Big Numbers and Dollar Signs Can’t Tell You Whether a Law Firm Is Right for You
When you’re choosing an advocate to fight for your rights, the first question you want to ask is, “Does this attorney understand someone like me?”
That’s a judgment call only you can make. And no billboard full of dollar amounts can tell you how a law firm will handle a case as individual as yours.
We know how important the financial side can be. But the real measure of success is this: Lives made better. To help you decide whether we’ll understand your life and your suffering, we’d like to tell you about some of the people we’ve worked with, and how we’ve helped them put their lives back together.
Then, if you feel there’s a fit between your world and what you see on this page, let’s talk.
James L.
CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT
A Pennsylvania energy producer will pay $1.2 million to end a class and collective action from oil and gas workers accusing it of misclassifying them as independent contractors, according to a proposed final settlement in federal court.
Goodrich & Geist are local counsel on this case as attorneys representing plaintiffs including James L., who brought the lawsuit individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated.
Matt W.
AUTO ACCIDENT
Matt W., age 35, was a retail-store manager working hard to support his wife and two small children. He was on his way home from work one evening when a heavy pickup truck hit the car he was driving, head-on. The pickup’s driver had taken his eyes off the road to reach for his phone, and the truck crossed the center line, striking four other vehicles before hitting Matt’s car.
Matt suffered disabling leg and hip injuries so severe that he was no longer able to perform his job. Goodrich and Geist asked for and got a settlement that covered Matt’s immediate and future medical treatment – and gave him the financial security to start a new business of his own.
Tracey J.
AUTO ACCIDENT
Tracey J., a single woman in her early 20s, was a professional hair stylist and a cautious driver. As she pulled away from a stop sign in her compact car, another driver made an illegal turn and struck her head-on. The impact threw her into the windshield, causing a severe and painful head injury. Among the lasting effects was double vision that made it impossible for her to continue her work. Although the other driver and his insurance company denied responsibility and disputed Tracey’s injuries, when Goodrich and Geist tried the case, the jury returned a verdict more than 20 times larger than the highest offer to settle out of court. The award enabled Tracey to go back to school and train for a new, more satisfying career.
Francine B.
AUTO ACCIDENT
Francine B. Francine B., a nursing assistant in her 40s, was a front-seat passenger in a car that was struck head-on by an oncoming SUV making a sudden left turn at an intersection. Painful neck and back injuries prevented her from returning to work, leaving her with massive, unpaid medical expenses. According to her doctors, she faced a lifetime of neck and back pain. The SUV’s driver and the driver’s insurance company not only refused to accept responsibility for the accident, but also disputed the extent of Francine’s injuries and medical treatment.
When Goodrich and Geist took the case to trial, the jury returned a verdict that was more than 10 times larger than the offer to settle out of court. The verdict paid for Francine’s medical bills and enabled her to retire from her job.
“Thank you Goodrich and Geist for standing by my side through this valley – you have been a blessing!”
-Francine
Bob P.
TRUCKING ACCIDENT
Bob P. was a college student traveling from Pennsylvania to his home in the Midwest when a speeding coal truck rear-ended his small car. The impact forced the trunk of his car against the back of Bob’s skull, causing a permanent brain injury. Bob’s trauma required extensive rehabilitation and treatment before he could return to college. Although the trucking company and its lawyers disputed the severity of Bob’s injuries when Goodrich and Geist tried the case the jury returned a record-breaking verdict in one of the most conservative regions of Pennsylvania. The verdict helped Bob finish college and ensuring that his future medical expenses would be paid.
Robert H.
DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS
Robert H. was a Vietnam veteran and a building contractor who was permanently injured when a defective PVC pipe exploded and struck him in the head. The pipe was defectively designed, and its manufacturer had not marked it to warn users of its potential for bursting into hazardous fragments. The accident left Robert with a depressed skull fracture and a permanent brain injury that prevented him from returning to his business. His brain injury was so severe that he faced a lifetime of constant supervision and care. Goodrich and Geist made a recovery from the pipe’s manufacturer that enabled Robert to replace his lost income, and his wife to retire from her job to help care for her husband.
“I want to thank you for the extremely successful outcome of my case. I am sure that it was your experience and expertise in handling cases of this nature that enabled you to make such a good recovery.”
-Robert
Taylor A.
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
Taylor A., a 67-year-old assembly line worker, loved to hunt, fish, and spend time with his children and grandchildren. He was hospitalized with stomach pains and diagnosed with a bowel obstruction. Taylor’s surgeon rushed him into the operating room before making sure his stomach was empty. During intubation, Taylor inhaled some of his stomach contents, which blocked his lungs and left his brain without oxygen for several minutes. The result was severe and permanent brain injury. From that point on, Taylor required 24/7 care. Medical expenses quickly wiped out his life savings. Goodrich and Geist recovered a record settlement against the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and hospital for Taylor and his family. The settlement provided Taylor with the best medical care available and restored his savings.
Tony S.
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
Tony S. was a roofer in his mid-30s who suffered an injury to his right wrist. A surgeon recommended an operation to repair the injury, even though he had never performed this particular surgery before. In the operating room, the surgeon severed an important nerve after misjudging its position. With the nerve permanently damaged, Tony was unable to use his right hand. The surgeon refused to accept responsibility and blamed the nerve damage on other surgeons who later attempted to repair it.
Goodrich and Geist helped Tony obtain a jury verdict that paid for his medical expenses and replaced his lost wages. The surgeon appealed the verdict for more than two years, but eventually agreed to pay Tony the amount of the verdict plus interest.
“I can’t thank you enough for your help and kindness during my case and putting your whole heart into my case”
-Tony
Hazel B.
DANGEROUS PROPERTY
Hazel B., a grandmother in her late 60s, went to a day care center to pick up her grandchild and fell down a flight of stairs. She was permanently paralyzed. Although the stairs were unsafe and violated numerous building codes, the owner of the building had refused either to repair the stairs or warn guests about them. Suffering a fractured neck, and immobilized from the middle of her chest down to her legs, she was confined to a wheelchair and required round-the-clock care. Goodrich and Geist helped make a recovery for Hazel that allowed her to receive the best medical care and to become less dependent on her family for her daily needs. The recovery also allowed Hazel to travel to see her family in a distant city.
Rick B.
CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT
Rick B. was in his early 30s, a laborer with a wife and young daughter. He’d just begun work with an excavating company when he was killed on the job. The company was digging a trench for a water line when the excavation collapsed on Rick and a co-worker. Trapped under tons of soil, he suffocated.
The company had ignored federal regulations that require a trench box to be in place while men were working below grade. OSHA fined the excavating company, and Goodrich and Geist helped recover funds for Rick’s wife and daughter, allowing them to stay in their home and maintain a financially secure future.
The Kerry’s
EXPLOSIONS AND FIRES
The Kerry’s were a family of seven who lived in a manufactured home in central Pennsylvania. The father, Patrick, was a construction worker, and the mother, Linda, was a homemaker. Patrick and Linda had five small children. Their home was equipped with several smoke detectors, which were wired to the home’s electrical circuits. A fire started in the home while the Kerry’s slept, killing the entire family. Goodrich and Geist brought suit against the manufacturers of the home and the smoke detectors. We determined that the smoke detectors were defective.
They lacked backup batteries and had failed to detect the type of fire that destroyed the home. We also found that the home was built with materials that produce toxic fumes when burned. Those fumes contributed to the family’s inability to escape the fire. The manufacturers of the smoke detectors and the home agreed to settle the case out of court, providing significant compensation to the family’s relatives.
Art S.
PERSONAL INJURY
Art S., aged 30, a delivery-truck driver and the father of two young children, was hiking in the woods when he was hit head-on by a snowmobile. The operator of the snowmobile was a member of a tour group and had never ridden a snowmobile before. The tour company had given the rider no instruction, and he was driving on the wrong side of the trail. Art’s right leg and foot were crushed, and he required multiple surgeries.
The injuries limited his ability to work, and since his job was commission-based, he lost significant income. Goodrich and Geist helped Art recover funds from the tour company and its insurance company that replaced his lost income and allowed him to find a new job that could accommodate his restrictions.
