"I had hurt my shoulder at work and was on as light duty program at my job. I had been talking to a couple of other people who had been through it and really, I was just trying to get my shoulder fixed.  One of my co-workers told me she had a lawyer and she'd had 2 but the first one didn't work out.  'Do you have a lawyer?' she asked me.  'Metro will not take care of you.' I'm a hard headed-old soldier.  I hadn't even thought about it.  I was just going along.  She said "here's the number for my attorney, but you go through the Yellow Pages and talk to lawyers and see if you can find anyone you're comfortable with."  I called 1 D.C. law firm but didn't get the response I was looking for. When I told my co-worker, she said 'take down this number and call my attorney.' She was one of Mr. Kearney's clients.  But I just wasn't sure. From the first conversation I had with Mr. Kearney I felt good.  He really made a big difference for me.  I didn't feel like I was behind the curve. I was happy with how my case went and the way the law firm treated me on a personal level. One of the first things to get over after you get hurt at work is having a case against your company.  There is some guilt about suing your employer.  Some people are scared and are told not to get a lawyer or they'll get fired. But you need a good lawyer because its about your own protection - the insurance company isn't going to get ripped off, but you could be."

R.B.

  I was very happy with everything my D.C. lawyers did - 500% happy, not just 100% happy. I was hurt in D.C. but live in Pennsylvania, so I was looking for D.C. injury lawyers on the internet after my benefits had been cut off and I didn't know where to turn.  There were so many lawyers out there. But I took my time and read everything.  I read the Donahoe Kearney bios and all of the information on the website. I got Mr. Kearney's book and read it.  I could tell he was very knowledgeable. I called the firm and was accepted for an appointment to discuss my case with Mr. Kearney. You have to educate yourself to know. Even though I had a bad injury and it was a difficult thing to go through, there was open communication from the beginning and they were very up front.  They gave me full details and didn't use a lot of legal terms (even though I'm a former police officer), they just explained things.  The service was great.  If Mr. Kearney wasn't in when I called, he would get back with me ASAP or his staff would call with information from him right away. I was very pleased with the outcome of my case and my settlement. I will definitely refer people to Donahoe Kearney.  I was not just a client, it was a relationship.

J.B.

From an injured worker who suffered a herniated disc in his back and had problems with the insurance company: In November 2007, I was an employee of a mail service private company.  While doing my official duties, I injured my back and suffered a herniated disc.  For two years I dealt with the insurance company by myself.  In November 2009, the insurance company essentially told me to get lost.  I immediately started looking for an attorney and set up an appointment with the first attorney I found, one who worked for a big law firm in Washington, D.C. I met with this lawyer, who tried to advise me of the law.  After doing my own research, I realized that this attorney either didn't fully understand the law or he wasn't being truthful with me.  I was back in the market for another attorney. I was referred to Frank Kearney.  Since that day, Mr. Kearney and his staff have been a godsend.  Professional, competent, attentive and courteous.  I have and will continue to HIGHLY recommend Mr. Kearney to anyone and everyone!

Kevin G., Washington, D.C.

Dear Frank: I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated working through the insurance company minefield with all of you at my side. During the course of getting treated for an injury, I was told by one doctor that I would need a surgery.  About one week after my injury I had to go to the Emergency Room for severe pain. I thought all was proceeding "on track."  Then the insurance company's Claims Adjuster phoned me as I was preparing to go to the Emergency Room.  She told me they would need a "taped recording" via phone, before approving any further doctor's visits or treatment. Since I had recently read one of your newsletters, I asked the adjuster if I would need an attorney. She complained so I told her I would talk to her later and I went to the Emergency Room right away. The insurance company delayed paying me anything for two months. I spoke with Frank. Two weeks later I was paid in full for my lost wages.  Everybody thinks accidents don't happen, and everything will just work out.  UNTIL IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS TO YOU! I have learned that God helps those who help themselves and that being prepared and knowing what to do and who to talk to was my BEST RECOURSE with this adverse and very real accident.  At least I was able to pay my bills and keep everybody fed, once I got the right people behind and with me. I am back at work now and quite happy with the help I've gotten from Frank and his team, but I don't think the insurance adjuster likes me or Frank's team very much. Always grateful, P.H.

PH

My journey to the big leagues was like a lot of professional athletes, both in baseball and other sports.  It was an up and down road – a lot of hard work to get there and a lot of hard work to stay there.  Like most minor leaguers, I was always playing to play the next year, to pitch my way into a contract and ultimately into the Major Leagues.  A lot of people think you just show up and play, but if you’ve played any sport professionally, you know all about the hours, the training, and the commitment required. And when you do make it, you see guys get hurt and constantly ask themselves “Can I play through it?”  After all, playing is your livelihood and you know you have a short window to play any sport professionally.  The organizations have the advantage – they know you’re hurt but ask you to go anyway.  When your production falls because of the injury, they bring in somebody else. The bottom line is pro sports is a business.  And as a player, the only one who will watch after you is you. Like most young players, I didn’t know much about workers compensation or hear much about it.  No one talked about injuries. But once you get hurt, you learn quickly that the clubs have a lot of people looking out for them – trainers, doctors, lawyers.  And you don’t. The reality is, most of us will have serious injuries during our careers.   I had two – in 2004 and 2007, with different teams and in different states.  By then, I was a veteran player, so I asked a lot of questions.  I filed for workers compensation for both injuries and my experiences were totally different. After my 2007 injury, I was referred to Washington, D.C. lawyer Frank Kearney, and once he agreed to represent me, it was like going from the “outhouse” to the “penthouse” – that’s how different it was compared to my first injury.   The outcome of the case was great, no question about that.  But more than that, I knew everything that was happening, and knew what was going on the whole time. At first, I didn’t know what to expect or even if I had a case.  But I could tell from our first conversation that Frank was very knowledgeable about the process and he took the time to listen to me, talk with my agent and come up with a plan.   When he recommended aggressive action for my case, I trusted him, because he had explained everything all along the way and was convinced that my case called for it. I think he had my best interest at heart and did what was best for me. I’ve been there.  And I recommend anyone who has played professionally for a Washington, D.C. team – in any sport – read Frank Kearney’s Guides to D.C. Workers Compensation to get all the information you can.  Even if your playing days are over, there may be rights you don’t even know you have.  Believe me, having Frank as your lawyer makes a big difference.

J.S.

CIRCA 2010 From a worker who injured his back in D.C. and was initially denied workers compensation benefits by the insurance company:  Even before deciding to acquire Mr. Kearney's representation, I began benefiting from his expertise once I received his book about workers compensation in D.C.  After securing his representation I found him and his staff prompt, courteous and effective.  Having his representation I felt more secure in obtaining just compensation under the law from a hesitant insurance company. Thanks for all your support! A.G.

Donahoe Kearney Attorneys At Law is the BEST in the beginning I had my doubts only because my job made it so hard for me after getting injured at work. I started to lose hope but I’ve been communicating with Priscilla from Donahoe Kearney office (by the way she’s is so great) after being overwhelmed with bills Priscilla contacted me, letting me know they were going to take care of everything and she did! A fter that I received another call from Donahoe Kearney office about a week later I found out my first workers comp was approved! I was so happy I couldn’t of done it without them the communication is awesome--very transparent they understand and they care about your situation   

DD, MD

                  Mr. Kearney and Staff: It's been almost 3 months since I've received my settlement. It was far more than I imagined and has been and is an invaluable financial blessing. It has helped me accomplish goals that I would have never been able to do otherwise. Words do little to describe the joy and the peace you've helped usher into my life. Please continue to change lives as you did mine.

L.H. Washington, DC

I caught up with Bob a couple of months after settling his case, and it was great to get his story from the "After" perspective. Bob was a Chief Engineer (which if you are not familiar with the engineering scene for office buildings, condos and facilities is a big deal - you're responsible for keeping the whole physical plant running).  He said he enjoyed doing it - only 15% desk work, the rest of it out there with the guys, teaching, working. He enjoyed doing that. Now he can't return to that kind of work - hasn't been able to since his first surgery. Bob had two surgeries, both from the same fall. It was a bad fall. When he fell it was on black ice and he was hustling out of the office. Both feet went sidewise, and Bob went horizontal in the air body slammed down on his shoulder. The fall was so hard that he bounced back up.  The first surgery was reconstructive on the bicep, labrum and rotator cuff. Over time, the cartilage was ground away by the anchors in his shoulder and he had to have his entire shoulder replaced. Even now, he still can't use his arm like he used to, can't lift. He had what we call a "permanent injury." I asked Bob why he sought out an attorney. He said "I wasn't getting better and with therapy, getting worse and not better. Everything had reattached during the first surgery the anchors came loose and started grinding the cartilage away. The doctor did an MRI and wasn't able to diagnose. I couldn't understand why he couldn't tell me what was going on." He had an attorney from one of the big TV commercial law firms in town.  The lawyer they gave him was young and inexperienced.  As a client, he was just a number, part of a mill (we've heard that before).  He wasn't getting calls back, status reports, etc. Then by chance, he mentioned this to an elevator inspector who had been a client of Frank's in the past. The elevator mechanic gave him Frank's name and number, with a strong recommendation. 15 minutes later Bob knew he had the right lawyer for his case. I can remember when Bob came on as a client. He was frustrated and nervous because he had a serious injury and he wasn't getting help from his lawyer. Bob was a fantastic client from day 1. I asked Bob what kind of plans he has for the future. He said: "I'm looking into teaching, maybe something along the lines of the air conditioning field. Sales maybe. NAPE (National Association of Power Engineers) maybe being a teacher's assistant. I used to belong to Local 99." Any advice for others now that you've been through a case after a serious injury? "Call Donahoe Kearney - "You guys were just phenomenal, never had a problem. You took care of my case, very professional and I was very happy and satisfied with the settlement. Definitely recommend you and Frank to anyone."   

BG, VA.

It took me some time to find a lawyer for my workers’ comp case. I wanted someone to help me navigate the process and to get me a fair deal, but I wanted to keep things professional. I soon learned that in addition to knowing a lot about the workers comp process, Frank knows many of the players, which helped us make informed decisions. I am pleased with the settlement I received and I’m grateful to his team for all their support.

A.D. Washington, DC