Personal Injury

If You've Been Hurt, Turn to an Experienced Pittsburgh Personal Injury Lawyer 

Serious injuries are not the only outcome of an accident. You may be in emotional pain and struggle to sleep and/or carry out your everyday tasks. Costly medical bills and lost wages from time off from work disrupt your recovery. If someone else was responsible for your injuries, you may be able to hold the responsible party accountable for physical, emotional, and financial damages.

Attorney Randall H. McKinney has extensive experience handling personal injury claims. Our legal team treats the attorney -client relationship with respect and compassion. We provide experienced legal advice and protect your rights throughout the legal process. 

It’s absolutely free to contact our office and speak with Attorney Randall H. McKinney. Call us at 412-520-3301 to schedule a free initial consultation. Discover how we can help you get the financial compensation you deserve.

How Choose a Personal Injury Attorney

There are a lot of factors to consider before you hire a Pittsburgh personal injury attorney. It is essential to look beyond flashy commercials, websites, or billboards and determine whether an attorney can win your case. Many are probably willing to work with you. However, that does not mean they are the right choice.

Consider the following factors when choosing an attorney:

• Relevant experience. Hiring an attorney experienced in personal injury law should be a top priority. Ideally, they have been successful with cases that are similar to yours. For example, if you have a medical malpractice case, ask if they have been successful in this field of personal injury.

• Fees. It is in your best interest to hire a personal injury attorney to handle your case on a contingency basis. That means there are no upfront legal fees. Instead, the lawyer gets paid from an agreed-upon percentage when you win. This means you never get stuck with a bill for attorney’s fees if your case is unsuccessful.

• Communication. Your personal injury case is important, and you deserve legal counsel who will treat it that way. Hiring an attorney with solid communication skills will ensure that you always receive updates on the status of your case.

• Resources. Personal injury cases can last a long time, especially if the defendant’s insurance company will not agree to a reasonable settlement and the case must proceed to trial. Therefore, ensure that your attorney has the resources to handle the case from start to finish.

How a Pittsburgh Personal Injury Lawyer Establishes Fault

Before we can assess how much in damages you may be owed, it is important to determine liability. Liability for a personal injury accident is caused by negligence, intentional acts or falls under the category of “strict liability.”

• Negligence - Let’s say someone does not stop at a red light and proceeds through an intersection and hits your car. This is an example of a negligent act. Negligence happens when someone fails to take appropriate action and you are harmed as a result. 

• Intentional Act - Some individuals intend to hurt others. Intentional harm is when someone not only wants to hurt you, but does so on purpose. A person grabbing a baseball bat and hitting you with it is considered an intentional act.

• Strict Liability does not depend on neglect or intent to harm. It is a unique theory that claims a person is liable for their actions even when the outcome is unintentional. This means that people and businesses have to pay for damages even if they are not at fault. For example:

• Product liability is a common example of when strict liability may apply. Product manufacturers are responsible for ensuring their products are safe when used as directed. If you’re injured while using a product, you need to prove the product was defective through no fault of your own.

• Dog bites are another example of injuries that may fall under strict liability. Often, dog bites fall under a blend of strict liability and negligence. Many states have laws that hold dog owners strictly liable if their dog bites someone without provocation. If a dog has already been deemed dangerous, the owner is legally responsible for damages the dog caused. 

Great legal representation can take the guesswork out of complicated legal practices. If you have any questions about who is at fault in your accident, call McKinney Law at 412-520-3301 for a free case evaluation today.

Personal Injury FAQs

What is a personal injury accident?

A personal injury accident refers to injuries caused by another party’s intentional, negligent, or reckless actions. Under personal injury law, someone injured can file a claim or lawsuit for fair compensation for injuries.

Personal injury law is a part of tort law, which covers conduct that results in injury, harm, or loss. If someone hurts you, they are liable for damages. A Pittsburgh personal injury attorney can help you recover what you are owed.

How do I know if I have a personal injury claim?

You may wonder whether your injuries are serious enough to pursue legal action. Under the law, you can seek damages when you suffer a loss that is due to someone else’s negligence. To file a personal injury claim, two key elements are required:

1. A breach of legal duty between the wrong-doer (the defendant) and the injured person (the plaintiff) and

1. Damages that occur because of that breach.

In other words, you can file a personal injury claim when someone else's actions lead to an injury. When both elements take place, a ”tort” occurs. Each situation is different so it's important to discuss the details of your potential case with an attorney. Attorney Randall H. McKinney has the technical know-how to answer any questions you may have. 

What damages can I seek in a personal injury settlement or trial?

Once a personal injury has occurred, the defendant is liable to make good for the damage done. “Damages” are what is owed to you to compensate you for your loss.

It’s not always necessary to go to trial or to file an injury lawsuit. Your Pittsburgh personal injury attorney may be able to agree on damages in a personal injury settlement. However, regardless of the extent of your injuries, you need an attorney on your side to make sure that the monetary damages offered to you by the defendant’s insurance company will fully cover your losses. 

Damages you may be entitled to are for pain and suffering, lost past wages, loss of future wages, past medical care, future medical care and expenses and more. Therefore, if you were injured, are unable to work, or require ongoing medical care you should pursue a personal injury accident case.

Beyond the damages above, known as compensatory damages, sometimes, a defendant’s actions are so malicious or careless that you may be awarded punitive damages. These damages are paid in addition to actual damages in your personal injury case. They are not compensation for your losses. Punitive damages are awarded to punish the defendant and help prevent others from doing the same. 

We understand that injuries and deaths overwhelm families. Family members carry the burden of arranging medical care and managing medical expenses. We know money cannot fix or replace what you lost, but legal action can help with closure and help you manage the increased expenses that occur when dealing with an injury after an accident. Furthermore, family members can receive damages for funeral and burial costs if a loved one passes away. 

If you decide to pursue a personal injury case, we will ask you to provide us with any documentation you have on the accident. These documents will help us determine damages owed. We will need photos, videos, statements, insurance documents, police reports, and any other information on your injuries or the accident scene. We of course will help you try to obtain the documents you need and will work with you through every step of the legal process. You and your loved ones do not have to shoulder the cost of another’s actions. It’s important you hire an experienced Pittsburgh personal injury attorney with a great track record of winning the compensation you deserve.

How much is my personal injury case worth?

You might think your personal injury case isn’t worth pursuing. However, damages are determined by a variety of factors. These factors help us determine what the liable party should have to pay.

Our firm is highly skilled in assessing damages. We work with you, your medical team, and other experts to determine your losses. The circumstances of your accident and the severity of your injuries, among other things affect the value of your case.

We present our findings to a jury or during settlement negotiations with insurance companies and the defendant. 

You will receive an honest assessment of your claim. We estimate the potential damages throughout your case and update you as things change. How much you can recover in damages includes the value of:

• Medical bills - damages may include the past, present, and future costs related to the accident including hospital stays, doctor appointments, medical equipment, diagnostic testing, physical therapy, and more.

• Lost wages - often, injury victims are unable to work for some time after their injury. You may need to miss work often. Taking time off for doctor appointments and medical treatments can quickly chip away at your income. We calculate lost wages using documentation of the days you missed, your regular rate of pay, and a statement from your employer.

• Loss of earning capacity - sometimes injuries are so severe that you cannot continue working as you did before. You may have become disabled, or need to retrain in a new industry. You can receive financial compensation for what you would have earned if the accident didn’t happen. There are situations in which our firm would hire an economist or vocational expert to determine the amount of lost future income your injuries may have caused.

• Loss of consortium - relationships are greatly impacted by injuries and loss of income. Rising medical bills and a complete change in lifestyle can make it hard for loved ones to be there for each other. If you or a spouse were injured to such an extent that one of you can’t possibly carry on a complete relationship with the other (or they were killed), you can be compensated for loss of companionship.

• Punitive Damages - if there was a clear disregard for human life in your personal injury accident, you may be awarded punitive damages to make an example of the defendant.

• Wrongful death - These claims can be filed by survivors of an individual killed by someone else’s negligence or misconduct. Courts can award compensation for lost love, support, and income of the deceased family member.

• Pain and suffering - anxiety, difficulty sleeping, depression, severe mental trauma or PTSD are unfortunate effects of a personal injury accident. Comprehensive and accurate records from your therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist can help in estimating damages. 

While you might be unsure as to how to navigate the legal process, we will handle everything for you. After evaluating your injuries and all of the evidence surrounding your case, we can paint a full picture of what happened in your personal injury accident. We have a great track record of getting you the compensation you deserve.Your initial consultation is always free.

Do I need a personal injury lawyer?

After an injury accident, you may not know what to do. You might have limited time and money. Like most people, one of the first questions you’ll have is whether or not you really need an attorney. You may want to try and settle with the liable party by yourself. However, being injured is stressful enough. Not only that, but the person or party that injured you will have a team of insurance company lawyers working against you to make sure you receive the least amount of money for your injuries as possible.

Our Pittsburgh personal injury legal team will help you manage that stress by handling all aspects of your personal injury claim and we will work hard to make sure the defendant’s insurance company will pay you the amount of money you deserve.

There is limited time to file a Pittsburgh personal injury lawsuit due to statutes of limitations. Once this deadline passes, you lose your right to recover damages through a lawsuit. Pennsylvania generally has a two-year statute of limitation. Medical malpractice cases often have separate deadlines, so it is best to speak with an attorney as soon as you can.

Nobody is required to have a personal injury attorney. Yet your peace of mind shouldn’t be interrupted by low ball offers or intimidating insurance companies. Keep in mind that if you handle your own personal injury claim, insurance companies or the defendant might offer you a small amount of money just to get you to go away.

There is no substitute for experience. Attorney Randall H. McKinney has significant experience dealing with insurance adjusters, evaluating claims, and going up against major corporations to ensure you receive the financial compensation you deserve. 

Most personal injury claims are resolved through insurance claims and the amount of damages vary based on the type of accident. An insurance company may refuse to offer fair compensation for your specific injury and we, therefore, become your spokesperson and advocate to the insurance companies and are ready to go to trial if we cannot reach a fair settlement. 

We will deal with insurance companies and difficult insurance adjusters. We will diligently gather all the necessary evidence to prove the other party is at fault. We will defend your rights and fight for fair compensation that will cover all medical and financial damages. 

We will fight until the end to ensure the negligent party is held accountable for their actions. All you need to focus on is your medical treatment and getting better. 

Best of all, there are no upfront fees in working with a Pittsburgh personal injury lawyer. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you do not pay anything unless we win your case. This allows you to continue focusing on your recovery while we pursue fair compensation on your behalf.

Can I afford a personal injury lawyer?

At McKinney Law, we offer a free case evaluation for injury victims. This gives you a chance to discuss what happened in your personal injury accident with a skilled attorney. You need answers and are entitled to know your available legal options at no cost. There is no obligation to pursue a case if you choose not to do so.

We do not charge any fees upfront, instead, we work on what is known as a contingency fee basis. This grants you free access to attorneys who can help you through the legal process. We only take attorney’s fees if we are successful in recovering money for you. 

Contact a Pittsburgh Personal Injury Lawyer Now for a Free Case Evaluation 

It might feel intimidating to go up against a large insurance company or major corporation alone. We have the experience needed to level the playing field against those who might consider you as a mere nuisance. With experienced legal counsel on your side, you can rest easy knowing your rights are protected.