Erie Personal Injury Lawyers

Personal Injury Lawyers / Erie Personal Injury Lawyers

Personal Injury Attorneys in Erie, PA

If someone else’s negligence has caused you or a loved one to suffer harm or serious injuries, know that you have options for financial recovery. The Erie personal injury lawyers of Munley Law have over 60 years of experience fighting for the rights of Pennsylvania’s injured and recovering compensation. With a track record of securing millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts, we take on the liable party and insurance company to ensure you get the compensation you need for the injuries and damages you incurred.

For a no-obligation, free consultation, contact an Erie personal injury lawyer from Munley Law today.

Why Choose Our Erie Personal Injury Attorneys?

Not all personal injury law firms are made equal. However, the award-winning personal injury lawyers of Munley Law have the experience, dedication, and compassion you seek in legal representation.

Experienced Personal Injury Lawyers

Experience is the most critical factor in selecting a personal injury lawyer for your case. Our Erie personal injury lawyers have represented injury victims and their families since 1959 in some of the most complex claims.

We’ve taken on some of the biggest trucking and transportation industry names, gone head-to-head with large insurance companies, and represented our clients in court against negligent employers, property owners, and manufacturers.

Our experience has also impacted the legal industry at large. Most of our attorneys have multiple board certifications from the National Board of Trial Advocacy, which are only given to attorneys with high standards of competence and integrity. Further, our law firm has an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible peer and client review rating in the legal industry.

Track Record of Success in Erie Personal Injury Claims

It isn’t just what our clients and peers think about us that shows our dedication to personal injury litigation; our track record speaks for itself. Our attorneys have secured numerous multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for our clients.

Because we’re your partners from start to finish, we genuinely believe that a victory for you is a victory for us.

Dedicated to Clients

It’s common in large law firms for clients to be passed around from lawyer to lawyer to paralegal throughout a claim. However, at Munley Law, we believe in giving our clients the personalized attention they deserve.

From constructing a unique legal strategy to answering your questions and keeping you engaged in the legal process, we believe that standing by your side instead of in front of you is the best way to bring success to you and your family.

Do I Need to Hire an Erie, PA, Personal Injury Lawyer?

You never have to hire an attorney for a personal injury case. However, there may be better choices than representing yourself.

Whether you’ve been in a car accident, truck accident, workplace accident, injured on public property, or hurt by a defective product, each claim has its complexities.

Proving liability and establishing who is at fault for an accident is often the most challenging part of the case. Insurance companies will try to minimize the value of your claim, while the at-fault party will likely try to mitigate their wrongdoing.

The whole process can be overwhelming. Even once liability is established, you still have to work within the deadlines of Pennsylvania law, all while taking care of your physical health.

But, with an experienced personal injury attorney, some of that burden will be lifted from you. An attorney can guide you through the legal process and help you with the following aspects of your claim:

• Gathering evidence
• Establishing negligence and liability
• Handle insurance company communications
• Negotiate settlement offers
• Represent you in court

Most personal injury attorneys will work on a contingency fee basis, so you’ll get this help without upfront costs to focus on your immediate needs.

What Are the Main Problems Injury Victims Face With Insurance Companies?

We have insurance to provide us with financial relief and coverage should an unexpected accident occur. While you may think that your insurance provider is looking out for your best interests, they will do everything they can to keep their bottom line where they want it, even if that means minimizing the compensation you get for your injuries.

Common Tactics By The Insurance Company to Minimize Payout

The insurance company comprises a reasonably large team that includes adjusters, lawyers, and investigators. All these people are working in the company’s best interests, not yours. And their job begins the second you call to report you were in an accident.

Challenges with Insurance Adjusters

Your insurance adjuster will be the first to look for discrepancies in the accident or injury report. For example, if you are in a car accident, the insurance adjuster will look for any signs that you were also partially to blame for the wreck. Once they can prove you were at partial fault, they can minimize the compensation you receive.

Further, if you comment to the insurance adjuster that it seems like you are admitting fault or are uncertain about the facts of the accident, this will all be used against you.

It seems contradictory that your insurance company would work against you instead of for you. Still, in Pennsylvania, injury victims have two modes of financial recovery from an accident: their insurance or filing a lawsuit.

How a Lawyer Can Represent You in Insurance Negotiations

Knowing that the insurance company doesn’t have your best interests at heart can be discouraging, especially when settlement offers are insufficient for your sustained losses. This is where an Erie personal injury lawyer comes in.

At Munley Law, we handle insurance negotiations to ensure you get maximum compensation for the injuries sustained in an accident. It’s unlikely that you’ll get a fair settlement with the first offer, but through detailed negotiations, our personal injury firm will make sure any losses you endured are accounted for.

When Do I Have to File My Personal Injury Lawsuit in Erie?

In Erie, Pennsylvania, you must file a personal injury case two years after the accident. In some cases, the clock begins when the injuries are discovered, for example, in a medical malpractice case where infection only occurs days or weeks after the surgery.

There are other exceptions to the statute of limitations. For example, if a minor is involved in a personal injury claim, the clock begins when the minor turns 18 years old. So, the individual has until they are 20 to file a claim.

There may be other extenuating circumstances for a personal injury claim. When you realize something is amiss, it is best to consult an experienced personal injury attorney in Erie to ensure you do not miss filing deadlines.

Consequences for Missing a Filing Deadline in Erie

If you miss the deadline to file a personal injury case, you forfeit the right to pursue compensation for your injuries and losses. This means you are fully accountable for your medical bills, property damage, etc.

What Types of Personal Injury Cases Does Munley Law Handle?

Munley Law has taken cases from prospective clients for various claims across Pennsylvania. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that no matter your injuries or the type of case, you pay nothing upfront and only pay if we win.

Vehicle Accidents

A motor vehicle accident can happen anytime to anyone, changing your life in the blink of an eye. At Munley Law, we know how difficult it is to recover physically and financially from these situations. And when your collision becomes a legal issue, the aftermath can be unbearable.

Our lawyers work diligently to lighten your burdens. With over 60 years of experience, we handle the following motor vehicle accidents:

• Car Accident: You have a one in 20 chance of getting into a car accident–making the odds likely that at some point in your life, you may. Car accidents are a part of life, but they don’t have to change your life forever. Our lawyers work with car accident victims and their families to get the compensation they need to move forward from an automobile collision.
• Motorcycle Accident: When the weather gets nice, more motorcycles are on the roadways, increasing the chance of a wreck. If you are hurt in a motorcycle accident, you have a right to compensation for your injuries and losses.
• Truck Accidents: Erie is known for some of its manufacturing, which increases the need for commercial trucks. Unfortunately, this also increases the risk of truck accidents. Munley Law stands up to negligent truck drivers and trucking companies when accidents occur.
• Rideshare Accidents: The use of rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft is increasing. But did you know that as a passenger involved in an accident while utilizing rideshare, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries? Further, if you are involved in an accident with a rideshare driver, you may have modes for financial recovery outside of your insurance.
• Pedestrian Accidents: Sometimes, the most horrifying car accidents occur when you aren’t even behind the wheel. If you were struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian, you have a right to hold the at-fault driver accountable.
• Bicycle Accidents: When utilizing your bicycle, you hope drivers will follow the road rules. But unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.
• Bus Accidents: If you are on public transit like the bus, and it is involved in an accident, you can seek financial compensation against the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority.

Workers’ Compensation

When your job leaves you hurt or unwell, be it a workplace injury or an occupational illness, you may wonder who is responsible for your medical needs. Munley Law guides injured workers through the workers’ compensation process to help them recover compensation for lost wages, medical treatment, and related expenses.

Premises Liability Accidents

Most of us spend at least part of our day outside the home. Be it at the grocery store, work, the gym, a friend’s house, etc., you may have a premises liability claim if you become hurt on someone else’s property.

Premises liability cases we handle include:

• Slip and falls
• Negligent security
• Dog bites
• Drowning
• And more

If a property owner knew there was a risk of harm and did nothing or did not act appropriately to warn visitors of the harm, you may have a case for premises liability–Munley Law can help.

Defective Products

When you buy or consume a product, you hope it was created and manufactured in the consumer’s best interest. Unfortunately, for various reasons, a defective product could cause you to suffer harm.

Common product liability claims we handle are:

• Defective products (medical devices, automotive parts, etc.)
• Manufacturing defects
• Design defects
• Failure to warn

Medical Malpractice

We trust doctors, surgeons, and nurses to provide the utmost care when hurt or sick. However, someone should be held accountable when negligent medical practices leave us in worse shape than when we began.

At Munley Law, we represent victims of medical malpractice and their families in lawsuits for:

• Misdiagnosis
• Birth injuries
• Surgical errors
• Medication errors

If medical professionals did not provide you with a reasonable standard of care and you suffered harm, Munley Law can help.

Who Can Be Held Liable for My Personal Injury Accident?

Several negligent parties can be held liable for your personal injury accident. For example, a truck driver, trucking company, or the mechanic in charge of maintenance could be held responsible for a truck accident. A doctor or the hospital could be held accountable for a medical malpractice case. An employer or third-party vendor could also be at fault for your workplace injury.

With so many variables at play, Munley Law will investigate your injury to hold the appropriate at-fault party liable for your losses.

Pennsylvania Comparative Negligence Rule

Regardless of who is at fault for your accident, you may share some blame. Pennsylvania follows the 51 percent comparative negligence rule. This means you can only recover damages if you were less than 51 percent at fault for an injury. You cannot pursue compensation if you are more than 50 percent responsible.

A Munley Law personal injury lawyer can review your case’s facts to ensure you are only responsible for your portion of the losses.

What Does Proving Negligence in an Erie Injury Case Require?

Four elements of negligence must be proven for a personal injury case.

The first is the duty of care. Duty of care is an individual or entity’s legal obligation to a person to provide and adhere to a standard of reasonable care that avoids carelessness that could harm others.

The second aspect is a breach of duty. A breach of duty occurs when a person fails to act as a reasonable person would in the same or similar circumstances. For example, a doctor is expected to provide thorough medical care. However, when the physician rushes an appointment and does not take a proper medical history, resulting in the patient taking drugs that counteract another medication, this would be a breach of duty.

The third aspect is causation. It is not enough for the negligent party to be careless; those actions must have caused harm, leading to the injury.

The final component is damage. Damages are the recoverable value of losses in a personal injury claim. Damages can include:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Wrongful death claim costs for funeral and burial

Victims may be entitled to punitive damages if the negligent party is willfully malicious in their actions. All these damages will be part of settlement negotiations, where having a personal injury lawyer can benefit.

How Much Is My Erie Personal Injury Case Worth?

All personal injury cases are different, making it hard to say what a case is worth at face value. Several factors can impact the value of a case, including:

• The severity of injuries sustained
• Time away from work or inability to return to work
• Amount of property damage
• Shared fault
• Insurance policy limits

In cases of wrongful death, the age of the victim and the number of dependents left behind could also impact the value of the claim.

At Munley Law, we’ve helped Erie families recover compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Disability
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage

To recover maximum compensation, we will leave no stone unturned, investigate all aspects of the accident, and go toe-to-toe with the at-fault party.

Contact Our Erie Personal Injury Lawyer For a Free Consultation

If you or a loved one suffered injury due to the negligence of another, call the Munley Law Firm. Our Erie, PA, personal injury lawyers have fought for injured Pennsylvanians and their families for over 60 years. Let us put that experience to the test for you.

Injured? Call an Erie Personal Injury Attorney From Munley Law Today.

If you or a loved one were hurt due to negligence, call Munley Law today for a no-obligation, free consultation, or schedule an appointment with us online.