic Representative John Delaney of Maryland have introduced a bill that would create a 13-member Social Security Commission. The Commission would be given one year to generate a list of recommendations designed to improve the program.

The Social Security Administration currently has enough funds to pay retirement benefits through 2033, after which time there will be money available to pay around 75 percent of scheduled benefits until at least 2087. For Social Security Disability, on the other hand, there are much more serious impending financial problems. Unless Congress acts to make a change to the SSD program, it could run out of money in the next two years and beneficiaries could face cuts to their disability income as early as 2016.

The hope is that the Committee will be able to come up with ideas that will strengthen the program and ensure its survival for the next 75 years, before a crisis point is reached and the money is gone.

A variety of lawmakers have already made different proposals, including scaling back benefits or increasing funding for Social Security by raising the payroll tax cap.

Unfortunately, the last bipartisan commission to come up with a suggestion on "saving" Social Security was the Simpson Bowles Commission, which came up with a chained CPI proposal. This proposal would alter the way Cost of Living increases are calculated, which would result in a defacto benefit that becomes progressively more severe.

Despite President Obama offering chained CPI as a compromise to Republicans in past budgets, the proposal never went into effect. The last substantial change to the Social Security Program occurred in the 1980s and involved a partial tax on benefits, among other things.

Changes and improvements to the Social Security system should not involve taking money from retirees or from disabled individuals who are on fixed incomes and who cannot work to make up the shortfall. Recipients of SSD benefits should closely watch any political efforts to make changes as their financial security may be at stake.

If you have suffered a disability in New York, contact the Law Offices of Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP today by calling (800) 692-3717 or by visiting .��

If your doctor writes a brief letter on your behalf that says you are "totally disabled" or "unable to work," that's a great first step.�� However, it's only a first step.�� The ultimate decision regarding disability is a legal decision that can only be made by the Social Security Administration.�� It is your job to present medical evidence - in the form of medical reports, test results, and medical source statements - that shows you are disabled.�� This type of letter isn't enough.

Attorneys experienced in Social Security disability proceedings are familiar with the standard of disability (in other words, what we have to prove to Social Security regarding your ability to work).�� This means that we will be able to obtain the necessary evidence and present it to Social Security in a timely fashion.�� One of the key ways we do this is through the use of medical source statements, which allow doctors to express their opinion regarding their patient's ability to work in a manner that can be easily understood and credited by the Administration.

Your Disability Attorney Can Speak For You

Retaining an attorney to assist you with your claim also means that you do not have to speak with anyone at Social Security about your case.�� Your attorney will be able to help you fill out all the necessary forms, gather all the necessary evidence, and provide you with the status of your claim.�� Knowing that an experienced attorney will be assisting you can provide peace of mind, as well as eliminating the difficulties that can come with trying to contact Social Security.

While hiring an attorney does not guarantee that you'll win your case and be awarded benefits, it does mean that you will have done everything you can to maximize your chances of winning your case.�� Filing for Social Security disability benefits is a long and complex process - shouldn't you do everything you can to make sure you obtain the benefits that you deserve?

If you are disabled and cannot work, contact the Law Offices of Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP today by calling (800) 692-3717 or completing the online contact form.

Robert Lucey, Shop Steward for S.E.I.U. Local 246, sent Attorney Ziegler a letter of appreciation along with the photo. The Service Employees International Union Local 246 represents workers who maintain and repair the F.D.N.Y.'s vehicles.

"This picture shows you are not afraid to get your hands dirty," Mr. Lucey wrote. "It also reflects on your law firm and the way they handle every case that included a member here at F.D.N.Y. Review Ave."

Mr. Lucey also noted, "We as individuals took out a lesson from your discussion on workers' compensation."

Imparting his knowledge about workers' compensation to members of various unions is nothing new for Jordan Ziegler. He is an experienced workers' compensation attorney who is disability counsel for several police and law enforcement associations throughout New York State. He also represents utility worker and building trade unions and lectures extensively about workers' compensation, Social Security disability, personal injury and disability retirement pensions at many utility worker, trade union and police and law enforcement training programs.

Initiating Workers' Compensation Class Curriculums

Attorney Ziegler started the workers' compensation class curriculums taught at both the New York City District Council of Carpenters Labor Technical College and the Empire State Regional Council Carpenters Apprenticeship Training Program. He also writes for magazines, newsletters and journals for various utility worker, trade union, and police and law enforcement associations. He was named as a Super Lawyer in 2013 in the area of workers' compensation by Super Lawyers magazine.

Jordan Ziegler is one of many experienced attorneys at Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP. The law firm, which includes more than 100 knowledgeable legal professionals on staff, has helped over 100,000 clients obtain over Billions in awards and settlements.

If you or a loved one was injured at work and need a versatile New York City workers' compensation attorney, contact Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP immediately. Call (800) 692-3717 today for a free consultation or complete the online contact form.

Unfortunately, while one out of every four workers is going to become disabled and will likely need help supporting himself, the majority of people have limited places to turn if they grow too sick to work. Options for receiving income when a medical condition or impairment prevents working include workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, private disability policies and disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. Workers' comp benefits cover only work injuries and veterans' benefits cover only those hurt on active duty, so for most people this leaves only private coverage - if they have it- and benefits from the SSA.

Social Security Disability Benefits Often the Only Choice

Although private disability insurance coverage is available to protect workers who become disabled either on a short-term basis or on a long-term basis, few people actually have policies that provide this type of insurance protection. In fact, a recent study conducted by Guardian Life Insurance and LearnVest revealed that only 35 percent of workers had disability insurance policies. Workers surveyed made $30,000 or more per year and were between the ages of 21 and 40.

Of the workers who were surveyed, only 33 percent between the ages of 21 and 30 reported that they had a disability insurance policy. Workers between the ages of 31 and 40 were slightly more likely to have coverage, with 41 percent stating that they had a private insurance policy that would offer benefits if they became disabled and could not work.

The remainder of the workers - more than half among all age groups interviewed - have no disability benefits insurance coverage available to them through a private insurer. This means that if these workers get sick and cannot work or suffer any type of impairing injury not covered by workers' compensation, they will have just one place to turn: to the Social Security Administration.

The SSA provides benefits through both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), so the disabled do have several programs through which they can seek help. However, both SSI and SSDI have a strict definition of disabled, a high denial rate, and are for long-term conditions only. If you are disabled and need income, however, you will want to ensure you do everything possible to receive benefits from the SSA. It might be your only potential source of income.

Amid this political climate where the efficacy of the disability benefits program is being questioned and where many are raising concerns about whether all who receive benefits are truly disabled, it is important to remember that the Social Security disability system serves as an important lifeline for those who cannot work. The recently aimed to dispel some of the myths about the SSD benefits system in order to provide more information amidst a series of articles that have been critical of SSA disability coverage.

Facts and Myths about Disability Benefits Programs

According to the Huffington Post, the SSD benefits programs may not be in as much financial trouble as some suggest. It is true that the disability trust fund could run short of money by 2016, necessitating a cut in benefits. However, Congress in the past has traditionally reallocated payroll taxes in order to deal with anticipated financial shortfalls. Congress may be able to do this again to deal with the impending crisis related to disability benefits.

A modest reallocation of payroll taxes could potentially protect the ability of the disabled to continue to receive benefits until as long as 2033. This provides a long time for solutions to be found and money to be raised to ensure that the disabled can still get the income they need.

The Huffington Post also indicates that the increase in the number of people on disability has been driven by demographic changes. Baby boomers are aging, but this is not the only substantial change that has resulted in more people on disability. Many women also entered the workforce in 1980s and are covered by SSA disability benefits for the first time as they age. The full retirement age for qualifying for SSA retirement benefits was also pushed back, meaning workers are expected to work for longer and these older workers have a greater chance of becoming disabled and will stay on disability for longer until their retirement benefits kick in.

All of these factors have contributed to the dramatic increase in the number of people receiving benefits. Yet, this increase is starting to level off and is projected to decline when baby boomers age into receiving retirement benefits instead of disability income. This means that within the not-very-distant future, the number of people on disability could return to more sustainable levels.

Finally, another important factor is that Americans have consistently expressed support for SSD benefits in polls and are willing to pay for them. With broad support from the public, there should be ways to ensure that these benefits programs remain solvent so the disabled can continue to receive the Social Security disability benefits they require.

In addition to identifying top-notch legal professionals among more than 70 different practice areas, Super Lawyers also recognizes women who stand out in their fields. This year, Barbara Tilker and Catherine M. Stanton are among the accomplished New York lawyers who have been recognized for their professionalism and legal accomplishments.

Super Lawyers Recognizes New York Attorneys

Super Lawyers aims to create a comprehensive reference for clients seeking legal representation and for other attorneys who are searching for legal professionals within a specific field.

Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton and Romano, LLP is also pleased to announce that four other lawyers were selected for 2013 by Super Lawyers: Victor Pasternack, Jordan Ziegler, Edgar Romano and Robert Saminsky.

The first Super Lawyers list was published in 1991, and the process of identifying Super Lawyers has been streamlined over the years to arrive at the current 12 criteria used to assess whether an attorney should be recognized as a Super Lawyer. The process of identifying Super Lawyers has been patented and has three steps including recommendations; research and peer review.

As part of this process, Super Lawyers identifies not just the top attorneys in each practice area but also women who have made especially significant contributions within the legal community.

Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton and Romano, LLP's Top Women Attorneys

It is easy to see why both Catherine M. Stanton and Barbara Tilker earned their place among the Top Women Attorneys in New York. Both have a long history of professional accomplishments and of providing experienced legal representation to clients.

Barbara Tilker is a senior partner who represents clients on matters related to Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income claims. With more than 30 years of experience, Ms. Tilker is regularly sought out for lectures and educational events. She has spoken on public service radio and on cable television on matters related to Social Security Disability, and she is currently on the panel of the Legal Referral Service of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.  She has also been recognized as a New York Super Lawyer in the Metro Region from 2007 to 2013. This year, she has now earned the additional honor of being recognized as one of the Top Women Attorneys in New York.

Catherine M. Stanton is a senior partner who is also the head of the firm's workers' compensation department. She has been a partner since 1998 and has decades of experience representing clients on work-related issues. In 2012, she was inducted as president of the Workers' Injury & Law Advocacy Group, a national non-profit dedicated to represent the interests of millions of workers.  Ms. Stanton has now been recognized as both a Super Lawyer and as one of the Top Women Attorneys in New York. She has earned similar accolades from Super Lawyers in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

We are proud of our attorneys for this recognition of their dedication, hard-work and consummate legal skills.