Alan M. Leff, a partner in Goldberg Segalla’s Workers’ Compensation group in Philadelphia, spoke with Business Insurance about the surge in workers’ compensation cases in courts nationwide that involve a mental injury attached to a physical comp claim.

“For every claim that you can reference (in court) there are probably 200 that are happening that didn’t get that far,” Alan said. “It happens constantly.”

Alan also noted that the way mental health is being addressed in 2021 makes it difficult for insurers to take opposition to a mental injury.

“Depression is a common experience” but doesn’t always need to be included in a workers’ comp claim, he said. “As a defense (attorney) you have to be very careful early on that you don’t open the door to unnecessary mental health treatment to expand the claim.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE:

“Payers Wary of Physical Comp Claims Containing Alleged Mental Injuries,” Business Insurance, November 1, 2021

MORE ABOUT GOLDBERG SEGALLA’S ALAN M. LEFF:

Alan M. Leff has more than 12 years of experience representing insurers, employers, and third-party administrators in complex workers’ compensation claims. He counsels and defends clients in all stages of litigation from inception to appeal, and has litigated numerous favorable dispositive decisions before state and federal courts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In addition to workers’ compensation, Alan draws on experience handling insurance defense, general liability, and employment and labor matters.