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JANUARY 2026 Kunkel Case Files 724-438-3020 • KunkelLawFirm.com • GKunkel@KunkelLawFirm.com Continuing a Legacy of Service While Embracing the Future of Law
As I write this month’s article, we are in the closing days of 2025, and we have already seen our first major snowfall of the winter. This will be my 35th year practicing law since graduating from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1988, and I am grateful for the years that I have spent helping everyday people in Southwestern Pennsylvania with their legal problems, ranging from Social Security Disability and work injuries to defending DUI cases and criminal charges. Moving forward in 2026, I have no doubt that technology will continue to transform the practice of law and how we serve our clients. While we are now past the restrictions that were in place during the pandemic, courts and administrative agencies continue to rely on videoconferencing platforms, such as Zoom, Skype, and Microsoft Teams, to conduct conferences, administrative hearings, and even court hearings in some criminal cases. Videoconferencing platforms are the new norm for workers’ compensation and Social Security Disability hearings, given their convenience and ease of use. In Social Security Disability cases, however, I continue to recommend that my clients request an in-person hearing unless they have a compelling reason to conduct it remotely, such as travel restrictions or serious health concerns about attending a hearing office. Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) have broad discretion to grant or deny an application for disability benefits, and I continue to firmly believe that it is important for the ALJ to see my client in person so the ALJ can observe how they walk, move about the hearing room, and try to sit through the one-hour proceeding. Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping every industry, including the legal profession, and it is clear that lawyers need to understand and utilize this new technology to represent their clients effectively. At Kunkel Law Firm, we have already invested in web-based AI platforms for analyzing medical records and entire Social Security Disability files. These AI programs review, summarize, and analyze medical records and other critical evidence to quickly and accurately prove disability cases. AI not only highlights the strengths of each case but also produces a list of red flags in the medical evidence that will need to be addressed at the hearing. We also have access to AI legal research tools that provide a summary of relevant cases and statutes to a legal issue. What used to take me a half-day in the law library for research can now be done in a matter of minutes.
In addition to subscribing to useful AI platforms, I have been busy attending continuing education programs on using AI in the practice of law. I will be off to Austin, Texas, in January for an in-depth seminar on the use of AI in criminal matters. While the use of AI will continue to proliferate, we are mindful that AI can never replace the experience and judgment of a lawyer. We will continue to utilize AI to augment our legal work, but, like any other technology, we will employ AI judiciously and exercise caution when implementing it to ensure its accuracy.
As we begin a new year, I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to help injured and disabled workers obtain the benefits they deserve and to defend clients who may be facing serious criminal charges. Thank you for your continued faith in our firm. Your trust in recommending your friends and family to us is a source of great pride and something that we will never take for granted. On a final personal note, my family and I were overjoyed to welcome my first grandchild, Claire Rose Kelly, into the world on Nov. 17, 2025, at 2:49 p.m. My daughter, Natalie, and her husband, Patrick, are Claire’s proud parents. We are completely overjoyed to have Claire in our lives and are thankful she was born a happy and healthy baby. Mom, Dad, and baby Claire are all doing well and looking forward to celebrating Claire’s first Christmas!
Wishing you and your family a happy and prosperous New Year!
–Greg Kunkel
Social Security Disability • Workers’ Compensation • Employment Rights • DUI Defense
KunkelLawFirm.com • 1
HOW TO MODEL CONFIDENT CARE FOR KIDS The Power of Hearing in Healing
No matter what station of life someone is in, they deserve to feel safe. Of course, physical safety is always paramount, but what about emotional safety? In our often busy and complex lives, ensuring our loved ones feel safe on the inside can be overlooked. This is especially true if you’re a working parent, juggling obligations to your young ones and your own sense of stability and peace of mind.
Here are two quick but valuable tips for making the journey emotionally safer for you and them. Not every problem requires a solution. We’ve all had days when we need to vent to someone close to us. While the recipient of our woes may immediately start suggesting ways to solve the problem, all we really want is for someone to hear and understand us. It’s the same with children, who sometimes just crave the security of someone who listens to them. In these instances, saying, “Wow, you’ve had a tough day,” may be more helpful than proclaiming, “Here’s what you’re doing wrong and how to fix it.” Of course, adding something that elicits a smile or chuckle from a stressed child never hurts. Above all, be sure to validate their emotions. Even if their negative
situation seems minuscule by adult standards, acknowledging it may still mean the world to them in that moment. Calm can be found in chaos. It’s a Monday morning. Everyone is running late, the toast is burnt, a glass of orange juice has just spilled all over the kitchen table, and your little ones are talking a mile a minute. While these moments may make you want to shout on the inside, keeping a calm, gentle demeanor outside will help reduce tension for your kids before they head off to school and set a strong example of how to react under pressure. Frustrating situations are inevitable, but how we respond to them is our choice. By remaining calm and showing compassion even in challenging times, we comfort our children as much as we show them how to comfort themselves.
Despite his rightful place in history books as one of the world’s greatest minds, legendary inventor Thomas Edison was a consistent failure … and that was a great thing. By the time Edison died in 1931 at 84, he had experienced a life steeped in as many devastating defeats as world-changing ambitions. That he’s remembered today for his scientific milestones and not his epic misfires represents the spirit of “failing forward,” the concept of embracing failure as an opportunity to pursue new ideas and directions for success. EDISON’S IRON WILL From Rock Bottom to Reinvention
“I have not failed,” Edison famously insisted. “I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Here’s one example of how he turned a significant misfire into an unmitigated triumph.
From Iron to Insolvency Edison held more than 1,000 patents in his lifetime, and many of his inventions toward the end of the 1800s relied heavily on iron as a source material. When the cost of the metal began to rise, he attempted to address the problem by investing more than 10 years and $2 million in his own iron mining operation in northern New Jersey. Unfortunately for the maverick inventor, several other iron plants launched around the same time, which caused the value of iron to drop considerably and led to severe financial losses. Cement Seals Success Instead of accepting defeat when his iron operation went under, Edison turned his attention to another critical material: cement. While running his iron mine, he regularly sold waste sand to cement makers for additional revenue. Seeing an opportunity to expand further into this market, he launched the Edison Portland Cement Company, repurposing
equipment and technology he had used for iron mining. The venture was a huge success, allowing Edison to pay off his massive debts and become one of the leading forces behind the use of cement in American infrastructure. While the catastrophic failure of his iron mining endeavor would have crushed most entrepreneurs, Edison thrived by pivoting to new ventures. He never gave up. His inventions proved his brilliance, but his fearlessness in the face of failure demonstrated his resilience.
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Social Security Disability • Workers’ Compensation • Employment Rights • DUI Defense
There are several ways to become a millionaire in this country, but suing a fast-food chain over a napkin isn’t one of them. In 2014, a McDonald’s restaurant in Pacoima, California, became the focus of a national discussion on how the legal system addressed frivolous lawsuits. It all started with a customer named Webster Lucas, who complained to the manager when he discovered that he had been given only one napkin with his meal. Lucas claimed the manager had “developed a nasty attitude and mumbled a few words” before cursing at him. He also alleged that the manager’s behavior was racially motivated. The verbal altercation prompted Lucas to file a $1.5 million suit against the McDonald’s Corporation and the Pacoima store’s manager and general manager for (as reported by NBC News at the time) mental anguish, emotional distress, and discrimination. Despite being offered free food from the corporation to make things right, Lucas moved forward with his litigation. Interestingly, this wasn’t the first time Lucas had sued a major restaurant for an unsatisfactory experience. According to court documents obtained by NBC News, he had previously filed two separate suits against Jack- in-the-Box without receiving an award for his claims. Additionally, he filed suits against Denny’s and Walmart, which were ultimately dismissed. Fast-Food Folly A Napkin Sparks a Legal Storm
TAKE A BREAK
SLOW COOKER BIRRIA TACOS
Due to his habitual
• 3 dried guajillo chiles • 2 dried ancho chiles • 1 medium onion, chopped • 4 garlic cloves • 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes • 3 lbs beef chuck roast • 2 cups beef broth • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar Ingredients Directions 1. Soak dried chiles in hot water for 15 minutes.
use of the California legal system, Lucas became known as a “vexatious litigant.” To earn this dubious designation, one has to file a minimum
• 1 tbsp dried oregano • 2 tsp ground cumin • 2 bay leaves • 1 tsp salt • Pepper, to taste • Corn tortillas • Fresh cilantro and diced onion for garnish
of five non-small claims suits that have been settled against them or have been pending for at least 24 months without a hearing or trial. Additionally, an individual can be deemed a “vexatious litigant” by repeatedly filing or relitigating meritless cases. Despite online reports to the contrary, court documents confirm that Lucas’ case against McDonald’s was dismissed by the end of 2014. Unsurprisingly, little has been heard of him in the California legal system since.
2. Process chiles, onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a blender until smooth. 3. Place beef in a slow cooker and pour the chili mixture over it. 4. Add beef broth, vinegar, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. 5. Cook on low for 8–10 hours or until the beef is tender. 6. Shred the beef using forks, then mix back into the sauce. 7. Fry tortillas in oil until crispy, then assemble tacos as desired.
Inspired by SimpleWhisk.com
Social Security Disability • Workers’ Compensation • Employment Rights • DUI Defense
KunkelLawFirm.com • 3
Kunkel Law Firm 724-438-3020
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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A New Year, Some New Technology, but the Same Commitment to Clients
Parenting to Empower Emotional Calm in Kids
Cement Saves a Scientific Legend
Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
A Laughable McLawsuit Misfire
The Legal Minds Behind Moon Missions
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Who Makes the Rules in Space? COSMIC COUNSEL
The phrase “space lawyer” may conjure images of an intergalactic courtroom setting in a “Star Trek” film, but the term and profession are rooted in reality here on Earth. Simply put, space lawyers are legal professionals specializing in international law and drafting agreements between countries regarding their activities throughout our galaxy. Instead of brokering peace treaties between humans and Klingons, these attorneys work to establish policies that outline rules and obligations nations must follow when conducting themselves beyond our clouds. For example, treaties negotiated by space lawyers were instrumental in getting the Soviet Union to spend millions to clean up radioactive debris deposited over northern Canada by its Cosmos 954 satellite in the late 1970s. Utilizing Article 7 of the Outer
Space Treaty (via the 1972 Space Liability Convention), the Canadian government argued that the Soviet Union was on the hook to cover the majority of the cost of Operation Morning Light, an extensive cleanup operation by the U.S. and Canada
to remove nearly 50,000 square miles of hazardous material dropped from space.
Thanks to space lawyers, no nation can claim ownership of Earth (or any other planet), the moon, or any other entity discovered in the galaxy. However, recent debates have raised an intriguing question: Who would own the resources derived from the moon or another planet? If Russia were to one day discover a life-saving nutrient on the moon’s surface, would it have the right to claim exclusive ownership of this medical marvel? Would this discovery need to be shared with other nations involved in space-related treaties? While it may take years (or the invention of a good time-traveling warp drive) for us to resolve these questions, it’s clear we need space lawyers to tackle these and other questions in a legal frontier that no Earth- bound lawyer has pondered before!
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Social Security Disability • Workers’ Compensation • Employment Rights • DUI Defense
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