Joel Friedman

Joel F Friedman has been representing injured workers in claims for Arizona workers' compensation benefits for about 35 years, and he was certified as a specialist in workers' compensation law from October 1993 - February 2021. He continues to specialize in work injuries; he accepts complex cases other lawyers often won't take (like work stress, carpal tunnel syndrome, and gradual - repetitive work injuries); and he has been a frequent speaker at national Social Security and State Bar of Arizona conferences on a variety of subjects, including psychological - neuropsychological evaluations, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), cardiac and cardiovascular disorders, and Medicare benefits. Joel hikes the Arizona deserts, travels wherever the wind takes him, and in a past life was a licensed soccer referee

Villanova University School of Law

J.D.

1979 - 1982

Franklin & Marshall College

B.A. | Business Management

1973 - 1977

Activities: Chi Phi Fraternity 1974 - 1977 Men's Soccer 1973 - 1974

State University of New York - College at New Paltz

Literature

1977 - 1979

ATTORNEY

JOEL F FRIEDMAN, PLLC

2011 - Current

New law office after 28 years with firm of Jerome, Gibson, Stewart

Director, Arizona Workers' Compensation Division

Cruz & Associates, PC

2016 - 2019

I managed the work injury section of the Phoenix Cruz office. I supervised an associate attorney and 3 paralegals, including for administrative claims and court cases at the Industrial Commission of Arizona

Attorney-shareholder

Jerome, Gibson, Stewart, Friedman, Stevenson, Engle, & Runbeck, PC

1982 - 2011

Certified specialist in workers' compensation law

State Bar of Arizona Board of Legal Specialization

1993

Arizona State Bar

Member

Current

Arizona Association for Justice (Arizona Trial Lawyers)

Member

2006 - Current

National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR)

Member

1985 - 2014

Activities: Council of Past Presidents 2002 - present President 2001 - 2002 Advocacy Committee Chair

Arizona

9th Circuit

U.S. Supreme Court

US District Court - Arizona

• Free Consultation
  I am available to review medical and case documents, at no charge, to decide what services I may be able to offer, and what fees would be charged. I will then schedule a telephone or in-person meeting to review your case
• Contingent Fees
  I am able to take most Arizona work injury claims on contingencies, so there is no charge for my time until and unless there is a recovery. Legal and case expenses must be reimbursed regardless of the result, pursuant to the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct. Medicare Set Aside (MSA) case contracts depend on the specifics
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  Fees are dependent on the specific nature of your case, and where you are in the process. I may be able to offer discounted fees to police and fire department employees, union workers, and veterans applying for Arizona work injury.

Workers' Compensation

• Medicare Set Aside (MSA) trusts

Q. My husband was hit by a drunk driver in his work van Workers comp paid 66% & we paid them back with ins settlement

July 25, 2022

A: This is not a one size fits all situation and the answer to your questions depends on several factors: what were your husband's injuries, how serious were the injuries, does he have any permanent damage (medical impairment or disability) from the accident, has he been able to go back to the same job or type of work. Workers' compensation (WC) insurance would still be responsible for some or all of that IF the personal injury settlement did not pay enough. The WC company would only have to continue paying for medical care and wage loss disability benefits if it already recovered all of its previous payments and there is not what is called a "future credit" that your husband would have to spend down before the WC insurance would start paying again. Keep in mind a WC claim never covers "pain and suffering" or damage or loss of personal property, that should be separated from the accident-personal injury recovery with any other benefits payable through that claim and not paid by WC. Your accident lawyer should be able to give you a detailed breakdown, explaining what part of the recovery was for property damage and what part was for injuries and lost income. If your husband also has a WC attorney he should be able to get a good explanation from the two lawyers together. If he does not have a WC attorney you are probably going to have to pay for a consultation for a qualified, experienced, WC lawyer to review both cases and the settlement, and give you advice

Q. I am being exposed to cleaning chemicals at work, by a business next door to where I work. Can I take them to court?

February 28, 2022

A: Thank you for your inquiry. I see a couple of issues you want to follow up. I would first contact the Arizona Department of Occupational Safety and Health (https://www.azica.gov/forms/adosh2213) and the US Department of Occupational Safety and Health (I don't have a link to the federal form), and hopefully they will send an inspector to investigate what is dumped that you are then exposed to at your job. I'm not familiar with that area of the law but I would think the City of Sedona does not have the final word on potentially toxic materials just because it issued a permit. That also does not mean you have not been injured by your exposure. You can notify your employer that you want a medical evaluation, or since you have already notified your employer and they apparently have done nothing just go on your own and have the health care facility (ER, urgent care) or provider (your personal doctor or specialist) file a Workers' and Physicians Report of Injury (ICA Form 102). I will tell you that letting this go for eight years may be a problem, even with an ongoing exposure, because you generally have one year from the time you know or should have know about an "injury" to file a workers' compensation benefits claim. The eight year exposure without anything serious enough for you to go on your own to a doctor also suggests this is not a major problem, but hopefully what I gave you here is a start. Thank you again

Q. Workers comp claim terminated, want to quit my job... however...

January 17, 2022

A: This is a question you really should be asking the lawyer you apparently already have on your WC case. It's a common issue and any serious WC attorney will be able to advise you, especially knowing more about your current injury-related medical condition and why you disagree with your benefits being terminated. That being said, there may or may not be consequences if your claim is "unclosed" and benefits are reinstated. The general rule is that if the company where you were working at the time of your injury has been giving you light duty, even hypothetical earnings from that light duty employment will continue to count against any disability benefits you may qualify for later (if you leave the job). There are many factors that go into the decision you need or want to make, it's best again to discuss with your current WC lawyer who knows your case better

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