Are you looking for a personal injury lawyer in Johnstown, Pennsylvania? Our firm’s attorneys in Johnstown are ready to fight to protect your legal rights. People suffer injuries every day. In some cases, these injuries are due to carelessness. In others, these injuries occur due to another party’s negligence. When this is the case, an injured victim may be able to recover compensation through a personal injury case. Unfortunately, personal injury claims are rarely straightforward. A Johnstown personal injury lawyer from Berger and Green can help.
We can discuss your legal options during a free consultation today.
What Types of Personal Injury Cases in Johnstown, PA Does Your Team Handle?
Our legal team has experience handling many types of personal injury claims, such as those occurring from:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Social Security Disability
- Premises liability
- Slips and falls
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian/bicycle accidents
- Bus/train/plane accidents
- Boat accidents
- Industrial accidents
- Product liability
- Nursing home abuse
Wrongful Death Cases
If any of the incidents above cause loss of life, our firm can handle the case. Our wrongful death attorneys manage these cases with care and resolve.
For a free legal consultation with a Personal Injury lawyer serving Johnstown, call 412-661-1400
What Does a Personal Injury Claim Require in Johnstown, Pennsylvania?
To have a valid injury claim, you must have a negligent party. Establishing a party as negligent requires proving that the party breached a duty it owed to you.
For example, property owners have a duty to keep their property well maintained and free from dangerous conditions. If, for example, your landlord knew the barrier on your balcony was loose but did not fix it, they could be liable if you fell off your balcony after leaning against it.
In this example, your landlord breached their duty of keeping you safe from hazards on the property.
Once you prove that the at-fault party breached their duty to you, you need to prove that your injuries resulted from the at-fault party’s actions or inaction and that you suffered damages (e.g., medical bills, lost wages, etc.) due to the accident.
Who May Be Liable for Your Incident
In your case, one of many different parties may be responsible for your incident and injuries. Alternatively, multiple parties could share liability. For instance, the motorist and a vehicle parts manufacturer may share liability if you were involved in a car accident.
Employers of motorists, employers for construction companies, manufacturers of consumer products, and caretakers are other parties who are commonly liable in personal injury cases.
You might struggle to identify the liable party or parties in your case, so you should leave this to a Johnstown personal injury attorney from our firm. Your attorney may be able to identify multiple parties and then hold each of them to account.
Johnstown Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me 412-661-1400
Are There Any Cases in Which I Do Not Need to Prove Negligence?
Yes. While most personal injury cases require proving negligence, if a dangerous or defective product injured you, our attorneys in Johnstown, PA, can file a claim under strict liability laws and increase your chances of getting compensation.
Strict product liability laws require that your attorney proves the following:
- The at-fault party created, designed, or engineered the defective or dangerous product
- You received the product in an unreasonably dangerous condition, and you did not alter it
- You were using the product in a way the manufacturer intended or could have foreseen
- Your injuries resulted from using the product
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What Should I Do if I Suffered Personal Injuries from Another Party’s Negligence?
There are a few things you should do after your incident. Each is about taking care of yourself in the present and protecting yourself in the future. You should:
- Get medical care as soon as possible
- Protect your claim
- Get help with your legal action
Get medical care: Have a doctor evaluate your injuries. This will help you protect yourself physically and evidence your injuries. You might not realize how injured you are until after seeing the doctor. Also, you will need your medical records to prove that you did suffer personal injuries in the accident. Without proof of your injuries, your injury claim may be disregarded.
Follow the medical advice your doctor gives you and do everything possible to maximize your recovery from your injuries.
Protect your claim: Be extremely careful about dealing with the insurance company. It does not have your best interests at heart. Its job is to pay you as little as possible for your claim.
Do not give a recorded statement or sign any documents without first talking with a personal injury attorney from our firm. People without a lawyer have signed away their rights and their entire claims for little or no money because they did not understand what they were signing.
Get help with your legal action: There are time limits on filing personal injury lawsuits. You can’t file a suit for your injuries if you miss the deadline. Therefore, it is essential to get in touch with one of our personal injury lawyers as soon as possible to get your case evaluated and get the insurance company off your back. We will stand between you and the insurance company to protect your rights.
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How Much is My Personal Injury Claim Worth?
Every claim is different. Two people injured in the same car accident might have very different settlement amounts if one person was hurt more seriously than the other.
The four big questions we need to answer to determine your case value are:
- How responsible were you for the accident, if at all? (Any fault on your part will likely reduce your settlement amount.)
- How badly were you hurt?
- Does your doctor expect you to make a full recovery? If not, how much permanent impairment do they expect?
- For how long will you be unable to work? Will you need to take a lesser-paying job, work less, or even retire?
Each of these questions requires thorough exploration of the facts and the evidence. Therefore, we obtain the accident report, eyewitness testimony, and other specialized evidence, such as surveillance video, and collect and analyze your medical records and lost wage documentation. We also work with accident reconstruction experts, your doctors, and any other experts needed to prove your case.
Valuating Your Intangible Damages
The valuation methods we have described are helpful for valuating tangible financial damages, like property loss. They can also be beneficial in valuating intangible damages, like your pain and suffering. However, your attorney may need other methods for valuating such damages.
You can be sure your attorney will consider your intangible damages and valuate them fairly. Your pain and suffering and related damages are at least as important as your financial damages.
What Kinds of Damages Are Available in Personal Injury Cases?
The purpose of a personal injury case is to compensate you for your injuries. Types of damages you can recover compensation for include:
- Medical bills
- Permanent impairment
- Lost wages
- Decreased earning potential
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
We evaluate your damages by analyzing every aspect of the case. First, we will review and calculate all tangible financial losses you suffered in the accident.
We will then determine if the personal injury also caused intangible damages. Intangible damages can include pain and suffering or loss of consortium.
When we have gathered and analyzed the evidence, we will work to negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company on your behalf. We have the experience and knowledge to help you reach a fair settlement for your personal injury claim in Johnstown.
Wrongful Death Damages
Some personal injury damages also apply in wrongful death cases. Additional damages can also apply. If you have a wrongful death case, the family of the decedent may be able to demand the following damages and others:
- Loss of consortium
- Lost family income
- Mental anguish
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of parental support
The family of the decedent may also pursue a survival claim for the pain and suffering the decedent experienced and any medical costs which were incurred in attempting to save them.
What is the Statute of Limitations to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Pennsylvania?
Residents in Pennsylvania have two years from the date of their incident to file a personal injury lawsuit, according to Pa. C.S.A. § 5524. Your Johnstown personal injury lawyer can help you meet this deadline, which is essential because you may want to file a lawsuit later in your case.
What Can You Tell Me About Your Johnstown Personal Injury Law Firm?
Our personal injury firm is committed to our clients and their families. We understand you and your family depend on the outcome of your case, so we will do everything we can to ensure it is a fair outcome. We have advocated for tens of thousands of people, so you can expect us to advocate for you and your family, too.
With more than 40 years of experience, we are fully capable of taking your case on and handling a difficult insurance company or opposing attorneys. As a result, you can trust us with your case, even if it involves the loss of a loved one.
Get Help with Your Claim by Contacting Our Johnstown Personal Injury Attorneys Today
At Berger and Green, we have the expertise to evaluate and pursue your personal injury claim.
We handle personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis. This means you do not pay upfront costs or any legal fees unless there is a recovery. Even the consultation is free, with no obligation.
Contact us today to schedule your free consultation. We will tell you more about how one of our Johnstown personal injury lawyers can help.
Call or text 412-661-1400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
