Pittsburgh Personal Injury Attorneys

A serious injury can change your entire life in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, you have significant medical expenses, property repairs and other costs that can be impossible to pay while you are missing work. On top of that, the physical pain and emotional trauma of an accident may leave you uncertain of where to turn. And when a personal injury happens because of the negligence or reckless actions of another party, victims deserve to receive just compensation.

Unfortunately, it is usually not easy to recover full and fair compensation when someone suffers an injury that someone else caused or contributed to. Normally, you will be dealing with an insurance company who will do whatever they can to minimize the amount they pay out to claimants. For this reason, you need strong legal counsel by your side fighting hard to protect your legal rights and interests.

At Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman, L.L.C., in Pittsburgh, we are here to help. We have in-depth experience handling many types of injuries, ranging from soft tissue injuries in motor vehicle accidents to devastating disfigurement to wrongful death. Our lawyers have extensive knowledge of personal injury law, and we have a successful track record with even the most complex cases.

We routinely go up against well-funded adversaries such as large corporations and their insurers, and we are not intimidated by their vast resources. We are skilled litigators and strong negotiators. In many cases, it is in our client’s best interests to secure a settlement that fairly compensates them for their injuries without the need for litigation. That being said, if the other side is not willing to negotiate in good faith, we are ready and able to pursue full damages at trial and upon appeal.

Personal Injury Cases We Handle

The types of injury and accident cases we handle include but are not limited to:

• Nursing Home Abuse
• Premises Liability
• Industrial Accidents
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Heavy Machinery Accidents
• Wrongful Death
• Aviation Accidents
• Gas Explosions
• Fire Injuries
• Coal Tar Pitch
• Drilling Accidents
• Fracking Water Pollution
• Defective Products
• Defective Drugs
• Serious Injuries

A serious injury case is far more complicated than a standard accident. The injuries sustained are permanent and debilitating, and they will impact the life of the victim and those around them for years to come and in many cases, permanently. With cases like these, it is very important to work with lawyers who understand the complexities involved, what is needed to accurately value the claim, and how to successfully recover maximum compensation.

Pursuing a Personal Injury Claim in Pennsylvania

When someone suffers an injury that was the fault of another person or party, they are eligible for damages to compensate them for their losses. Compensatory damages can be divided into two general categories:

• Economic Damages: These are direct monetary losses the victim incurs, such as hospitalization costs, costs for surgeries and other types of medical treatment, rehabilitation expenses, the costs for ongoing medical care, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, and funeral and burial expenses (in the case of a wrongful death).

• Non economic Damages: These are losses that are real but intangible and more difficult to quantify. Examples of non economic damages include physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, diminished quality of life, disfigurement, and permanent disability.

In rarer cases in which the actions of the party responsible for the injury were willful, malicious, fraudulent, or grossly negligent, punitive damages may be awarded. Also known as exemplary damages, punitive damages are not meant to compensate the victim, but rather to punish the wrongdoer and help discourage them (and others) from committing similarly egregious actions in the future.

In a personal injury claim in which the injured party is partially at fault, Pennsylvania’s modified comparative negligence laws would come into play. An injury victim can still recover damages in Pennsylvania even if they share some of the blame for the underlying accident, as long as they are not more than 50% at fault. If an injured party is 51% or more at fault, they can be barred from recovering any compensation at all.

It is important to note that, even though you can still receive compensation if you are partially to blame, your damage award would be reduced in proportion with the percentage of fault you share in the underlying accident or event. For example, if your total losses equaled $200,000 and you are determined to be 20% at fault, your damages would be reduced by $40,000, giving you a total of $160,000.

You can be certain that the insurance company for the responsible party will look for any reason they can find to pin some of the blame for your injury on you, so they can reduce the amount of damages they have to pay. This is another reason why it is so important to work with strong legal counsel and to get attorneys involved as early as possible in the process. Otherwise, your right to recover full compensation may be jeopardized.

What You Can Expect from Us

When the lawyers at Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman, L.L.C. handle your personal injury case, you can expect that we will schedule your free and confidential consultation in a place that is convenient for you — whether that be your house, your office, your hospital room or your union hall. During our first meeting, our Pittsburgh personal injury attorneys will collect the necessary information about you, your injuries and the facts surrounding your injury.

Our attorneys are also there to answer your questions. Many people want to know how long it will take to go through the legal system. While it is impossible to predict the future, we can help you develop an accurate idea of what to expect.

When we take your case, we take care of all of the legal work, so you can focus on your health and other personal matters. We want you to take care of yourself, attend your doctor appointments and inform us if there are any significant changes in your condition. And all along the way, we are always by your side, providing the skilled legal representation and moral support you need during this difficult time.

Contact Us for A Free, Confidential Consultation

Contact Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman, L.L.C., and take the first step toward a fair physical and financial recovery. Please call 412-567-1232 or toll-free at 866-466-5789 to schedule your free consultation with one of our attorneys. You may also send us a message through our website contact form or stop by our Pittsburgh office in person at your convenience.