Almost 115 years ago, in 1906, James J. Powell, Sr. founded Powell Law based on the principles of “honor, integrity, and trust.” As one of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s oldest law firms, our attorneys and staff have adhered to these principles for well over a century. The attorneys and staff at Powell Law cherish these principles and […]
After a delay of a month, the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s Legislative Budget and Finance Committee finally released its findings in a report about the potential effects of the current proposal to revise Pennsylvania’s venue rules for medical malpractice cases. The committee assumed the task of reviewing the possible effects of the controversial medical malpractice venue rule changes in February, following […]
As most Pennsylvania residents know, if you operate a vehicle in Pennsylvania, you must have automobile insurance. Certain types and limits of insurance are mandatory, while other types of coverage are optional. If a motorist desires a certain type of legal coverage and is willing to pay for it, an insurer will gladly sell it […]
In 2002, in an effort to affect tort reform, the Pennsylvania legislature enacted the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Act. One of the features of this legislation is the inclusion of a statute of repose that applies to medical malpractice cases. While most people are familiar with statutes of limitations, many are […]
Of course, it is always difficult to deal with the loss of a loved one. Sadly, it is a fact of life that people die from events such as motor vehicle accidents and incidents of medical malpractice. Depending on the circumstances, there are certain actions that must be completed for survivors to achieve the finality […]
Medical records contain important personal information such as a patient’s medical history and treatment. Under Pennsylvania law, your health care provider owns your medical records. However, both federal and state law empower Pennsylvania residents with certain rights related to medical records. If you’ve been to a doctor’s office in the past few decades, you are […]
Pennsylvania generally divides its child labor law into two parts – laws affecting children aged 14 & 15 and laws affecting children aged 16 & 17. These laws regulate how many hours a child may work while in school and on vacation. Also, even high school graduates in Pennsylvania are generally required to obtain work […]
The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) recognizes and declares the following to be a civil right which is enforceable as described in the legislation: “The opportunity for an individual to obtain employment for which he is qualified, and to obtain all the accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of any public accommodation and of any housing […]
In 2018, Governor Tom Wolf signed HB 271, which officially legalized sports gambling in Pennsylvania through an extensive bill passed by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The legislation is only one part of a broader revenue package intended to solve Pennsylvania’s $2.2 billion budget deficit. Since 1992, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (“PASPA”) banned all sports betting in most […]
In late 2018, The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania issued an important decision of which all employers and employees must carefully take note. In Dittman v. UPMC, 2018 Pa. LEXIS 6051 (Pa. Nov. 21, 2018), the court held that: An employer has “a legal duty to exercise reasonable care to safeguard” employee personal data stored on […]
