E. Merritt Lentz

E. Merritt Lentz is a Philadelphia trial attorney who has spent nearly his entire 16-year career litigating only the most serious personal injury and wrongful death claims. His clients entrust him with significant matters, and in return, Merritt accepts this responsibility by providing zealous advocacy and tireless effort to obtain the maximum compensation recoverable under the law. As a result of his aggressive representation and detailed preparation, Merritt has obtained tens of millions of dollars for his clients through trial and settlement.

Merritt’s cases involve catastrophic injury or death caused by corporate negligence, dangerous and defective products, hazardous premises, construction accidents, dram shop (bar/tavern) liability, avoidable medical errors, and commercial truck and motor vehicle accidents. Merritt has extensive experience handling industrial accident cases resulting in crush and amputation injuries to workers caused by moving machinery. Merritt has also prosecuted cases involving severe burn injuries due to defectively designed commercial food fryers. In addition, Merritt has handled cases involving construction “back-over” incidents, as well as falls from unguarded working surfaces and vertical ladders. Some notable examples of his cases are listed below:

$4,750,000 Dram Shop / Drunk Driving Liability Resulting in Wrongful Death

$3,500,000 Corporate Negligence Resulting in Wrongful Death

$2,750,000 Product Liability Resulting in Wrongful Death (Consumer Product)

$2,000,000 Premises Liability Resulting in Worker Impalement

$1,800,000 Premises Defect, Fall From Industrial Ladder

$1,000,000 Medical Malpractice, Failure to Diagnose Heart Attack

AWARDS & HONORS

Merritt has been a perennial selection for membership with the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, since 2008. Inclusion in Super Lawyers is a distinction reserved for less than 2.5% of all lawyers in Pennsylvania, and one based on reputation, experience, and ability. He has likewise been invited for membership by the National Trial Lawyers “Top 40 Under 40” and “Top 100 Attorneys.” Given his track record above, Merritt has received invitation to join the prestigious Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums.

EDUCATION

Merritt earned his law degree magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law, where he was inducted into The Heuisler Honor Society for graduating in the Top 7% of his class. While there, he served as an associate editor of the University of Baltimore Law Forum, a legal journal dedicated to developments in Maryland law. Merritt obtained his bachelor’s degree with a concentration in economics and business from Randolph-Macon College in 1999.

BAR ADMISSIONS

Merritt is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania, and the District of New Jersey.