Hayward WI Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Safe Holiday Travel Tips for Wisconsin Motorists

By Matt Lein of Lein Law Offices posted in Personal Injury on Wednesday, November 14, 2018.

All of us at Lein Law Offices wish you a happy Thanksgiving and a safe and enjoyable start to the holiday season.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation reports peak travel period will be between noon and 8 p.m. on Friday and Sunday following Thursday's Thanksgiving gatherings. Ideally, you should plan to travel outside peak times. Motorists should also be aware of ongoing road construction, as crews attempt to finish jobs before the arrival of winter weather.

You can check status of construction along your travel route by visiting the Department of Transportation's 511 Wisconsin Construction Projects.

Common Causes of Wisconsin Work Accidents

By Matt Lein of Lein Law Offices posted in Workers' Compensation on Wednesday, November 14, 2018.

Being injured on the job can significantly impact your ability to work, earn a living, and enjoy life.

Each year Wisconsin processes about 22,000 workers' compensation claims, totaling more than $200 million, according to the state Department of Workforce Development. The average claim is about $10,000. A look at a year's worth of statistics illustrates the most common on-the-job accident risks in Wisconsin:

Burns or scalds: 334 cases
Caught in/between: 1,181 cases
Cut/puncture/scrape: 927 cases
Slip or fall: 5,381 cases
Motor Vehicle accident: 610 cases
Strains: 8,815 cases
Struck by: 2,367 cases

What to know when applying for SSDI benefits

On behalf of Lein Law Offices posted in Social Security Disability on Friday, November 9, 2018.

As a Wisconsin resident with a disability that is so severe it prevents you from making a living, you may be trying to explore your options and find out what methods you might be able to utilize to help you get by. Many people who, like you, have long-term disabilities, decide to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance from the U.S. Social Security Administration, but many people also receive denials from the administration in response to their initial claims. At Lein Law Offices, we have a comprehensive understanding of the SSDI application and appeals processes, and we have helped many people in your shoes pursue solutions that meet their needs.

According to Everyday Health, there is a considerable amount of misinformation out there when it comes to the SSDI benefit system, and learning to separate SSDI fact from fiction may help improve your chances of benefit approval. It may, too, help you budget and plan for your life accordingly when you have a better idea of what SSDI benefits truly entail.

Help for Hayward Homebuyers, Real Estate Brokers

By Matt Lein of Lein Law Offices posted in Real Estate on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

Lein Law Offices continues to help homebuyers, home sellers and real estate brokers throughout the lakes region with comprehensive title services and legal help.

Homebuyers coming from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Eau Claire, Madison, Duluth, Chicago and Milwaukee can rely on our title services and other legal services to buy and sell real estate throughout Sawyer County and the lakes region. A popular area for second homes and summer getaways, area lakes include Lac Courte Oreilles, Grindstone Lake, Round Lake, Moose Lake, Spider Lake, Windigo Lake, the Chippewa Flowage, Whitefish Lake, Lake Hayward, Nelson Lake, Spring Lake, and Lake Namakagon.

Real Estate Legal Help in Sawyer County

Our title services in Hayward and Winter assist homeowners or homebuyers who wish to complete a private transaction. Proper title review and title insurance assure both parties of a valid transaction without the traditional cost or hassle of a brokered transaction. We work hard to make real estate transfers as hassle-free and seamless as possible, including transfer of property ownership, chain of title, conveyances, lien and judgment review and loan document verification.

We issue title insurance polices that offer protection against lien defects through Attorneys' Title Guarantee Fund, Inc.

At Lein Law Offices, other real estate issues we handle include easements/rights of way, zoning, adverse possession, foreclosure, leases and deed transfers. We also provide full-service closing documents.

Title Services for Agents and Brokers

We work with real estate brokers and sales agents throughout the lakes region to provide reliable Sawyer County title services and responsive real estate legal help, from dealing with property liens to buying or selling businesses.

The Chapter 7 means test explained

On behalf of Lein Law Offices posted in Bankruptcy on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

Struggles with debt is a more common problem in Hayward than many may think. It may be relatively easy to fall into a situation (either through the loss of a job, a severe injury or illness, or other scenarios both in and out of one's control) where debt difficulties become very real; conversely, it can often be next to impossible for one to work their way out of such a predicament on their own. Personal bankruptcy may ultimately be one's best option at returning to a sound financial state.

Chapter 7 is often the preferred method of personal bankruptcy due to the opportunity it presents to have debts discharged. Indeed, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute, 63.72 percent of all personal bankruptcy filings in American during the second fiscal quarter of 2018 were Chapter 7 cases. However, just because one may want to seek a Chapter 7 bankruptcy does not mean that they are qualified to.

Early Darkness Increases Risks of Wisconsin Traffic Collisions

By Matt Lein of Lein Law Offices posted in Personal Injury on Monday, October 29, 2018.

Halloween's ghosts and goblins herald return of an even bigger fright: Early darkness to Hayward, Winter and the entire Sawyer County region.

Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 a.m. November 4 in Wisconsin, which will quickly bring encroaching darkness to the roads and areas of Lac Courte Oreiles, Grindstone Lake, Round Lake, Moose Lake and countless others.

Cross-country skiing and snowmobiling is just around the corner.

Our personal injury lawyers in Hayward and Winter urge you to use caution as dusk comes to your afternoon commute. Bicyclists and pedestrians are at particularly high risk, beginning with this week's trick-or-treat events and Halloween.

Halloween week is the most dangerous of the year for pedestrians. But winter darkness increases the risks for everyone.

What can workers' compensation cover?

On behalf of Lein Law Offices posted in Workers' Compensation on Friday, October 19, 2018.

As a worker in Wisconsin, your job and environment have a heavy impact on your health. Sometimes, incidents at your workplace or the overall environment or means of your job may cause you to suffer from injury or illness. Lein Law Offices, attorneys at law, are here to help.

Two of the primary types of workers' compensation are permanent and temporary. These are determined based on the severity of your illness or injury, as well as its projected duration. For example, with temporary workers' compensation, your ailment must affect you for longer than 7 work days before you become eligible. However, the duration of the injury can't be indefinite, as this is only intended for temporary situations.

A look at cognitive distraction and hands-free cellphones

On behalf of Lein Law Offices posted in Personal Injury on Wednesday, October 3, 2018.

Although talking and texting on a hand-held cellphone is not illegal for Wisconsin drivers, the dangerous practice takes thousands of lives throughout the United States every year. As a result, many people have started using hands-free cellphones as a way to continue engaging in business while minimizing visual and manual distractions. Companies market hands-free cellphones as a safe alternative to using hand-held cellphones while behind the wheel. Study results show, however, that hands-free cellphones may not be as safe as some might think.

AAA released a study indicated that talking on a hands-free cellphone while behind the wheel is only slightly less distracting than using a hand-held cellphone. In fact, hands-free cellphones created a significant amount of cognitive distraction and made it difficult for drivers to stay focused on the road. During the study, researchers measured participants' heart rates, eye movement, brain activity and response time to different driving hazards, as they engaged in several activities. These tasks include the following:

Listening to the radio
Listening to a book-on-tape
Talking on a hands-free and a hand-held cellphone
Speaking with a passenger in the car
Composing an email using voice-activated technology

Wisconsin Safe Driving in Autumn

By Matt Lein of Lein Law Offices posted in Personal Injury on Friday, September 28, 2018.

Trips along the Wisconsin scenic routes in autumn to enjoy the explosion of changing foliage and crisp air can be invigorating. They are a top tourist draw in the Badger state, with Travel Wisconsin offering the 11 best scenic routes to glimpse the fall splendor. The Hayward Lakes Area in Sawyer County is in the top three - with parts winding through the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, the Blue Hills and the Lac Courte Oreilles Indian Reservation.

However, Hayward car accident attorneys also want to drive home the point of reaching your destination safely. That means understanding the risks and taking them to heart behind the wheel.

Here, we're offering some important tips to keep in mind as you head out for that autumn drive.

Wisconsin Manufacturing Work Injury Reduction Top Priority

By Matt Lein of Lein Law Offices posted in Workers' Compensation on Wednesday, September 19, 2018.

Work injury attorneys in Hayward understand manufacturing industries are increasingly investing heavily in Wisconsin and other regions of the Midwest. This is particularly true in rural areas, with companies promising better pay, skilled labor opportunities, more updated facilities and incentives to keep graying workforces from retiring.

Foxconn recently announced its plan to invest $10 billion in a "world class manufacturing campus" in Southeast Wisconsin within the next two years. In the meantime, some manufaturers like Wigwam Mills in Sheboygan are offering cash bonuses to workers who bring in new recruits who stay at least two months, while Minnesota manufacturers are busing in workers from Wisconsin to fill the jobs they can't on their own.

One of the biggest impediments to the growth of these firms? A long-standing (and reasonable) concern that manufacturing jobs are dangerous. The National Safety Council and Travelers Insurance reports an estimated 100,000 workers in manufacturing becomes ill or is injured on-the-job each year, which works out to 4 in every 100 manufacturing workers.

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