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Pennsylvania Personal Injury Overview
Personal injury law involves civil claims in which an individual is injured through the negligence, recklessness or intentional misconduct of another person, a company, or property owner. A personal injury lawsuit may arise from physical or emotional injuries. Personal injury law compensates individuals injured as a result of another’s negligence or intentional misconduct. Personal injury laws vary from state to state. If you believe you have a personal injury claim, you should contact a personal injury lawyer in Pennsylvania to evaluate your claim.
Pennsylvania follows a system using the modified comparative negligence – 51% rule. In states following a modified comparative fault – 51% rule, an injured party can only recover if it is determined that his or her fault in causing the injury does not reach 51%. If the injured party was 50% or less at fault, he or she may still recover damages. However, if a plaintiff’s fault reaches 51%, he or she recovers nothing. In other words, a plaintiff may have caused half of the accident and still recover damages from the court, but if it is found that the plaintiff’s fault was responsible for more than half of the accident, that plaintiff is barred from receiving any damages determined by the court. Here, as in a pure comparative negligence state, a plaintiff’s recovery is reduced by the degree of his or her fault. For example, if Debbie sued Dave for damages she suffered in a car accident involving their vehicles, and Debbie was 51% at fault, Debbie would not recover anything from Dave. If, however, Debbie was 40% at fault, she could recover damages, but the damage award would be reduced by her portion of the fault in causing the injury. Therefore, a finding that Debbie suffered $10,000 in damages would result in Debbie receiving an award reduced by 40%, or a final award of $6,000.
Click here to read about contributory vs. comparative negligence.
A statute of limitations is a type of law that restricts the period of time that a person may initiate legal proceedings. Time limits can vary depending on the type of case and the state where the particular cause of action occurred. To learn more about statutes of limitations, read our Statute of Limitations page. To see a state by state comparison chart for the personal injury statute of limitations for each state, read our Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Actions page.
Pennsylvania Statutes of Limitations
In Pennsylvania, the courts follow a modified joint and several liability approach in entering judgment against multiple defendants. A defendant found to be 61% or more negligent in causing the injury is jointly and severally liable, making that defendant subject to the entire judgment amount. Defendants may also be subject to joint and several liability in cases involving intentional torts, intentional misrepresentations, release of hazardous substances, and violations of the liquor code. A defendant less than 61% negligent will be responsible only for the portion of damages proportionate to his or her share of the negligence.
Click here for more about Joint and Several Liability.
One of the best ways to research personal injury lawyers in Pennsylvania is to contact courts in PA and ask them for information about the personal injury attorneys who utilize their legal facilities when they bring personal injury cases to court. We have compiled a list below of some courts in Pennsylvania to get you started:
Supreme Courts
Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Philadelphia
Supreme Court
468 City Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-560-6370
Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Pittsburgh
Supreme Court
801 City-County Building
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412-565-2816
Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Harrisburg
Supreme Court
434 Main Capitol
P.O. Box 624
Harrisburg, PA 17108
717-787-6181
Superior Courts
Superior Court of Pennsylvania – Philadelphia
530 Walnut Street, 17th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215-560-5800
Superior Court of Pennsylvania – Harrisburg
Main Capitol Building, 4th Floor
100 Pine Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120
717-772-1294
Superior Court of Pennsylvania – Pittsburgh
City-County Building, 8th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15241
412-565-7592
Commonwealth Court
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
624 Irvis Office Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
717-255-1600
Common Pleas Courts
Adams County
Adams County Courthouse
117 Baltimore Street
Gettysburg, PA 17325
717-337-9846
Allegheny County
300 Frick Building
437 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412-350-5410
Armstrong County
Armstrong County Courthouse
Second Floor
Kittanning, PA 16201
724-548-3284
Beaver County
Beaver County Courthouse
Third Street
Beaver, PA 15009
724-728-5700
Bedford County
Bedford County Courthouse
Annex #1
Bedford, PA 15522
814-623-4812
Berks County
Berks County Services Center
633 Court Street
Reading, PA 19601
610-478-6208
Blair County
Blair County Courthouse
423 Allegheny Street
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
814-693-3050
Bradford County
Bradford County Courthouse
301 Main Street
Towanda, PA 18848
570-265-1707
Bucks County
Bucks County Courthouse
55 East Court Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
215-348-6040
Butler County
Butler County Courthouse
P.O. Box 1208
Butler, PA 16003
724-284-5200
Cambria County
Cambria County Courthouse
200 South Center Street
Ebensburg, PA 15931
814-472-1552
Carbon County
Carbon County Courthouse
P.O. Box 166
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
570-325-8556
Centre County
Centre County Courthouse
Room 208
Bellefonte, PA 16823
814-355-6727
Chester County
Chester County Courthouse
Two North High Street
West Chester, PA 19380
610-344-6170
Clarion County
Clarion County Courthouse
Main Street
Clarion, PA 16214
814-226-9351
Clearfield County
Clearfield County Courthouse
230 East Market Street
Clearfield, PA 16830
814-765-2641
Clinton County
Clinton County Courthouse
230 East Water Street
Lock Haven, PA 17745
570-893-4016
Columbia County
Columbia County Courthouse
P.O. Box 380
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
570-389-5667
Crawford County
Crawford County Courthouse
903 Diamond Square
Meadville, PA 16335
814-333-7484
Cumberland County
Cumberland County Courthouse
1 Courthouse Square
Carlisle, PA 17013
717-240-6200
Dauphin County
Dauphin County Courthouse
Front & Market Streets
Harrisburg, PA 17101
717-780-6620
Delaware County
Delaware County Courthouse
Media, PA 19063
610-891-4550
Elk/Cameron Counties
Elk County Courthouse
P.O. Box 416
Ridgway, PA 15853
814-776-6144
Erie County
Erie County Courthouse
140 West Sixth Street Room 201
Erie, PA 16501-1030
814-451-6295
Fayette County
Fayette County Courthouse
61 East Main Street
Uniontown, PA 15401
724-430-1230
Franklin/Fulton Counties
Franklin County Courthouse
157 Lincoln Way East
Chambersburg, PA 17201
717-261-3848
Greene County
Greene County Courthouse
Waynesburg, PA 15370
724-852-5237
Huntingdon County
Huntingdon County Courthouse
223 Penn Street
Huntingdon, PA 16652
814-643-5078
Indiana County
Indiana County Courthouse
Fourth Floor
825 Philadelphia Street
Indiana, PA 15701
724-465-3955
Jefferson County
Jefferson County Courthouse
200 Main Street
Brookville, PA 15825
814-849-1631
Lackawanna County
Lackawanna County Courthouse
200 North Washington Avenue
Scranton, PA 18503
570-963-6773
Lancaster County
Lancaster County Courthouse
50 North Duke Street
P.O. Box 83480
Lancaster, PA 17608-3480
717-299-8041
Lawrence County
Lawrence County Government Center
New Castle, PA 16101
724-656-1930
Lebanon County
Lebanon County Courthouse
400 South Eighth Street
Room 308
Lebanon, PA 17042
717-274-2801, Ext. 2350
Lehigh County
Lehigh County Courthouse
455 West Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18105-1548
610-782-3014
Luzerne County
Luzerne County Courthouse
200 North River Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
570-825-1595
Lycoming County
Lycoming County Courthouse
48 West Third Street
Williamsport, PA 17701
570-327-2330
McKean County
McKean County Courthouse
500 West Main Street
Smethport, PA 16749
814-887-3302
Mercer County
Mercer County Courthouse
103 North Diamond Street
Mercer, PA 16137
412-662-3800
Mifflin County
Mifflin County Courthouse
20 North Wayne Street
Lewistown, PA 17044
717-248-4613
Monroe County
Monroe County Courthouse
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
570-517-3649
Montgomery County
Montgomery County Courthouse
P.O. Box 311
Norristown, PA 19404
610-278-3229
Montour County
Columbia County Courthouse
P.O. Box 380
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
570-389-5679
Northumberland County
Northumberland County Courthouse
201 Market Street
Sunbury, PA 17801
570-988-4167
Perry/Juniata Counties
Perry County Courthouse
P.O. Box 668
New Bloomfield, PA 17068
717-582-5143
Philadelphia County
336 City Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-686-2547
Pike County
Pike County Courthouse
410 Broad Street
Milford, PA 18337
570-296-3556
Potter County
Potter County Courthouse
Room 30
Coudersport, PA 16915
814-274-9720
Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County Courthouse
401 North Second Street
Pottsville, PA 17901
570-628-1333
Snyder/Union Counties
Snyder County Courthouse
P.O. Box 217
Middleburg, PA 17842
570-837-4359
Somerset County
111 East Union Street
Suite 212
Somerset, PA 15501
814-445-1473
Susquehanna County
Susquehanna County Courthouse
P.O. Box 218
Montrose, PA 18801
570-278-4600
Tioga County
Tioga County Courthouse
118 Main Street
Wellsboro, PA 16901
570-724-9380
Venango County
Venango County Courthouse
Liberty Street
Franklin, PA 16323
814-432-9606
Warren/Forest Counties
Warren County Courthouse
204 Fourth Avenue
Warren, PA 16365
814-728-3530
Washington County
Washington County Courthouse
1 South Main Street, Suite 2004
Washington, PA 15301
724-228-6797
Wayne County
Wayne County Courthouse
925 Court Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
570-253-0101
Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County Courthouse
Main Street
Greensburg, PA 15601
724-830-3828
Wyoming/Sullivan Counties
Wyoming County Courthouse
One Courthouse Square
Tunkhannock, PA 18657
570-836-3151
York County
York County Government Center
45 North George Street
York, PA 17401
717-771-9234
