Veronica A. Richards

Veronica Richards

Attorney
Nurse-Practitioner
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Phone: 412-261-2620
Email: Email Me
  • Practice is focused on Medical Malpractice
  • Previously worked as a Nurse-Practitioner
  • Previously worked as a Hospital Administrator
  • Voted one of the Top 50 Super Lawyers in Pittsburgh
  • Voted one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Pennsylvania
  • Voted one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Pennsylvania
  • Listed as one of Pennsylvania’s Super Lawyers Since 2004
  • Member of Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
  • AVVO Rating of 10.0 Superb
  • AV Preeminent Peer Rating by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Chair of Pennsylvania Association for Justice Medical Malpractice Section
  • Named one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the state of Pennsylvania by The American Association for Justice
  • Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers

Veronica Richards is both an attorney and a Nurse-Practitioner. She understands both the medical and legal aspects of your medical malpractice or birth injury case and knows which medical professionals to ask the correct questions. Suing a doctor is not something she rushes into, she takes it very seriously.

In addition to the ability to review medical documents and understand the jargon used by health care professionals, Veronica Richards regularly consults with recognized physicians and specialists, as well as nurses for input in evaluating your treatment, your future recovery and your need for future medical services.

Because of her strong beliefs in holding physicians and medical professionals accountable to the patients they treat, and mistreat, she is very selective about the cases she agrees to take. Her clients generally come to her with the most severe types of injuries and some suffer long-term disability as a result of medical negligence. Over the course of a year, Attorney Richards may review 250-300 cases; but in order to give her clients the attention they deserve, she takes only a small percentage. Attorney Richards recognizes that many of the cases she declines to take do have merit, so she will do what she can to help you get representation from other attorneys.

Areas of Practice

  • Medical Malpractice
  • Wrongful Death
  • Birth Injury
  • Personal Injury

Litigation Percentage

  • 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

  • Pennsylvania, 1989

Education

  • Duquesne University School of Law, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    • J.D. – 1989
  • Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia
    • M.S.H.A. summa cum laude – May, 1983
  • Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia
    • M.S.N. summa cum laude – May, 1983
    • Major: Geriatric Nurse Practitioner
  • Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    • B.S.N. – May, 1978
    • Major: Nursing

Published Works

Representative Cases

  • Pfeifer Vs. UPMC McKeesport et. al. (2009)
  • Kilburn Vs. Moka, Tatum and Beaver Medical Center

Classes/Seminars

  • Proving Damages in Personal Injury and Death Cases, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, April 5, 1995
  • Homeowners’ Coverage, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, October 1, 1999
  • Valuing the Larger Case, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, April 25, 2000
  • Moderator: Medical Malpractice, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, December 19, 2001
  • Nursing Law Update, Business Institute, 2001
  • The Nuts and Bolts of the Medical Malpractice Case, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, April 10, 2001
  • Medical Malpractice Litigation: How to Succeed in Changing Times, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, December 7, 2001
  • Federal Liens, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, March 19, 2002, 2004 – 2006
  • Subrogation and Liens, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, 2000-2002, 2000 – 2002
  • Medical Malpractice: How to Win in Today’s Environment, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, November 3, 2002, 2001
  • Tough Problems in Medical Malpractice, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, October 5, 2003
  • Medical Malpractice Expert Testimony: The Keys to Victory, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, October 23, 2003
  • Medical Malpractice, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, October 29, 2003
  • Selecting and Investigating the Personal Injury Case, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, 2004
  • Preparing and Trying the Medical Malpractice Case, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 2004
  • Medical Malpractice, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 2005
  • The Life Care Expert, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, November 16, 2005
  • Nuts and Bolts of the Medical Malpractice Case, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 2004-2006
  • Advanced Issues in Medical Malpractice, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, 2008
  • Using Technology in Medical Malpractice Trials, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, June 12, 2008
  • Damages Under 509 MCARE, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, April 30, 2009
  • Selecting Medical Malpractice Cases, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 2009
  • Pennsylvania Master’s Series- Medical Malpractice, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, June 27, 2009
  • Expert Witness, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, October 19, 2010
  • Trial Skills, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, August 2, 2011
  • Annual Update, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, June 23, 2011
  • Radiology and Pathology Cases, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, November 1, 2012
  • Trial Skills, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, April 11, 2012
  • Medical Malpractice Issues, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, June 29, 2013
  • The UPMC-Highmark Conflict Reflections of a Citizen/Physician, Pennsylvania Association of Justice, November 21, 2013
  • Emergency Room Cases, Chest Pain in the ER, Urgent Care Cases, Neurological Cases in the ER, Pennsylvania Associations for Justice, June 5, 2014
  • Surgical Errors, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, March 4, 2015
  • Urgent Care, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, November 10, 2015
  • 4th Annual ACBA/WLD Women’s Legal Summit, The Art of Your Career and Strengthening Your Voice, Allegheny County Bar Association, Women in the Law, 2016

Honors and Awards

  • Top 50 Lawyers in Pittsburgh, Super Lawyers Magazine 2010, 2011, 2012. 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
  • Top 100 Lawyers in Pennsylvania, Super Lawyers Magazine 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
  • Top 50 Women Lawyers in Pennsylvania, Super Lawyers Magazine 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
  • Pennsylvania Super Lawyer, Medical Malpractice, 2004 – 2023
  • Multi Million Dollar Advocates Forum, 2010 – present
  • Million Dollar Advocates Forum, 2010 – present
  • AVVO Rating of 10.0 Superb
  • AV Preeminent Peer Rated by Martindale Hubbell
  • Top 100 Lawyers in Pennsylvania, The National Trial Lawyers Association
  • Milton D. Rosenberg Award, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, 2013
  • AVVO Clients’ Choice Award, Medical Malpractice, 2015
  • Lead Counsel Rated, Medical Malpractice, 2013 – Present

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County, Fellow
  • Pennsylvania Association for Justice, Officer, 2008 – 2012
  • Pennsylvania Association for Justice, Member, Executive Committee, July 1, 2003 – Present
  • Pennsylvania Association for Justice, Member, Board of Governors, July 1, 1998 – Present
  • Pennsylvania Association for Justice. Chair of Medical Malpractice Section
  • Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, Officer, Board of Governors, July 1, 2002 – Present
  • Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, President, 2006 – 2007
  • American Association for Justice, Member
  • Allegheny County Bar Association, Member
  • Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority

Past Employment Positions

  • Allegheny General Hospital, Manager of Neurosurgery, 1983 – 1986
  • Allegheny General Hospital, Disability Determination, 1986 – 1989
  • Grigsby Gaca Davies and McFarland, Associate, 1989 – 1991
  • Babst Calland Clements and Zominir, Associate, 1991 – 1994

Languages

  • American Sign Language