Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa Responds to New York Times Story on Worker's Compensation Struggles

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., Sept. 18, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- A new New York Times story has shed light on the long-term struggles faced by construction worker Michael Wagner, who survived a 35-foot fall on the job but was left with chronic pain.

In 2018, Wagner tragically took his own life. His daughter, filmmaker Brittany Wagner, uncovered a trove of 694 videos her father had recorded over the years, documenting his pain, his work, his daughters, and his efforts to obtain help. The story underscores the complex and often devastating aftermath of workplace injuries, illustrating the ongoing battles faced by those seeking justice and support.

Greg Yaffa, a shareholder at Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa (RDCY), responded to the Times piece, emphasizing that the accident itself is often just the beginning. "The fall, the crash, the diagnosis or the injury may be the moment that changes someone's life. But what comes afterward can last for years. There are doctors, insurance companies, employers, paperwork, appeals and questions about whether someone is really as injured as they say they are."

In the essay, he argues that plaintiffs' lawyers have a responsibility to look beyond the legal claim and understand the full impact an injury can have on an individual and a family. "A person's inability to work becomes a lost-wage calculation. A lifetime of medical care becomes a projection. Pain becomes a number. Somebody who had plans for the next 30 years becomes ‘the plaintiff,’" Yaffa wrote.

Yaffa's firm, RDCY, is a leading Florida law firm dedicated to advocating for victims of mass torts, medical malpractice, and corporate negligence. With a track record of holding powerful institutions accountable, the firm fights for justice on behalf of individuals and families affected by preventable harm. Yaffa emphasized that effective advocacy requires both compassion and discipline.

The Wagner story also raises a larger question about what happens when injured people encounter systems that can be difficult to navigate without experienced advocacy. "Plaintiffs’ lawyers hear ‘no’ a lot," Yaffa said. "No liability. No coverage. No causation. No, your client isn't hurt as badly as you say. Sometimes the evidence supports that answer. But there are also times when ‘no’ really means, ‘This is as far as we're willing to go, and we're betting you won't make us go any further.’ There has to be someone willing to ask the next question."

For Yaffa, the responsibility of the plaintiffs' bar is clear: ensuring that individuals facing large institutions, insurers, and corporations have someone willing to investigate what happened, challenge the evidence, and advocate for their interests.