Paul Lagnese is a Partner with the law firm of Berger Lagnese & Paul, LLC

Paul received his undergraduate degree from Lafayette College in 1985, before graduating from Duquesne University School of Law in 1987. After graduation, Paul served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable David W. Craig of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. For 25 years, Paul has spent his career representing people who have been injured due to the negligence or carelessness of doctors and hospitals. His cases have focused on mistakes made during labor and delivery, failure to diagnose, and wrongful death. He has also been involved in class action lawsuits involving the cost of obtaining medical records and improperly cleaned medical devices.

Paul’s legal skills have been recognized by his peers, as evidenced by his selection into the Allegheny Academy of Trial Lawyers, his AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale Hubbell, and his inclusion in Best Lawyers.

Paul was most recently recognized by Best Lawyers as 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” in Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs in Pittsburgh. In addition to this honor, he will be highlighted in the 29^th edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for his high caliber work in Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, and Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs. Paul has now been recognized consecutively in The Best Lawyers in America® list for Medical Malpractice in Pittsburgh between 2008 – 2022; for Products Liability from 2014-2022; and for Personal Injury from 2011-2022.

Mr. Lagnese has also been selected by Super Lawyers from 2011 – 2021, as well as for the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania by The National Trial Lawyers Association from 2011-2013. In July 2022, Paul received the PAJ Milton D Rosenberg Award, “given to a trial lawyer whose devotion to injured victims, qualities of leadership, and service to the organization best represent the life of the late and revered past PAJ president after whom the award is named.”

Paul regularly lectures on issues related to medical malpractice for Pennsylvania Bar Institute, PAJ, and WPTLA. In April of 2013, Paul was awarded the PAJ Community Service Award for his work with Muriel’s Breath of Life.

Notable Cases:

Paul has obtained numerous seven-figure confidential settlements in medical malpractice cases. Some of his most notable cases include:

Paul obtained a $2,150,000 settlement in an auto-death case
Paul obtained a $1,100,000 settlement in a construction accident, fall from scaffolding case.
Paul obtained a jury verdict for a missed brain bleed resulting in a total recovery of $524,000.
Paul obtained a $2,500,000 verdict against UPMC for the family of a 24-year-old man, which resulted in a recover of $3,200,000 for the client. The jury found that the young man’s death was caused by the failure of UPMC to have properly trained and supervised a newly hired nurse.
In the same case, he obtained a $10,000,000 verdict for the young man’s lifetime earnings loss which resulted in a $14,877,000 recovery for the client. This is the largest medical malpractice verdict in Allegheny County since the Supreme Court began tracking medical malpractice verdicts in January of 2000.
Paul obtained a $6,000,000 jury verdict against Indiana Hospital and one of its doctors when a little girl suffered severe brain damage during birth, resulting in Cerebral Palsy.
Paul has also represented four other children who suffered brain damage because of the carelessness of doctors and hospitals. Each of those cases resulted in settlements in excess of $3,000,000.
Paul obtained a $725,000 verdict against the University of Pittsburgh Physicians as a result of a carpal tunnel surgery that resulted in permanent nerve injury.

Practice Areas:

Personal Injury
Medical Malpractice
Professional Liability

Education:

Lafayette College
Duquesne University School of Law

Bar Admissions:

Pennsylvania Bar
The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
United States 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals

Professional Association & Memberships:

AAJ Board of Governors
Pennsylvania Association for Justice (PAJ):
- President: 2021
- Previously:
  - Vice President
  - Secretary
  - Treasurer
American Association of Justice
Former President of the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association (WPTLA)
Council of the Young Lawyers Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association, 1995-1997