“I was extremely fortunate to have been represented by Adam Dombchik. He has a strong grasp of law and always talked straight and simply with me and advised me of what I might expect. He and his staff always were prepared and answered all phone calls and e-mails immediately and to my satisfaction. They are entirely devoted to their clients. My trust of Adam was and is 100 percent. He took all of the stress out of my case and made sure that I was compensated properly and treated with dignity.”
It’s all about community—working together to educate, help, share. Lending an ear when someone needs you to listen, lending a voice when another person’s troubles have gone unheard. Sometimes it’s just being there.
Over the years, the staff of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein has not only talked the talk but has also walked the walk. Sometimes literally as we have pounded the pavement to raise money for AIDS research or driven in mock funerals to pay tribute to workers who have been killed or injured on job.
This community activism has also taken an educational tack wherein the firm’s attorneys teach a wide variety of Southern California’s workers—from electricians and steelworkers to grocery store clerks and deli managers—about their rights and what to do if they are injured on and off the job.
We are dedicated to giving back by sharing knowledge, resources and time.
It has been said that by helping others, you help yourself. Workers’ Compensation attorneys from Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton and Goldstein (GEK) are experiencing that firsthand as they volunteer their legal services to low-income workers who have been injured on the job.
Their efforts are a part of the Worksafe Legal Support Services, a non-profit organization dedicated to safety, health and justice for California’s workers. The GEK team of attorneys—Adam Dombchik, Amy Leung and Al Lizarraga—lends its expertise to the Neighborhood Legal Services (NLS) Worker’s Rights clinic in Glendale, one of the legal clinics in the Southland that’s associated with Worksafe.
“We see a variety of individuals at the NLS clinic, including factory workers, delivery people, food service employees, loading dock workers…who are seeking advice regarding work-related injuries,” says Leung. The clinic provides services for many non-English-speaking individuals who are seeking information about their legal rights. “By providing them with information about Workers’ Compensation laws, they are empowered with knowledge to pursue the medical treatment and benefits they are entitled to, either on their own or through legal representation.”
That positive impact is also felt by the GEK attorneys. “When you can use your knowledge and experience to help someone else, someone truly in need, you can’t help but feel a sense of personal satisfaction,” says Lizarraga.
That sentiment is echoed by Dombchik: “Our firm has always held that knowledge is power. By empowering the people we speak with at the clinic, we are not only putting our ideals into practice, but we are also creating change in ourselves.”
They Came, They Raced, They Talked About Safety
GEK attorneys Noah Green (left) and Howard Krepack at the firm’s booth.
The spirit of competition was alive and well during the recent Raymond Fouquet Brentwood Grand Prix. Competitors of all ages gave it their all in their respective races, trying their best to achieve the personal goal they set for themselves.
“It was great to see seasoned bicyclists out there competing, but it was equally as inspirational to see the boys and girls participating in the kids races—their enthusiasm is what bicycling is all about,” says avid cyclist and Personal Injury attorney Howard Krepack.
“Bicycling means different things to different people—recreation, competition, transportation, community. Responsibility also needs to be thrown into the mix particularly when it comes to being role models for the next generation of bicyclists. This includes understanding the rules of the road and following the safety protocol when it comes to such things as wearing helmets, using hand signals and staying out of the door zone.”
Krepack’s firm, Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton and Goldstein (GEK), is a sponsor of Velo Club La Grange, the bicycling club that hosts the annual race in Brentwood.
GEK Attorney Howard Krepack with the Men’s Cat 3 winners, from left, David Robertson, Jack Lindquist and Wilson Blas. GEK sponsored that race.
“Because we had a booth at the event we were able to speak to a lot of people about the law as it pertains to bicycling, lane positioning, what to do in case of an accident, and riding defensively. We also listened to a lot of stories about cyclists’ serious accidents or near misses. It’s amazing how many people have been involved in bicycle accidents, many of which have impacted them permanently.
“It’s clear that great strides to enhance safety for bicyclists have been made—in large part because of the hard work done by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition—but we still have a long way to go. This includes reminding people that motorists and bicyclists share equal rights to the road, which means both groups must act respectfully and responsibly.”
It was obvious that those racing got the memo about good sportsmanship. Camaraderie was the name of the game, and it started with the first race of the day as two bicyclists participated in the Women’s Cat 3/4 race riding a beach cruiser and a mountain bike. They were welcomed by their fellow competitors and cheered by the crowd.
(As part of GEK’s commitment to advocating for the rights of bicyclists, the firm has created a Facebook page—Bicycling Justice—to inform and educate bicycling enthusiasts.)
Law Firm Participates in the President’s Mandated Listening Session
They were sent to Los Angeles by President Barak Obama to listen. And that’s exactly what senior leadership members from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Interior and Defense did recently at the public listening session for America’s Great Outdoors Presidential Initiative.
They expressed their views and listened to suggestions from the capacity crowd at Occidental College’s Thorne Hall regarding the nation’s conservation and environmental agenda for the 21st century. This feedback will help shape the report they send to the president in November.
Among those addressing the audience was Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa who spoke of the “emerald necklace” of parks and open spaces that bring a city together. “Change is in the air, it’s in the environment, it’s in the Los Angles River.”
Panel members (from left): L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Jo-Ellen Darcy, Assistant Secretary of the Army, Ken Salazar, Secretary, Dept. of the Interior, Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator, Nancy Sutley, Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality, Harris Sherman, Undersecretary, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.
That change, however, doesn’t come easy, and it starts, according to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, with expanding our definition of the great outdoors to include everything from wide-open spaces to dense urban areas.
Ken Salazar, Secretary, Department of the Interior, dug a bit deeper as he outlined what he sees as the key components to the initiative. “Great urban parks need our attention.
Rivers—we turned our backs on rivers in the past, but when we turned to face them again, we found they had become the hub of vitality for great cities.” He also stressed the need for historic and cultural preservation, identifying great landscapes and preserving wildlife habitat.
According to Howard Krepack, a partner in the firm of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton and Goldstein (GEK), “It was important for GEK to be present at this unique event. We are committed to advocating for the rights of bicyclists to enjoy the great outdoors in a safe and sane way. Transportation—be it labeled recreation as in the case of bicycling, or necessity as in the case of increased public transit—has to be a priority of this new environmental agenda.”
The revitalization of the L.A. River is one example of how communities are conserving outdoor spaces.
Incorporating transportation issues such as bicycling was one of the suggestions from the audience. In addition, there was mention of the missing education component and the need for a hands-on approach to getting students outside. Renewable energy and not allowing our deserts to become “parking lots for solar panels” was also a concern. As was the need for a smart, green infrastructure with collaboration that would champion multi-issue projects, and the need to create jobs through the initiative. Representatives from the off-road industry, the equestrian community and recreational fishermen also expressed their concerns.
“The conservation challenges we face in the 21st century are complex,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality. “They cry out for new and innovative solutions. We are here to identify new opportunities.”
Paying Tribute to Fallen Workers
Photographs of workers killed on the job adorned a flower-laden altar in front of the UCLA Labor Center at a recent Workers’ Memorial Day event. Each killed worker memorialized on that altar had a story, for instance:
Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez was 17 and pregnant when she died of heat stress after eight hours of pruning grape vines with no access to shade or water.
James Strickland, 44, was fatally struck from behind by a train while performing his duties as a train inspector for BART.
Hugo Bustamante, 46, and Kelly Hales, 56, were both victims of workplace violence.
Thousands of workers in the United States are injured or killed on the job each year as a result of “preventable incidents,” according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Latino workers suffer higher rates of workplace injuries and deaths than all other workers.
“Today we are here because work is dangerous,” Pastor Bridie Roberts told those in attendance—workers, families, community groups, union members, policy makers and advocates—as she began the prayer ceremony. After 40 names of the 404 people who died on the job in California in 2008 were read aloud, Roberts told those assembled to “Remember them, remember their lives, their families and that they had dreams for the future.”
“This is a solemn event, but it’s also very inspirational because these fallen workers are not forgotten, and the people who gathered together to pay homage are also working hard day in and day out so that each subsequent year there will be fewer names to read,” said attorney Amy Leung, an associate at Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein.
Speakers, including Representatives Laura Richardson (D-Long Beach) and Judy Chu (D-32nd District), urged passage of strong state and federal occupational safety laws, including HR 2067, the Protecting America’s Workers Act. Referencing the bill, Chu said, “It will go a long way in strengthening worker protection, and OSHA will truly have some teeth to go after those who are breaking the law. There’s a new sheriff in town. We will change things for the better to keep workers safe.”
Altar of Remembrance—paying tribute to fallen workers.
The event was presented by SoCalCOSH and UCLA-LOSH (Labor Occupational Safety & Health Program); both non-profit groups are dedicated to workers’ health and safety.
It included a four-mile commemorative funeral procession through central Los Angeles, with cars displaying posters in English and Spanish with such messages as “Work kills more people than wars” and “No job is worth more than our lives.” The procession helped spread the word to the community and called attention to issues of workplace deaths and the importance of safety measures.
“We have been a proud sponsor of this event for years because we believe in the work of SoCalCOSH and UCLA-LOSH,” Leung said. “As Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury attorneys we constantly see how unsafe work conditions can devastate the lives of workers, their families and their colleagues.”
Attorneys Participate In Launch of New Community Organization
Attorneys Vincent Vallin Bennett, Gary Stern and Noah Green, associates at Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton and Goldstein, recently attended an event for the launch of Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE).
“Our firm is proud to participate and work with an organization such as ACCE that recognizes the importance of preserving social justice for all of us in our communities,” Bennett said.
Attorney Vincent Vallin Bennett addresses those attending a fundraising event for the launch of Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment.
“For over 25 years, we at Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton and Goldstein have recognized the need to protect and enhance the quality of life for the members of our communities and have worked tirelessly to maintain and advance the legal rights of our clients who have been injured in and out of the workplace.
“Because we understand the daily struggles of working families, particularly in these economic times, our proven commitment to delivering outstanding legal services and results is as strong as ever.”
ACCE is an independent, statewide organization created to empower low-income Californians in a variety of ways, including understanding their legal rights. To learn more about ACCE, visit their website at www.calorganize.org.
Meeting with Representatives from the California Teachers Association
Jesús Escandón, CTA Regional UniServ staff member, left, discusses a workers’ compensation issue with Attorney Richard Felton.
Teachers continue to face unprecedented challenges on the job—exposure to toxic materials, repetitive motion damage, assaults—physical and verbal—and high blood pressure caused by stress. And so it was fitting that Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Sherry Grant and Richard Felton addressed representatives from the California Teachers Association about a wide range of issues at the group’s recent regional staff meeting.
Grant and Felton, partners at Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, covered such topics as temporary disability, medical treatment, permanent disability and dependent benefits.
“Because we have a lot of experience representing teachers, we understand the wide variety of issues you face,” Felton told the audience. “As a firm, we pool our collective efforts and resources to ensure that our clients receive the full range of benefits to which they are entitled.”
In so doing, the firm’s workers’ compensation attorneys thoroughly educate their clients about what’s involved when it comes to medical treatment for a workplace injury.
“One way to ‘break free’ from your employer’s Medical Provider Network is by pre-designating your own doctor in writing before a workplace injury,” said Grant. “This right is a powerful tool, and enables injured workers to be cared for by a doctor who knows their medical history and with whom they have built a relationship. In many cases, this physician can provide effective treatment, enabling the injured worker to return to his or her job more quickly.”
Attorney Sherry Grant, left, and CTA Assistant Executive Director Robin Rose.
Acting proactively is also the key to keeping injured workers from feeling like “rats in a maze” when it comes to the myriad procedural timelines involved in pursuing a workers’ compensation claim, according to Grant. “If you don’t respond ‘correctly’ you may have waived your rights. It’s important to act early when you are injured; call us and we will advise you.”
Felton discussed recent court decisions that have taken some of the sting out of the Workers’ Compensation “Reform” of 2004. Given the complexity of this developing law, it is more important than ever to consult any attorney early on in the process.
“We have been and will continue to be deeply involved in the development of legal arguments that affect California’s workers,” he said. “Because Workers’ Compensation Laws are constantly changing, it is vital for injured workers to have effective legal representation to fight for their rights. The good news is that with our help, seriously injured people have a better chance of receiving the benefits to which they are entitled under the law.”
Keeping His Voice Alive
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?"
That’s an easy question to answer for Angela Davis and Glenda Jackson, two staff members of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, who attended parades commemorating Dr. King for the 10th time. And, it all had to do with educating the children.
“When I speak of Dr. King to my kids, I describe him as a great, fearless man who taught us to fight for what we believe in” explained legal assistant Davis who participated in the Long Beach festivities. “My 8-year-old daughter reads a lot of books about Dr. King and she understands how he has helped different cultures come together; it’s not just an African-American parade, it’s for everybody.”
File clerk Jackson braved the torrential rain in Los Angeles to participate in the parade. “I feel like a role model for the younger generation,” she said. “If the children see something positive coming out of it, it’s a good thing.” And what is that something positive? “Keeping his voice alive and learning to stand up for your rights instead of sitting around and letting everybody else do the talking for you.”
Keeping Dr. King’s voice alive is exactly what the parade participants did, regardless of what Mother Nature had in store for them. “The rain was coming down so hard, you could hardly see in front of you,” Jackson explained. “But all those in the parade—the marching bands, drill teams, dancers—they were out there with smiles on their faces and participating as if it were a bright, sunny day.”
“This parade gives me such a feeling of pride to see how far we have come and to realize all that this man did so that we can have this togetherness,” said Davis. “Dr. King died so we can have all of this. He didn’t see it in his lifetime; I’m blessed to be seeing it in mine.”
Personal Injury Attorneys Share Knowledge and Experience as Exhibitors at California Applicants’ Attorneys Convention
Attorney Roger Gordon in the firm’s booth at the California Applicants’ Attorneys Association Convention.
Personal Injury Attorneys Roger Gordon, Howard Krepack and Eugenia Steele were on hand at the recent California Applicants’ Attorneys Association (CAAA) Convention in Rancho Mirage, discussing third-party claims with their Workers’ Compensation counterparts.
The trio, partners in the law firm of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, has 30 years of experience handling these types of cases—civil lawsuits brought against a party other than an employer who bears at least some fault for a person’s work-related injury.
“Having a booth at the CAAA convention was an ideal way to reacquaint some of the attorneys present with the full spectrum of our services and introduce others to the wide range of knowledge, expertise and experience we bring to the cases we handle—third party or otherwise,” says Gordon. “It was also a learning experience for us as we discovered the breadth of resources available to help injured workers recover as fully and quickly as possible.”
Soon-to-be Speaker of the California Assembly John Perez (D-Los Angeles) and Attorney Adam Dombchik, CAAA President.
The plight of injured workers was front and center at a fundraising event in which soon-to-be Speaker of the California Assembly John Perez (D-Los Angeles) was presented with an official iWAR (Injured Women After Reform) T-shirt. Perez was introduced by Adam Dombchik, a Workers’ Compensation partner at Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, and President of CAAA.
“The entire convention was anoverwhelming success for everyone in attendance,” says Dombchik. “In terms of our firm, our Workers’ Compensation attorneys gained a great deal of beneficial information, keeping us on the cutting edge of the changes in Workers’ Compensation Law, and our Personal Injury attorneys shared useful insights into how they can be of service to California workers.”
Meeting With Stewards at the
UFCW Local 770 Conference
Attorney Steve Scardino visits with Luisa Estes of UFCW Local 770.
Solidarity was the theme that ran through all of the speeches and presentations at the recent UFCW Local 770 Stewards Conference. The audience—600 members strong—listened intently as President Rick Icaza, Secretary-Treasurer Rod Diamond, Executive Vice President William Donough and others discussed the economy, health coverage, pensions and so much more, all the time focusing on the need to present a united front.
“You are the advance guard, protecting the families of those you represent,” Attorney General Jerry Brown said as he first addressed the crowd. “You need a powerful union to protect your rights. I understand why solidarity is important; if you join together in unity, you have power.”
Protecting the rights of union members injured on or off the job was precisely why attorneys Steve Scardino and Noah Green from Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein were at the event.
“It’s vital that the stewards understand the full range of benefits to which injured workers in California are entitled so they can share that information with those in their stores,” said Scardino. “As advocates for a safe and healthy work environment, we feel fortunate for an opportunity such as this where we can speak with members of Local 770 and share our knowledge and our educational materials with them.”
This idea of joining forces for a common good was echoed by Brown as he touched upon his bid for the governorship. “It will be great if we can work together because there will be some tough times ahead. But, California will be an even greater place when we all pull together.”
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