Friedman, Foster S. B.

Since his admission to the California State Bar in 1992, Dennis Popalardo has devoted his entire practice to the field of workers’ compensation. He is certified as a workers’ comp specialist by the State Bar of California, and in 2006 was recognized as one of Northern California’s Super Lawyers by San Francisco Magazine.

To Dennis, practicing law is about doing good and helping people, rather than simply generating revenue. He derives great satisfaction from making a difference in the lives of injured workers, and represents clients from a wide field of professions, from truck drivers and construction workers to nurses and teachers.

Dennis received his law degree from Pepperdine University and has a B.A. in Political Science from Fairfield University, where he graduated cum laude. Before joining Boxer & Gerson, LLP, he was a managing partner in a nationwide insurance defense firm. In his spare time, he enjoys reading non-fiction and playing outdoor sports such as hiking, jogging and basketball.

Case Highlights:

Dennis represented a worker in his early 20s who was paralyzed from the waist down when he was crushed under a farm vehicle that he had not learned to properly operate. When the insurance company and employer argued that the injured worker was not totally disabled, and thus was not eligible for permanent total disability, Dennis brought the case to trial. The judge issued an award of permanent total disability benefits, including medical coverage for life and a sizeable settlement on a serious and willful misconduct claim.

Another client of Dennis’ was harassed by a coworker about his sexual orientation until he was driven to psychiatric problems. The employer denied the disability claim and paid no benefits, but Dennis was able to secure a settlement of $165,000.

A client who suffered a back injury while doing heavy lifting at work was prescribed surgery by his doctor, but the insurance company didn’t feel the surgery was necessary and denied the clam. Dennis filed for a hearing on this issue and secured a judge’s award of surgery for his client.

When a plumber was unable to continue at his job due to a repetitive strain injury in his upper extremities, his employer failed to notify him of the availability of modified work. Dennis recognized this issue, which was a violation of the law, and was able to get the employer to pay additional retroactive benefits due to their failure to meet the notification requirements regarding modified work.