News & Resources
Navigating Personal Injury Claims: A Step-by-Step Guide
Navigating Personal Injury Claims: A Step-by-Step Guide The claims process in Pennsylvania can be daunting, especially when you are focused on healing. Seeking assistance is not just advisable; it’s essential. If you were injured in an accident due to another party’s negligence and are ready to file a personal injury claim, the attorneys at Tucker Law Group are ready to help you navigate your way through the process. In the meantime, we’ve prepared a step-by-step guide. What Do Personal Injury Claims Do? Personal injury claims allow individuals to seek compensation when they’ve been harmed due to someone else’s negligence or intentional actions. These claims can help cover costs like medical bills and lost wages. Claims filed in Pennsylvania often stem from incidents such as car accidents, slip and falls, medical malpractice, and workplace injuries. To pursue a personal injury claim, the accident must have caused a physical or emotional injury that affects your daily life. It’s necessary to prove that another party was responsible and that their actions directly led to your injuries. That means establishing fault, a process that can be tricky. Steps to Navigate the Personal Injury Claim Process A personal injury claim plays out over several steps, each necessary to build a strong case and ensure fair compensation. Here’s the general outline of what will happen when you start the process: Step 1: Collect Evidence Capture photos of the scene, talk to witnesses for their statements, and secure a copy of the police report for your records. […]
Understanding Liability in Catastrophic Injury Cases
Catastrophic personal injuries—such as severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury, extensive burns, or loss of a limb—can upend lives in an instant. Determining personal injury liability in these cases is not only about assigning fault; it is about securing compensation that will help cover lifelong medical care, rehabilitation, assistive technology, and lost earning capacity. Because catastrophic claims hinge on projected future needs and complex causation issues, they require specialized medical and legal analysis and advocacy. What Makes a Catastrophic Injury Case Different? Catastrophic cases differ from routine personal injury claims because damages extend far into the future. A survivor may require ongoing surgeries, long-term therapy, full-time caregiving, durable medical equipment, and home or vehicle modifications. These needs are typically documented in a life-care plan developed by clinicians and economic experts to estimate lifetime costs and care trajectories. Public health statistics show the prevalence and seriousness of these injuries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports hundreds of thousands of TBI-related hospitalizations and tens of thousands of TBI-related deaths in recent years—data that highlight why comprehensive compensation matters for survivors and families. Key Parties Who May Be Held Liable Who can be sued depends on how the incident occurred. Potential defendants include: Other drivers or road users after motor vehicle collisions Employers, contractors, or supervisors in workplace incidents Manufacturers and distributors when a defect or faulty warning contributes to harm Property owners are responsible for unsafe premises Healthcare providers whose negligent care worsens an injury. Because catastrophic accidents […]
Understanding the Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Cases in PA
When someone is injured due to another party’s negligence, the focus is often on immediate concerns—medical treatment, recovery, and adjustments in day-to-day life. However, there’s another critical piece to keep in mind: the legal time limit for filing a personal injury lawsuit. That time limit is known as the statute of limitations, and missing it can mean losing your right to pursue compensation altogether. What Is the Statute of Limitations in Pennsylvania? The statute of limitations is essentially a legal deadline. It sets the maximum amount of time a person has to initiate a lawsuit after suffering an injury. Every state sets its own timelines. These laws exist to ensure fairness because over time, evidence can be lost, memories can fade, and witnesses may become harder to find. By requiring cases to be filed within a certain time period, the law aims to protect both injured parties and defendants from unfair proceedings. How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in PA? Under the Pennsylvania statute of limitations for personal injury laws, most victims have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. This deadline applies to a wide range of personal injury cases, including: motor vehicle accidents Slip and fall injuries Medical malpractice Libel and defamation Premises Liability Negligent Hiring/Supervision Catastrophic injuries and wrongful death There are, however, exceptions to the standard statute of limitations. These exceptions may include: Discovery rule: If an injury is not immediately apparent (such as certain medical […]
Dean of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Joe Tucker
Joe H. Tucker Jr. kicked off his tenure as Dean of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers with the 2023 Dean’s Address, aptly titled “The Journey Continues.” Delivered at the Academy’s Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas, Tucker traced the organization’s evolution since its 1954 founding and celebrated the global fellowship of trial lawyers dedicated to excellence in advocacy and the Rule of Law. https://vimeo.com/828065175 In his remarks, Tucker warned of mounting threats to judicial independence and the integrity of legal institutions, calling on members to uphold the highest standards of ethics and civility, and to bridge divides between prosecutors and defense counsel. He highlighted new public-facing initiatives launched under his leadership to respond to attacks on the justice system, and issued a rallying cry for sustained collaboration and vigilance—reminding every fellow that safeguarding democracy is a shared, ongoing journey.
Trump’s Attack on Lawyers and Judges: Warning Signs of a Looming U.S. Constitutional Crisis
Katie Couric’s recent segment “Trump’s attack on lawyers and judges: Is this a constitutional crisis?” features an in-depth discussion with Joe Tucker, President of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, about the administration’s escalating use of executive orders and presidential memoranda to target legal professionals—ranging from suspending attorneys’ security clearances to threatening to bar firms from federal contracts—which Tucker warns represents an unprecedented assault on judicial independence and risks upending the constitutional separation of powers. He underscores that safeguarding the Rule of Law depends on lawyers and citizens standing firm against these tactics, arguing that failure to do so could erode democratic checks and balances and precipitate a full-blown constitutional crisis. WATCH VIDEO
Jessica Rickabaugh Honored 2019 Distinguished Advocate: Firm Recognition
On April 10, 2019, Jessica Rickabaugh will be honored as a 2019 Distinguished Advocate for her volunteer service to the Support Center for Child Advocates. Jessica will be recognized during the Annual Benefit this year. Please join us in supporting Jessica. contact us
“STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS: THE BLACK PHILADELPHIA LAWYER”
TUCKER LAW GROUP will be hosting an historic CLE at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Friday, October 26, 2018 from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Participants will receive a total of 6 CLE credits, 5 Substantive and 1 Ethic. The cost of the CLE will be $250.00, which will include a day full of panel discussions, continental breakfast, lunch and mid-day snack. For information details regarding the CLE, read more
“Game Changer Award” Presented to Joe H. Tucker, Jr.
Joe H. Tucker, Jr., Founder of Tucker Law Group, LLC, was recently selected to receive the “Game Changer Award” by the African American Chamber of Commerce of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. He was also recognized by 6ABC, a leading television station in Philadelphia, during Black History Month as a Philadelphian who is making a difference.
Presentation entitled “Four Trials That Changed America, presented by Carl E. Singley, Counsel to the Firm
Carl E. Singley, Counsel to the Firm, made a presentation entitled “Four Trials That Changed America” at the Mid Year Conference of Pennsylvania State Trial Court Judges on February 24, 2017 in Pittsburgh. The presentation, before 350 trial and appellate court judges, examined twenty cases over a 270 year period that changed the course of American history including The Trial of John Peter Zenger, Marbury v. Madison, Dred Scott v. Sanford, Brown v. Board of Education, New York Times v. Sullivan, Roe v. Wade, Bush v. Gore, and Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
TLG Establishes New Employment Law in the Third Circuit
Leslie M. Greenspan, Esquire led a TLG trial team that established new law in the Third Circuit in the employment realm. This precedent-setting litigation is a significant victory for employers litigating Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) retaliation claims. On January 30, 2017, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals adopted TLG’s argument that the “honest belief” defense can overcome a retaliation claim under the FMLA. The opinion confirmed an employer’s right to terminate an employee for suspected abuse of FMLA leave – a legitimate and non-discriminatory basis for termination.