Injury Attorney in Washington County, PA
The legal aspects of personal injury claims can be challenging. We realize that the consequences of an accident can be far-reaching and may include lost income and medical expenses, as well as pain and suffering. You need an experienced and effective law firm to obtain the best result for your case. If you, a loved one or a friend has suffered injuries as a result of any type of accident, we can help get the maximum result for the claim, contact us online or at 724-225-9130.
Types of personal injury cases we handle
Our highly skilled and accomplished Washington County personal injury attorneys handle all varieties of personal injury matters, including:
- Auto accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Wrongful death claims
- Industrial accidents
- Nursing home injuries
- Defective products
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dog bites
- Other serious injuries
Damages available — understanding the value of a claim
Although every case is unique and past performance does not guarantee future success, our injury attorneys in Washington County have recovered millions of dollars in damages for our clients. If you have been injured by the fault of another, you have a right to be compensated fairly for the financial and other losses that you have suffered and will suffer into the future.
Damages available in a personal injury claim include pain and suffering damages. You also are entitled to past, present and future economic losses, such as past and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earning power and loss of employment-related benefits, such as wage increases, pension benefits and health insurance costs. If the conduct of the other party that caused your injuries was egregious enough, you may be entitled to punitive damages, which are damages that are designed to punish the wrongdoer. If you are married, your spouse also has a claim for the effect that your injuries have had on the marital relationship.
We maximize your recovery
Accidents involving serious personal injuries can have a tremendous financial impact on the injured person and his or her family. When we undertake representation in these cases, our commitment is to fight for your rights to be compensated fairly. Our Washington County personal injury attorneys know what it takes to thoroughly investigate, assemble and litigate your case so as to obtain the best possible result for you.
Unfortunately, some people and some companies do not carry sufficient insurance coverage to adequately compensate a person who is injured as a result of their negligence. In every case, we make certain to identify all possible persons and entities that may be responsible for our clients’ injuries and all insurance coverage that is available so that we can maximize our clients’ recoveries.
Sometimes, people who have been injured decide to handle their personal injury claim on their own. That usually is not a wise decision. There are many complex legal issues involved in what may seem to be the simplest of personal injury claims. For example, if your private health insurance carrier has paid bills that are related to injuries that you suffered in an auto accident, it may, but not always, be entitled to reimbursement, or at least partial reimbursement. This concept is called subrogation. Other entities may or may not have subrogation rights in your personal injury claim, such as a workers compensation insurance company and certain disability or sickness and accident benefits plans. If Medicare is involved in your claim, you will have certain obligations to Medicare under Federal law. Our Washington County injury attorneys will ensure that all such interests are identified, and that your rights are protected to the fullest extent so as to maximize your recovery.
Injured at work?
If you have been injured while at work, you will have a claim under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act. In addition to assisting you with your workers compensation matter, our Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys will evaluate whether any third-party claim can be brought so that you can obtain the compensation that the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act does not provide. For example, if you are involved in a work-related automobile accident that was the fault of another, in addition to your workers compensation claim, you can present a claim against the other driver and any other person or entity that may have some responsibility for your injuries. If you are injured on machinery at work, we may be able to pursue a claim against the machine manufacturer and others for the defective and unsafe condition of the machine. We have successfully represented many injured workers in work-related third-party claims.
Wrongful death and survival claims
Accidents that result in the death of a family member are devastating to the surviving family, from both an emotional and a financial perspective. The Pennsylvania Wrongful Death law permits family members to recover the financial support that the deceased would have provided, as well as any medical and funeral expenses. It also permits recovery for the loss of companionship of the individual who died. The claim may be brought by the surviving spouse, parents and children. A wrongful death claim can be brought for any type of accident in which the negligence of another caused the death of the family member.
If an accident caused the death of an individual, but the individual survived for a period of time after the accident, even briefly, the Pennsylvania Survival Act permits recovery on behalf of the estate of the deceased for the injuries suffered by the deceased, including pain and suffering damages. In such a case, an administrator, usually a family member, is appointed to pursue the claim on behalf of the estate. Any recovery ultimately is distributed to the heirs of the deceased.
Wrongful death and survival claims involve complex legal issues. Court approval is required before any distribution of proceeds can be made to beneficiaries or heirs. We have helped many family members with wrongful death and survival claims.
Statute of limitations
Every personal injury claim in Pennsylvania is governed by a statute of limitations, which dictates the time within which you must formally file your lawsuit. In most cases, the lawsuit must be filed within two years from the date of the injury, although there are some limited exceptions. If your claim is not filed in time, you never will be entitled to recover damages for your injuries. In every situation, it is wise to consult with an attorney at the earliest possible occasion, not only because of the statute of limitations, but also because critical evidence regarding your case may be lost or destroyed with the passage of time. Additionally, a thorough investigation may be required in order to identify all persons and entities that may be responsible for your injuries.
Attorneys’ fees and costs
We handle all of our personal injury cases on a contingent fee basis. Attorney fees are taken as a percentage of the recovery obtained. If there is no recovery, there is no fee. It can be costly to investigate and litigate a personal injury case. We also advance the costs and expenses necessary to pursue your claim. Thus, it will not cost you any money to retain us to represent you in your personal injury case.
Dedicated team of Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers
An accident and injury can leave you missing work and paying for costly medical treatments and procedures. Yablonski, Costello & Leckie PC can help you file a claim to obtain just compensation. Contact us online today or by phone at 724-225-9130 to schedule a consultation.