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, State Bar of Arizona, Arizona Trial Lawyers (Arizona Association for Justice), and private organizers, 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 where the wind takes him (currently working with small organizations and starting an Arizona non-profit corporation to support women and girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo), and in a past life was a licensed soccer referee

Workers' Compensation

• Medicare Set Aside (MSA) trusts

• Google Meet
• Zoom
• RingCentral
• WhatsApp

• 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.

Arizona

9th Circuit

U.S. Supreme Court

US District Court - Arizona

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

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

Outstanding New Attorney Volunteer

Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law

2012

For contributions to offering pro bono legal services to the Valley's homeless community

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

Certified specialist in workers' compensation law

State Bar of Arizona Board of Legal Specialization

1993

Q. Need attorney ASAP that has experience in “Toxic Mold Exposure” in workplace, Maricopa County ARIZONA

March 16, 2023

A: Good afternoon. These are very complicated cases and require extremely specific evidence of the extent and location at the workplace of the mold growth, the exact type of mold, the nature of exposure (how long and how close to her work area), absence of any other potential mold exposure, and medical evidence that [any of] the listed conditions are probably (more likely than not) caused by exposure to that particular mold. The cost of developing this kind of case can [will] be in the thousands of dollars and your daughter should be prepared to cover those legal expenses in advance. She should contact a lawyer who specializes in work injury claims as soon as possible because there may be issues of when she files a claim if she waits too long

Q. I was fired, rehired, had an OJI. The company says the rehire was a clerical error. Do I have to pay back for the OJI?

March 8, 2023

A: Workers' compensation (WC) benefits in Arizona include payment for time lost from work and medical treatment related to an injury. The injury generally is, or should be, covered if you were doing something that benefitted the employer, in or related to the business of the employer, and at a time and in a place where the employer's work was usually done. I do not understand what you mean that you returned to work after being fired and then rehired, the second part of which the company now says was a mistake - a lawyer would need to know the specifics of the company where you were doing the work, your actual job and work assignment, and how you were injured. The fact that the insurance company apparently paid work injury benefits suggests there was no question you were working for the employer company [no information given to the insurance company by the "employer" that would have allowed the claim to be denied], regardless of what they now claim was an error bringing you back (for example, how would you have gotten into the job site if you were not rehired). I would not expect the insurance company to demand refunds for benefits paid but if there is a valid reason to deny the claim that was unknown to the insurance company when they paid you and your doctors before, they may legally be able to deny benefits going forward. Again, the details are important and you should contact an attorney for a more direct discussion.

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

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