Best Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Allentown, PA (2026)
To build this evidence-based 2026 list of Allentown-area malpractice lawyers, we used their practice focus and published results, plus client reviews and firm history.
Because Scherline Injury Law has a long history and local recognition, it leads this list. Its site doesn't publish malpractice results, though. Before calling, check that the firm handles injuries like yours and find out who will review your medical records. For filing rules to discuss, see the Pennsylvania law guide.
4.783 Google reviewsRated 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 83 reviews
Best for: Spanish-speaking clients seeking local counsel
Founded in 1976, Scherline Injury Law has earned local recognition from Lehigh Valley Magazine and the Morning Call's Readers' Choice Award. You'll find its office in Allentown. Although the firm handles medical malpractice within a broader personal injury practice, you won't find published malpractice results on its site.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.969 Google reviewsRated 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 69 reviews
Best for: Birth injury and missed diagnosis
For multiple families, including families of eight people killed by nurse Charles Cullen at St. Luke's Hospital, Cohen, Feeley, Altemose, Berg & McKarski publishes a combined medical malpractice verdict of $95 million. Alongside a $5 million childbirth injury verdict, the firm's site reports a $3.9 million verdict for failure to diagnose breast cancer. Another family's outcome can't be predicted from those results.
Stood out in our review for the results it publishes and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.775 Google reviewsRated 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 75 reviews
Best for: Birth injury and wrongful death
Founded in 1969, Leeson & Leeson now lists Joseph F. Leeson, III as its managing attorney. Along with recognition including the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, that history helps explain why the firm appears on this list. Within its wider personal injury practice, the firm's site describes work involving birth injury and wrongful death.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Not sure who to call first?
Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves Allentown can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.
5.029 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 29 reviews
Best for: Birth injury and HIE claims
Because it focuses on medical malpractice, Lehigh Valley Medical Malpractice Lawyers P.C. stands out among the firms on this list. Alongside HIE and cerebral palsy, its site discusses nursing home neglect and surgical errors. When families first call, those subjects give them something specific to ask the firm about.
Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.9109 Google reviewsRated 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 109 reviews
Best for: Medical and nursing home injuries
If your family is concerned about care in either setting, Ostroff Godshall's site lists nursing home neglect alongside its medical malpractice work. Alongside misdiagnosis, the site describes surgical-error work. Jon Ostroff is listed as a partner at the firm, which has an Allentown office.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Where they are in Allentown
What clients say about these Allentown lawyers
Google reviews of the firms on our lists, quoted as their clients wrote them and linked to where they were posted. We don't write, edit or pick reviews for pay.
LW
Larry W.
September 2026 · Allentown, Pennsylvania
“Well, I don’t even know where to begin. This firm really treated me with care and concern through my entire ordeal. It was always what could they do for me. They walked me through every step of the way. Whenever I had a question they had an answer. The entire team made me feel like I was the only client they had. I...”
“Attorney Crouthamel provided outstanding legal representation during my divorce. From our first meeting, she was professional, compassionate, and genuinely invested in helping me through one of the most difficult times in my life. She took the time to explain the legal process, answered my questions thoroughly, and...”
“I want to thank Attorney Alexis Berg-Townsend for all the work she did on my Worker's Comp case. After the accident and as time went on I knew I was going to need legal help. The injury was not going to get better and I would no longer be able to work. I was going to need help medically and financially. Alexis made...”
Before filing, a lawyer reviews treatment dates and when you learned about the injury and what caused it. Under Pennsylvania's discovery rule, you generally have 2 years. Because children's claims follow a separate filing rule, the patient's age matters.
Review the medical records
When the medical review happens, it examines whether care fell below the standard. To support Pennsylvania's certificate of merit, an appropriate licensed professional must supply a written statement that supports a reasonable probability that the care did fall below it. Who arranges that review? Ask.
File the complaint and certificate
When you file the complaint, the court claim begins. With the complaint or within 60 days, you must file a certificate of merit for each defendant. If you're unsure who's named in the complaint, your lawyer can explain that and how the filing requirements apply.
Assess the claimed losses
When discussing the losses your claim seeks to address, explain how the injury has affected you. Because compensatory damages compensate for losses, Pennsylvania doesn't place a cap on them. Against individual physicians, punitive damages are limited by law. What you might recover isn't predicted by either rule.
Discuss settlement or a verdict
If you want examples of settlements and verdicts, the firms listed here publish them. Before deciding on a proposed settlement, ask your lawyer to explain it and what's still at stake if your claim moves toward a verdict. When the case will finish isn't answered by the filing rules.
Malpractice claims in Allentown: the rules that matter
The filing deadline in Pennsylvania
The clock startsWhen you found out, or should have
Time to start a claim2 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
Limits on damages in Pennsylvania
Pain and sufferingNo cap
All damages togetherNo overall cap
Expert paperworkFile a certificate of merit for each defendant with the complaint or within 60 days, stating an appropriate licensed professional has given a written statement that there is a reasonable probability the care fell below the standard.
A written agreementThe share the lawyer takes, set out before work starts.
If you recover moneyThe agreed share and the case costs come out of it.
If the claim failsNo legal fee on a contingency agreement. Ask about costs.
If a claim fails, five listed firms say they charge no lawyer's fee under their contingency arrangements; otherwise, the lawyer takes a share of any recovery. A free consultation is offered by all. Separate case costs can cover medical records and medical opinions, along with the fees charged by the court. Who pays those expenses in every case isn't clear from what the firms have published. Before you sign, find out who advances the costs and how they're deducted from a recovery. If the claim fails, could you owe those costs? Make sure your written agreement contains the answers.
If you'd like a free consultation, all seven listed firms say they offer one. Contingency arrangements are also offered by five.
What to bring to your first call
A short timeline you've written showing treatment and what happened afterward
When treatment happened, plus when you first learned about the injury and what might have caused it
Records you already have from treatment, including discharge or delivery notes
Which doctors and nurses were involved, with their names and the facilities
Bills for medical care, plus insurance statements
Letters or messages you've received from the hospital or insurer
If you have them, photos related to the injury
When the patient was born, especially if you're asking about a child's claim
Questions to ask a lawyer
1For injuries like this one, how many claims have you handled?
2If I have questions, who answers them, and who handles my file?
3For the certificate of merit, how do you arrange the medical review that's needed?
4Given my circumstances, which filing deadline do you think applies?
5If there's a recovery, how is your fee calculated, and does it depend on that recovery?
6If the claim fails, could I owe case costs, and who pays them upfront?
7If you decide to stop handling the claim, how will I hear about it?
8If we meet, can we do it remotely, or must I visit your office?
Choose for the medical issue, then check the working relationship
Look at the chart first. If cancer was missed, the questions differ from those about an injury during delivery. Although several firms here name specific medical claims on their sites, others include malpractice within a broader practice. Because a firm's general personal injury history doesn't tell you about the same treatment or injury, ask about cases that do.
If results are published, you've got something concrete to discuss. While KaplunMarx reports a malpractice settlement without an amount, Cohen, Feeley, Altemose, Berg & McKarski reports verdicts involving childbirth and cancer diagnosis. Your result isn't predictable. Before relying on a result, ask what the firm can explain about that case's medical issue and whether the lawyer who handled it would handle yours.
Before proceeding, find out who reads your records and arranges the licensed professional's review required for a certificate of merit.
If the firm won't proceed with a claim, how does it tell you, and who answers your everyday questions?
Where would you meet? You'll find some listed offices in Bethlehem or Whitehall Township rather than Allentown.
For each defendant, you'll also need to file a certificate of merit with the complaint or within 60 days. The required document is this certificate. To meet the requirement, it must state that an appropriate licensed professional supplied a written statement supporting a reasonable probability that the care fell below the standard. Who would arrange that review? Ask the firm.
If you want a free consultation, all listed firms say they offer one. When you speak, discuss the medical concern and go over the payment agreement. If the claim fails under a contingency arrangement, you owe no lawyer's fee; otherwise, the lawyer takes a share of a recovery. Ask separately about case expenses. Before proceeding, find out who advances those expenses and whether you'd have to repay them even if there isn't a recovery.
Questions people ask
How long do I have to file a malpractice claim in Allentown?
You'll generally have 2 years to file in Pennsylvania. When you knew or reasonably should have known about the injury and its cause, the clock starts under Pennsylvania's discovery rule. To work out that date, careful review may be needed. If you discuss your treatment history with a Pennsylvania lawyer, they can explain how the rule applies. For children's claims, the rule is separate.
Can I speak with a lawyer before agreeing to pay a fee?
If you'd like a free consultation, all seven listed firms say they offer one. If the claim fails, five say they charge no lawyer's fee under their contingency arrangements; otherwise, the lawyer receives a share of a recovery. Ask about expenses separately. Before you sign, ask about medical review costs and what you might owe, rather than assuming the fee arrangement covers those expenses.
What is a certificate of merit?
For each defendant in Pennsylvania, you must file this document with the complaint or within 60 days. To meet the requirement, it states that an appropriate licensed professional supplied a written statement supporting a reasonable probability that the care fell below the standard. Who will arrange the review? Ask your lawyer. While discussing the review, ask how its cost is handled.
Does my child's claim have the same deadline as an adult's?
If the patient is a child, Pennsylvania allows a claim within 7 years of the malpractice or before the twentieth birthday, whichever is later. Don't work that deadline out alone. Give a Pennsylvania lawyer your child's dates to apply the rule. If you're looking for birth injury work, several listed firms show it on their sites, including Leeson & Leeson and Lehigh Valley Medical Malpractice Lawyers P.C.
Which firms publish results involving birth injuries or missed diagnoses?
Alongside a $5 million childbirth injury verdict, Cohen, Feeley, Altemose, Berg & McKarski reports a $3.9 million verdict for failure to diagnose breast cancer. Although other firms here describe birth injury or misdiagnosis work, they don't publish results for those claims. Another claim's recovery can't be predicted from past verdicts. When discussing those cases, ask about their medical facts and which lawyer would handle your file.
How long will a malpractice case take?
How long a case takes to finish isn't answered by Pennsylvania's filing rules. Although the 2-year clock and the 60-day certificate-of-merit requirement set filing requirements, neither tells you how long reaching a settlement or verdict will take. Before proceeding, ask a lawyer what work your claim needs and how you'll hear about its progress. Don't treat an estimate as a promise.
Are medical malpractice damages capped in Pennsylvania?
Because compensatory damages compensate for losses, Pennsylvania doesn't place a cap on them. Against individual physicians, the law limits only punitive damages. What your claim is worth isn't answered by those rules. When you discuss the losses your family has experienced, a Pennsylvania lawyer can explain which damages may apply to the injury in your case.
What should I do before my first consultation?
When you write down the treatment dates, include when you first suspected the care had caused an injury. Start with records you already have, then gather your bills and hospital correspondence. If the injury relates to delivery, include any available delivery notes. Before collecting more, tell the lawyer what records you're missing and ask whether you need to address a filing deadline first.
Can I contact a malpractice lawyer if my loved one died?
You can. If you're looking for wrongful death work, several listed firms show it, including Leeson & Leeson and KaplunMarx. When you bring your treatment timeline and available records, explain how you're related to the person who died. To assess who may bring a claim and which filing rules apply, speak with a Pennsylvania lawyer. Your family's circumstances may raise questions that the general deadline doesn't resolve.
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