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About The Firm |
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Since 2001, Chet Lukaszewski has successfully represented hundreds of injured municipal workers, and helped them to secure benefits and compensation from the New York City and State Retirement Systems and Pension Funds, as well as through Social Security Disability, World Trade Center and personal injury matters. In 2008 he formed Chet Lukaszewski, P.C. The mission of the firm is to present clients with a highly personal level of representation, and to parlay an exemplary history of litigation success, into an aggressive and effective means to assist injured workers in obtaining the pension and other benefits to which they are entitled. Mr. Lukaszewski knows the value of client contact and interaction, and refuses to compromise the firm’s ability to ensure its clients the utmost in personal service. At Chet Lukaszewski, P.C., clients have a direct line of communication with Mr. Lukaszewski, he himself will write your legal papers, and he’ll personally appear with or for you in Court, or any other tribunal where your case is venued. Each and every client directly benefits from the knowledge, experience, and exemplary litigation record that Mr. Lukaszewski has amassed over the course of his career.
Chet Lukaszewski has successfully litigated 100 disability pension Article 78's, won 11 such Appellate Division matters, five of which were first of their kind decisions; as well as the landmark New York State Court of Appeals 9/11 case, that defined how the World Trade Center Presumptive Law is to be applied. (SEE PENSION LITIGATION PAGE FOR SYNOPSIS OF ALL CASES) The first of their kind decisions include: a 'disability versus no disability' matter, for an injured police officer; the first successful 9/11-World Trade Center line of duty death case, for the widow of an FDNY Lieutenant; a decision compelling that the NYPD re-open a disability pension application found to be prematurely closed, and permit the applicant to add a ‘Heart Bill’ claim; the first 9/11-World Trade Center Presumptive Law case approving a disability pension for obstructive sleep apnea; and the first 9/11-WTC Law case approving benefits for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In addition, in December of 2012, Mr. Lukaszewski successfully litigated the historic New York State Court of Appeals, 9/11-WTC Law cancer case, which set a precedent that has, and will continue to benefit countless sick 9/11 responders and their families in the future; as it defined how the law is to be interpreted, and greatly favors 9/11 responders. To the firm's knowledge, no other law office or individual has had as much success in this area of law. Additionally, Mr. Lukaszewski has worked diligently with New York State Legislators to bring about Retirement System reforms and to create new laws that will benefit all municipal workers; and is regularly consulted by news organizations and other attorneys, as an expert in disability pension law. (SEE: NEWS & ARCHIVES , WRITINGS & VIDEOS & PROFILE PAGE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS)
Mr. Lukaszewski has spent the majority of his career assisting injured workers with disability pension application matters, but has other legal experience which has served him well in said efforts, and in running his own practice. Mr. Lukaszewski has handled Social Security Disability matters all across New York State, and possesses a Social Security Disability record which far exceeds the average national success rate. He has experience in Agency Disqualifications, Workers’ Compensation matters, and 9/11 Victims’ Compensation Fund claims. He worked for the top insurance defense firm, Ahmuty, Demers & McManus, where he trained under the firm’s highest level of partners. This experience has allowed Chet Lukaszewski, P.C. to provide top rate representation in all its cases, including personal injury matters; wherein Mr. Lukaszewski enlists the assistance of a renowned veteran New York trial lawyer as special litigation counsel, whose 40 years of experience, including 600(+) trials, provides the firm and its clients with a level of knowledge and expertise that is rare and invaluable.
While now focusing primarily on disability pension work (SEE PENSION APPROVALS PAGE), it has always been, and will remain Mr. Lukaszewski's intent, to utilize his diverse and extensive litigation background and experience, to maximize his ability to skillfully represent all his firm’s clients. He particularly believes disability pension clients will greatly benefit from his pension litigation success; as he feels that based upon his Court record, the City and State Pension Funds and Retirement Systems will be more hesitant to force his clients into litigation, thereby presenting them with the greatest chance for approval at the administrative level. Since becoming an attorney, and particularly since forming his firm, Mr. Lukaszewski has prevailed in hundreds of cases and secured life changing compensation and benefits for his clients and their families; and he looks forward to continuing to do so far into the future.
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CHANGE OF ADDRESS
OUR NEW LOCATION IS:
145 Willis Avenue
2nd Floor
Mineola, N.Y. 11501
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Recent Items |
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June 2023 - The New York State Court of Appeals grants Chet Lukaszewski's motion for leave to appeal, thereby agreeing to hear arguments on a case of his, which involves the definition of an "accident" for disability pension purposes. This a rare and prestigious opportunity; which for Mr. Lukaszewski, is the third time he's had such a motion granted; and will be his second argument before the Court of Appeals; the first being the landmark caseMatter of Bitchatchi v. Board of Trustees, where the Court found for the petitioners and set forth an interpretation of the newly enacted World Trade Center Presumptive Law, which overwhelmingly protected and benefitted 9/11 responders. In the other instance where leave was granted, the Police Pension Fund took back the application at issue in the case that was to be heard, and upon its own reconsideration, reversed itself and granted Chet Lukaszewski P.C.'s client Accident Disability Retirement, thereby nullifying the appeal and appearance before the Court of Appeals, and the potential precedent setting and legally defining decision that could have resulted. Such a decision is now a possibility in the current case which is scheduled to be heard in the near future.
May 2023 - Chet Lukaszewski successfully litigates his 100thdisability pension Article 78 Proceeding; a benchmark achievement. In addition to his 11 such Appellate Division victories, five of which were first of their kind decisions; as well as the landmark New York State Court of Appeals 9/11 case, that defined how the World Trade Center Presumptive Law is to be applied.
May 2023 – FDNY-EMS Lieutenant, approved by the New York City Employees’ Retirement System, for a World Trade Center disability retirement pension, for 9/11 related respiratory issues; with the assistance of Chet Lukaszewski, P.C. as counsel.
April 2023 – New York City Police Department Police Officer, approved by the NYPD’s Pension Fund for an Accident Disability Retirement pension, for a serious arm injury resulting from the arrest of a violent perpetrator, which was found to be disabling for police work; with the assistance of Chet Lukaszewski, P.C. as counsel.
March 2023 - A New York City School Teacher, approved by the New York City Teachers’ Retirement System, for an Ordinary Disability Retirement pension, for a combination of disabling orthopedic injuries and conditions, with the assistance of Chet Lukaszewski, P.C. as counsel.
February 2023 - FDNY-EMS Paramedic, approved by the New York City Employees’ Retirement System, for a Performance of Duty disability retirement pension, for shoulder and arm conditions resulting from a serious line of duty injury; whose application had been previously denied, prior to hiring Chet Lukaszewski, P.C. as counsel.
January 2023 - Retired NYPD Police Officer approved by the NYPD’s Pension Fund for a World Trade Center Accident Disability Retirement pension reclassification, for severe 9/11 related respiratory issues; with the assistance of Chet Lukaszewski, P.C. as counsel.
December 2022 - The Supreme Court, New York County, awarded Accident Disability Retirement to a Detective in the NYPD’s Harbor Unit, who was injured when a rogue wave struck her vessel as she was transferring to another vessel, in open water, while on special assignment, whilst carrying an inordinate amount of gear; causing her to fall to the deck of the other vessel and suffer disabling leg injuries. The Police Pension Fund found the event did not fit the criteria of an “accident” for pension purposes, and denied ADR, and approved the lesser Ordinary Disability Retirement. Chet Lukaszewski, P.C. was hired following the denial and litigated the successful Article 78 Proceeding, wherein the Court found the Detective was entitled to ADR as a matter of law, not ODR, and awarded her a ‘¾’s’ pension retroactively.
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