A work injury changes your life in an instant, putting your paycheck, your medical treatment, and your financial stability at risk. If you have been hurt on the job and cannot work, or if the insurance company is already delaying or denying your benefits, you need more than a general injury practice. You need dedicated advocates who know the Pennsylvania workers’ compensation system inside and out.
Based in Media, Pennsylvania, Schmidt, Kirifides, Rassias & Rio represents injured workers throughout Delaware County, the greater Philadelphia area, and across the state. Workers’ compensation is not a side practice for us. It is the foundation of everything we do.
This page explains who we are, what our firm is known for, and why injured workers trust our team when their wage loss benefits, medical treatment, and long term recovery are on the line.
Why Injured Workers Choose Our Firm
Schmidt, Kirifides, Rassias & Rio was founded in 1994 by Mark R. Schmidt and Vasil L. Kirifides to give injured workers a higher standard of legal representation. For more than 30 years, our firm has stood with people whose lives have been disrupted by serious work injuries, denied benefits, insurance company pressure, and uncertainty about their future.
What makes our firm different is the combination of personal attention, certified legal specialization, and statewide workers’ compensation authority behind every case. Every workers’ compensation partner at our firm is certified as a specialist under Pennsylvania law. Our attorneys have recovered over $100 million for injured workers and handled more than 100 appellate matters, including cases before the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Those credentials matter because a workers’ compensation case is not just paperwork. It can affect a person’s income, medical treatment, family stability, and long term security. Clients choose our firm because they want elite trial attorneys who know the system, prepare every matter meticulously, communicate directly with them, and protect their rights from the very start.
The Credentials and Results Your Case Demands
Few law firms in Pennsylvania can match the collective experience and documented authority our team brings to the table. We have built our reputation on high-stakes representation, not loud advertising:
- Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialists: Every workers’ compensation partner at our firm is officially certified as a specialist under Pennsylvania law.
- Statewide Appellate Authority: Our attorneys have appeared in more than 100 appellate matters before the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, securing numerous victories for injured workers.
- Law-Shaping Work: Our partners do not just practice workers’ compensation law. They actively help shape it through precedent-setting appellate work, amicus curiae briefs, and statewide legal committee leadership.
- Super Lawyers Recognition: In 2026, every workers’ compensation partner at Schmidt, Kirifides, Rassias & Rio was selected to Super Lawyers. Mark R. Schmidt has been selected to Super Lawyers from 2008 through 2026 and was named to both the 2026 Pennsylvania Top 100 and Philadelphia Top 100 Super Lawyers lists. Vasil L. Kirifides has been selected to Super Lawyers from 2021 through 2026, and Anna V. Rio was selected to Super Lawyers in 2026. George G. Rassias has also earned repeated Super Lawyers recognition for his litigation work.
- Peer and Client Recognition: Backed by over 200 5-star reviews across Google and leading legal platforms, our firm holds AV Preeminent Peer Rated status, Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion Platinum recognition, and Avvo Clients’ Choice awards, reflecting the firm’s long-standing reputation among clients, peers, and the legal community.
- Proven Results for Injured Workers: Across decades of focused practice, our attorneys have recovered over $100 million for injured workers and handled thousands of workers’ compensation cases involving new injuries, denied claims, stopped checks, medical disputes, hearings, appeals, and settlements.
Why That Experience Matters When Your Claim Is on the Line
Credentials only matter if they change how your case is handled. At Schmidt, Kirifides, Rassias & Rio, our experience dictates our strategy from day one: how your injury is described, how your wage loss is calculated, how your medical treatment is protected, and how insurance company doctors are cross-examined.
A new claim must be built with your long-term future in mind. A denied claim or a stopped check needs fast, aggressive legal defense.
Protecting Your Rights at Every Stage
We navigate the entire Pennsylvania workers’ compensation process for you, stepping in to handle the insurance company so you can focus entirely on healing. We handle:
- Initial Claims & Injury Descriptions: Securing accurate average weekly wage calculations and comprehensive injury descriptions from day one to ensure full coverage.
- Denied Claims & Stopped Checks: Fighting immediate denials, delayed checks, sudden benefit reductions, and unpaid medical bills.
- Medical Treatment Disputes: Navigating Utilization Review (UR) disputes, delayed medication approvals, surgery denials, and insurer challenges to your healthcare providers.
- IME and IRE Issues: Preparing you directly for Independent Medical Examinations and Impairment Rating Evaluations designed to reduce or terminate your benefits.
- Return-to-Work Pressure: Protecting injured workers facing premature light-duty job offers and aggressive employer pressure to return before they are medically cleared.
- Hearings and Appeals: Representing you before Workers’ Compensation Judges, the Appeal Board, the Commonwealth Court, and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
- Lump-Sum Settlements: Structuring and negotiating maximum-value Compromise and Release (C&R) agreements when settlement serves your best interest.
Looking for detailed claim resources? For a deeper explanation of benefits, timelines, and specific legal rules, visit our comprehensive page for Pennsylvania workers’ compensation lawyers.
Direct Access to Experienced Advocates
Communication is everything. Your case will never be passed down to an inexperienced junior associate or paralegal. You work directly with the veteran partners responsible for your case. We provide clear, proactive guidance so you always know what the insurance company is planning and what steps we are taking to stay ahead of them.
Meet Our Workers’ Compensation Team
Mark R. Schmidt
Founding and managing partner, Certified Specialist, and 2026 Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Top 100 Super Lawyers honoree.
Vasil L. Kirifides
Founding partner and Certified Specialist with decades of dedicated experience representing PA workers.
Anna V. Rio
Partner and Certified Specialist aggressively protecting wage loss benefits, medical care, and long-term claim rights.
George G. Rassias
Veteran litigation and appellate counsel supporting complex, serious injury cases.
Serving Delaware County, Philadelphia, and All of Pennsylvania
With deep roots in Delaware County, our main office is located in Media, PA. We proudly serve clients in Media, Upper Darby, Chester, Springfield, Ridley Park, Aston, Collingdale, Darby, Folcroft, Sharon Hill, Yeadon, Philadelphia, and surrounding communities.
(For localized area insights, see our Delaware County workers’ comp page. For broader statewide information, visit our main Pennsylvania workers’ compensation page.)
Speak With a Certified Specialist
Do not let an insurance adjuster dictate the future of your recovery. Early mistakes on accident reports and medical histories can permanently damage your claim.
Call 610-892-9300 or contact us online to speak directly with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. Your consultation is completely free, and there is no fee unless we win your case or recover benefits for you.
We are available to meet by phone, secure video conference, at our Media office, or at a location convenient for you.