Dethlefs Pykosh & Murphy Law Group

You need an experienced team of attorneys on your side. Have questions? No problem, contact our team and get a free consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

You need an experienced team of attorneys on your side. Have questions? No problem, view our frequently asked questons or contact our team and get a free consultation.

Dethlefs Pykosh Murphy Law

About Our Legal Firm

Dethlefs Pykosh & Murphy is a law firm practicing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with offices located in Camp Hill, Harrisburg, York, Carlisle, Chambersburg, Lancaster & Williamsport. Since 1993, the lawyers at Dethlefs Pykosh & Murphy have been committed to serving our local community. The legal firm hails from a variety of backgrounds, and bring a vast spectrum of experience and specialized knowledge to each individual case. When you work with us we have you covered!

Why Hire Dethlefs Pykosh & Murphy?

Unlike other firms, we don’t believe in exorbitant hourly fees that leave you guessing what your legal counsel will end up costing at the end of your legal case process. At your initial appointment, you will be quoted a competitive rate based solely on what resolving your crisis will entail. Charging extra for standard services is just not acceptable to us.

Years In Business

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Clients We've Served

Frequently Asked Questions

Dethlefs Pykosh & Murphy have collected commonly asked questions from clients to share with you. This effort below is to help you gain a better understanding of what you may need to know before making a decision to seek legal guidence. As always, we are here to serve you. Can’t find what you are looking for? Contact us for your free, no obligation consultation meeting.

As an injured worker, is my workers' compensation benefits taxable?

No

As an injured worker, can I get money for pain and suffering?

No

As an injured worker, do I have to treat with "their" doctors?

Yes, but only for the first 90 days.

As an injured worker, can I collect unemployment compensation benefits and workers' compensation benefits at the same time?

No

As an injured worker, do I have to use my sick/vacation time before I'm entitled to workers' compensation benefits?

No

What are the grounds for divorce, and will fault impact my rights to a property settlement?

The vast majority of divorces these days are no-fault divorces, but the following fault grounds for divorce do exist in PA:

Willful and malicious desertion

  1. Adultery
  2. Cruel and barbarous treatment
  3. Bigamy
  4. A sentence of imprisonment for a term of two or more years
  5. Indignities

Fault grounds for divorce are not likely to have an impact on the distribution of the marital estate, but spousal support and alimony may be impacted.

What should I gather before I contact you to prepare a will?

You should think about your wishes for the distribution of your assets, your fiduciaries and alternates (executor, guardian of minor children, trustee), the nature and value of your assets, and whether or not any of your beneficiaries have any relevant disabilities. You should also bring copies of any estate planning documents that you already have, including wills, trusts, POAs, and advance directives.

When injured in a motor vehicle accident that was not my fault, why should I call a lawyer?

The law allows you to recover damages to compensate you for your injuries. This is the way the law seeks to address the disruption to your life that the other driver caused. This means the negligent driver must pay for the harm they caused. There are two forms of damages that can be awarded by a court:

1. Economic – reffering to such items as wage loss, bills incurred, etc.

2. Non-Economic- the pain suffering and loss of life’s pleasures and enjoyment while injured

An experienced personal injury attorney will navigate you through the process. The attorney will contact the adverse insurance company, collect all the important records, negotiate the value of the case, draft and file all legal papers and try to get the matter settled in the best terms for the client. If the case does not settle, the lawyer will present your case to the jury in court. The lawyer will try to maximize the calculation for the sum of money awarded to address your pain and suffering. If you do not file your claim within the appropriate time, you can risk losing the ability to sue. It is important to consult a personal inury lawyer as soon as possible.

At Dethlefs Pykosh & Murphy we’re here to help you. We will be with you every step of the way and will work to get you the best settlement offer possible. If your case goes to trial, we will use our decades of experience to win your case and to get you back to your normal life.

Should I get "Full Tort" insurance coverage?

It is ALWAYS better to chose FULL TORT to protect you and your family.

When you purchase your own auto insurance, people often seek “Full Coverage” not knowing what they are purchasing. Insurance selection can be complicated and frustrating.

Full Coverage refers to the minimum coverage that you must have to legally operate you car. This may include collision coverage to repair damage to the vehicle. Full coverage may legally allow you onto the road, but it doesn’t protect you if you are injured in an accident. You will be offered a selection of either Full or Limited Tort. This selection will determine whether you can recover for injuries when someone causes an accident which you are involved.

Full Tort means full rights. Limited Tort gives you limited rights to legally pursue damages when you are injured in an accident that was someone else’s fault. Limited Tort fees are cheaper than Full Tort, but you MAY NOT sue the driver who caused your injuries for the pain, suffering and loss of quality of life they caused, unless it is deemed that you had a serious impairment of body function.

Learn more by viewing our blog, Full Tort vs. Limited Tort or by scheduling your FREE consultation to discuss your insurance coverages.

I had a PFA filed against me, what does this mean?

You may have heard someone say a Protection From Abuse Order (PFA) is “just a piece of paper.” That couldn’t be farther from the truth. A PFA, whether temporarily granted or put in place for a set period of time prevents you from having ANY contact with the protected party. If contact is alleged, even as small as running into the protected party at a grocery store, the police are given an automatic right to arrest you, hold you on bail, evict you from your home, and even lead to a criminal conviction. It’s important to know your rights to protect yourself from the serious consequences should a PFA be filed against you.

I'm a landlord and my tenant hasn't paid rent and refuses to leave the rental, what can I do?

Unfortunately, being a landlord often means you have to deal with tenants who are either not paying rent, damaging your property, or breaching the lease agreement in other ways. Often times, a tenant may simply refuse to leave the property. In order to remove the tenant and reclaim your property, Pennsylvania requires very specific steps be followed under the law. Failing to adhere to these steps may result in unsuccessfully removing the tenant from your property, and even liability on the landlord’s part. It’s important to speak with an attorney familiar with Pennsylvania’s landlord-tenant laws to protect you from liability, and help you reclaim your property.

Ask us anything about your case! We are here to help.

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