Frederick J. Greenbaum

Frederick J. Greenbaum represents employers, TPA’s and insurance carriers in workers’ compensation matters and related employment and tort claims. He helps employers identify and implement proper handling of workers’ compensation claims.

Mr. Greenbaum has argued and tried several cases before the Kansas and Missouri Courts of Appeals, establishing legal precedents in workers’ compensation. Mr. Greenbaum was a key part of the Employer team that wrote and negotiated major changes to the Kansas Workers’ Compensation Act in 2011. In Stutzman v. City of Lenexa, a case in Kansas regarding hepatitis C exposure, the Court of Appeals cited Mr. Greenbaum’s ability with the case’s complex issues by stating, “This case is a very fact intensive matter involving medicolegal issues. The parties have provided us with extremely well-written briefs and skilled oral arguments.”

In Tate v. City of Junction City, the Kansas Court of Appeals denied compensability of a claim made by an emergency street worker who died on the way to work, a major case in Kansas on the coming and going work rule. Similarly, in Copeland v. Johnson Group, a Kansas case requiring proof of good faith effort in work disability cases, Mr. Greenbaum established the rule that the injured worker must prove that she had made a good faith effort to locate employment in order to receive benefits.

In West-Mills v. Dillon Companies, an important permanent partial disability case, Mr. Greenbaum proved that a claim for occupational disease/accidental injury involving mold exposure did not result in permanent injury and, therefore, did not prevent the claimant’s performance of work in the open labor market. Workers’ compensation benefits were denied. He also tries many Missouri cases, achieving awards placing responsibility for permanent total disability cases on the Missouri Second Injury Fund rather than on the employer.

Mr. Greenbaum serves as our senior partner, is AV- rated by Martindale-Hubbell, listed in “Best Lawyers in America” and Super Lawyers. In the 2020 Edition of Best Lawyers®, Mr. Greenbaum was recognized with the honor of “Lawyer of the Year” in Workers’ Compensation for Kansas City, KS. He is associated with Kids Chance of Missouri, a charity providing scholarships for children of workers who were killed or severely injured on the job. He has been married to Tina Greenbaum since 1985, has four children and two grandchildren. He is Vice President of Oakwood Country Club where he enjoys playing golf and tennis. He also enjoys a variety of music, from the 1960’s Beatles to 1980’s and 1990’s new wave to today’s alternative rock.