Gerald A. Connor

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Gerald A. Connor: Attorney with Margolis Edelstein
Attorney Awards
  • Martindale-Hubbell Peer AV Preeminent Rating
About Attorney Awards

Biography

Gerald (Jerry) A. Connor represents clients confronted with all types of casualty litigation, ranging from automobile and general liability claims, to products liability, construction litigation, and workers’ compensation claims. Jerry also has extensive experience in commercial litigation, intellectual property issues, municipal claims, employment law, credit reporting matters and equal credit opportunity matters.

Jerry’s practice also includes defending and advising insurance carriers in uninsured and underinsured motorist claims, bad faith matters, first-party benefits, and coverage matters. He has a first-hand understanding of bad faith law and prevention, having worked as in-house corporate counsel with a national multi-line insurance carrier for a number of years prior to joining Margolis Edelstein. In this role, Jerry gained an intimate knowledge of all aspects of the insurance industry, including good-faith claims handling and investigation, claims policy development and training, and bad-faith avoidance. Jerry has had the unique experience of being deposed on a number of occasions throughout the United States in bad-faith and coverage matters. This first-hand knowledge and insight is invaluable in his defense and counseling of insurance carriers.

In his workers’ compensation practice, Jerry represents employers, insurance companies, and third-party administrators in a broad range of workers’ compensation claims before workers’ compensation boards and courts throughout Pennsylvania. He has extensive experience handling workers’ compensation matters across multiple industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and retail. Jerry’s expertise includes thorough investigation of workplace injuries and careful review of medical evidence and expert reports with the goal of minimizing exposure for his clients. In addition, he is well-versed in challenging the eligibility of claims, particularly when questions arise about the work-related nature of an injury or the severity of the employee’s condition.

Jerry has handled dozens of trials to verdict in the state and federal courts, and is also active at the appellate level. Throughout his career, he has successfully resolved hundreds of casualty matters through arbitration and mediation. He also lectures to clients and organizations on a variety of topics, including workers’ compensation, bad faith, automobile litigation, legal ethics, and the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law.

Honors

•AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated

Articles & Publications

2026 Increase in the Pennsylvania Average Weekly Wage

Hands-Free Law Goes Into Effect in Pennsylvania on June 5, 2025

Does Pennsylvania Law Allow Employers to Reverse a Mistaken Acceptance of a Workers’ Compensation Claim?

Direct Deposit of PA Workers’ Compensation Payments

2025 Increase in the Pennsylvania Average Weekly Wage

2024 Increase in the Pennsylvania Average Weekly Wage

Commonwealth Court: Pay for Employee’s Medical Marijuana

Pennsylvania’s New Autonomous Vehicle Law Takes Effect in 2023

2023 Increase in the Pennsylvania Average Weekly Wage

2022 Increase in the Pennsylvania Average Weekly Wage

Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Announces Increase in the Average Weekly Wage

Pennsylvania Governor Suspends Portions of Section 413 of the Workers’ Compensation Act

Top Ten OSHA Standards Most Violated by Employers for Fiscal Year 2019

Speaking Engagements

•“Insurance Coverage: From Liability to UM/UIM Coverage” & “Legal Ethics Pitfalls for Personal Injury Lawyers” National Business Institute, December 2025
•“Ethics at Work: Handling Tricky Employment Law Dilemmas” National Business Institute, December 2025
•“Legal Ethics of Sports Law” National Business Institute, October 2025
•“Insurance and Liens Checklists and Legal Ethics” National Business Institute, February 2025
•“Preparation for Depositions and Defending Depositions Effectively” MyLawCLE, January 2025
•“Questioning Accident Reconstruction Experts” and “Challenging the Testimony of Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists” National Business Institute, July 2024
•“Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Fundamentals - Appeal Procedures” National Business Institute, March 2024
•“Workers’ Comp 2023: Issues With Remote Employees; How to Do Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside Arrangements (WCMSAs)” National Business Institute, November 2023
•“Reviewing Insurance, Settlement, and Releases” National Business Institute, August 2023
•“Pennsylvania Civil Practice, Procedure, and Forms” National Business Institute, August 2023
•“Attorney’s Guide to Truck Accident Investigations” and “Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage and Claim Negotiation Insights” National Business Institute, July 2023
•“Dirty Deposition Tactics - Aggressive Conduct and Cheap Tricks and Deposition Ethics” and “Obtaining Evidence from Electronic Devices in Auto Injury Cases,” National Businsess Institute, May, June 2023
•“Discovery in Complex Litigation” National Business Institute, April 2023
•“Insurance Coverage Research and Settlement of Claims” National Business Institute, April 2023
•“Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Litigation from A to Z”
•“Dirty Litigation Tactics: How to Deal with the ‘Rambo’ Litigator”
•“Complex Workers’ Compensation Issues,” National Business Institute Seminar
•“Litigating Low-Impact Automobile Accidents,” National Business Institute Seminar
•“Litigating the Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Claim,” National Business Institute Seminar
•“Damages in Personal Injury”, National Business Institute Seminar
•“Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Law - Made Simple”, National Business Institute Seminar
•“Advanced Workers’ Compensation”, National Business Institute Seminar
•“Negotiation Strategies for Litigators”, National Business Institute Seminar
•Life Care Plans in Traumatic Brain Injury Cases: Presenting or Challenging Future Damages Calculations; Clear Law Institute
•Personal Injury Evidence: Social Media, Smartphones, Experts, and Medical Records; National Business Institute
•Worker’s Compensation: Critical Essentials from Both Sides of the Aisle; National Business Institute
•Life Care Plans in Traumatic Brain Injury Cases: Defense Strategies; Strafford Publications Inc.

Client Testimonials

“Means the world to me and my family, and I thank you sir.”

“Thank you for working so hard on our behalf, and helping us navigate our first lawsuit to a smooth ending.”

“I appreciate all your help - you took good care of us, and made the process smooth and understandable.”

“You did a fantastic job in the plaintiff deposition which aided us in being able to resolve this matter.”

News & Case Results

Summary Judgment Granted in Complex Construction Defect Case

Jerry Connor Settles Personal Injury Matter for Less Than 10% of Plaintiff’s Settlement Demand

Gerald Connor Receives the National Business Institute’s Outstanding Faculty Award for 2023

Jerry Connor, Recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Faculty Award from NBI

Defense Verdict in Bench Trial Seeking Complete Redesign and Rebuilding of Stormwater Retention Pond

Summary Judgment Dismissing Punitive Damages in Scranton Area Trucking Accident

Scranton Defense Verdict - Crushed Hand/Finger Amputation Claim - Construction

See more ›

Areas of Practice (13)

  • Automobile & Trucking
  • Bankruptcy
  • Commercial Law
  • Construction Law
  • General Liability
  • Hospitality & Retail
  • Insurance Consulting
  • Insurance Coverage & Bad Faith
  • Intellectual Property & Technology
  • Products Liability
  • Professional Liability
  • Subrogation
  • Workers' Compensation

Education & Credentials

University Attended:
University of Pennsylvania, Bachelor of Arts, 1989; University of Pennsylvania, Psychology, 1989; Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg, PA, Juris Doctor, 1995
Year of First Admission:
1996
Admission:
Pennsylvania; U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania; U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania
Memberships:

Professional Affiliations

•Pennsylvania Defense Institute, member
•Pennsylvania Bar Association, member
•Lackawanna County Bar Association, member
•Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas, arbitrator

Birth Information:
Binghamton, New York, February 2, 1966
Reported Cases:
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS: Jerry obtained summary judgment on Plaintiff's punitive damages claims in Xander v. Kiss in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. The Court agreed with our position against such punitive damages claims, pointing out that punitive damages are an extreme remedy available in only the most exceptional circumstances. The Court found that operating a vehicle while talking on a cell phone did not rise to the level of evil motive or reckless indifference and dismissed the punitive damages claims.; Jerry obtained summary judgment on Plaintiff's claims in a premises liability suit in Brooks v. Empire Realty in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The Court agreed with our position that Plaintiff had sued the incorrect entity which owned the commercial shopping mall, and all of Plaintiff's claims against our client were dismissed.; Jerry obtained a defense verdict after a three-day jury trial in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in the matter of Page v. Main Street America . This was one of the first Underinsured Motorist trials in Pennsylvania, and the first such trial in that county. Numerous novel legal issues had to be addressed, and were resolved favorably for our client. The jury found Defendant's negligence was not a factual cause of Plaintiff's injuries, and never had to decide whether Plaintiff breached the Limited Tort threshold, etc.; Jerry obtained summary judgment for his client in Comprehensive Microfilm and Scanning v. Main Street America, an intellectual property coverage dispute in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The Plaintiffs were sued for copyright infringement, contributory copyright infringement, trademark infringement, trademark counterfeiting, and common law unfair competition, and filed a Declaratory Judgment Action in federal court seeking coverage from Jerry's client. After significant discovery and litigation, the Court agreed that Jerry's client was not obligated to defend or indemnify the Plaintiff, as their insurance policy did not provide coverage for such intellectual property exposures.; Jerry obtained summary judgment on a Defendant's Joinder Complaint seeking indemnity and defense in the matter of Kryznewski v. Coon Industries in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The Plaintiff was injured in a work-related accident, and the tortfeasor joined Jerry's client (the Plaintiff's employer), on a theory of contractual indemnification and defense. However, the Court agreed with our position that Pennsylvania's Workers' Compensation Law provided our client with absolute immunity for any exposure arising from the Plaintiff's lawsuit, and granted summary judgment in our favor, thereby dismissing our client from this litigation and the upcoming trial.; Jerry obtained a defense verdict after a two-day jury trial in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, in the matter of Spencer v. Stroud Plumbing . The Plaintiff was injured in a work-related accident on an active construction site on which our client was a subcontractor. The Plaintiff allegedly fell into a hole which our client dug for his plumbing work, and Plaintiff claimed that this hole was left in an unsafe condition after our client's construction work was completed. The jury found our client was not negligent for the happening of this accident, and rendered a defense verdict after a short period of deliberation.; Jerry obtained a defense verdict from a Magisterial District Judge in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the case of Thiemann v. National General Insurance Company . The Plaintiff alleged that his recreational vehicle suffered significant property damage as a result of a collision and a falling tree limb. Jerry's client provided automobile insurance which covered the Plaintiff's recreational vehicle, but denied coverage for the Plaintiff's alleged property damage as it was wear and tear damage, and the result of poor maintenance and therefore not the result of a covered loss event. The Judge agreed, and made no award to the Plaintiff.
ISLN:
917715042

Peer Reviews

4.3/5.0 (14 reviews)
Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent Rating Badge

  • Legal Knowledge

    4.4/5.0

  • Analytical Capability

    4.4/5.0

  • Judgment

    4.4/5.0

  • Communication

    4.3/5.0

  • Legal Experience

    4.2/5.0
Peer reviews submitted prior to 2008 are not displayed.

Client Reviews Write a Review

Location

Video Call Options

  • Zoom

Contact Gerald A. Connor

Contact Information:

www.margolisedelstein.com

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