Robert J. Mongeluzzi

Bob holds virtually every record for the largest personal injury verdicts or settlements in Pennsylvania. He has been lead counsel in nearly every high-profile disaster in the region including the Pier 34 collapse at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia, the Tropicana Casino collapse in Atlantic City, the Duck Boat disaster on the Delaware River, and the Salvation Army collapse in Center City Philadelphia. He was co-liaison counsel and served on the Plaintiffs’ Management Committee for the litigation arising from the 2015 Amtrak 188 derailment in North Philadelphia. Having been selected as lead counsel in all of these cases, the media has nicknamed him the “ Master of Disasters.” His reputation has been fueled by an astonishing history of record-setting results.

Results Matter – Bob’s Track Record:

• The largest settlement of a construction accident case in US history ($1.2 billion)
• The largest personal injury verdict in Pennsylvania history ($124.4 million)
• The largest multi-plaintiff settlement in Pennsylvania history ($227 million)
• The largest settlement of a railroad accident case in American history ($265 million)
• The largest individual pre-trial settlement in Pennsylvania history (the second largest in American history) ($71 million)
• The largest verdict for a construction worker in American history ($75.6 million)
• The largest settlement of a construction case in American history ($101 million)
• The largest automobile accident verdict in Pennsylvania history
• The largest dram shop verdict in Pennsylvania history
• The largest settlement of a wrongful death case in Philadelphia County history ($17 million)
• The largest settlement in both Philadelphia County and Lehigh County history
• More than 600 verdicts or settlements in excess of a million dollars
• More than 50 verdicts or settlements or $10 million or more
• Seven verdicts or settlements of $100 million or more

Our clients come to us when they’re at their most vulnerable—they’ve just experienced a devastating injury or personal tragedy. They’re going to face multi-billion-dollar insurance companies who have enormous resources to fight these cases. They need someone who’s not afraid to try a case, to play the game and compete.

He has been described in the media as a “tough,” “high profile,” “renowned,” “powerhouse lawyer,” and “litigation titan” “known for his surgically precise trial techniques.” His opening and closing speeches are legendary and have been described as “ dramatic,” “spellbinding,” “blistering,” “captivating,” and “emotional.” He is known as one of the best cross examiners in the country with a “take no prisoners interrogation style.” In a case that resulted in a $124.4 million verdict, the newspaper reporter noted that the defendant “ took the stand and had his story destroyed on cross examination.” These talents have resulted in his induction into The National Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame, being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by The Legal Intelligencer, and is regularly selected for inclusion in the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Top 10 Lawyers List, out of Pennsylvania’s 65,000 attorneys in the annual peer-reviewed Super Lawyers list.

He is universally regarded as the best construction accident attorney in the world. He has been called “the King of construction accidents,” “a name that generates fear in the construction industry,” and “the top lawyer in the [construction accident] field.” The firm has been called “the top construction-accident attorneys in the country” and “a plain spoken advocate for the building trades.” He and SMB have more than 500 verdicts or settlements of $1 million or more in construction accidents and have secured multimillion-dollar recoveries for carpenters, ironworkers, electricians, glaziers, bricklayers, cement masons, plumbers, pipefitters, millwrights, painters, pile drivers, steelworkers, laborers, roofers, rodsetters, sprinkler fitters, sheet metal workers, teamsters, and operating engineers. He has taught other attorneys how to handle construction accidents locally and nationally. Mongeluzzi wrote the chapter “Litigating Construction Accidents” in the American Trial Lawyers treatise Litigating Accident Cases. Mongeluzzi is the “name that generates fear in the construction industry.” The defendant’s fear is warranted. Mongeluzzi has the largest verdict for a construction worker in Pennsylvania history ($75.6 million) and the three largest settlements of construction accidents in U.S. history, $1.2 billion, $227 million, and $101 million.

I wish I could get my clients something other than money. In an ideal world, you’d reverse their accident. Sometimes fair compensation just doesn’t exist.

Bob has extensive experience in fire and explosion cases. He has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for burn victims. He has the largest recovery for a burn victim in Pennsylvania history, $70 million, and has handled scores of burn cases and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in these cases. He has extensive experience in handling residential and commercial building fires, propane tank and gas pipeline explosions, space heater fires, and fire alarm and sprinkler failure cases. He was lead counsel in the Riverwalk fire that destroyed a multi-unit apartment complex that resolved for $36 million. He settled a factory explosion case for a record $48 million.

Bob founded and has chaired the American Trial Lawyers of America Crane and Aerial Lift Litigation group. He has handled scores of these specialized cases and has multimillion-dollar results in crane accidents such as powerline contact, tipover, two-blocking, and cases arising from improper crane operation and faulty design. He has been called the country’s “ leading lawyer for accidents involving cranes and aerial lifts.” He has multimillion-dollar recoveries in aerial lift cases against lift manufacturers, dealers, and operators involving improper training and inadequate design. He has probably handled more crane and aerial lift accident cases than any attorney in the country. In fact, SMB has several attorneys who have been certified in aerial lift operation and have taken and completed the OSHA 10-hour safety course.

Bob also established and chairs the Association of Trial Lawyers of America’s Electrical Accident Group. He and the firm have handled scores of electrical accident cases that involve accidental contact with overhead powerlines, dig-in contacts, transformer explosions, and wiring defects. The firm has successfully sued electrical companies, product manufacturers, general contractors, utility contractors, land and building owners, and other responsible parties. The firm has likely handled more electrical accident cases for plaintiffs than any other firm in the U.S. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in electrocution and burn cases.

Bob has multi- million dollar verdicts and settlements in medical negligence cases, drowning cases , premises liability cases, truck accidents, auto accidents, sexual assault cases , negligent security cases and product liability cases .

I’m a fierce competitor—that’s why I do the work that I do. The conventional business world just didn’t appeal to me.

Bob graduated from Huntington High School on Long Island and then attended the University of Pennsylvania where he won seven varsity letters playing lacrosse and sprint football. He attended the Fordham University School of Law and was a Commentary Editor of the Law Review. He returned to law school in 1994 as part of the first class in Temple University School of Law’s LL.M. in Trial Advocacy program. He is a frequent author and lecturer on trial advocacy, construction and workplace accidents. Bob recently penned an article for the Legal Intelligencer, called Using Themes as an Effective Trial Advocacy Tool, which reveals some insights into his effective courtroom strategies.

His personal history fuels Bob’s passion for representing, protecting, and fighting for injured workers and their families. His great grandfather was killed in a workplace accident and his grandfather was seriously injured in one. Having seen the impact of accidents on his own family, to Bob, it’s personal.

In his spare time, Bob is an avid Bruce Springsteen fan and coaches women high school lacrosse players He has coached more than a hundred All Americans and 15 Team USA players.