Pennsylvania supreme court rules

After reviewing the history and law applicable to the issue presented, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court noted the distinct differences between how first party claims and third party claims are viewed such that the Court found that there was no ambiguity in the above stated statutory provisions. … [Read more...] about Major Pennsylvania Supreme Court Ruling: Uninsured Motorists Can Sue for Wage Loss and Medical Expenses

Lindsay Killen, a spokeswoman for the Mackinac Center, said the group plans outreach in all 22 affected states, although it will focus on the 11 states “with the highest critical mass of public employees,” including New York and New Jersey. With $10 million earmarked for this year, the campaign will be heavy on online advertising but will also send direct mail and targeted emails to union members. Killen said the group has been able to obtain many workers’ contact information through public records requests. … [Read more...] about After Supreme Court Ruling, Conservative Groups Encourage Workers To Ditch Unions

On July 21, 2015, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in The Babcock & Wilcox Company v. American Nuclear Insurers, No. 2 WAP 2014 adopted a variation of the test set forth in United Services Auto. Ass'n v. Morris, 741 P .2d 246 (Ariz. 1987), permitting an insured to settle over the objections of the insurer. The court was faced with an issue of first impression concerning whether insurance coverage is forfeited when an insured settles a tort claim without its insurer’s consent when the policy is subject to a reservation of rights and the insurer asserts that the claims may not be covered by the policy. … [Read more...] about Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules Insured May Enter Settlement Despite Insurer’s Objections

Court finds in Tooey that Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act does not bar latent occupational disease lawsuits against employers. On November 22, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in  Tooey et al. v. AK Steel Corp. et al . [1]  held that the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act (the Act) did not immunize employers in lawsuits by the estates of two former employees who had allegedly been exposed to asbestos dust during their employment but did not develop mesothelioma until more than a decade later. In a significant shift from existing precedent, the court held that common law claims for an occupational disease that manifests outside of 300 weeks (just over five and a half years) after the last date of employment are not barred by the exclusivity provisions of the Act. [2] … [Read more...] about Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules on Workers’ Compensation Act Case

After the police union’s collective bargaining agreement with the city of Pittsburgh expired at the end of 2014, the union and the city were unable to reach another agreement. The two parties began arbitration in compliance with Pennsylvania’s Police and Fireman Collective Bargaining Act. The arbitration panel then issued an award from the years 2015-2018 after examining many factors, including police office compensation in comparison to officers in similarly situation districts. The lower court quashed the union’s appeal of the award. … [Read more...] about Pennsylvania Supreme Court rules against police union in arbitration award case