Schmidt, Kirifides, Rassias & Rio is one of Pennsylvania’s leading and most respected workers’ compensation law firms for injured workers. Based in Media, PA, we represent injured workers across Delaware County, the Philadelphia region, and throughout Pennsylvania when a work injury threatens an injured workers paycheck, medical treatment, or their family’s financial future.
For over 30 years, workers’ compensation has been the foundation of our firm. We do not dabble in workers’ compensation claims. We specialize in them.
What truly sets us apart is that every workers’ compensation attorney at Schmidt, Kirifides, Rassias & Rio is a Certified Specialist under Pennsylvania law. Certified specialization is an elite professional credential authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and administered through the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Law Section.
This distinction is incredibly rare.
Fewer than 200 attorneys statewide out of nearly 50,000 active lawyers in Pennsylvania have earned this certification. It is a credential most law firms cannot claim for even one attorney. At Schmidt, Kirifides, Rassias & Rio, every workers’ compensation partner holds it.
Over the decades, our firm has recovered more than $100 million in Workers’ Compensation benefits for injured workers and successfully helped over 5,000 injured workers and their families.
Whether your work-related injury happened yesterday, or you have started to run into problems, our goal is always the same: protect your benefits, maximize the value of your claim, and make sure the insurance company plays by the rules.
Experience That Builds Strong Workers’ Compensation Claims From Day One
Every workers’ compensation claim begins with decisions that can affect your medical treatment, wage-loss benefits, long-term rights, and ultimately the value of your settlement. With over 100 years of combined legal experience, we have helped injured workers build strong claims from the very beginning, identifying problems early and preventing the mistakes and delays that insurance companies often use to limit benefits.
That experience is backed by more than 100 appellate matters and over a dozen landmark Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court and Supreme Court decisions that have helped shape Pennsylvania workers’ compensation law. By bringing that unmatched courtroom track record to your case from the start, we ensure the insurance company treats your workers’ compensation claim with the respect it deserves.
Statewide Authority, Direct Personal Attention
Schmidt, Kirifides, Rassias & Rio was founded in 1994 by Mark R. Schmidt and Vasil L. Kirifides to give injured workers the highest standard of legal representation in Pennsylvania workers’ compensation cases. From the beginning, they built their firm as a highly focused, elite alternative to high-volume impersonal law firms.
Injured workers do not come to us to be treated like a file moving through a system. They come to us because their paycheck, medical care, and future are suddenly uncertain, and they need exceptional legal representation combined with direct, honest answers.
When you are hurt and out of work, you should not have to explain your story over and over again to a different assistant, case manager, or call center employee. At our firm, you get direct access to the attorney handling your case. We remain highly responsive by phone and email, ensuring you are never left chasing your lawyer for updates.
★★★★★
“Always returned my calls and emails, kept me updated without me having to chase him…”
The Credentials and Leadership Your Case Demands
Few workers’ compensation firms in Pennsylvania can match the experience, specialization, and documented authority our firm brings to every injured worker’s case:
- Law-Shaping & Educational Leadership: We don’t just practice workers’ comp law; we teach it and shape it. Mark R. Schmidt has served as Co-Chairman of the Delaware County Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Committee, while Anna V. Rio served as Co-Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section. Our partners regularly host Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars to train other attorneys, speak directly to labor unions about worker rights, and frequently author Amicus Curiae briefs addressing important workers’ compensation issues affecting injured workers across Pennsylvania.
- Super Lawyers Recognition: Super Lawyers recognizes only the top 5% of attorneys in each state. 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.
- Top-Tier Client and Peer Ratings: Backed by over 200 five-star client 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.
- Local Leadership: The Delaware County Daily Times has repeatedly named our Law Firm among the best workers’ compensation lawyers in the Delaware County and Philadelphia region.
We Handle Every Type of Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Claim
A “serious” work injury is not limited to catastrophic accidents. Whether you suffered a major trauma on a construction site or tore a ligament slipping in an office, the reality is the same: your physical health and your paycheck are on the line. If a work injury requires ongoing medical treatment or keeps you off the job, your claim is serious and deserves serious legal protection. We handle the full spectrum of Pennsylvania workers’ compensation claims, giving every injured worker the same high level of representation, no matter how the injury happened.
Problems We Help Solve in Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Cases
Our firm helps injured workers through the moments that most often decide the direction of a case, including:
- Filing the initial claim properly to maximize benefits and reduce delays.
- Correcting incomplete injury descriptions so your full work injury is covered.
- Calculating and protecting your maximum Average Weekly Wage (AWW).
- Securing approval for necessary medical treatment and specialist care.
- Preparing you for IMEs, IREs, and return-to-work pressure.
- Evaluating and negotiating lump-sum settlements when the time is right.
For a deeper explanation of benefits, timelines, and specific legal rules, visit our comprehensive page for Workers’ compensation.
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 protecting wage loss benefits, medical care, and long-term claim rights.
George G. Rassias
Veteran litigation and appellate counsel supporting 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.)
Speak With a Certified Specialist
Do not let an insurance adjuster or nurse case manager dictate the future of your recovery. Early mistakes on accident reports and initial medical histories can seriously damage a valuable claim. Let us manage the insurance company from day one so you can focus on what matters most: your recovery.
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 can meet with you by phone, secure video conference, at our Media office, or at a location convenient for you.