Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Have Been Recovered for Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Victims
The people of Northeastern Pennsylvania, from Scranton to Wilkes-Barre, are defined by their resilience. We are a community that knows how to face hardship and rebuild. We are the descendants of miners, mill workers, and factory hands who built this region with grit and determination. That same strength is required when a loved one is suddenly taken by another’s negligence, and the path forward can seem impossible.
But no family should have to face this devastation alone. A lawsuit is not about striking back in anger. It is a measured, powerful, and necessary step to protect your family when you are at your most vulnerable. It is about using the law to rebuild the future that was stolen from you. At The Killino Firm, our wrongful death lawyers see a lawsuit as a vital part of the rebuilding process. It’s about getting answers, demanding accountability, and securing the financial foundation your family needs to begin to heal and build a new future.
After a wrongful death, there are two systems of justice. The criminal system seeks to punish the wrongdoer. The civil justice system, where your wrongful death lawyer fights, has a different goal: recovery.
Think of a wrongful death claim as the set of tools you are given to rebuild a house after a devastating storm. The storm was the tragedy; the civil justice system provides the hammer, nails, and blueprints to build a new, secure structure for your family. A lawsuit is designed to help your family recover financially and emotionally by providing answers and the resources needed to move forward with stability.
The I-81 corridor isn’t just a highway; it’s our region’s economic artery, and it is plagued by heavy truck traffic. When a family breadwinner is killed on their commute, the loss is immediate and catastrophic. Our lawyers act immediately to preserve the evidence needed to hold these companies accountable. We investigate why. Was the driver fatigued? Was the truck’s logbook falsified? Was the cargo improperly loaded, or was the truck poorly maintained? Holding the negligent trucking company accountable provides the financial stability to keep the family in their home and on their feet, helping them rebuild a life that has been shattered.
Our region’s industrial heritage has a dark side. For generations, companies profited while knowing the dangers of asbestos, silica, and coal dust. A death today from mesothelioma or black lung disease can be traced back to a company’s negligence decades ago. A wrongful death lawsuit is a powerful statement. It honors the dignity of the worker who was sacrificed for profit. More practically, it provides the resources—often for an elderly spouse—to live in security and dignity, free from the financial worry that this long-past corporate wrongdoing has caused.
When we trust our local hospitals with our lives, a fatal error is a profound betrayal that shatters that trust. Part of rebuilding is finding out what happened. Our investigation aims to find out what went wrong, providing the answers a family needs to start the healing process. Was it a staffing shortage at a critical moment? A medication error? A protocol that was ignored? The answers we get not only help the family heal but can force a hospital system to change its policies, protecting other NEPA families in the future.
The first step in rebuilding is establishing a legal foundation. This is done by appointing a personal representative (an “executor” or “administrator”) through the Register of Wills in Lackawanna or Luzerne County. This person becomes the single legal voice for the family, allowing the lawsuit to move forward in an orderly way. This is not a burden you have to bear alone. Our lawyers help handle this entire foundational process, lifting the legal weight from your shoulders so you can focus on your family.
The compensation in a wrongful death case looks both backward and forward, honoring the past while securing the future.
This compensation is not a “windfall.” It is a calculated, necessary transfer of the financial burden from your family—the innocent victims—back to the negligent party who caused the loss.
When a catastrophic, life-threatening injury occurs in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the fight to save a life is often led by the region’s top trauma centers.
You do not have to carry the heavy burden of grief alone. Finding support “near me” is a vital part of the healing process. Here are some of the best resources available to families in our NEPA community.
Key Takeaways for a NEPA Wrongful Death Claim
This is a primary concern for every family we represent. Our job is to lift the legal burden from your shoulders. After our initial meetings to gather your story and information, we handle everything else—the complex investigation, the legal paperwork, and all communications with the insurance companies. Your single most important job is to focus on your family. We are your shield and your advocate, allowing you the space and time to grieve and begin to heal.
Insurance adjusters are highly trained professionals. Their job is to be friendly and build a rapport with you. However, their ultimate goal is to protect their company’s money, not to help your family rebuild. They will be looking for any information they can use to devalue or deny your claim. It is essential that you do not give a recorded statement or sign any documents without speaking to your own lawyer first.
Your loved one’s sources of income and benefits are an important part of calculating the financial loss to your family. The loss of their Social Security or pension income is a real, tangible financial harm that can be included as part of the damages in a wrongful death claim. This is a key part of rebuilding your family’s financial security.
In most cases, yes. The claim is typically not against the individual’s personal assets. It is made against their insurance policy—whether it’s an auto insurance, homeowner’s, or commercial business policy. These policies exist specifically to cover this type of catastrophic loss. Our region has seen too many hardworking people left with nothing. Part of our job is to find every source of recovery to ensure your family is not left facing this financial disaster alone.
The most important first step is to contact our firm for a free, completely confidential consultation. The two-year deadline in Pennsylvania is absolute, and evidence—especially in a truck accident—can disappear within hours. A consultation allows you to get immediate answers, understand your family’s rights, and have a team of experienced professionals begin the fight for justice on your behalf. It’s about starting the rebuilding process on your terms, with a team who understands what your family is up against.
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