Pittsburgh Catastrophic Injury Lawyer | Personal Injury Attorney

A Catastrophic Injury Lawyer in Pittsburgh Will Fight For You

Every day, innocent people in Pittsburgh cross paths with negligent individuals or companies and suffer serious injuries. A catastrophic accident can cause injuries that can take months to recover from or leave you permanently disabled. Catastrophic injuries can disrupt your life and your family’s. When innocent people get hurt because of someone else’s negligence, the negligent party should pay for the damage they caused. A personal injury lawsuit can help you recover the compensation you need to rebuild your life and move forward. For personal injury cases involving catastrophic injuries, it’s important to have the right lawyer.

The Pittsburgh catastrophic injury lawyers at Munley Law have been representing Pennsylvanians since 1959. We have successfully recovered millions of dollars in compensation for victims of catastrophic car and truck crashes, medical mistakes, head trauma, explosions, work accidents, and more. We are a family of lawyers with the experience, skills, and resources to take on even the most complex cases. From here on out, you have a winning team at your side.

Get started on the road to recovery with a free, private consultation with a catastrophic injury lawyer. We will listen to your story, answer your questions, and give you advice about what to do next. Our law firm offers virtual, phone, and in-person consultations; if you are in the hospital or too injured to travel to meet with us, we can come to you. There is no charge for the consultation, and no fee unless we win your case.

$32 Million Wrongful Death

$26 Million Truck Accident

$17.5 Million Car Accident

$12 Million Product Liability

$9 Million Truck Accident

$8 Million Truck Accident

$7.5 Million Auto Accident

$6.9 Million Garbage Truck Accident

$6.5 Million Traumatic Brain Injury

$5 Million Medical Malpractice

$5 Million Bus Accidents

What is Considered a Catastrophic Injury in Pittsburgh?

What separates a regular personal injury case from a catastrophic injury case? All injuries have the power to shake your sense of safety and disrupt your daily life. Catastrophic injuries are those that have a lasting impact: they may require extensive medical treatment and prolonged hospital stays; they may place you out of work for weeks or months, or you may never be able to return to your job in the same capacity ever again; they may cause temporary or permanent disability, requiring adaptations to your lifestyle and adaptive equipment to perform daily activities. There are many different types of catastrophic injuries, but any injury that causes long-term or permanent damage can be considered catastrophic.

Types of Catastrophic Injuries in Pittsburgh

doctor examining a catastrophic injury in Pittsburgh There are many different kinds of catastrophic injuries a person might suffer in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Some are caused by catastrophic events like a factory explosion or high-rise fire, others may be caused by a car crash or a fall. There may be many victims, or only one. Some of the most common types of catastrophic injuries include:

Traumatic brain injury, including skull fracture, brain bleed, hematoma, and permanent brain damage
Broken bones
Internal damage
Spinal cord damage
Paralysis
Loss of hearing
Loss of vision
Amputation
Scarring and disfigurement

These kinds of catastrophic injuries can result from many different events and incidents. Some common causes of catastrophic injuries include car and truck crashes, multi-vehicle pile-ups, defective and recalled auto parts, train derailments, bus crashes, falls from a significant height, gas explosions, toxic chemical exposure, burns, industrial equipment malfunctions, and construction site accidents. Medical errors can also result in catastrophic injury. If a surgeon performs an amputation of the wrong body part or makes a surgical error that results in permanent paralysis, these are both catastrophic injuries. Likewise, if a Pittsburgh doctor causes a mother or infant a serious injury during labor and delivery, this can be considered a catastrophic injury as well.

Compensation in a Catastrophic Injury Case

Catastrophic injuries can wreak havoc on your life and put enormous strain on your entire family. In addition to the physical and emotional pain victims experience, you’ll also face the financial stress of your medical bills and being unable to work for an uncertain amount of time. You may not be able to participate in your daily activities the way you used to, or you might need in-home care for years to come.

This is where a personal injury lawyer comes in. A catastrophic injury lawsuit seeks to compensate the victim(s) of a major incident and hold the at-fault party responsible for the damage they caused. Most often, this financial compensation comes from the defendant‘s personal or commercial insurance policy.

Pittsburgh injury victims can receive financial compensation for economic and non-economic damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages include measurable financial costs like medical bills, ambulance or LifeFlight bills, follow-up and specialist visits, prescription medicine, surgeries, physical and occupational therapy, as well as lost wages and diminished earning power over the course of your lifetime. Economic damages can also include expenses like modifications to your vehicle and your home to accommodate a disability, adaptive equipment you now need to get around, or in-home care.

Noneconomic Damages

Noneconomic damages include more abstract types of damages, including emotional distress, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment, loss of companionship, and pain and suffering. These can be difficult to place a dollar value on, so it is important that you have a highly skilled lawyer who will work with top experts to calculate the maximum value of your damages.

In some states, including Pennsylvania, victims may also seek punitive damages against the defendant in cases of extreme negligence. These are rare, but your injury lawyer can determine whether punitive damages would apply in your case.

What Does a Pittsburgh Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Do?

The role of an experienced catastrophic injury lawyer is critical in getting you the justice you rightfully deserve. This is what a Pittsburgh catastrophic injury lawyer at Munley Law can do to help you:

Evaluate your claim and advise you on the next steps – The first thing your lawyer will do is listen to your story, review the details of your claim, and advise you as to whether you have a potential case. We will inform you of your rights and what you can expect from the process of filing a personal injury lawsuit, including the contingent fee agreement. If you agree to let us represent you, we can get to work right away.
Investigate and build your case – We will thoroughly investigate the incident that caused your injuries, including gathering witness statements, collecting evidence, and working with law enforcement and professional investigators. We work with medical experts to carefully review your medical records and calculate the maximum value of your damages.
Negotiate on your behalf – We will negotiate with the insurance companies so you don’t have to. We have handled cases against major insurance carriers for decades and know how to successfully negotiate a settlement. If an acceptable settlement cannot be reached, we will be prepared to go to court.
Fight for you at trial – While some law firms prefer to settle out of court even if it means taking a lower settlement offer, we have decades of experience winning cases at trial.

Throughout the entire legal process, the team at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys will keep you informed each step of the way. We will be available to help you through this difficult time as you recover from your injuries.

Pittsburgh Catastrophic Injury FAQs

Do all Pittsburgh personal injury lawyers handle catastrophic cases?

Just because a lawyer handles personal injury cases does not mean they have the necessary knowledge and experience to handle a catastrophic case. Catastrophic injury cases are often complex; they may involve multiple defendants, big companies and commercial insurance policies, and injuries whose prognosis is difficult to predict. And, of course, with catastrophic injuries, the stakes are high for the injured victim and their family. You need to know you have a legal representative you can trust.

The fact is not all personal injury lawyers in Pittsburgh have experience with catastrophic accidents and injuries like these. It is in your best interest to find a lawyer with experience handling and winning cases like yours, whether you suffered a life-changing brain injury in a truck crash or paralysis from a botched medical procedure. Investigating and preparing a case for catastrophic injuries doesn’t just take experience and knowledge, it also takes a lot of resources. You need a lawyer with the financial capacity and the expert network to build the best possible case and take on any defendant, no matter how powerful they may be.

What if I suffered a catastrophic work injury in Pittsburgh?

Some industries face a higher risk of catastrophic injuries than others. Construction workers, truckers, law enforcement, warehouse employees, and many others have dangerous jobs in the city. If you suffer a catastrophic injury on the job, you have the right to seek compensation. While workers cannot sue their employers in Pennsylvania, workers’ comp exists to cover medical bills and lost wages for an injury that happens on the job. If your catastrophic work accident resulted in the loss of a limb, loss of hearing, blindness, or other loss of a body part or function, specific loss payments provide additional compensation. Suppose your injury was caused by a third party – someone other than your employer – such as another driver, property owner, or equipment manufacturer. In that case, you may be able to file a third-party personal injury lawsuit as well. Your Pittsburgh catastrophic injury lawyer can determine what options are available and which course of action is best for you.

What if my loved one died after suffering catastrophic injuries?

Catastrophic injuries can, ultimately, prove fatal. In these tragic cases, a Pittsburgh injury lawyer at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys can help you hold the negligent party accountable. A wrongful death lawsuit is a type of legal action that seeks to compensate the surviving family of a deceased person for the losses they have suffered due to their loved one’s passing. In Pennsylvania, a wrongful death lawsuit must be brought by the representative of the decedent’s estate on behalf of the estate’s beneficiaries, including parents, children, or the spouse of the deceased. If your loved one had begun the process of filing a personal injury lawsuit for their catastrophic injuries before they passed away, a survival action will allow their case to continue as if they were still alive. A Pittsburgh injury lawyer at Munley Law can help you understand your options and determine the best way to proceed.

Types of Pittsburgh Personal Injury Claims We Handle

There are many different types of personal injury cases. When choosing a Pittsburgh injury lawyer to represent you, it’s important to find someone who has handled cases like yours. Munley Law has successfully secured compensation for victims of the following types of personal injury cases:

Do I Have A Case?

If you think you may have a personal injury case, contact us now for a FREE consultation.

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys

510 Third Avenue
2nd Floor,
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
+14125345133