Legal Word of Wisdom

This section is brought to you by the Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Inc. (www.legalclinicforthedisabled.org) and written by Rodney Warner, Esq, a cancer survivor. Legal Clinic for the Disabled is a non-profit law firm that provides free legal services to the physically disabled in Philadelphia and the surrounding Pennsylvania counties. These articles are for informational purposes only and are not intended as legal advice. Please speak with an attorney for legal advice.

Baby It’s Cold Outside: Meeting Utility Bills & Feeding the Family Cold weather, a slowing economy, and cancer. The first two come and go, the last is a constant. In this slow economy, more and more folks are losing their jobs and facing economic hardship. Cold weather and cancer treatment may lead to additional...
Legal Words of Wisdom: Child Custody There are many families out there struggling to stay together. If cancer enters the scene, families may rally together or fracture under the pressure. Under Pennsylvania law, if a judge needs to decide which person is going to have which...
Legal Words of Wisdom: COBRA The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA, passed in 1986) gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to continue group health benefits provided by their group health plan for limited periods of time...
Legal Words of Wisdom: Dealing with Insurance Companies Your patient is getting nowhere with her insurance company. Multiple calls to the toll free “help” line either results in conflicting information or an endless computerized phone tree from Hell. If you are facing insurance coverage...
Legal Words of Wisdom: Debt Collection Even in the best of times, a cancer patient may have bills stacking up. With the economy slowing down and unemployment worsening, unpaid bills are becoming a more common problem. Bill collectors may call, but there are legal limits as to what they...
Legal Words of Wisdom: Don't Ask, Don't Tell I’m often asked, “Do I need to tell my employer I have cancer?” Not to sound like a lawyer, but, the answer is yes and no. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a job applicant’s health is not something that should be discussed. A...
Legal Words of Wisdom: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell I’m often asked, “Do I need to tell my employer I have cancer?” Not to sound like a lawyer, but, the answer is yes and no. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a job applicant’s health is not something that should be...
Legal Words of Wisdom: Financial Power of Attorney Powers of attorney are not limited to the health care realm. Financial powers of attorney can be invaluable to a person dealing with cancer. If a patient doesn’t have the energy, desire or ability to deal with financial matters, this document...
Legal Words of Wisdom: FMLA The federal Family Medical Leave Act is a product of our political system. Like virtually every federal law, it’s a compromise between competing interests. In this case, the competitors are employers and employees. This tug of war has left the...
Legal Words of Wisdom: Grandparents' Custody Rights In some circumstances, a grandparent can be awarded partial custody or visitation rights for a grandchild. Such a right could be exercised when, The court finds it is in the best interests of the grandchild, A birth parent is deceased, ...
Legal Words of Wisdom: Legal Resources for People with Cancer A diagnosis of cancer brings with it anxiety and stress over treatment decisions and getting well. Taking care of the kids, going to work and paying the bills still have to be done, and the last thing a person with cancer wants to deal with are...
Legal Words of Wisdom: Power of Attorney Picking the right person for the right job can make all the difference. This is especially true when it comes to powers of attorney and living wills. Under Pennsylvania law, a health care power of attorney is a legal document where the...
Legal Words of Wisdom: Social Security Disability This section is brought to you by the Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Inc. Rodney Warner is a staff attorney at the Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Inc., a non-profit law firm that provides free legal services to the physically disabled in...
Legal Words of Wisdom: Standby Guardianship Peace of mind can be a rare, valuable commodity to a single parent dealing with cancer. A standby guardianship is a legal document that may put to rest some of the fears concerning a child’s future. It allows the parent to name...
Legal Words of Wisdom: The ADA Will Be More Cancer Survivor Friendly Starting next year, disabled employees will be better protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). President Bush signed a bill amending the ADA last month. The ADA prohibits discrimination against disabled employees whose employers have...