(716) 885-9700
Personal Injury Attorneys Serving Buffalo For Over 50 Years
Upcoming Special EventsWednesday, July 15 – Last day to file Designating Petitions for 2010 Elections.Monday, July 26 – Buffalo Building Trades Charity Golf Tournament.Friday, July 30 – Buffalo AFL-CIO Council Labor Picnic.Sunday, August 1 – CWA Local 1122, 2nd Annual Charity Golf Tournament.Sunday, August 1 – Assemblyman Mark Schroeder’s Annual Margaritaville fundraiser _ Ironworkers Local 6.Saturday, August 14 – 75th Anniversary of the creation of the Social Security Act.
Upcoming Special Events
Wednesday, July 15 – Last day to file Designating Petitions for 2010 Elections.
Monday, July 26 – Buffalo Building Trades Charity Golf Tournament.
Friday, July 30 – Buffalo AFL-CIO Council Labor Picnic.
Sunday, August 1 – CWA Local 1122, 2nd Annual Charity Golf Tournament.
Sunday, August 1 – Assemblyman Mark Schroeder’s Annual Margaritaville fundraiser _ Ironworkers Local 6.
Saturday, August 14 – 75th Anniversary of the creation of the Social Security Act.
Collins & Brown is a personal injury law firm. Our practice is limited to:
Construction site injuriesAutomobile accidentsWrongful deathSocial Security DisabilityWorkers' CompensationOccupational illnessMesothelioma & Asbestos exposure
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If you've been seriously hurt, please contact us via e-mail or toll free line 1-800-933-8195
The mission statement of Collins & Brown can be traced back to 1957 when our law firm was founded by the late John T. Collins, whose philosophy of having a "concern for people and a commitment to family" remains the heart and soul of our firm.
Collins & Brown continues its pledge to fight for the rights of those who have been taken advantage of, to persist in our role as a legal watchdog, to protect our clients from unsafe work environments, and to work hard to secure stable futures for our clients and their families.
We at Collins & Brown also pledge to continue to work aggressively for our clients and to meet our own high standards of client service and professional commitment.
Meet The Firm
William B. Collins is the senior partner of the firm. He has been practicing law since 1982, representing people for serious personal injuries throughout the United States He is admitted to the State Bar of four separate states: New York, Florida, Michigan and West Virginia. Bill graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor's Degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo and Cum Laude from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in the top ten of his class. He is a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, Association of Trial Lawyers of America and the American Bar Association. He has secured clients numerous multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements.
His personal philosophy expresses his dedication to his profession and clients: "I think the cards are stacked against the average working man and woman. I consider it a personal crusade to fight for them and get them their just due."
Luke A. Brown is the newest partner of the firm. A life long resident of the Buffalo area, Luke graduated Cum Laude with his Bachelor’s degree from Canisius College, then graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School. He is also a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, American Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. Luke comes from a long tradition of trade unionism, his grandfather and father both being Union Plasterers and Business Agents for their local. He is dedicated to the firm’s continuing representation of hard working men and women. He concentrates his efforts in the areas of personal injury related to construction accidents, wrongful death and automobile accidents.
Michael P. Quinn, Jr. is an associate with the firm. A Buffalo native, Mike proudly served as an infantry paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division before returning to Western New York to start a family. He then worked for over ten years alongside his union brothers of Ironworkers Local 6 before graduating from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School. His family is strongly represented within many of the unions in the area, including the building trades. He is a member of both the Erie County and New York State Bar Associations and the New York State Defenders Association. He also volunteers as a veteran mentor for the Buffalo Veterans Treatment Court.
Charles H. Cobb is an associate with the firm. Born in Buffalo, Charles attended Syracuse University and then law school at the State University of New York at Buffalo. During law school, a few of his accomplishments included internships in London, England and Washington, DC (including with the Bricklayers Legislative office), as well as organizing an anti-sweatshop group. These achievements earned him the Law Faculty Award. He has now been practicing law in Buffalo for the past several years, focusing on construction site injuries. Along with the firm, his goal is to make sure that our community’s injured people have the representation they need to receive the justice they deserve.
Timothy J. Heyden, as the firm's Labor Representative/Consultant, is one of the leading authorities on unemployment insurance law in Western New York. Amongst his various duties, he performs unemployment insurance training classes, hands-on problem solving and represents clients at hearings before Administrative Law Judges. He brings to the Collins & Brown team almost three decades of experience in the labor movement and is a former staff representative with the Buffalo AFL-CIO Council. As a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers with Local 17 and a former heavy equipment operator, he has deep knowledge of issues affecting the men and women of the area construction trade unions. With his addition to the firm, Collins & Brown is now the only law firm in Western New York that employs both a workers’ compensation and an unemployment insurance representative.
Coleen M. Holly, the firm's Workers' Compensation Representative, is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo. After graduating, Coleen worked in the legal profession as a paralegal before receiving her New York State license to represent workers' compensation claimants in 1997. Coleen has been an intricale part of the Collins & Brown law practice since 2001. Her hard work and dedication to those who have been injured in the work place is known throughout every working sector in Western New York.
Jessica R. Brown, the firm Controller, is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Certified Public Accountant. She assists with the day-to-day financial operations of the firm, budgeting, forecasting, as well as preparing tax returns. Her extensive experience working with public accounting firms on tax compliance and tax planning issues is a resource to the firm that will help to provide the best service to our clients.
Thomas W. Collins and James P. Collins are employed as full time investigators. They have had extensive backgrounds and practical experience in the construction industry. They are very knowledgeable in the areas of occupational injury, illness and disabilities.
List of Legal Services
Collins & Brown's full range of services includes:
• Work Related Accidents
• Construction Site Injuries
• Automobile and Motorcycle Accidents
• Wrongful Death
• Premise Liability
• Social Security Disability
• Workers' Compensation
• New York State Unemployment
• Occupational Illness
• Mesothelioma & Asbestos exposure
Marina Maximilian
Mark Smith
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If you were injured on the job
If you were injured in an auto accident
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1. Notify your supervisor or manager on duty immediately.
Make sure to ask for a copy of the incident report. When filling out the accident/incident report keep in mind that it's a statement of what happened and it will become part of your case
2. Seek medical treatment.
Choosing the doctor
Some injuries may not be apparent right away. You must see your physician as soon as possible.
According to Workers' Compensation laws and regulations, an employee is entitled to his/her choice of medical attention. The employee is under no obligation to treat with a specific provider unless the employer participates in a preferred provider organization. On occasion an employer may request an examination by their own physician, but the worker is best advised to seek medical treatment from his/her own medical provider. If a worker is ordered to go for an independent medical examination he/she should consult his/her union representative or an experienced workers' compensation attorney for further clarification.
At the Doctor's
Doctors should be informed that this is a work related injury. All medical bills incurred related to an on-the-job accident should be covered by Workers' Compensation insurance. It is important to provide a clear history to your treating doctors. You should let the doctor know that you were injured at work.
3. Call the attorneys at Collins & Brown (1-800-933-8195) for a free consultation. If you or anyone you know has been injured on the job, contact Collins & Brown. We understand and we are here to help. Call today and make an appointment with one of our attorneys.
4. Apply for Workers' Compensation Benefits.
How to apply.
According to New York State law, if injured at work, employees are entitled to Workers' Compensation benefits. Once you notify your employer of your injury, it is the employer's obligation to notify the Workers' Compensation carrier. Do not let your employer convince you not to file a claim. Any promise by your employer that they will “take care of everything” should be promptly refused. If you don't file a claim at the time you are injured you may very likely be denied your rights and protection in the future.
5. Contact your union representatives.
If you belong to a union you must contact your business agent or union representative as soon as possible. They should be informed about the accident and injuries sustained.
6. C-3 form for Workers' Compensation benefits.
Employees should fill a C-3 accident report and file it with the Workers' Compensation Board. The report should indicate how the accident happened and the possible causes of the accident (such as unsafe environment, defective equipment, unskilled co-workers, etc.). When filling out any accident/incident reports keep the description of the accident brief. If possible, a union representative should be consulted prior to completing an accident report.
7. Get copies of any accident reports.
If an accident report was generated by the employer and/or supervisor, make sure to get a copy of it for your records.
8. Do not give statements to anyone else about the accident.
With the exception of your union representative and/or supervisor,
you should not discuss your case with anyone without your attorney present.
9. Keep copies.
It may take a substantial period of time before your lawsuit will come to an end. A lot of detail gets forgotten with time. In order to avoid any problems, you should always maintain copies of all records, documents and bills as a reminder of important details of your claim.
The following items should be kept in one place:
• Any out of pocket expenses incurred as a result of an injury;
• Dates and times of medical treatment or hospitalization;
• Names of witnesses and their statements
• Details of ongoing disability, pain and suffering and changes in lifestyles
that has resulted from an injury;
• Loss of earnings and fringe benefits.
Third party legal action: an additional right
In 1885, the Legislature of the State of New York passed laws to protect construction workers. The legislature was passed to protect workers from bodily harm and to eliminate dangerous conditions from the work site.
As the result of endless efforts of organized labor organizations, the first “construction site” laws were enacted in 1885 and have continually been changed and strengthened. These laws now require construction site owners and general contractors to provide all workers with a safe place to work. A worker who is injured on a construction site may have the right
to bring an action against the site owner and general contractor for monetary damages in addition to Workers' Compensation coverage. These civil damages are outside the Workers' Compensation benefits and may include monetary awards for pain and suffering, permanent injury, full loss of earnings and fringe benefits and any resulting changes in lifestyle
due to disability.
The content of this page is for information only and does not serve as a substitute for consultation with an attorney. Specific legal issues, concerns and conditions always require the advice of appropriate legal professionals.
1. Getting out of the vehicle
Check that you and your passengers are unharmed. As you are getting out, avoid any sudden movements as your body may be in a state of shock.
2. Call the Police
Call the police as soon as possible, and an ambulance if necessary; the police will help you exchange the information with the other driver(s) and fill out the police report.
3. Police Report
Make sure that the police report is filed. You should also obtain your accident report at the police station of the area where the accident occurs.
4. Exchange information
Information such as name(s), address(s) and insurance information of the other driver(s) is important when you file a claim against the other driver(s).
5. Witnesses
Make sure to write down the names, addresses and phone numbers of all witnesses at the scene of the accident.
6. Contact Collins & Brown (1-800-933-8195) for further information
The experienced attorneys of Collins & Brown will handle your case from start to finish. It is important to get an attorney to protect your interest before the insurance companies get involved. We will handle both the No-Fault and bodily injury part(s) of your case.
7. Seek medical attention
You should see your primary care physician as soon as possible, even if you think you are uninjured.
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The following list of special events is produced to help you plan your future social calendar. It is hoped that this list will help us all avoid holding events on a competing date, thus making each event more successful. If you are intending to have a major event in the distant future, please email Tim Heyden as soon as possible so that it can be posted here. For further information, please visit the web sites listed below.
WNY Labor Today – www.WNYLaborToday.com
Erie County Democratic Committee– www.ecdems.com
Working Families Party – www.workingfamiliesparty.org
Wednesday, July 15 – Last day to file Designating Petitions for 2010 Elections.Monday, July 26 – Buffalo Building Trades Charity Golf Tournament.Friday, July 30 – Buffalo AFL-CIO Council Labor Picnic.Sunday, August 1 – CWA Local 1122, 2nd Annual Charity Golf Tournament.Sunday, August 1 – Assemblyman Mark Schroeder’s Annual Margaritaville fundraiser _ Ironworkers Local 6.Saturday, August 14 – 75th Anniversary of the creation of the Social Security Act.
Spring 2010 Newsletter
Winter 2010 Newsletter
Collins & Brown was featured on WNYlabortoday.com in a article about the renovations to our building. Check out the article and the rest of the website to see local labor news: http://bit.ly/cKKT1r
7/15/2010
There will be a special meeting for residents of Tonawanda, Grand Island and Riverside regarding health issues from Tonawanda Coke facility pollution. The meeting will be held on Thursday, February 18th at 7 p.m. at the Sheridan Parkside Community Center, 169 Sheridan Parkside Drive, Tonawanda, NY. Our firm will be there to answer any questions you may have. Also, see our article featured in the Tonawanda News: http://www.tonawanda-news.com/local/local_story_047222637.html
Click to enlarge
Asbestos
Screening
Flyer
2/10/2010
Check out today's Buffalo News, featuring an editorial spot by our very own Tim Heyden. Tim gives his perspective on the Department of Labor's treatment of claimants: http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/anothervoice/story/945146.html
2/4/2010
Collins & Brown is proud to support the Buffalo Seminary's Soiree XXIII and the education of the deserving young women of this institution.
2/3/2010
Letter from
Boilermakers
Union President
Collins & Brown is proud to announce that we are participating in the 24th Annual Spring Bouquet Sale to benefit Hospice Buffalo. Each bouquet sold truly does make life better. In 23 years, the Bouquet Sale has sold 411,000 bouquets, raising $3.2 million for Hospice!
2/1/2010
Collins & Brown is located at 267 North Street, Buffalo, NY 14201To contact us, call 716-885-9700 or toll-free 1-800-933-8195.If you wish to email, please use the contact form below.
Collins & Brown is located at 267 North Street, Buffalo, NY 14201
To contact us, call 716-885-9700 or toll-free 1-800-933-8195.
If you wish to email, please use the contact form below.
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© 2010 Collins & Brown, LLC. • 267 North Street, Buffalo, NY 14201 • (p) 1-800-933-8195 • (f) 716-885-9770 Site Design by Matt Kianka
