"Paul Lagnese came to my house to talk with me. That wouldn't seem odd, except for the fact that I lived in Silver Spring, Maryland and he drove from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was very kind to me, considering the circumstances. I felt then, and still do, that he would do his absolute best for me, because he understood."
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 the past 13 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 selection in The Best Lawyers in America for Medical Malpractice in Pittsburgh between 2008 – 2017. Additionally, Paul was included in “The Best Lawyers in America” under Products Liability and Personal Injury from 2014-2017, and from 2011-2017 Mr. Lagnese was selected as a “Super Lawyer,” as well as the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” in Pennsylvania by The National Trial Lawyers Association.
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:
• In May of 2008, Paul obtained a verdict of $2,500,000 against UPMC for the family of a 24-year-old man. 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 November of 2011, in the same case, he obtained a verdict of $10,000,000 for the young man’s lifetime earnings loss, 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.
Professional Association & Memberships:
• American Association of Justice
• Treasurer Officer of the Pennsylvania Association of Justice (PAJ)
• Former President of the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association (WPTLA)
• Council of the Young Lawyers Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association, 1995-1997.
