FBR Selected as Disability Counsel by NYC Corrections Captains Association

On Monday, January 22, 2007, members of our firm, Fusco, Brandenstein & Rada, P.C., my partners, Vic Fusco, Esq., Richard Brandenstein, Esq. and Erin McCabe, Esq. and I met with President Ron W. Whitfield and Vice-president Patty Farraiuolo. The result of this meeting is that we have very proudly agreed to serve as disability counsel to the Correction Captains Association. I have been asked to acquaint the membership with my firm by telling you something about us.

We are New York’s premier accident, disability and Workers’ Compensation attorneys. The firm was founded in 1978 by managing partner, Victor Fusco. One year later Richard Brandenstein joined the firm. In 1982, I joined the firm, after working for several years as a staff attorney with the Federal Social Security Administration’s Office of Hearings and Appeals as a staff attorney.

Vic Fusco is a frequent lecturer and writer in the areas of Social Security Disability and Workers’ Compensation. He writes articles for numerous union newsletters and local newspapers. Vic is the founding president of the New York Social Security Bar Association and a founding member of the Social Security Section of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and board member and a past president of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives. Since March 1999, he has been the host of “Labor Lines,” a radio program about working men and women and the organizations that represent them. The show is heard twice weekly on WGBB, 1240 AM radio (Thursday at 7:00 PM and Saturday at 6:30 PM) and simultaneously, webcast on www.am1240wgbb.com.

Richard Brandenstein heads up the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Division and has extensive experience in the field of Workers’ Compensation. He has handled thousands of hearings over the course of 27 years. He, too, is a frequent lecturer to other attorneys in the area of Workers’ Compensation law and holds many round table seminars for doctors and their office staff to increase familiarity with the nuances of Workers’ Compensation law. Richard and I are lecturers to new classes of Nassau County Police Sergeants in the areas of disability and Workers’ Compensation.

Erin McCabe is another attorney in our Workers’ Compensation Department, as well as serving as our office manager. Erin’s expertise is in the area of Workers’ Compensation, Social Security Disability, real estate and wills. Erin is presently serving as the first Vice-President of the Injured Workers’ Bar Association, a state wide organization of attorneys who specialize in Workers’ Compensation matters. She has tried hundreds of cases and handled thousands of hearings along with scores of depositions over the years. Erin, too, is an active member of the legal community and a frequent lecturer on disability matters for professional and community organizations.

The firm has 11 attorneys to work with you in matters involving on and off duty injuries, motor vehicle accidents, disability claims (including inmate related, heart bill and 9-11 Presumptions cases), Social Security Disability and Workers’ Compensation claims. For your convenience and to provide the best possible service, we have offices in Nassau County: Woodbury and Uniondale; Suffolk County: Medford and Commack; Manhattan; the Bronx and Queens. Our main office is at 180 Froehlich Farm Blvd, Woodbury, New York 11797. All of our locations are linked by a wide area network as well as the Internet. All our offices can be contacted through one convenient toll-free phone number (800) 416-5454. You can also e-mail the law firm at info@fbrlaw.com.

In agreeing with CCA’s president and vice-president to serve as disability counsel we have pledged to provide CCA members with the finest possible legal representation. This will include your ability to meet with one of the partners concerning whatever claim you might have. Your CCA leadership requires that a cornerstone of our representation be communication with our individual CCA clients. We hope you will support your CCA’s choice of disability counsel by calling us when you need legal assistance with any disability, injury or accident related matter.

Of course, it is always preferable that you not need our services because we deal with injured, disabled and sick Correction Captains. However, as you well know, injury and disability come with the nature and duties of your job title. We would like to guarantee that we will win every disability case that is brought to us. That is simply something that we cannot do; nobody can. But we do guarantee first class service, attentiveness to your case, access to the owners and partners of the firm and multiple locations throughout the metropolitan area to best assist you. It will be easy for you to communicate with us and to meet with us.

Since 1988 we have proudly served as the Nassau County PBA disability counsel. We now bring to you, the membership of the CCA, the same level of commitment and service we have provided to Nassau County cops for the past 18 ½ years.

I will be handling all the disability claims, whether inmate related, heart bill, 9-11 Presumptive, HAT, accidental disability, ordinary disability or Article 15 disability. My very, very able paralegal is Carol Venezia. You can schedule an appointment by calling Carol directly at 516-496-0400, ext 4413. Please be sure to identify yourself as a member of the CCA.

We look forward to a very long and mutually satisfying relationship with the CCA. In future editions, we will discuss the particulars of the various benefit programs as they affect you. If you have topics you would like addressed, please let me know. You can e-mail me directly at mrada@fbrlaw.com. We will be attending the February membership meeting and we look forward to meeting you in person. For further information about the firm, please visit our website at www.fbr.law.com.