About Daniel L. Hessel

With nearly thirty years of experience in the field of personal injury law, Dan handles catastrophic injury cases on behalf of accident victims, often on behalf of people injured at work. Dan regularly tries these cases to verdict. In fact, Dan had the highest verdict in Pennsylvania for a client injured in the workplace in 2016 and 2019, and the ninth highest verdict in 2023. (Source: TopVerdict.com). Following one successful jury trial in Philadelphia, the jury foreman blogged:

"I was selected on a Jury on Monday and now that the case is over I can talk about it... I was the foreman so I stood up and read the verdict! So exciting! Here is the Lawyer that kicked ass... Daniel L. Hessel, Esquire was the best I have seen... so well-organized and very quick and sharp! If you need to sue someone... use these guys!"

Many of Dan’s cases have been featured in journals such as The Legal Intelligencer, The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Yahoo! Biz, New Jersey Verdict Reporter, Pennsylvania Damages, North Carolina Verdict Reporter, Pennsylvania Verdict Reporter and the Florida Verdict Reporter. Dan has spoken on issues related to tort law on more than 30 occasions in venues across the country. Dan has been recognized as a Pennsylvania “Super Lawyer” for twelve consecutive years, an honor limited to 5% of practicing lawyers.

Some of Dan’s results include:

• $15 million verdict for man who crushed hand while using defective shear
• $12 million verdict for pedestrian struck by car
• $11+ million recovery for construction worker struck by felled tree
• $6.25 million recovery in product liability case for crushed finger
• $5.8 million recovery in a product liability case for knee amputation
• $5.7 million for welder injured in a plant
• $4.75 million verdict for family impacted by drunk driving accident
• $3.55 million recovery in personal injury case
• $3 million recovery in product liability case
• $2.98 million verdict for man injured using a meat chopper
• $2.98 million verdict for man injured due to a defective brake on a tractor
• $2.45 million recovery in product liability case
• $2 million recovery for truck driver impaled by a rod due to a fall
• $1.902 verdict for pedestrian struck by tractor-trailer
• $1.5 million verdict for pedestrian struck and killed by car
• $1.48 million recovery for industrial worker who suffered severe burns
• $1.25 million recovery for worker who sustained a mild traumatic brain injury due to defective truck part
• $1.2 million settlement in product liability case
• $1.15 million verdict—Pennsylvania's 9th largest wrongful death settlement for 2022
• $1.15 million recovery in a medical malpractice case
• $1.1 million for worker who was injured while using power tool
• $1.1 million for the family of a worker who died due to a fall from truck
• $1 million for family of man killed by drunk driver
• $1 million recovery against a national clothing store for negligently policing its premises, which resulted in a shopping mall fire
• $515,000 for pedestrian struck on the Roosevelt Boulevard

Originally from Reno, Nevada, Dan grew up in Southern New Jersey, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Law and Justice, with honors, at the College of New Jersey. While in college, Dan won the State Championship in a mock trial competition sponsored by the New Jersey Bar Association. Dan earned his law degree from William & Mary School of Law in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he earned membership on The William and Mary Law Review, the mock trial team and the moot court team. Dan has been a member of Mensa since 2000. He is admitted to practice law in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but is able to handle matters throughout the country on a pro hac vice basis.

Dan has been a guest, and hosted, several legal podcasts, including:

• Featured Guest, “The Great Trials Podcast” with hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey (December 2020) – Click HERE to listen.
• Featured Guest, “Personal Injury Podcast” with Iacobelli Law (January 23, 2024)
• Prosecuting the machine defect case (October, 2018)
• Subrogating opioid-related losses (May, 2018)

Federal Court Decisions

• Romero v. ITW Food Equip. Group, LLC, 987 F. Supp. 2d 93 (D.D.C. 2013) – Claim against manufacturer of meat chopper for defective design and warnings on meat chopper.
• CNA v. United States, 535 F.3d 132 (3d Cir. 2008) – Claim against U.S. Army for negligently supervising Army recruit who later shot and robbed victim in parking garage.
• Chauncey v. Peco, Inc., 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13037 (E.D. Pa. 2010) – Claim against manufacturer of snow blower for defective design.
• Troche v. Pepsi Cola of P.R. Bottling Co., 89 F. Supp. 2d 180 (D.P.R. 2000) – Claim arising out of accident between tractor trailer and automobile resulting in multiple fatalities.
• CNA v. United States, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84343 (W.D. Pa. 2006) – Claim against U.S. Army for negligently supervising Army recruit who later shot and robbed victim in parking garage.

State Court Decisions

• Straub v. Cherne Indus. & Dealers Serv., 589 Pa. 400 (Pa. 2006) – Claim arising out of design of product.
• Overton v. Evans Logging, 737 S.E.2d 416 (N.C. 2013) – Claim against lumber mill for negligent operations.
• Stoner v. Penn Kleen, Inc. 59 A.3d 612 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2012) – Claim against manufacturer of pressure washer.
• Roche v. Ugly Duckling Car Sales, Inc., 879 A.2d 785 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2005) – Claim against auto auction company for negligence.
• Straub v. Cherne Indus., 895 A.2d 658 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2006) – Claim arising out of design of product.
• Fleehr v. Mummert, 857 A.2d 683 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2004) – Motor vehicle accident case.

National Presentations

• Creative subrogation tactics (Philadelphia, PA, 2018)
• Prosecuting the machine defect case (Austin, TX, 2017)
• Subrogation in restaurant equipment defect cases (Las Vegas, 2016)
• The art of taking a recorded statement (Reno, NV, 2015)
• Negotiating the recovery of a workers' compensation lien without the worker (San Diego, CA, 2013)
• Recovering damages arising out of a criminal act committed by an insolvent third-party (Hollywood, FL, 2008)

Dan can be contacted at 215-988-0044 or by e-mail at dhessel@golkowhessel.com.