Ronald A. Weglarz

With over 25 years of legal experience, Ronald A. Weglarz defends workers’ compensation claims for various insurance companies, as well as for self-insured employers.

Mr. Weglarz is a partner in Plunkett Cooney's Detroit office who specializes in workers' compensation, labor and employment law and employee benefits. Besides handling a full trial docket, Mr. Weglarz serves as head of the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Appellate Department and has successfully litigated cases in state and federal courts, as well as arguing cases before the Michigan Supreme Court, Michigan Court of Appeals and the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Representative Client Work

• Successfully defended workers’ compensation claims on behalf of multiple clients in the trucking, moving and construction industries.
• Defended municipalities, companies, employers, insurance companies and third party administrators in hundreds of hearings and trials.
• Defended multiple clients in hundreds of cases before the Workers’ Compensation Appellate Commission, Michigan Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court.

Notable Cases

• Appellate counsel for municipality on significant workers’ compensation claim that the Michigan Supreme Court used to establish a new burden of proof on death claims, Paige v City of Sterling Heights, 476 Mich 495, 720 NW2d 219 (2006)
• Appellate counsel establishing reimbursement formula for workers compensation carriers in third party structured settlements, Bonarek v Wayne County Bd of Insts, 165 Mich App 346, 419 NW2d 21 (1987).

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Michigan Self-Insured Association 
• State Bar of Michigan (Workers' Compensation and Labor Law sections)
• American Bar Association
• Defense Research Institute

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association
• University of Michigan Alumni Association
• De La Salle Collegiate Alumni Association
• Our Lady Star of The Sea School Board (Past President)

  PUBLICATIONS AND LECTURES

• “Workers’ Compensation Law, A State-by-State Analysis/Michigan and Minnesota, Seventh Edition,” Contributing Editor, American Law Firm Association, ALFA International, 2006
• “Workers Compensation Law Update,” Michigan Public Risk Management Association, 2006
• “Workers’ Compensation—Definition of Disability,” Lorman Education Services, 2005
• “Workers’ Compensation—Hearings and Case Law Update,” Vanliner Insurance Company, 2005
• “Workers’ Compensation—Definition of Disability and Case Law Update,” Big Lots, 2007