Joel Friedman

Joel F Friedman has been representing injured workers in claims for Arizona workers' compensation benefits for about 30 years, and he has been certified as a specialist in workers' compensation law since October 1993. Joel accepts complex work injury 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. He hikes the Arizona deserts and in a past life was a licensed soccer referee

• Workers' Compensation

• Medicare Set Aside (MSA) trusts

• Google Hangouts

• 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

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. My dad was forced to go to a meeting, can he sue his company?

15 May 2020

A: Thank you for posting your question here. The issue you present is going to be common I suspect, and from my perspective as a workers' compensation (WC) attorney (I do not practice in any of the other three areas mentioned in the post) I think it is going to be difficult to qualify for benefits for anyone who tests positive for Covid 19 or even actually is sick from the virus. This would not, again in my opinion, actually be a work injury and instead would be what is called an occupational disease. There are very strict rules to establish the presence of an occupational disease and, because Covid 19 is everywhere, places we have no idea, I believe it will be difficult to show that the exposure actually was at work rather than at the grocery store, hardware store, or anywhere else with at least groups of people. I appreciate your concern and hope your father remains personally unaffected. The type of attorney you probably want to speak to would be someone who practices employment law for employees. You can reach me at joel@compinaz.com if you have more questions. Thank you again for your inquiry

Q. Claimant reported injury, supervisor failed to submit employer report of injury. 6 7 months after supervisor no longer

23 April 2020

A: Hello, thank you for your question. If you are off work and the insurance company did not accept or deny the claim then they are supposed to pay you until the claim is denied if that's what's going to happen. If you have medical bills those have to be paid also until something is done with the case. I would need to know more information to give you a more specific answer but that's the general rule that the insurance company has to pay benefits as if the claim was accepted until it does something different. Please feel free to email me at joel@compinaz.com or call me, preferably tomorrow, at 602-540-6366. Thank you again

Q. Hello. I was injured at work. Was put on light duty 4 hours or so per day. Apts are scheduled by dr office during work

17 April 2020

A: Good evening, thank you for your question. I am not sure why the doctor's office cannot arrange appointments around your work schedule, unless the work schedule changes from week to week. If you work in the morning then the doctor should schedule an appointment in the afternoon, and the opposite if you work in the afternoon. The insurance company also is not giving you accurate information. When you are on light duty the amount of money you earn is applied to your original average wage and you get paid 66 and 2/3 percent of the difference between your pre injury wage and how much you make on light duty, regardless of how that happens. If you miss hours and make less money because of a doctors appointment that is not going to change the calculation of your light duty benefits. Please feel free to email at joel@compinaz.com or call me at 602-540-6366. This weekend is fine if you would like to chat. Thank you again for your question.