Michael S. Affanato

Michael S. Affanato is the founding and managing partner at Affanato Marut, LLC.  Formerly, Michael was chairman and partner in charge of the New Jersey Workers’ Compensation practice at Margolis Edelstein. He represents a number of national and local insurance carriers along with large self-insured employers in defense of workers’ compensation claims.  Michael has extensive experience in handling large deductible or retainer programs along with middle market claims. He additionally has represented the Atlantic City casino industry since 1991 through both fully insured and large deductible insurance programs.

Michael has extensive experience representing municipal entities in workers’ compensation claims and currently represents over 55 municipalities either directly or associated with Joint Insurance Funds.  He also is singled out to represent municipal entities in high loss claims directly through the Municipal Excess Liability carrier. Michael also represents the Community College Insurance Pool, which involves most of the community colleges in the state. He has represented the trucking industry in claims filed in connection with owner/operator agreements both through traditional workers’ compensation policies and occupational accident policies with contract liability coverage.

Michael’s experience involves all aspects of workers’ compensation litigation including total disability claims and cases involving the Second Injury Fund. This includes complex medical issues associated with occupational disease claims. He has further experience representing employers in mass claim filings associated with business closings. Michael has argued two workers’ compensation cases before the New Jersey Supreme Court involving the defense of two municipalities for a police officer and dispatcher and has prepared and argued multiple workers’ compensation cases before the New Jersey Appellate Division including several published decisions.