Why Choose Schmidt, Kirifides, Rassias & Rio for Your Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Case?
Reviewed by Mark R. SchmidtCertified Workers’ Compensation Specialist
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The firm other lawyers send their own family to.
When a lawyer in Delaware County or Philadelphia has a family member hurt at work, they know which firms handle workers’ compensation every day. SKRR is regularly one of the firms they call for their clients, their colleagues, their friends, and members of their own families.
“I am an attorney and Mark is the only one I will refer workers’ compensation cases to. Over the years Mark has demonstrated excellence in strategy, work product, and results.”
Attorney peer reviewSchmidt, Kirifides, Rassias & Rio (SKRR) is one of Pennsylvania’s leading and most respected workers’ compensation firms for injured workers. Our workers’ compensation attorneys in Media, PA have represented injured workers in Delaware County, Philadelphia, and throughout Pennsylvania since 1994. We’ve recovered more than $100 million in workers’ compensation benefits and helped more than 5,000 injured workers and their families. We speak English, Spanish, and Greek.
How to Choose a Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Whatever firm you hire, look for these seven things first.
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A Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist.
What to look for
Pennsylvania certifies workers’ comp specialists through the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Law Section, as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Fewer than 200 of the state’s nearly 50,000 active lawyers hold it.
How SKRR measures up
Every workers’ compensation partner at our firm is a Certified Specialist. We have three.
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Real experience before Workers’ Compensation Judges.
What to look for
Your lawyer should understand the hearing offices, the judges’ procedures, the medical and vocational evidence, and how a contested Pennsylvania workers’ compensation case is actually litigated.
How SKRR measures up
Hearings before Workers’ Compensation Judges are part of our everyday practice, for injured workers in Delaware County, Philadelphia, and across Pennsylvania.
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A real focus on Pennsylvania workers’ compensation.
What to look for
Look for a firm that regularly handles Pennsylvania workers’ compensation claims and understands the system’s judges, deadlines, medical evidence rules, and benefit disputes.
How SKRR measures up
Workers’ compensation for injured workers has been the foundation of our firm for more than 30 years.
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Direct access to your lawyer.
What to look for
You should know who is responsible for your case and be able to get clear answers directly from that attorney.
How SKRR measures up
Your case stays with the same Certified Specialist throughout the claim, with direct access to the attorney responsible for it. No call center and no rotating cast of lawyers who have to relearn your case.
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Trust from other lawyers.
What to look for
Peer ratings, bar leadership, and teaching roles show how the legal community sees a firm.
How SKRR measures up
AV Preeminent peer rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Our partners have co-chaired the Delaware County and Philadelphia bar workers’ comp sections, teach CLE courses to other attorneys, and write amicus briefs for injured workers.
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Reviews you can verify.
What to look for
Read Google and legal-platform reviews, and ask people you trust.
How SKRR measures up
More than 200 five-star reviews across Google, Lawyers.com, and Martindale-Hubbell. Read them here.
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A fee you can understand.
What to look for
A fee arrangement should be explained clearly before you hire the firm. Attorney fees in Pennsylvania workers’ compensation cases are subject to legal requirements and approval.
How SKRR measures up
Your consultation is free, and there is no attorney fee unless we recover benefits or compensation for you. When appropriate, we also ask the insurer to pay our fee.
Most of Our Workers’ Comp Cases Start With a Phone Call When Your Paycheck, Treatment, or Return to Work Is at Risk
Most of our cases start with an ordinary phone call. People sometimes picture a workers’ comp lawyer as someone you call only after a claim has been denied or everything has fallen apart. Most of our clients call us much earlier.
Maybe your doctor says you cannot go back to work yet. Maybe you are working with restrictions and are worried about what your employer is asking you to do. Maybe your wage-loss checks are threatened, reduced, or stopped. Maybe medical treatment or surgery is being delayed. Or maybe nothing has gone wrong yet. You were hurt at work and simply do not know what you are supposed to do next.
You do not need a denied claim, a catastrophic injury, or a complicated case to call us. Early decisions about reporting the injury, medical treatment, work restrictions, wage-loss benefits, and returning to work can affect the claim long before anyone is talking about a hearing or a settlement.
Some cases become more serious. They may involve surgery, months away from work, permanent restrictions, disputed treatment, or a significant loss of earning ability. Others begin with a back injury, shoulder injury, broken bone, or another work injury that suddenly makes doing your job difficult or impossible.
What matters is that the injury is affecting your paycheck, your medical care, your ability to work, or your future.
That is the work we do every day. We help injured workers from the beginning of a claim, not just after a case becomes complicated. And if the insurance company later disputes the injury, pressures you back to work, stops your checks, or forces the case into litigation, the same Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist who knows your claim is there to protect and guide you.
If your paycheck is threatened, your doctor says you are not ready to return to work, your treatment is being questioned, or you simply do not know what to do next, talk with a Delaware County workers’ comp attorney about your next step.
You get a Certified Specialist. Most firms can’t offer you one.
Becoming a Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist in Pennsylvania takes years of experience, peer review, a written exam, and ongoing education. Most firms don’t have a single one. Every workers’ compensation partner at SKRR has earned it.
Our three Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialists are Mark R. Schmidt, Vasil L. Kirifides, and Anna V. Rio.
That matters because the lawyer you choose directly affects the strength and value of your claim. You deserve someone whose career is built on this area of law.
Your case stays with the same attorney.
Your case stays with the same Certified Specialist, with direct access to the attorney responsible for your claim. There is no call center or rotating cast of case managers and lawyers. Your attorney knows the history, so you do not have to explain your case again every time you need an answer.
We treat our clients like family. You can call or text anytime to raise a concern or share an update. We make sure you know how to reach your attorney and stay in touch about your benefits, treatment, and next steps.
“I was seen by 5 different people most of the time and felt almost forced to sign with them… Right from the beginning I could feel the difference. They weren’t forceful or pushy.”
Amanda · Client review“Calls are always answered and you work with the same attorney the whole time not like 10 different people who dont even know you or your case.”
Jonathan · Client review“Mark always returned my calls and emails, kept me updated without me having to chase him, and made a really stressful situation feel manageable.”
KenClient reviewWhy other lawyers trust us.
For more than 30 years, our partners have tried workers’ compensation cases before judges throughout Delaware County, Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania. Workers’ Compensation Judges, defense lawyers and insurance companies across this region know who we are.
- George G. Rassias and Mark R. Schmidt serve on the amicus curiae committee that writes briefs asking Pennsylvania’s appellate courts to rule for injured workers.
- Mark R. Schmidt served for years as Co-Chair of the Delaware County Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section.
- Anna V. Rio served as Co-Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section.
- Our partners teach Continuing Legal Education courses to other attorneys. Lawyers, including former Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Judges, regularly call our attorneys to talk through questions of Pennsylvania workers’ compensation law and issues arising in cases they are handling.
Over our firm’s history, that work has included more than 100 appellate appearances and more than 20 precedent-setting decisions, including Schmidt v. Schmidt, Kirifides and Rassias, PC (2025) before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Most of our clients will never need an appeal. What they get is a claim built from day one by lawyers who know how these cases are decided.
“Tenacious yet professional. Intellectual yet practical. The go to guy for WC.”
Attorney peer reviewRecognized by our peers
- Mark R. Schmidt has been selected to Super Lawyers every year from 2008 through 2026 and was named to the 2026 Pennsylvania Top 100 and 2026 Philadelphia Top 100 Super Lawyers lists.
- Our other partners, Vasil L. Kirifides, George G. Rassias, and Anna V. Rio, have earned numerous professional honors, including repeated Super Lawyers selections.
- AV Preeminent peer rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
- Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion Platinum.
- Avvo Clients’ Choice Award.
- The Delaware County Daily Times has repeatedly recognized us as a top workers’ compensation law firm in Delaware County.
Super Lawyers selection cannot be purchased. Its selection process combines nominations and evaluations by other attorneys with independent research into professional achievement. That makes repeated selection meaningful recognition from the legal community.
How people find us
You do not need a referral to hire SKRR. Many injured workers find us on Google, either while looking for a workers’ compensation lawyer in Delaware County, Philadelphia or Southeastern Pennsylvania, or while searching for answers to their workers’ comp questions. Others hear about us from former clients, other attorneys, friends, family, or bar-association referral services. However you find us, you receive the same personal attention and direct attorney access.
“My friends mom who used them for two prior work injury cases told me to use them and I’m so thankful I did.”
JamesClient review“I found them through the Delaware County Bar Association referral service, and they did not disappoint!!”
LandoClient reviewWhat happens when you call or text us
You do not need to have your workers’ compensation claim figured out before you call us. Tell us what happened, what your doctor is saying, whether you are working, and what is worrying you. We will help you make sense of it.
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Start with a free conversation. Call 610-892-9300 or text 610-255-7183. We can talk about your wage-loss checks, medical treatment, an IME, return-to-work issues, a denial, or simply what you should do next.
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Meet with us in the way that works for you. We can meet at our office in Media, talk by phone or video, or, when needed, meet somewhere more convenient for you — including your home or hospital bedside.
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We look at where your claim actually stands. When appropriate, we can review the Pennsylvania workers’ compensation system, including the WCAIS claim file and formal filings, to see what has been filed, whether a petition or proceeding is pending, and whether there is something that needs immediate attention.
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Then we explain your options in plain English. We look at what may be threatening your paycheck, medical care, work restrictions, or ability to return to work and tell you what we think the next step should be.
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If you hire us, your case stays with the attorney responsible for it. You have direct access to the Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist handling your claim, and you can call or text when something changes or you have a question.
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We speak English, Spanish, and Greek. Hablamos español. Μιλάμε ελληνικά.
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There is no attorney fee unless we recover benefits or compensation for you.
Common questions about choosing SKRR
Who is the best workers’ compensation lawyer in Delaware County or Pennsylvania?
The right lawyer depends on your case, but you can compare firms on facts. Is the lawyer a Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist? Will that lawyer personally handle your case? Does the firm handle workers’ compensation every day? What do other lawyers and clients say? SKRR is one of Pennsylvania’s leading workers’ compensation firms for injured workers. All three of our workers’ compensation partners are Certified Specialists, every partner was selected to Super Lawyers in 2026, the firm holds an AV Preeminent peer rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and clients have left more than 200 five-star reviews.
What makes Schmidt, Kirifides, Rassias & Rio different from other Pennsylvania workers’ compensation firms?
Mark R. Schmidt, Vasil L. Kirifides, and Anna V. Rio are SKRR’s three Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialists. You have direct access to the attorney responsible for your case, without a call center or rotating case managers. SKRR has recovered more than $100 million in workers’ compensation benefits and won numerous precedent-setting decisions in the Commonwealth Court and Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Do other lawyers and former Workers’ Compensation Judges turn to SKRR for guidance?
Yes. Attorneys, including former Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Judges, regularly call our lawyers to talk through questions of Pennsylvania workers’ compensation law and issues arising in cases they are handling. Lawyers also refer injured clients, colleagues, friends, and family members to SKRR. Injured workers also find us online and contact us directly; no referral is required.
Who are the attorneys at SKRR?
The firm’s partners are Mark R. Schmidt, Vasil L. Kirifides, Anna V. Rio, and George G. Rassias. Mark, Vasil and Anna are Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialists. All four partners have been repeatedly selected to Super Lawyers and have received numerous other honors for their work protecting injured workers.
Where is SKRR located, and what areas do you serve?
Schmidt, Kirifides, Rassias & Rio is located at 44 E. Front Street in Media, Pennsylvania, in the heart of Delaware County. From our Media office, we represent injured workers throughout Delaware County, Philadelphia, and Southeastern Pennsylvania, including Media, Upper Darby, Drexel Hill, Chester, West Chester, and surrounding communities. We also represent injured workers in Pennsylvania workers’ compensation claims throughout the Commonwealth.
How much does it cost to hire SKRR?
Your consultation is free. There is no attorney fee unless we recover workers’ compensation benefits or compensation for you, and any fee in a Pennsylvania workers’ compensation case is subject to legal requirements and approval.
When the law and facts support it, we ask the judge to have the insurance company pay our fee so you can keep more of your benefits. The judge decides whether that fee award is appropriate. How insurer-paid attorney fees work.
Can I text SKRR about a workers’ compensation case?
Yes. You can call or text anytime. Text our office at 610-255-7183, or call 610-892-9300. Once we represent you, we make sure you know how to reach the attorney handling your claim. The consultation is free.
Does SKRR have Spanish or Greek-speaking staff?
Yes. Our team speaks English, Spanish, and Greek, so you can talk about your workers’ compensation claim in the language you are most comfortable with.
Can SKRR help if my workers’ compensation claim was already accepted?
Yes. An accepted claim can still go wrong: checks can be reduced or stopped, treatment can be denied, an IME can be used to push you back to work, and a settlement offer may not reflect what your claim is worth. You do not have to wait for a problem to have a Certified Specialist review your claim.
You do not need a complicated case to call us.
You may have been hurt yesterday. Your claim may already be accepted. You may be waiting for surgery, missing checks, dealing with an IME, being pushed back to work, or wondering whether a settlement is fair.
You do not have to wait until something goes wrong to ask whether your Pennsylvania workers’ compensation claim is being handled correctly.