Sarah Y. M. Kirby Shareholder 540.283.0849 SKirby@TwoRiversLawGroup.com Sarah Kirby practices in Two Rivers’ Christiansburg, Virginia office. In practice since 1987, she handles a wide array of workers’ compensation claims. However, she has particular expertise in handling black lung claims, defending employers before both the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission and the U.S. Department of Labor/Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, having handled numerous cases before the USDoL Office of Administrative Law Judges as well as appeals to the Benefits Review Board.

With 20 years of workers’ compensation experience, Sarah regularly advises carriers on a broad spectrum of issues including cumulative trauma versus injuries by accident, compensable consequence claims, change-in-condition claims, de facto awards and various affirmative defenses, such as fraud, statute of limitation and willful misconduct. She also has extensive experience in:

• occupational disease/ordinary disease of life claims (hearing loss, carpal tunnel syndrome, toxic gas or chemical exposure, sick building syndrome);
• claims alleging occupational stress and psychological injuries;
• death claims;
• negotiating lump sum and structured settlements, including obtaining Medicare approval of settlements ;
• insurance coverage issues; and
• third-party liens.

Sarah has presented seminars on topics including an employer’s duty to offer vocational rehabilitation, return to work issues, unjustified refusal of selective employment, termination for cause, and claims control and loss prevention.

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