practice areas

I handle far more automobile accident cases than any other type of case. People are regularly injured or killed by drunk drivers, careless drivers, unlicensed drivers, and uninsured drivers. Among the public and some lawyers, there is a belief that handling automobile accident cases is simple. While car wrecks are common, making sure that a legal claim is handled properly is not something that should be left to an inexperienced lawyer. It can be difficult to sort through the different types and levels of insurance coverages, and if you are not careful, you could cost yourself money. I have had many cases where I have obtained additional hundreds of thousands of dollars for injured clients because an insurance company did not have the right forms.  If your lawyer is not highly experienced in automobile accident law, you very well might end up with less money than you deserve.  Contact me at 412-515-3192 and I'll be happy to provide a free and comprehensive legal consultation.

Motorcycle accidents are also common, and most times involve very serious injuries. Many of my cases with motorcycle crashes involved high speed collisions, probably because the drivers of the cars were not aware of the motorcyclist's presence. Unlike occupants of cars, motorcyclists don't have any protection such as the frame or door of a car. For this reason, I often see deaths, degloving injuries, or case that involve multiple fractures. Legally speaking, motorcyclists are subject to laws that are a bit different than those that apply to people in cars, and it is important that your lawyer understand the nuances of the law to make sure that you obtain fair compensation for your injuries.  If you have a question about your motorcycle case, give me a call at 412-515-3192 and I will provide a free, no obligation consultation. You can also email me with your case facts at tom@berretlawfirm.com and I'll get right back to you. 

In most of the tractor trailer cases that I have handled, someone has been killed or very seriously injured.  The sheer size and weight of a loaded tractor-trailer combination, traveling at a high rate of speed, will cause serious destruction when an impact occurs.  While hiring an experienced attorney is a good idea in all cases, it is even more important in tractor-trailer collisions. Your attorney should be familiar with the federal rules and regulations that apply to over the road driving, because tractor trailer drivers often violate those rules. Most tractor-trailer companies or their insurers have attorneys on retainer that will show up at the scene of the collision to gather evidence and protect the driver of the tractor.  You should have an attorney who will protect you. Call me at 412-515-3192 if you have questions about your tractor-trailer case.

I have been handling more and more All Terrain Vehicle, or ATV, accidents.  Also on the rise are "UTV" accidents, UTVs being an ATV designed to seat more two or more people. Two local counties, Westmoreland and Allegheny, were recently 1st and 2nd, respectively, in ATV registrations in Pennsylvania.  https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/atv-snowmobile-fever-westmoreland-leads-state-in-registrations-allegheny-is-2nd/

Many of the ATV /UTV accidents that I handle involve alcohol consumption on the part of the driver.   Many involve accidents that occur on regular roadways, as opposed to trails in the woods.  Like motorcycle accidents, ATV accidents often involve deaths or serious injuries, with rollovers or ejections being frequent events.  There is an entire chapter of the law devoted to ATV and snowmobile accidents, and you should hire someone familiar with that law to make sure that your case is handled correctly.  If you want to see what rights to compensation you have, contact me by phone at 412-515-3192 or by email at tom@berretlawfirm.com

It has been reported that medical mistakes cause or contribute to a substantial number of deaths each year. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/study_suggests_medical_errors_now_third_leading_cause_of_death_in_the_us When a medical mistake occurs, it can often have tragic consequences for the patient and their family.  I have handled cases involving deaths, paralysis, amputations, infections, unnecessary surgeries, and burns.  Sometimes the medical mistake does not become known for months or years after it occurred and it is important to contact a lawyer as soon as you suspect wrongdoing because these cases can be quite complicated.  You need to  retain a lawyer as soon as you can after the medical error so that you can begin to obtain your records and have them reviewed by an expert to see if you have a valid claim.  There are several laws and rules that apply only to medical malpractice cases, and it is important to hire an attorney who is familiar with these laws.  Contact me if you want a free evaluation of your medical malpractice claim. 

Because I have been practicing personal injury law for over 28 years, I have recovered money for people injured in all kinds of accidents or incidents.  I have represented people injured in fires, explosions, chair collapses, slip and falls, dog bites, claims against bars for over-serving alcohol, skateboard accidents, bicycle accidents, racing accidents, boating accidents, drowning accidents, ceiling collapses, step collapses, food poisoning, bed bugs, firearms injuries, sports injuries, tires coming off of vehicles, assaults, construction accidents, and injuries caused by animals running across the road. As you can see, there are many different ways that a person can be injured just going about their daily business.   If you think that someone else was responsible for your injury, no matter how unusual the situation, feel free to contact me and I will provide you with a free, honest evaluation of your injury case.  I can be reached at 412-515-3192 or tom@berretlawfirm.com