Pittsburgh Personal Injury Lawyers

This is an overview of some key rules that can affect how a personal injury case develops. However, you should consult an attorney for any questions or concerns specific to your situation. Each case depends on its unique facts.

Most personal injury cases in Pennsylvania rely on a concept called negligence. This means that the victim got hurt because the defendant didn’t use the proper amount of care. The average person is generally expected to do what a reasonable person would do in the same situation. If you’re driving, for example, you should obey traffic signs and signals and stay focused on the road. Someone who doesn’t do this probably will be liable for any accident that happens as a result. The standard of care can get more complex in some specialized situations, such as when a healthcare provider gets sued for malpractice.

You also might be able to hold a business liable if its employee caused your injuries. A rule called “vicarious liability” applies when an employee acts negligently while they’re performing their job duties. You wouldn’t need to show that the business was negligent. However, you might have a claim of direct liability against the business in certain situations. A trucking company might have cut corners during the hiring process, for example, and put an unfit or otherwise dangerous driver on the road.

Cases involving defective products and certain other situations may raise a theory called “strict liability.” This means that you don’t need to show that the defendant was negligent. You would need to prove that something happened for which the law imposes strict liability, such as a product leaving the manufacturer’s control with a defect, and that you were injured as a result.

If you were injured in a violent crime, you might have a claim called an “intentional tort” against the perpetrator. This proceeds separately from any criminal charge that a prosecutor files against the defendant. The standard of proof in criminal cases is much tougher to meet than the standard in civil lawsuits like personal injury cases. You might still recover compensation even if the defendant isn’t ultimately convicted.

Pennsylvania has a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury cases. This is a deadline for filing your lawsuit that is critical to meet. If you don’t file within the statute of limitations, you probably won’t be able to get damages for your injuries even if you can prove that the defendant was at fault. Unless you can show that an exception to this rule applies, the judge will dismiss your case if the defendant asks.

This isn’t the only reason why it’s smart to get started on your case sooner rather than later. Prompt action also helps you preserve evidence that you might need to prove liability and damages. If you wait too long, physical evidence might decay or disappear, and the memories of witnesses might fade. This could make it harder to win your case.

In many personal injury cases, more than one person or entity bears some responsibility for what happened. If the victim was partly at fault, they may wonder if they can still get damages. Pennsylvania takes an approach called modified comparative negligence in these situations. You can still get compensation unless you were 51 percent or more at fault. The amount that you get would be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you were 25 percent at fault for a car crash, you could get up to 75 percent of your damages.

Pennsylvania doesn’t cap compensatory damages in most personal injury cases. You’ll probably be able to get the full amount that you can prove, even for non-economic damages like pain and suffering. (There’s a limit on the damages that you can get if you’re suing the government, though.) The state does cap punitive damages in medical malpractice cases against doctors, unless they engaged in intentional misconduct. Punitive damages are awarded in addition to compensatory damages in extreme situations to punish a defendant and deter others from similar wrongdoing.

Personal injury cases against a government entity follow distinctive rules. One of the main rules to keep in mind is the six-month deadline for filing your notice of claim. This provides basic information about the victim and the incident, such as the date, time, and location. If you don’t meet this deadline, you probably won’t be able to pursue your lawsuit, even if the main personal injury statute of limitations hasn’t expired.

Some personal injury cases go all the way to trial, but this isn’t what normally happens. The defendant or insurer and the injured person typically reach a settlement agreement. This provides that the injured person drops their case against the defendant in return for getting a certain amount of compensation.

There are several reasons why you might want to take a settlement. Most obviously, it tends to be cheaper and less time-consuming than going all the way through the litigation process. You also might be wary of letting a judge or jury make the final decision. Even if you have a strong case, you don’t know for sure what they’ll think. A guaranteed payout may make more sense than putting your fate in their hands. You also might want the money sooner so that you can start digging out of the bills that may be piling up. And you might want to put a traumatic event behind you rather than reliving it repeatedly as the case winds its way through court.

However, you should take a close look at any settlement offer that you get. Insurers often try to get rid of claims quickly for as little as possible. If an offer doesn’t seem like it properly covers your costs and losses, you may want to keep negotiating or litigating your case. You also may want to wait to settle your case until you’ve reached maximum medical improvement, which is the stage at which your doctor doesn’t expect your condition to improve significantly. This is especially true if you’ve suffered serious injuries with long-term effects. If you agree to a settlement, you probably won’t be able to get more compensation later if you find out that you need it.

If you’re seeking a large amount of damages, or if you’re getting any pushback from the other side, you should make sure to work with an attorney. Even if your case seems straightforward, it’s generally a smart precaution. Your lawyer can take the burden of handling the legal process off your shoulders as you focus on recovery. They can investigate your case, pinpoint its strengths and weaknesses, build legal arguments on your behalf, and develop strategies to counter defenses.

Your attorney also can collect the evidence that you need to prove your claim. This might involve photos and videos of the scene, medical records, pay stubs, and bills or receipts documenting your costs. They also may gather statements from witnesses who saw what happened, and from family members or friends who can explain how your injuries have affected your life. Sometimes an attorney will hire experts like accident reconstruction specialists, engineers, doctors, or economists to address issues like causation and the scope of the damages. These tasks would be challenging to manage on your own.

As your case progresses through settlement negotiations, your attorney can advise you on its likely value so that you know what to reasonably expect. They can assess any offers that you receive and advise you on whether they’re fair, although you’ll make the final decision on whether to settle your case. If you go to trial, your attorney’s professional training and courtroom experience will help them convey your side of the story more persuasively than you probably could on your own. They’ll also smoothly handle deadlines and other procedural nuances of litigation, which often trip up people who aren’t familiar with the process.

Sometimes an injured person gets a recommendation for an attorney from someone whom they know and trust, but usually they end up searching for lawyers online. With many personal injury attorneys serving the Pittsburgh area, the prospect of finding the right lawyer for you can be daunting. The Justia Lawyer Directory aims to simplify your search by helping you efficiently compare your options and contact those who interest you. Sometimes a local bar association also might provide suggestions.

Personal injury law covers many diverse areas, and not all attorneys are equally familiar with all of them. You should aim to find a lawyer who is experienced in the type of case that you’re bringing. For example, if you’re suing a manufacturer because a defectively designed product caused your injuries, you should work with an attorney who has handled many products liability cases. If your elderly loved one was neglected in a nursing home, you should look for a lawyer who has experience suing these facilities.

It’s important to explore attorney websites to learn more about their areas of focus, notable past results, philosophies of practice, educational credentials, and awards and other professional recognition. You may want to read the testimonials there, although you should also look for client reviews of an attorney on other websites. This can help you get a sense of an attorney’s personality and approach. Meanwhile, reviews and ratings by their peers can shed light on their reputation in the profession.

More specifically, you’ll want to make sure that your attorney doesn’t have a long history of breaking the rules of professional conduct imposed by the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Misconduct or incompetence by your attorney could undermine even a strong case. However, you might still consider an attorney who has one minor misstep on their record if they seem impressive otherwise.

When you’ve identified several attorneys who look promising, you’ll want to set up initial consultations with each of them. These likely won’t cost you anything. You can explain the basics of what happened to you and get each attorney’s thoughts about the strength and value of your case and your potential next steps. You also can ask the attorney more general questions about how they manage their cases, how they typically handle fees and other costs, and any other issues that may concern you. You deserve an advocate who not only knows the law inside and out but also gives your case proper attention and responds to your needs.

Numerous situations can result in personal injury lawsuits. Some of the most common examples include:

• Motor vehicle accidents, which may involve cars, trucks, motorcycles, or sometimes bicycles or pedestrians
• Slip or trip and falls on someone else’s property
• Medical malpractice, such as a misdiagnosis, surgical error, or medication error
• Nursing home negligence or abuse
• Dog bites and other injuries caused by animals
• Encounters with products that have design, manufacturing, or marketing defects
• Violent crimes, such as assault

If you got injured on the job, you can probably get workers’ compensation benefits regardless of fault. These will help cover your medical expenses and some of the wages that you missed. However, workers’ comp is more limited than the compensation available in personal injury lawsuits. The system prevents you from bringing a lawsuit against your employer to get other types of damages. It doesn’t prevent you from suing a third party for the full scope of your damages, though. For example, perhaps a careless driver hit you while you were driving somewhere for work, or perhaps a defective tool caused an accident in the workplace. You can get workers’ comp and pursue this type of lawsuit at the same time.

According to a study of jury verdicts in Pennsylvania personal injury cases that went to trial, the average amount awarded was over $900,000. This sounds very impressive, but an average can be distorted by a relatively small number of huge verdicts. An equally or more useful number to know is the median, which was $45,000 for the cases in the study. (The median is the number that is in the middle of the verdicts, larger than half and smaller than half.)

Here are some notable settlements and verdicts in Pennsylvania personal injury cases in recent years:

• $11 million when the defective design of a firearm caused a gunshot injury to its owner
• $5 million when a slip and fall on spilled olive oil in a Walmart caused injuries that allegedly forced an accountant to leave the profession
• $3.5 million when an archdiocese allegedly ignored accusations of sexual abuse by a priest, putting children at risk
• $1.3 million when a trip and fall on steps outside a restaurant allegedly caused broken teeth and an ankle injury that led to surgeries
• $275,000 when a bicyclist was killed at an intersection by a driver who had consumed alcohol at a club, which was the defendant in the case
• $70,000 in a dog bite case when the dog owners allegedly knew that the dog was vicious but allowed it to be at large

You shouldn’t assume that you’ll get the same amount as a case in the news that sounds like yours, though. Each personal injury case is unique. You should ask your attorney for a general sense of how much your case might be worth and rely on that assessment instead.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation provides statistics on car crashes in cities throughout the state, including Pittsburgh. The 2024 data for Pittsburgh show that there were 2,967 total crashes, including 21 fatal crashes, 83 crashes that caused suspected serious injuries, 619 crashes that caused suspected minor injuries, and 192 crashes that caused possible injuries. The data also describe the types of crashes. For example, there were 696 rear-end collisions, 908 angle crashes, 85 head-on collisions, and 359 sideswipes. There were 150 collisions involving non-motorists.

In Allegheny County more generally, there were 10,226 crashes in 2024. These included 73 fatal crashes, 309 crashes that caused suspected serious injuries, 2,205 crashes that caused suspected minor injuries, and 746 crashes that caused possible injuries. There were 2,300 rear-end collisions, 3,187 angle crashes, 354 head-on collisions, and 868 sideswipes. There were 328 collisions involving non-motorists.

The City of Pittsburgh has embraced the Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths on the streets of the city. The 2025 Vision Zero Annual Memo identified certain intersections that have recently witnessed fatal crashes:

• Boulevard of the Allies and Marion Street
• Boulevard of the Allies and Grant Street
• South Dallas and Reynolds Streets
• Rosedale and Tacoma Streets
• Beaver Avenue and Chateau Street
• Terrance and Darragh Streets
• Paulson Avenue and Rowan Street
• Pride Street and Forbes Avenue
• Windgap and Chartiers Avenues

The city has either completed or launched safety improvements at each of these intersections. Still, no matter how many precautions are taken, drivers need to stay alert when they’re navigating the busy streets of Pittsburgh. Even a brief lapse in focus could cause a serious crash.

After a car crash in the Pittsburgh area, you probably should get a copy of the police report generated by the officer who responded to the scene. This can help support a claim filed with an insurer or a lawsuit. You can get a copy of the police report through the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Central Records and Reporting Unit, which is located at 660 First Avenue on the third floor. There’s a $15 fee for a report.

If you suspect that a doctor didn’t meet the professional standard of care, you can bring this concern to the Pennsylvania Department of State. Substandard care at a medical facility, such as a hospital or nursing home, may be reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. However, these complaints don’t substitute for filing a medical malpractice or nursing home negligence lawsuit. They’re not designed to recover compensation for your injuries.

After a violent crime, you may want to reach out to the Center for Victims, which can provide support, counseling, advocacy, and practical assistance. Meanwhile, the Victim Advocate Unit in the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office offers information, assistance, and connections to local agencies. The Allegheny County Sheriff also provides a list of resources. In addition, you might look into the Pennsylvania Crime Victims Compensation Assistance Program, which aims to ease the financial impact of a crime. This may reimburse expenses such as out-of-pocket medical costs and lost earnings.

Workers who have suffered job-related injuries can explore the resources offered by the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation in the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. This can help you figure out whether your injury and you are likely covered, as well as the scope of benefits that you might be able to receive and the process of pursuing them.

1. What will it cost to work with a personal injury attorney?

   It generally doesn’t cost anything upfront to work with a personal injury lawyer. They handle their cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that their fee is a percentage of a settlement or verdict won for a client, often between 25 and 40 percent. (The portion might be larger if the case goes to trial.) You probably won’t need to pay your attorney anything if they don’t get compensation for you. However, it’s always smart to clarify exactly how fees work before signing up for an attorney.

2. Is Pennsylvania a no-fault car insurance state?

   Pennsylvania is often called a “choice no-fault” state. When you get auto insurance, you can use a limited tort option or a full tort option. The limited tort option resembles the system in no-fault states, restricting your ability to pursue pain and suffering damages from an at-fault driver. If you get the full tort option, you’ll have an unrestricted right to sue the at-fault driver, as you would in an at-fault state.

3. Will I need to go through a trial in my personal injury case?

   There’s a good chance that you won’t need to go through a trial in your personal injury case. Most claims settle out of court through negotiations with the insurer. However, it’s good to prepare for the possibility of going to trial in case you don’t get a reasonable settlement offer.

4. Is a dog owner strictly liable for dog bites in Pennsylvania?

   Pennsylvania has a strict liability statute for dog bites, but it only covers costs for medical treatment. If you want to sue the dog owner for pain and suffering and other damages, you’ll need to bring a claim under another theory of liability.

5. Should I see a doctor even if I don’t feel much pain?

   It’s generally smart to see a doctor after an accident, even if it doesn’t seem like you suffered serious injuries. Some conditions take time to emerge, and a prompt diagnosis might prevent complications and improve your overall prognosis. The medical record from your visit to the doctor also might provide useful evidence for any claim that you eventually bring.