Firm Logo 2010October 2011
Nonprofit Newsletter 
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JeffFanger EHC

        Nonprofit Organizations have over the past few years faced harsh realities of compressed budgets, growing demand for services and lackluster philanthropic support.  Many nonprofits have found that their mission has been complicated by the ever increasing legal and fiscal requirements that they have to effectively navigate.  At Fanger & Associates, we have been representing nonprofit organizations since 1992 and understand the unique needs and challenges that face the nonprofit community.  

        We hope that this newsletter's timely, practical and concise information assists you in your mission and with your planning and services.  Whether you are a small nonprofit with no staff and a full volunteer board or a large multi-million dollar organization, the reality of today's environment is that you need information to better respond to the challenges you are facing.  We encourage your comments and input with respect to this newsletter, as we want to provide Ohio's nonprofit community with the information and guidance they need.     

        Please contact us with any questions or suggestions for topics you would like to have us cover in future issues, and be sure to click on the "confirm" link above to ensure you receive future issues.

                                                                         Jeffrey J. Fanger 

Article Corner        LegalnewsPic 

Informational Articles for Nonprofit Businesses     

 

 

"Tips for Managing Your Small Nonprofit Organization" 

       

          A recent article from Ezine describes many helpful tips for managing small, nonprofit organizations. The article discusses the many people involved with helping small, nonprofit organizations in a variety of roles. These organizations can range from semi-organized children's sports teams, to local chapters of professional societies, to well-established charitable service providers. Nonprofits can also have a variety of management setups involving one or two chief leaders, to a professionally managed staff. The article offers many tips to help you and your organization become more successful and effective including: defining nonprofit, planning, board of directors, meetings, volunteers, accounting/record keeping, and goals. Click Here to read the entire article from Ezine.        

Candice BradleyCourt Update
Recent Court Decisions of Interest to Nonprofit Organizations 

Court of Appeals Of Ohio:  Final Judgment Determined in Worker's Compensation Claim   

Jefferson v. Careworks of Ohio, Ltd.

(04/21/2011)

  

            On, April 21, 2011, an extensive battle was resolved involving a Worker's Compensation claim filed by an employee of Careworks of Ohio, Ltd. The Court of Appeals of Ohio ruled in favor of the employer, Careworks of Ohio, Ltd., after the deliberation of multiple appeals.

            The claimant, Lakisha S. Jefferson, first began working as a Case Specialist for Careworks of Ohio, Ltd. in June of 2007. On December 10, 2008, Jefferson alleged that she slipped on a wet floor while performing her daily activities in the offices of Careworks. In her statement she claimed that she slipped and stumbled, but caught herself without falling to the floor.  As a result of this stumble, Jefferson declared that she incurred injuries to her neck, knee and ankle. She then filed a claim with the Bureau of Workers' Compensation, and was granted admissions to participate in the Worker's Compensation Fund for a cervical sprain/strain and right ankle sprain/strain.

            Careworks appealed this decision to Franklin County Court of Common Pleas on the grounds that "Jefferson failed to establish that the alleged accident caused her injuries." The case was tried on June 7, 2010.  Jefferson defended her position by testifying on her own behalf and included certain exhibits as evidence. Her medical-records exhibit consisted of a fax cover sheet from her physician, two pages of the physician's notes, a patient questionnaire form, and a letter from her physician written to Jefferson's legal counsel. The trial court excluded the portion of the medical-records exhibit prepared by Jefferson's physician, labeling it as 'Hearsay'. Hearsay is information gathered by one person from another person concerning some event, condition, or thing of which the first person had no direct experience. When submitted as evidence, such statements are called hearsay evidence. "The use of 'hearsay evidence' in court is generally not allowed." The court ruled in favor of Careworks.

            Next, displeased with this result, Jefferson appealed the ruling and continued to defend her position in the situation. She argued that the excluded portions of her medical-records exhibit should have been admissible under the "business-records exception to the hearsay rule."   To qualify for this rule, a physician's diagnosis must meet certain conditions including:

                        (1) - the record must have been a systematic entry kept in the records of                                                         the hospital or physician and made in regular course of business

                        (2) - diagnosis must have been the result of well-known and accepted                                                             objective testing

                        (3) - diagnosis must have rested solely upon the subjective complaints of                                                         the patient

                        (4) - diagnosis must have been made by a qualified person

                        (5) - evidence sought to be introduced must be competent and relevant

                        (6) - if the use of the record is for the purpose of proving the truth of                                                         matter asserted at trial, it must be the product of the party  

                                            seeking it's admission

                        (7) - it must be properly authenticated.

            The Court of Appeals analyzed many factors while determining their final verdict. The court found that there was no authentication of the medical-records exhibit as the only witness who testified at the trial was Jefferson. Upon review, the court also stated that the letter from the physician to appellant's (Jefferson's) counsel didn't qualify under the business-records exception as it didn't appear to be the type of document that would be prepared as part of the physician's regular practice in assessing and treating patients. The physician's office sent the letter to Jefferson's counsel while the claim was pending and this suggested that the letter was not prepared in the regular course of business. The court cited the Johnson v. Cassens Transport Co., case, which established "when a physician's letters to a claimant's attorney was prepared while litigation was pending, it would not be unreasonable for the court to conclude that the circumstances of their preparation indicated a lack of trustworthiness." The court also declared that Jefferson presented no evidence of any external signs of injury, which would be required to prove slipping ad stumbling caused her pain.

            The Court of Appeals of Ohio affirmed the previous judgment in favor of Careworks, expressing that "expert medical testimony was necessary to establish causation for internal and elusive injuries."

 

Firm Update

What's new at Fanger & Associates LLC 

 

New Additions to Our Team!

By: Larissa Martin

 

Carlie Hangartner
        As our firm continues to grow and expand, we are excited for the new additions to our team.  This month we welcome Carlie Hangartner and Michael A. Parente to our staff.    

        Ms. Hangartner joins us as our Legal Secretary and earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from The State University of New York College at Buffalo.  She is currently pursuing a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies from Lakeland Community College with an anticipated graduation date of May 2012.  Her positive attitude and strong work-ethic will make her an excellent asset to our team.

Michael A. Parente
 

        Michael A. Parente is the newest member to join the Fanger & Associates legal team.  He is an Associate Attorney practicing in the areas of estate planning, probate, and trust.  He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo College of Law and also earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.  Mr. Parente is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and the Ohio State Bar Association.  We look forward to his strong contributions to our firm.  

        Clients with legal questions or concerns are encouraged to contact Mr. Parente to discuss the options available to them.

       
Events

Upcoming Fanger & Associates LLC Events

  

Workshop "Advocating for Children with 'Less Serious' Disabilities"

D.HoffmanPic
Deborah Zaccaro Hoffman
          We are honored to announce that one of our Associate Attorneys,
Deborah Zaccaro Hoffman, will be speaking at the upcoming workshop,  "Advocating for Children with 'Less Serious' Disabilities".  The workshop is being hosted by the Red Tree House Organization and is to be held on Wednesday, November 9, 2011, from 6:15-8:30 pm at the Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital for Rehabilitation.

          At the workshop, Ms. Hoffman will be discussing the challenges of obtaining services for kids who don't fit neatly into a disability category, or are perceived as not having a "serious disability".  For example, a child that qualifies for county services based on a diagnosis may not qualify initially for a 504 plan or an IEP; or, a child with social challenges that limit employability may not qualify for an IEP because of the belief that "social" isn't education. These children can easily fall through the cracks.  She explains how obtaining needed services is essential to achieving positive outcomes.  Making a strong case for services requires an understanding of eligibility standards and developing strategies for educating and working with decision makers.  The workshop is designed to assist attendees in: identifying common obstacles to services, becoming familiar with differing eligibility standards across programs, and learning several strategies to increase effectiveness.    

          If you would like to attend the workshop, please contact Linda Kresnye at (216) 229-5757, ext. 126.  The event is only $10 for families/professionals, and $20 for professionals receiving 2.0 continued education credits. You may also learn more about the Red Treehouse Organization by visiting  Red Treehouse.

           Ms. Zaccaro Hoffman is an extremely dedicated advocate for disability rights and works hard to influence policy for children and adults with disabilities.  If you have legal question or concerns regarding special needs advocacy, special educational issues for children or adults or matters regarding probate and estate planning for parties with special needs, we encourage you to contact Ms. Hoffman to discuss the options available to assist you.   

         
Women and Computer Nonprofit Resources
Spotlighting Internet Resources for Nonprofits

                           LINC OHIO

Legal Information for Nonprofit Corporations 

www.lincohio.org 

  

What:  The website is for anyone thinking of starting a nonprofit organization and assistance for existing nonprofits to help them accomplish their goals.  

Mission:  To help support new and existing nonprofit organizations with their legal & management needs.

Services:  Provides over 2,500 Internet resources to help nonprofit organizations to either get started and/or to continue to grow effectively.  

Check It Out:  Resource Center - includes:  advocacy & lobbying, background information & portals, faith-based initiatives, federal and state regulations, grants, IRS and nonprofits, nonprofit leadership, nonprofit & technology, Office of Management and Budget, publications, starting a nonprofit, taxes, three-sector partnerships, U.S. Post Office - nonprofit information, volunteerism.     

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The opinions and views expressed in this newsletter are solely those of the author of the article and/or Fanger & Associates LLC. Articles appearing in this newsletter are intended to provide broad, general information about the law. This newsletter is sent to clients and friends of Fanger & Associates LLC, as well as Ohio businesses and Ohio nonprofit corporations as identified through their registration with the Ohio Secretary of State, including organizations with which Fanger & Associates LLC has no prior contact. Before applying this information to any specific legal problem, readers are urged to seek advice from an attorney. If you have any questions regarding any topic in this publication and you already have a lawyer, please contact your lawyer. If you do not already have counsel, please feel free to contact Fanger & Associates LLC and we will be happy to assist you.
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