Personal Injury Lawyer in Philadelphia

A severe accident interrupts your life without warning. Medical bills accumulate, lost income strains household stability, and dealing with an aggressive insurance company often compounds an already stressful situation. When another party's careless actions cause harm, the legal process exists to restore balance and provide necessary financial recovery.

We understand that hiring legal representation can feel daunting, especially if you have had negative experiences with impersonal services in the past. At The Boles Firm, our approach focuses entirely on direct accountability and clear communication. You will not be handed off to call centers, case managers, or virtual assistants. Founder Gregory Boles personally handles your intake, evaluates the facts of your personal injury case, and directs every phase of your legal strategy.

Having spent the early part of his career working in insurance defense, Gregory Boles knows firsthand how insurance adjusters evaluate risk, undervalue serious injury claims, and attempt to minimize payouts. We apply that practical insight to build robust claims for accident victims throughout Philadelphia and surrounding counties.

Speak Directly with Attorney Gregory Boles Today

Call our law firm or submit our online contact form to schedule your free consultation. We review the facts of your accident, clarify your legal options, and explain how we can pursue maximum compensation on your behalf.

Many personal injury law firms rely on high volume, routing injured clients through layers of administrative staff. We operate differently. We believe that serious legal matters require direct attorney oversight from the first phone call.

When you contact The Boles Firm, you speak directly with Gregory Boles. We take time to examine every detail of your accident scene, analyze your medical records, and assess the tangible disruptions to your daily routine. This direct involvement ensures that critical evidence is preserved immediately, whether that involves obtaining surveillance footage from Center City intersections, securing commercial vehicle black box data, or reviewing hospital charting.

Our goal is straightforward: we shoulder the entire legal burden so you can concentrate fully on your medical treatment and physical rehabilitation.

Pennsylvania personal injury claims are governed by specific laws that determine who may be held responsible, how long you have to file a claim, and what compensation may be available. Knowing how these rules apply to your case allows us to build a stronger claim and respond effectively when insurance companies challenge liability or attempt to limit your recovery.

Under Pennsylvania law, you generally have two years from the date the injury occurred to file a personal injury lawsuit. In a wrongful death lawsuit, the two-year statutory clock begins on the date of death rather than the date of the underlying accident.

Failing to file formal legal documents in court before this window closes permanently forfeits your right to recover compensation. When government agencies or municipal entities like SEPTA are involved, strict notice requirements apply within six months under state personal injury law. Prompt investigation is essential to satisfy these statutory deadlines.

Under Pennsylvania's comparative negligence statute, an injured party can recover financial damages as long as their share of fault is not greater than the combined negligence of the defendants (50% or less).

If you share partial responsibility, your total financial recovery is reduced proportionally by your percentage of fault. For instance, if a court determines damages of $100,000 and finds you 20% responsible for the crash, your final award will be $80,000. If you are determined to be 51% or more at fault, state law bars you from any financial recovery. Insurance companies routinely attempt to inflate a victim's percentage of fault to escape liability, making prompt legal analysis essential.

We represent individuals and families who have suffered severe harm due to another party's negligence. Our practice addresses complex injury claims across a wide range of practice areas:

• Motor Vehicle Accidents: We handle complex car accident, truck accident, and motorcycle collision cases along high-traffic corridors like I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway), I-95, Roosevelt Boulevard, and local city streets.
• Commercial Truck Collisions: Accidents involving tractor-trailers involve federal motor carrier safety regulations, driver log audits, and multiple corporate defendants.
• Premises Liability: Property owners, commercial landlords, and retail businesses must maintain safe conditions. We represent clients injured in severe slip-and-falls, walkway collapses, and incidents stemming from inadequate security.
• Catastrophic Injury: We represent clients facing life-altering conditions, such as spinal cord injuries, severe burns, amputations, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) requiring lifelong medical care.
• Medical Malpractice Claims: When medical professionals or hospital systems fail to adhere to established standards of care, we represent patients suffering from surgical errors, misdiagnoses, birth injuries, and medication mistakes.
• Wrongful Death: When someone else's actions result in a fatal accident, we help surviving family members pursue accountability, funeral costs, and lost financial support through a formal wrongful death claim.

Auto accident claims in Pennsylvania are governed by the Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law. When buying car insurance, drivers choose between two options that define their right to sue for noneconomic losses:

Full tort gives policyholders an unrestricted right to seek compensation for all economic losses and noneconomic damages, such as physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of life's pleasures, regardless of injury severity.

Limited tort lowers monthly premiums, but restricts the driver's ability to seek noneconomic damages unless the injury meets the legal definition of a serious injury (defined as death, permanent serious disfigurement, or serious impairment of a bodily function).

Even if you elected limited tort, Pennsylvania law provides specific statutory exceptions. You may still pursue full noneconomic damages if:

• The at-fault driver was convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) or accepted into an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program.
• The vehicle responsible for the crash was registered in another state.
• You were hit while walking as a pedestrian, operating a bicycle, or riding as a passenger in a commercial vehicle such as a bus or taxi.
• The at-fault driver operated an uninsured vehicle.

We review your complete auto insurance policy to verify coverage details and establish whether any statutory exceptions apply to your accident claim.

Accidents involving city-owned vehicles, municipal property defects, or public transit authorities like SEPTA require distinct legal procedures. In Pennsylvania, the Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act governs actions against local government agencies.

While governmental bodies generally retain governmental immunity, state law establishes eight specific exceptions under which injured victims can recover damages:

• Operation of any motor vehicle in the possession or control of a local agency
• Care, custody, or control of personal property
• Dangerous conditions of real property in the possession of the local agency
• Dangerous conditions of trees, traffic signs, lights, or other traffic controls
• Dangerous conditions of steam, sewer, water, gas, or electric systems
• Dangerous conditions of streets owned or maintained by local authorities
• Dangerous conditions of sidewalks within the rights-of-way of local highways
• Care, custody, or control of animals

In claims against the City of Philadelphia or local municipal entities, total statutory recovery for damages is capped at $500,000 in the aggregate. For claims against Commonwealth agencies, such as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), recovery is limited to $250,000 per person and $1,000,000 per occurrence. Meeting mandatory six-month administrative notice deadlines is critical to keeping these claims active.

Holding health systems, physicians, or outpatient surgical centers accountable for medical negligence requires strict adherence to statewide procedural rules designed to screen malpractice actions.

Under Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure, an attorney filing a medical malpractice action must file a formal Certificate of Merit within 60 days of filing the initial complaint.

This legal document must state that an appropriate licensed medical professional has supplied a written statement confirming there is a reasonable probability that the care, skill, or knowledge exercised by the defendant fell outside acceptable professional standards, and that such conduct caused the patient's harm. Failing to file this certificate on time results in an immediate judgment of non-pro se, dismissing your case before it even reaches discovery.

Proving medical negligence requires demonstrating four distinct elements:

• Duty of Care: An established physician-patient relationship existed.
• Breach of Duty: The medical provider deviated from accepted medical standards.
• Causation: The specific deviation directly produced the injury or worsened your medical condition.
• Actual Damages: The error resulted in measurable economic or noneconomic harm.

We coordinate directly with respected medical authorities to review surgical logs, pathology reports, and pharmaceutical records to build an objective foundation for your claim.

When an individual loses their life due to another party's negligence, Pennsylvania law divides the legal remedy into two separate claims filed simultaneously:

A wrongful death action exists specifically for the benefit of surviving family members, defined by law as the spouse, children, or parents of the deceased.

This claim seeks compensation for the tangible financial losses the family endures because of their loved one's passing. Recoverable damages include funeral expenses, burial costs, medical administration fees before death, and the financial value of the support, comfort, and guidance the deceased would have provided to their household over their lifetime.

A survival action represents the claim the deceased individual could have brought had they survived the incident.

The personal representative of the estate brings this action on behalf of the estate itself. It compensates for the physical pain, suffering, mental anguish, and loss of earning capacity endured by the victim between the time of injury and their death. Any recovered funds flow directly into the decedent's estate for distribution according to their will or state intestacy laws.

The steps you take immediately following an accident directly impact your health and the strength of your legal claim. Insurance carriers begin assessing liability immediately, so taking proactive steps protects your position:

• Seek Immediate Medical Attention: Report to an emergency facility like Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Jefferson Health, or Temple University Hospital. Clear diagnostic records prevent insurers from claiming your injuries were pre-existing.
• Report the Incident: For motor vehicle crashes, ensure the Philadelphia Police Department files an official accident report. For premises injuries, notify the property owner or manager in writing and request a copy of the incident log.
• Document Physical Evidence: Take photos and videos of vehicle damage, road skid marks, property hazards, visible bruises, and the broader scene before conditions change.
• Gather Witness Details: Collect names, addresses, and phone numbers of anyone who saw the incident occur. Independent witnesses often clarify liability disputes.
• Avoid Giving Recorded Statements: Do not provide recorded accounts to insurance adjusters before consulting with legal counsel. Adjusters often ask leading questions designed to assign comparative fault.

A valid personal injury claim seeks to make an injured individual whole by securing compensation across two primary categories of damages:

• Complete past and ongoing medical expenses, including emergency room care, surgeries, prescription medications, and physical therapy.
• Future anticipated medical treatment, assistive mobility devices, and home modifications.
• Lost wages and compensation for lost earning capacity if you cannot return to your previous occupation.
• Out-of-pocket costs and property damage repairs.

• Physical pain and suffering endured throughout recovery
• Emotional trauma, mental anguish, and sleep disruptions
• Loss of life's pleasures and inability to participate in family or recreational activities
• Permanent physical scarring, disfigurement, or chronic physical limitations

Unlike some jurisdictions, Pennsylvania statutory law does not impose a general cap on noneconomic damages in standard personal injury and negligence cases, allowing injured parties to seek fair settlement values that reflect their true losses.

Handling a personal injury claim requires methodical preparation and strategic negotiation from day one. Here is how our legal team builds and executes your case:

• Initial Case Evaluation: You consult directly with attorney Gregory Boles to discuss the accident, your medical condition, and potential avenues for recovery.
• Comprehensive Investigation: We collect police reports, witness statements, scene photos, and camera footage, and order relevant medical records and billing statements.
• Medical Documentation & Expert Consultation: We track your medical treatment to determine the full scope of your injuries, coordinating with medical professionals and vocational economic analysts when necessary.
• Demand and Settlement Negotiation: We present a detailed demand package to the insurance company. Leveraging our background in defense tactics, we counter initial lowball offers and negotiate for a fair settlement.
• Litigation in State and Federal Courts: If the insurer refuses to offer fair compensation, we file a formal complaint in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas or the appropriate federal court and proceed through formal discovery and trial.

Financial stress should never prevent an injured person from obtaining skilled legal representation. We handle all personal injury matters on a contingency fee basis.

Under this arrangement:

• You pay zero upfront retainers or hourly legal fees.
• We advance all litigation expenses required to investigate and prepare your case.
• Our legal fees are paid solely as an agreed-upon percentage deducted from the final recovery we secure for you.
• If we do not recover compensation for your case, you owe us nothing in attorney fees.

If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury caused by someone else's negligence, you do not have to confront insurance companies alone. Put more than three decades of focused legal insight to work on your behalf.

Contact The Boles Firm at 215-398-4514 today to schedule your free consultation. Speak directly with attorney Gregory Boles, review your options, and take the first step toward securing the financial recovery you need.