Gruhin & Gruhin Attorney's

Video Hearings coming to The Industrial Commission of Ohio – Good or Bad?

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:43:19 +0000

Video hearings are coming to the ICO. Will this create more sterile hearings? Will this desensitize hearing officers who will not be physically in the hearing room? Only time will tell. Video hearings between the Portsmouth office of the Industrial Commission of Ohio and the headquarters in Columbus have apparently had successful results, and will save the state more than $200,000 per year.

Christa D. Deegan, Executive Director of The Industrial Commission of Ohio, said the first video hearings were conducted between the Portsmouth and Columbus IC offices on June 24, 2010. Now, video hearings are being held three days a week, and by the end of July, the IC plans to have video equipment installed in its Cambridge, Logan and Cincinnati offices as well.

Deegan said over the next 10 years, the use of video hearings in place of having a hearing officer travel will save the IC more than $2 million in travel expenses.

“Once video hearings are in full swing at these five offices, we are going to look at adding video hearings to our Mansfield and Lima offices as well,” Deegan said.

A video hearing is exactly the same as a regular IC hearing with one exception: Instead of the hearing officer being in the room, there will be a video monitor. Deegan said the hearing officer will still be able to see and hear everything that takes place in the hearing room.

“Video hearings in our Portsmouth office have been favorably received by the public, and our hearing officers are able to better utilize their work hours,” Deegan said. “Our goal is to make the convenience of video hearings available to serve our customers across the state.”

The IC conducts hearings on disputed workers’ compensation claims, determines violations of specific safety requirements, and determines if an injured worker is permanently and temporarily disabled due to a work-related injury or occupational disease. The IC conducts over 180,000 hearings annually and most hearings take place within 45 days of the original claim appeal.

Three governor-appointed commissioners lead the agency, headquartered in Columbus, which has five regional and seven district offices throughout the state

Deegan listed several other benefits of video hearings:

• Reduce state pool car use, allowing the IC to move state cars to areas with a greater need

• Allow hearings officers in one IC office to handle hearings for another office. This will spread the workload evenly and allow for quick docket reassignments due to hearing officer illnesses or emergencies

• A docket could list hearings for one location per day, or hearings could be conducted for multiple locations in a workday

• Productivity will increase because hearings may be held during the time that hearing officers would have spent traveling

• Hearing cancellations due to bad weather will decrease since hearing officers will no longer have to travel to other officers

Help Change Ohio – Vote Brown & Trapp in Supreme Court Elections 11-2010

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:35:38 +0000

Ohio Supreme Court recently issued its decision in the McFee case. Essentially the Court now allows Ohio employers to eliminate pregnancy leave for employees who do not have a certain amount of employment time with the company.

Help restore the rights taken away from Ohio’s workforce. Employment rights dwindle, Workers’ Compensation benefits reduced, and the list goes on.

Vote Brown and Trapp for the Ohio Supreme Court in November, 2010.

Let us know how we are doing

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:58:39 +0000

Friends & Clients

We are seeking client reviews for placement on Google in order to assist other injured Ohioans who need to find dedicated and hard working attorneys who will fight hard to protect their legal rights.

Please use this link go to the Google review site and let us know what you think. Just an FYI, you will need a google account to access the link. The account is free.

Thanks to all who decide to post a review. We look forward to reading them.

Mike & Gloria Gruhin

Ohio Workers’ Compensation – Not User Friendly!

admin — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 13:16:23 +0000

Although the BWC system was created to allow injured workers to request coverage for work injuries without the need of legal services, the system has become a nightmare of red tape and denials.

Over 90% of the hearings we attend on behalf of our clients result from the BWC denying the injured worker’s doctor;s request for treatment authorization.

If you are injured on the job, you should obtain legal representation to protect your legal right to medical care and injury compensation.

Contact the governor of Ohio and tell him to fix the system that was created to protect Ohio’s injured workers. He needs to replace the current BWC Administrator with one who did not come from the insurance industry where the top goal is to save money and increase premiums.

Ohio Workers need to unite and tell the Governor that Ohio Wokrers’ Compensation needs to be fixed NOW to benefit Ohio’s Injured Work Force.

Contact the Governor NOW! Let him know you are not going to let him continue in office until he repairs the system he pledged to fix when he first ran for office.

Happy 4th of July !

admin — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:50:18 +0000

Gloria & Mike wish all of our friends and clients a safe and happy 4th. Be careful out there. According to our police officer clients, there will be numerous DUI checkpoints. Don’t ruin your holiday fun – if you are going to to party, please make sure you have a designated driver.

Ohio Motorists – Watch Out !

admin — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:40:41 +0000

Recently, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that a police officer’s unaided visual estimation of a vehicle’s speed is sufficient to support a conviction for speeding.

Check out this video and see how Ohio residents felt about this verdict and pass it along to your friends and co-workers. http://www.youtube.com/user/votetoendinjustice

In the 2010 decision of City of Barberton v. Jenney, the Ohio Supreme Court struck a blow to the person’s right to be presumed innocent. According to our Ohio Supreme Court, if a police officer is trained, certified, and experienced at visually estimating vehicle speed, the officer’s visual estimation is sufficient to support a conviction for speeding, even without independent verification.

As a result of this recent Ohio Supreme Court ruling, Ohio’s residents are subject to the human biases and imperfections that all police officers are subject to. In addition, without the use of a radar gun, there is no physical evidence that can be reviewed by the accused or the courts at a later date.

Something is wrong with the Ohio Supreme Court. This November it is time to make a change on our Ohio Supreme Court. Vote for Mary Jane Trapp and Eric Brown. It is time to end the injustice!

Please also take a minute to visit www.votetoendinjustice.com

Hospital System Fails

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:49:12 +0000

New York City’s public hospitals could be facing malpractice suits since the discovery that the results from at least 4,000 echocardiograms were never reviewed by doctors. The hospital failed to have an adequate procedural system requiring doctors to review the tests, which monitor heart disease and abnormal heart function.

Stories like this (NY Times) appear far too frequently in papers across the country, yet insurance companies continue to claim all medical malpractice lawsuits are frivolous and instill fear in the American public through tort reform.

The Medical Malpractice Myth, by Tom Baker, Director of the Insurance Law Center at University of Connecticut, disputes these claims with facts. The book provides research proving the following:

Medical malpractice is an epidemic that causes thousands of deaths a year
Medical malpractice suits are rare, and are very rarely frivolous
Malpractice insurance premiums aren’t impossibly high
Rising insurance costs are not closely related to litigation
Doctors are not leaving their practices

Order The Medical Malpractice Myth and use the truth to combat tort reform messages.

Check Out the Client Reviews – Have something to say, Let us Know.

admin — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:19:10 +0000

GRUHIN & GRUHIN, BOARD CERTIFIED SPECIALIST OHIOBWC – PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS: Reviews

From a Post on the Gruhin & Gruhin FaceBook Page‎
Mar 20, 2010

Hi Mike, I was hurt at work and my back was so bad after I was in Hospitol for 2 months and my legs were swolen so big and clotted they were going to amputate I could not feel them from my lower back and hips down. I called Gruhin & Gruhin and started my claim and I was so worryed that i would not walk again and mike… pulled through and got me help with all the things I would need to get so I could move around again with walker and leg brace. I am so happy I still have my legs even if I can’t feel them and my feet but I get the care I need to feel like I am some one again if it was not for Gruhin & Gruhin I would have got no were and Thank them for there help its ben a wile but know I have the best man handling my case. Patrick M.‎

Winning team! By jadeforever007- Jan 5, 2010

I don’t like to loose. After I was injured in 2003, I lost a big part of my life,I suffered multiple injuries,& my life was shattered. I needed a attorney who could help me to put those pieces back together again. Attorney Gruhin went that “extra mile” for me during our trial, even though my case was complicated. Gruhin had a answer for every question, as a end result, we won! If you are a injured worker, & want winning results, then Attorney Gruhin is the one you want to represent you today. “Thank You” Attorney Gruhin, & your Team, for helping to put my broken pieces back together again! You are ”highly” recommended on my list!‎

Thank God I Found Gruhin & Gruhin‎ By noha – Jan 3, 2010

My story maybe similar to many hard-working injured workers. I was injured on the job, and had no place to turn. I was injured, upset, hurting, frustrated and no one was helping and getting worst and my employer did not care. One day while teaching a class, one of my students recommended I contact Gruhin & Gruhin. I first had a friendly conversation with Mr. Michael Gruhin back in 2003. After that I went to his office to fill out paper work and they accepted me as a client. The professional guidance and recommendations received from his years of experiences, although he still looks young in the BWC field was top notch. Honestly, he tells it to you like it is. The Office’s goal is not to get rich, but rather they take a holistic approach to BWC claims. For example, allowable diagnoses, from anxiety to depression and a host of other allowable (physical and mental) claim related health issues, with the goal of reaching medical maximum improvement. They also make recommendations on a host of other issues that make your recover a whole lot easier…..so if you have an injury and need a professional and i underscore a professional team. I would recommend you call the Gruhin team like I did. I have their number memorized i call them so much…(216) 861-5555 After now 3 surgeries I am feeling much better. Again, I thank God I did, I truly believe if I did not my life would have turned in a negative direction. They really have a strong network that works. Thanks Gruhin and Gruhin for servicing my claim. Really thank you for your servies to the Injured Workers of Ohio.

LKL‎ By horseylady – Jan 3, 2010

This firm is unbelievably exceptional in knowledge, honesty, integrity, hard working and follow through. Even though I had moved out of state they worked with me hand in hand and daily and literally saved me from falling by the wayside. Because of them I was diagnosed properly, treated properly, received moneys due me. There is no way I can describe what they did for me…they are the very very best of attorney’s in a world that is plagued with not so desirable attorneys….highly recommend.‎

Awesome attorneys‎ By casscunn1219 – Jan 3, 2010

Everybody on Gruhin & Gruhin’s staff is hardworking, trustworthy and extremely helpful. I do not know what I would have done without them! They have walked me through every step and been completely open and honest. I highly recommend them!‎

Hard Working – They go the distance for…‎ By mhg – Dec 17, 2009

Attorneys who fight for their clients. Exceptional results. They don’t advertise for cases and then farm you out to some other lawyer. They will spend all the time you need with them in person so you understand what is going on in your claim.‎

Choose the Right Attorney By CaptN – Dec 17, 2009
Attorneys who fight for their clients. Exceptional results. They don’t advertise for cases and then farm you out to some other lawyer. They will spend all the time you need with them in person so you understand what is going on in your claim‎

GREAT Service. Personal Care.‎

Hurt on the Job? – You Don’t Need to Miss Any Time From Work to Get Your Money Award.

admin — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 14:30:39 +0000

Many people don’t realize that they are entitled to money awards for work injuries even if no time is missed from work.Ohio Law permits an injured worker to seek a permanent partial disability award (the injury money) whether time is missed from work or not.

Don’t give up your money benefit. Call Gruhin & Gruhin for legal advice and information regardng your injury claim.

Workers’ compensation monetary awards include:

Medical bill payment;
Mone when you can’t work;
Money for your injury;
Wage Loss Money – when your injury causes you to return to work earning less;
Permanent Partial Disability – the injury money;
Permanent Total Disability - when your injury causes permanent inability to return to work.

Notary Problems? Want to become a Notary – Read Here.

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:48:03 +0000

What does it mean to have a document “notarized”?

Having a document notarized means that the signer swears or affirms that the document he/she has signed is true and correct. The person who notarizes a legal document is called a “notary public.”

A Notary acts as an official and unbiased witness to the identity of the person who signs the document. The notary uses a special “seal” or stamp, which verifies the validity of the signature and helps to prevent fraud and forgery.

What does a notary do?

A notary public is a person who has been authorized to administer oaths throughout the state. The notary can take and certify acknowledgments of such legal instruments as deeds, mortgages, liens, affidavits, and powers of attorney. The notary may take and certify depositions for use in court.

If I wanted to become a notary, what would I have to do?

If you are an Ohio citizen over 18 years of age and are qualified to vote, you can become a notary public by taking an examination at the Notary Commission in your county court of common pleas. Assuming you meet these qualifications, you will be given an appointment by the governor to serve as a notary public. Documentation verifying your appointment is then filed with the county clerk of court, and your certification is valid for five years.

All I want is for the notary public to notarize my title transfer; why won’t he do that?

The state government appoints the notary public to ensure that documents are valid. You must sign documents such as title transfers for automobiles and affidavits in front of the notary, or you must personally tell the notary that you have signed. If a notary refuses to notarize your document, it is likely to be because you have not met this requirement. Buyers of automobiles sometimes will take an automobile title to a notary and ask the notary sign to off on the transfer, despite the seller’s absence. The notary is not permitted to do this, and should always refuse such a request. Also, the notary must refuse to notarize any document that is not complete or contains blank lines, or a document that the notary has not witnessed or acknowledged.

That sounds inconvenient. Wouldn’t it be easier for the car dealer just to tell the notary that the seller has signed?

It might be easier if document signers did not have to personally appear, but the law requires exactly that. In a recent criminal case, a notary was charged with not requiring the signers to appear, and as a result criminals were able to steal and sell the homes of victims by using notarized powers of attorney. The same can happen to automobiles; if the seller does not personally appear in front of the notary, there can be no certainty that the automobile is not stolen property. The seller must be able to prove his or her identity, usually by producing a valid driver’s license or state ID.

Can I just write legal documents myself rather than paying for an attorney, and then ask a notary to authenticate them?

While it is generally wise to rely on an attorney who understands the law to draft legal documents for you, you can choose to draft essential documents yourself and ask a notary public to authenticate them. Such essential documents may include wills, deeds, powers-of-attorney, affidavits, acknowledgements, and protests. If you’ve made a mistake in a document, however, the notary cannot be held liable unless you did not actually appear to swear to the truth of the documents. You should always use the services of an attorney to draft legal documents.

Where can I get information about becoming a notary?

The Ohio Secretary of State’s office provides information, including county contact information, through its Web site at http://www.sos.state.oh.us/Notary/NotaryFAQs.aspx.