Steven Petrillo interviews Scott Schulman, a New Jersey workers’ compensation attorney on what interests him about workers’ compensation, the three benefits of entitlement in New Jersey, and why he became a workers’ compensation lawyer.

Video Transcript:

Petrillo: Okay. We are at Petrillo & Goldberg on North Park Drive in Pennsauken, New Jersey. Today, we’re interviewing Scott Schulman, who is a longtime career Workers’ Compensation attorney, partner in the law firm, and he is here today. Scott, want to say hello?

Schulman: Hello. Good morning. Good to be with you.

Petrillo: Scott, we wanted to talk to you about Workers’ Compensation, what it is in New Jersey, what you do and how it’s handled, and the kind of clients that you represent. Before doing that though, I wanted to share a little story. You might recall, I think I told you this a few times, but it was about 10 or 15 years ago. I was an associate pastor, part-time at the time, and a friend of mine who was also an associate pastor called me late on a Sunday night. He was having dinner with someone who he had worked with as a youth in his old church. And she had grown up and was a very successful story, went to law school and became a defense Workers’ Compensation attorney. And he called me up on this late Sunday night and he said, “Steve, you got to get over here. You got to hear this story.”

So I went over to his house and I met this young woman and he said, “This former youth group member of mine, who’s now an attorney, we were talking and says she has to go to court tomorrow. And she’s up against one of the roughest and best Workers’ Compensation attorneys in South Jersey. And I asked her what the firm was and she said your firm. And I asked who the attorney was, and she said it’s Scott Schulman.” And so I went over and talked to her. And the point of the matter was she was very, very impressed with how you work and your aggressiveness, and you’re well known for that. And it was shortly after that, that I think someone maybe gave you the nickname of Tiger Schulman. But what is it that drew you to Workers’ Comp work? What do you like about it? Why do you do it? And how have you enjoyed it for all these years?

Schulman: What I like is you have hardworking people producing, giving their best effort in society. And when they get injured through no fault of their own generally, or they get injured bending over, picking up something heavy, doing their regular job that they’re supposed to do, and they’re entitled to benefits in New Jersey, three benefits, for medical treatment, lost wages, and permanent injury benefits. And when the insurance companies or the employer go through their efforts to deny those workers, those hardworking people, hardworking individuals working for their employer and their supervisor, doing what they should be doing and they’re denied their rights, I take that personally against myself.

And so when I go to court, I’m not just fighting. I’m fighting for our client. I’m fighting as aggressively and as hard as I can. And I take it personally as if they’re insulting myself or one of my family members as well. And I don’t back down to the defense attorney, to the judge. Sometimes the judge is not on my side and I say, “Well, judge, you need to hear all the facts. And when you hear all the facts, I think your opinion will change.” And generally, that’s what happens.