Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2026 edition in Pittsburgh.
Brendan B. Lupetin
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2018 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Brendan prides himself on finding the best solutions for his clients’ legal dilemmas, often bringing about life-improving settlements. There are, however, times when wrongdoers simply refuse to accept responsibility for their actions and force the injured and innocent to prove their case to a jury.
Brendan points out, “While many attorneys fear having their client’s fate determined by apparent strangers, I believe in our jury system and have the utmost faith that our community’s conscience will enforce important safety rules and ensure that justice is always done.”
Brendan’s faith combined with his dynamic ability to tell a simple story that people care about make him a powerful trial advocate for his clients. These attributes recently culminated in bringing about a spectacular verdict in Federal Court of more than $6 million for a small local business. This amazing outcome, comprised of an unheard of $5 million in punitive damages, was chronicled in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article titled, “O’Hara firm wins $6 million verdict over testing of space heaters.”
VerdictSearch has included numerous lawsuit resolutions of Brendan’s in its annual Top Pennsylvania Verdicts and Settlements report. Additionally, Brendan is regularly called on by the media to provide insight and commentary on lawsuits of national import as well as high-profile litigation undertaken by Meyers Evans Lupetin & Unatin.
The son of a doctor and trauma counselor Brendan learned early on the importance of compassion, empathy and to always stand up for what is right, no matter the consequence. It is these attributes, ingrained in his legal practice, that have led Brendan to be repeatedly named a “Rising Star” by the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers whose honorees are selected by their peers as being among the top up-and-coming lawyers in the state.
Following a four-year tenure as a scholarship swimmer at the University of Pittsburgh, Brendan received his B.S. and went on to obtain a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2005.
Brendan is admitted to practice before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court the District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the American Association of Justice, the Western Pennsylvania Association for Justice and is a founding member of the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Chapter of Toastmaster’s International.
Brendan is one of only eleven lawyers in Western Pennsylvania invited to be an active member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), a prestigious national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges. This follows his 2011 induction into the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County- an invitation-only organization limited to 250 of the most exceptional civil trial lawyers in Allegheny County – of which Brendan was one of the youngest members ever admitted. Brendan has been repeatedly named to Super Lawyers Rising Stars and for the past several years has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer.
As passionate as he is about the client’s he works for, Brendan’s greatest joy comes from spending as much time as possible with his high school sweetheart and wife, Lacey and their three sons, Nathan, John and Owen.
Overview
- English
- Ethnicity: White
- University of Pittsburgh, Juris Doctorate, graduated 2005
- University of Pittsburgh, B.S. Biochemistry, graduated 2000
- Pennsylvania, 2005
- University of Pittsburgh School of Law - Adjunct Professor
- Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association - Member
- Pennsylvania Association of Justice - Member
- American Board of Trial Advocates - Fellow
- American College of Trial Lawyers - Fellow
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- English
- Pennsylvania, 2005
- University of Pittsburgh School of Law - Adjunct Professor
- Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association - Member
- Pennsylvania Association of Justice - Member
- American Board of Trial Advocates - Fellow
- American College of Trial Lawyers - Fellow
- University of Pittsburgh, Juris Doctorate, graduated 2005
- University of Pittsburgh, B.S. Biochemistry, graduated 2000
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- Ethnicity: White
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, Pittsburgh (2026)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
News & Media
Case History
Cases
- $2 Million Jury Verdict
Our client in this case was a woman injured by a botched gallbladder removal surgery . The defendant never offered any money to settle this claim before trial.
Denise Westwood received a $2 million medical malpractice verdict after suffering a bile duct injury during a botched gallbladder surgery. Dr. Charles N. Lebovitz was ordered by a jury to compensate Denise Westwood for the problems she experienced following the surgery. The injury resulted in permanent damage to her biliary system and liver, causing multiple hernias and requiring additional corrective surgeries. Westwood lost her job as a nurse’s aide due to the resulting injuries, which limited her ability to lift heavy objects. The lawsuit claimed that Dr. Lebovitz failed to follow proper medical procedures and took shortcuts during the surgery. The jury found him negligent and awarded Westwood $750,000 for past damages and $1.25 million for future losses.
Denise Westwood received a $2 million medical malpractice verdict after suffering a bile duct injury during a botched gallbladder surgery. Dr. Charles N. Lebovitz was ordered by a jury to compensate Denise Westwood for the problems she experienced following the surgery. The injury resulted in permanent damage to her biliary system and liver, causing multiple hernias and requiring additional corrective surgeries. Westwood lost her job as a nurse’s aide due to the resulting injuries, which limited her ability to lift heavy objects. The lawsuit claimed that Dr. Lebovitz failed to follow proper medical procedures and took shortcuts during the surgery. The jury found him negligent and awarded Westwood $750,000 for past damages and $1.25 million for future losses.
- $2.1 Million Jury Verdict
This case was against Target Corporation for a woman who slipped on spilled soda and ruptured her hamstring. The top settlement offer was $85,000.
Melissa Horton slipped and fell in a Target store in Allegheny County after a soda bottle fell on the floor. Target employees coned off the area and began mopping, but they were mopping outside the coned area, causing Melissa to eventually fall. Her fall resulted in a serious injury to her right hamstring, requiring repair surgery and a long recovery period in a body brace, during which she couldn’t perform normal daily activities.
After a three-day trial and a day of deliberation, the jury found Target responsible for the slip and fall due to their negligence. The verdict awarded Melissa $2.1 million in damages, with $1.4 million for past damages and $700 thousand for future damages. Target denied fault, claiming that Melissa’s own actions and lack of attention caused the incident. They argued that she was not paying attention to where she was walking and walked near the spill area, despite ample warning and the area being closed off. However, the jury disagreed with Target’s defense and held them accountable for their actions, resulting in significant financial consequences for the retail store.
Melissa Horton slipped and fell in a Target store in Allegheny County after a soda bottle fell on the floor. Target employees coned off the area and began mopping, but they were mopping outside the coned area, causing Melissa to eventually fall. Her fall resulted in a serious injury to her right hamstring, requiring repair surgery and a long recovery period in a body brace, during which she couldn’t perform normal daily activities.
After a three-day trial and a day of deliberation, the jury found Target responsible for the slip and fall due to their negligence. The verdict awarded Melissa $2.1 million in damages, with $1.4 million for past damages and $700 thousand for future damages. Target denied fault, claiming that Melissa’s own actions and lack of attention caused the incident. They argued that she was not paying attention to where she was walking and walked near the spill area, despite ample warning and the area being closed off. However, the jury disagreed with Target’s defense and held them accountable for their actions, resulting in significant financial consequences for the retail store.
- $2.2 MILLION JURY VERDICT
A Pennsylvania vascular surgeon negligently delayed surgical treatment of a man suffering from critical limb ischemia. Due to the negligent delay, the man suffered an above the knee amputation. The original offer before trial was $125,000. This was one of the largest verdicts in the history of Indiana County, Pennsylvania. This case was worked up by Greg Unatin, and tried to verdict by Greg Unatin, Brendan Lupetin, and Garrett Trettel.
- $3.2 MILLION JURY VERDICT
Our client was a prominent oral surgeon who slipped and fell in an operating room that had recently been wet mopped by janitorial staff. The defendant, St. Vincent Surgery Center, had a policy of not placing wet floor signs while mopping. Two years before our client fell another healthcare worker had slipped, fallen, and been injured under similar circumstances. The Surgery Center vowed to fix the problem by always placing wet floor signs. Unfortunately, the intended change in policy was never communicated to the custodial staff. As a result, they continued to mop the old way by not setting out wet floor signs until after active mopping was completed. Due to his injuries, our client was forced to medically retire at least two years earlier than he had planned. He sustained a significant income loss. We also proved a substantial claim for pain and suffering as well as the loss of ability to do the work he loved.
Brendan Lupetin and Maggie Cooney tried this case together before Judge Erin Connelly Marucci in the Court of Common Pleas of Erie County Erie County.
Brendan Lupetin and Maggie Cooney tried this case together before Judge Erin Connelly Marucci in the Court of Common Pleas of Erie County Erie County.
- $6.3 Million Jury Verdict
Our client in this case was Brand Marketing Group (BMG) against Intertek Testing Services after one of their subsidiaries botched the testing of his newly unveiled space heater – the Thermablaster.
BMG finally realized the benefit of a relationship cultivated with Ace Hardware since 2009 when in mid-2011 Ace decided to place an order for 4000 Thermablaster heaters. Meanwhile, Interetek, the self-described “leading provider of quality, safety, testing, inspection and certification” held out to Mr. Brand that he should trust their years of knowledge and expertise to assure the Thermablaster met the applicable safety standard and would be safe for homes across the United States. However, and unknown to Mr. Brand, the particular standard applicable to his heater was a standard which Intertek had never tested to before. (co-counseled with Attorney Greg Unatin.)
BMG finally realized the benefit of a relationship cultivated with Ace Hardware since 2009 when in mid-2011 Ace decided to place an order for 4000 Thermablaster heaters. Meanwhile, Interetek, the self-described “leading provider of quality, safety, testing, inspection and certification” held out to Mr. Brand that he should trust their years of knowledge and expertise to assure the Thermablaster met the applicable safety standard and would be safe for homes across the United States. However, and unknown to Mr. Brand, the particular standard applicable to his heater was a standard which Intertek had never tested to before. (co-counseled with Attorney Greg Unatin.)
- $7.25 Million Jury Verdict
Our client was Dr. David Irwin, the former Chief of Pain Management at UPMC Hamot. In 2014, Dr. Irwin slipped on snow-covered ice while exiting the UPMC Hamot Surgery Center through a non-public door, which staff were required to use after hours because the main entrances were locked. He suffered severe back and shoulder injuries, developed chronic pain, and was unable to return to his career in medicine.
Brendan Lupetin & Gregory Unatin represented Dr. Irwin and his wife in 2025. After a week-long trial, the jury found UPMC Hamot negligent and returned a unanimous verdict after only two hours of deliberation. The award — including past and future economic losses, non-economic damages, and consortium damages for Dr. Irwin’s wife — is believed to be the largest slip-and-fall verdict in Erie County history, surpassing the prior record of $3.2 million, also won by Lupetin & Unatin.
Brendan Lupetin & Gregory Unatin represented Dr. Irwin and his wife in 2025. After a week-long trial, the jury found UPMC Hamot negligent and returned a unanimous verdict after only two hours of deliberation. The award — including past and future economic losses, non-economic damages, and consortium damages for Dr. Irwin’s wife — is believed to be the largest slip-and-fall verdict in Erie County history, surpassing the prior record of $3.2 million, also won by Lupetin & Unatin.
- $10.83 Million Jury Verdict
Our client was a man who suffered permanent brain damage after an allergic reaction during an MRI led to cardiac arrest (co-counseled with Attorney Gregory Unatin). The top settlement offer was $3 million.
Brendan Lupetin and Gregory Unatin represented the Miller family in a medical malpractice lawsuit against Tyrone Hospital in Blair County, Pennsylvania. After three years of litigation the case came to trial in the Court of Common Pleas of Blair County. Christopher suffered permanent brain damage during an MRI at Tyrone Hospital.
Brendan Lupetin and Gregory Unatin represented the Miller family in a medical malpractice lawsuit against Tyrone Hospital in Blair County, Pennsylvania. After three years of litigation the case came to trial in the Court of Common Pleas of Blair County. Christopher suffered permanent brain damage during an MRI at Tyrone Hospital.
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