Partner

Joseph W. Petka, Esq.

p. 267.291.0462  |  f. 215.735.1133

Bar Admissions

Pennsylvania
New Jersey
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Education

Pennsylvania State University, B.S.
Widener University School of Law, J.D.

Overview

Joseph Petka is one of the most active trial attorneys in Philadelphia and its surrounding counties.  He concentrates his practice on defending general liability claims involving catastrophic injuries and medical professional liability cases. He has tried a wide range of cases representing health systems, physicians, practice groups, nurses, and companies sued for security negligence, slip and falls, assaults, construction defective design, medical failure to diagnose, patient falls, pressure ulcers, and dental malpractice. He has obtained countless defense verdicts in jury trials throughout Philadelphia, Delaware, Chester, Bucks, and Montgomery counties.  Fox 29 News recently profiled Joe’s successful verdict in a jury trial involving an assault and battery lawsuit. His attention to detail and thorough preparation is a hallmark of his successful representation of his clients.

Throughout his tenure at Goldberg, Miller & Rubin, Joe has also defended hundreds of motor vehicle cases. He was one of the first attorneys in the region to successfully defend a UIM/UM trial to verdict after the Supreme Court overturned the mandatory arbitration requirement in Koken. Since that time, he has obtained defense verdicts in more UIM/UM jury trials than almost any other Philadelphia civil defense attorney. VerdictSearch Magazine regularly features his trial victories.

Joe regularly serves as an arbitrator for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and has been a guest speaker for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute. He has given presentations on premises liability defense, uninsured/underinsured motorist case strategy and trial practices, premises defense, and the anatomy of a civil lawsuit.

During law school, he worked for the Chester County District Attorney’s Office. Before that, he served as an infantryman in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and was an amateur boxing champion.

Joe is an avid fan of boxing and politics, enjoys exercise, and resides in Delaware County with his wife and three children.

Representative Matters

GMR WINS PHILADELPHIA MEDICAL MALPRACTICE TRIAL WITH A $5 MILLION DEMAND

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GMR Partner Wins Hometown Trial in Pennsylvania

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GMR Successfully Defends Philadelphia Hospital’s Volunteer Program

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Slam Dunk Trial Results for GMR

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GMR Partner Wins his 9th Philadelphia Jury Trial this Year

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GMR Wins Philadelphia Jury Trial for University Involving Technician Falling off a Stool

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GMR Wins Federal Underinsured Motorist Trial with Allegation of Brain Injuries Due to Car Crash

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GMR Wins Philadelphia Jury Trial with Trivial Defect Argument

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GMR Wins Philadelphia Slip and Fall Jury Trial for Local Hospital

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GMR Wins Jury Trial for Local University in Philadelphia Elbow Fracture Premises Claim

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GMR Wins Defense Verdict for Hospital with Millions on the Line

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GMR Wins Philly Med-Mal Trial

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GMR Wins Alleged Neck Fracture Trial

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GMR Wins Trial Verdict in Hospital Case

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Joe Petka Obtains Early Dismissal in Medical Malpractice Claim

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Joe Petka Wins Big Victory for Local Hospital

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Joe Petka Wins Trial for Delaware County Hospital

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Joe Petka Obtains Back to Back Victories for Philadelphia Health System – Jury Trial Defense Verdict and Non-Suit

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Joe Petka Wins Brain Injury Trial for Philadelphia Hospital

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This Philadelphia jury trial involved a 59-year-old female auditor who was alleging a brain injury. The plaintiff was leaving the defendant’s hospital when she allegedly tripped on a sidewalk expansion joint and struck her chin on the pavement. The plaintiff was taken from the scene of the fall to the emergency room and then followed up with her family doctor for headaches, lightheadedness, and forgetfulness as well as neck pain.  Accordingly, Plaintiff was referred to a neurologist and a psychotherapist.  She also had therapy for neck pain over the course of several months. The plaintiff continued to receive neurological treatment over the course of two years.

At trial, the plaintiff’s neurologist testified that she sustained permanent neurological injuries, including posttraumatic encephalopathy, posttraumatic headaches, vertigo and vestibulopathy, disequilibrium, gait dysfunction, acquired autonomic dysfunction with lightheadedness, and a bi-temporal cortical injury, as well as an injury to both frontal lobes of her brain.

Although the plaintiff was sympathetic, on cross-examination, Joe had her admit that because she sustained head injury, she did not know why she fell. She further admitted that her earlier testimony that she tripped on the expansion joint was just her “best guess.”

Accordingly, after the plaintiff rested his case, Joe made a Motion for Non-Suit as the plaintiff failed to prove why she fell. After hearing argument on the issue, Judge Shreeves-Johns of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas dismissed the jury and entered a non-suit for the hospital.

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Joe Petka Obtains Jury Defense Verdict in Bucks County Pedestrian Shoulder Separation Case

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Who Says You Can’t Win Philadelphia Jury Trials?

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Joe Petka Wins Another Slip and Fall Trial for Local Hospital

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Joe Petka Obtains 2 Defense Verdicts in 2 Weeks

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Joe Petka Wins Another UIM Trial

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Joe Petka Obtains Factual Cause Defense Verdict in Philadelphia UIM Trial

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Joe Petka Wins Trial with $500,000 in Economic Damages at Stake

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Joe Petka Wins Spine Surgery Trial

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Joe Petka Obtains Three Defense Verdicts in One Trial

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Joe Petka Wins Philadelphia Full Tort Uninsured Motorist Trial

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Joe Petka Wins Femur Fracture Case

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Joe Petka Wins Philadelphia UIM Trial

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Joe Petka Nabs Another $0 Trial Verdict Despite Plaintiff’s Post-Accident Knee Surgery and Testimony by the Surgeon

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Joe Petka Obtains Defense Verdict in a Torn Rotator Cuff Case with a Quarter Million Dollar Demand

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Joe Petka Trial Results in $500 Pain and Suffering Award for Knee Surgery

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Joe Petka Obtains $0 Award in Bladder Surgery Case

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Joe Petka Obtains Defense Verdict in Case involving Four Surgeries

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Joe Petka Obtains Defense Verdict in Epidural Injection Case

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Joe Petka Wins Slip and Fall Case for Hospital

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Joe Petka Wins Broken Floor Case

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Jury Awards $853 in Surgery Case

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The 7 Minute Defense Verdict

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Joe Petka Obtains Defense Verdict in a PTSD Case

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Early Victory on Motion Paves the Way to a Trial Win for Joe Petka in Montgomery County, PA

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Joseph Petka Obtains Philadelphia Jury Trial Defense Verdict in Sidewalk Trip and Fall Case

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UIM Arbitration Defense Award in Disc Herniation Case

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Joseph Petka Obtains Defense Verdict in a Premises Liability Action

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Joseph Petka Obtains Favorable Award in Auto Trial

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Media

GMR Partners to Speak at Conferences in October

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Lori Miller, Joe Petka and Jessica Smeriglio are set to present “Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late! Investigating Early, Preserving Evidence, Avoiding Horror Stories” at the University Risk Management and Insurance Association’s Conference on April 16

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Three New Partners Named in New York and Philadelphia Offices

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