A traumatic brain injury changes everything at once. One day, you are working, driving, and making your own decisions; the next, you may be facing memory loss, personality changes, mounting medical bills, and the question of whether you will return to the life you had. For families in Pittsburgh, the hardest part is often watching someone they love struggle with an injury no one else can see.
The Pittsburgh brain injury lawyers at Munley Law have spent more than 65 years handling catastrophic injury cases across Pennsylvania. We secured a $26 million settlement for a client who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a tractor-trailer crash, at the time the largest known recovery for an individual plaintiff in the state. Brain injuries in serious crashes are the core of what we do. We work with neurologists, life-care planners, and economists to document the full lifetime cost of the injury, and we build every case to win at trial, so the insurance company has a reason to pay what your recovery is actually worth.
If you or someone you love suffered a brain injury in the Pittsburgh area, contact our Pittsburgh personal injury attorneys today for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we win your case, and we are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Contact a Brain Injury Lawyer at Munley Law
Call Us At 844-686-5397 What Are the Leading Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Pittsburgh?
Most traumatic brain injuries in Pittsburgh come from four causes: motor vehicle crashes, falls, being struck by an object, and workplace accidents. A sudden blow or jolt to the head, or a penetrating injury, disrupts how the brain works, and in a serious crash, the damage can be permanent.
Vehicle crashes are the most common cause in the cases we handle. Pittsburgh’s heaviest-traffic corridors, including the Parkway East (I-376), I-79, and I-279, push high-speed traffic through tunnels and tight interchanges where a single collision can cause a severe head injury. Crashes involving commercial trucks are especially dangerous due to the forces involved, and Munley Law has more than 65 years of experience in this area.
Falls are the other leading cause, particularly for older adults and young children. According to the CDC, falls account for roughly half of TBI-related emergency room visits nationwide. A fall on someone else’s property may support a premises liability claim. Being struck by or against an object, common on construction sites and in contact sports, accounts for much of the rest.
What Are the Most Common Types of Brain Injuries?
Brain injuries range from a concussion, often called a mild TBI, to severe injuries like a skull fracture, a brain contusion (bruising), an intracranial hematoma (bleeding on the brain), or a diffuse axonal injury, where the brain is torn by sudden rotational force in a high-speed crash.
The word “mild” is misleading. A concussion can cause headaches, memory problems, mood changes, and trouble concentrating that last for months or longer. Because these effects often don’t show up on a routine scan, insurance companies treat them as minor and push to settle quickly. In the cases we handle, this is the single most common way a serious brain injury gets undervalued. We work with neurologists and use neuroimaging to document the true extent of the injury.
The most severe injuries can require surgery, long-term rehabilitation, and lifelong care. What a case is worth depends heavily on the type and severity of the injury, which is why building the medical record correctly from the start matters so much.
What Damages Can You Recover for a Brain Injury Case in Pennsylvania?
If another party caused your brain injury, Pennsylvania law lets you recover both economic and non-economic damages, and in some cases, punitive damages. Economic damages cover measurable financial losses; non-economic damages cover the human costs that don’t come with a receipt.
In a brain injury case, the largest economic losses are usually the ones still to come. Future medical care, rehabilitation, and lost earning capacity over a lifetime often dwarf the bills you have already received, which is why we bring in life-care planners and economists to calculate them.
Economic damages typically include:
- Past and future medical treatment, from emergency care through surgery, therapy, and follow-up
- Rehabilitation and in-home care
- Lost wages and lost future earning capacity
- Medical equipment and modifications to your home or vehicle
Non-economic damages account for what the injury takes from your life:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of quality of life
Punitive damages are rare, but a court may award them when the at-fault party’s conduct was especially reckless, such as a drunk driver or a trucking company that ignored federal safety rules.
Why You Need a Pittsburgh Brain Injury Lawyer from Munley Law
Brain injury claims are won or lost on how well the lifetime cost of the injury is proven, and insurance companies count on families settling before that full cost is on the table. The lawyer you choose decides whether that happens.
At Munley Law, our catastrophic injury cases are led by attorneys like Daniel W. Munley, who is triple board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a distinction held by fewer than one percent of attorneys nationwide. Dan is also a board-certified truck accident lawyer and a former chair of the American Association for Justice’s Trucking Litigation Group, which matters here because so many severe brain injuries come from serious vehicle and truck crashes.
That experience shows in results. Munley Law recovered $6.5 million for a client who suffered a brain injury in a collision with a garbage truck, one of many catastrophic-injury recoveries the firm has secured over more than 65 years.
Insurance companies know Munley Law will take a case to trial and win, and that reputation consistently leads to better settlement offers. The firm’s partners hold AV Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest the directory awards, and belong to the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a group limited to attorneys who have won multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements.
FAQs About Traumatic Brain Injury Cases in Pittsburgh
Where Are Brain Injury Cases Filed in Pittsburgh?
Most brain injury lawsuits in Pittsburgh are filed in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, which handles major civil injury, negligence, and medical malpractice cases throughout the region.
Which Hospitals in Pittsburgh Treat Traumatic Brain Injuries?
Traumatic brain injury patients in Pittsburgh are often treated at major trauma centers such as UPMC Presbyterian and Allegheny General Hospital, both of which provide advanced emergency and neurological care for serious head injuries.
How Long Do I Have to File a Brain Injury Claim in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, most personal injury claims, including traumatic brain injury cases, must be filed within two years of the date of the accident or injury. Missing this deadline can prevent you from recovering compensation.
What if the Brain Injury Happened in a Car Accident in Pittsburgh?
If the injury occurred in a crash on roads such as I-376 (the Parkway East), I-79, or I-279, the case will typically rely on police reports, accident reconstruction, witness statements, and insurance investigations to determine liability.
Can a Brain Injury Case Go to Trial in Pittsburgh?
Yes. If a fair settlement cannot be reached, a brain injury case may proceed to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, where a jury decides liability and compensation.
Contact a Pittsburgh Brain Injury Lawyer at Munley Law
A brain injury can change your family’s life in an instant, and the decisions you make now will shape the years ahead. Munley Law has helped injured people across Pennsylvania for more than 65 years, and every consultation is free. Contact us today to speak with a Pittsburgh brain injury lawyer about your case and its potential value. There is no fee unless we win.
Daniel W. Munley
Daniel W. Munley is an award-winning personal-injury attorney and champion of plaintiffs’ rights. For decades he’s won multi-million verdicts and settlements and is recognized as a national leader in truck and rideshare litigation, including a record $26 million truck settlement in Northeastern Pennsylvania and a $20 million recovery in 2024 for life-altering commercial-vehicle injuries.
