Pennsylvania has two separate but related courses to obtaining relief from the Court in civil litigation matters. One is small claims court, or what is called “District Magisterial Courts”. The other is the Court of Common Pleas. If your matter is solely for monetary damages for less than $12,000, you must use the small claims […]
Small Claims Court v. Court of Common Pleas – What’s the difference? Read More »
Picture the following. As you walk through a mall parking lot, you trip over a broken piece of the macadam or a pothole. Or let’s say you are walking down a sidewalk and trip over a raised portion of the sidewalk. You severely injure your ankle, need surgery, and are out of work for 2
Contributory Negligence in a Trip/Slip and Fall Read More »
Custody matters are generally resolved either through an agreement by the parties or by a judge. In either case, a custody order controls the custody arrangement. No matter the initial resolution of your custody matter, an order relating to the custody of minor children is never final. In other words, it is always subject to
Custody Matters Don’t End with a Final Order Read More »
If you have kids like me you’ve probably been to a bounce house birthday party, trampoline park, or go-kart track. Inevitably, you must sign a release on behalf of your child. The release says, among other things, that you promise not to sue the establishment. It is generally a requirement for you to sign the
Should I Sign the Trampoline Park Release for My Child? Read More »
Most likely, you’re aware that you can file a workers’ compensation claim against your employer when injured at work. These lawsuits can help you recover the cost of medical bills and lost wages. However, you may not know that you can also have a claim against a third party. This third party is not part
Your Workers’ Compensation Claim May Be Worth More Than You Think Read More »
Choosing where to file your personal injury lawsuit in Pennsylvania can have a profound impact on how much you ultimately recover. When I graduated from law school, I worked as a law clerk for a judge in Lycoming County. Lycoming County is a very conservative Pennsylvania County. One day during a settlement conference between a
The Importance of Choosing the Proper Venue for your Personal Injury Lawsuit Read More »
On its face a personal injury claim is simple. First, you establish the liability of the other party. This may be easy (e.g. rear-end collision) or more difficult (e.g. multi-vehicle collision). Then you establish the measure of damages (e.g. medical bills, lost wages, property damage). However, even in the clearest cases of liability and the
The Importance of Credibility in a Personal Injury Case Read More »
When you receive notice from your child’s other parent that you have been sued for custody, many things will go through your mind. Why are they doing this? Why are they alleging untrue things about me? Will they be able to take my child away from me? Will I lose all visitation rights? These are
You’ve Been Sued for Custody, Now What? Read More »
As the spouse of an injured person, you undoubtedly have felt the effects an injury can have on a family. Whether it’s taking time out of your day to drive your spouse to doctor’s appointments, doing extra chores around the house, or a lack of intimacy, an injury can have dramatic effects on a marriage.
How the Spouse of an Injured Person Can Bring a Claim for Damages Read More »
Your pre-incident medical condition will be relevant if you’ve been injured in an accident and claim damages. Depending on the circumstances, this can be an advantage or a disadvantage in your case. To Your Advantage Pennsylvania follows what is called the “eggshell head” concept of post-incident damages. Put simply, if you are pre-disposed to injury,
How Your Pre-incident Medical Condition Affects Your Post-incident Claim for Damages Read More »