Atty. Brett C. Shear
Brett is the supervising attorney for the Health Care Department in the Pittsburgh office. His practice is focused on representing physicians, medical professionals and hospitals in medical malpractice actions and a variety of other areas.
Profile Summary
About Brett C. Shear at a glance
Brett C. Shear is a Shareholder based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, practicing at Marshall Dennehey. They have 23+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 2003. Their practice focuses on medical malpractice, personal injury, and elder law. Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania (2003), U.S. District Court Western District of Pennsylvania (2004), U.S. District Court Northern District of West Virginia (2010), and West Virginia (2010). Educated at University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D., 2003) and West Virginia University (B.S. Economics, 2000). Active member of Associations & Memberships •Allegheny County Bar Association •Pennsylvania Bar Association •West Virginia Bar Association. Serands clients in Pittsburgh, PA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Brett is the supervising attorney for the Health Care Department in the Pittsburgh office
- His practice is focused on representing physicians, medical professionals and hospitals in medical malpractice actions and a variety of other areas
- Throughout his legal career, Brett has appeared and argued before courts throughout the United States
- He has also successfully tried cases before juries, courts and arbitrators
- His practice has included representing a pharmaceutical company in nationwide product liability actions, as well as other clients in the areas of professional liability, securities, environmental, personal injury and property damage
- Brett graduated cum laude from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics
- He went on to attend law school at the University of Pittsburgh
- While in law school, Brett clerked for a local judge and for the Office of the Public Defender
- He graduated cum laude and received his law degree in 2003
- Honors & Awards •The Best Lawyers in America, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants (2025-2026) Classes/Seminars Taught •Uncovering and Proving Financial Fraud, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, February 2014 Published Works •'The EHR Report: Communication, Social Media, and Legal Vulnerability,' Internal Medicine News, April 27, 2017 •“The Shrinking Scope of the Peer Review Protection Act,” Defense Digest, Vol. 21, No. 3, September 2015 Results Defense Verdict Won in Medical Malpractice Case We received a defense verdict for our client, a general surgeon, who performed carpal tunnel surgery on the plaintiff’s left hand
- Following surgery, the plaintiff continued to complain of tingling, numbness and weakness in his hand
- He went on to have two additional surgeries, performed by two different surgeons
- During the third surgery, the surgeon found a median nerve injury
- The plaintiff claimed that this nerve injury was caused by the defendant cutting the median nerve during his initial operation
- At trial, the defendant demonstrated how he performs carpal tunnel surgery and protects the median nerve, making it nearly impossible to cut or injure the nerve
- We contended that the median nerve injury must have happened later, likely during the second surgery
- The jury rendered a defense verdict in favor of our client
- Defense Jury Verdict Won in a Medical Malpractice Case We obtained a defense jury verdict on behalf of a cardiologist
- The patient came to the hospital with chest pain radiating to his arm and shortness of breath
- The attending physician ordered a stress test, which was performed by the defendant cardiologist, that was interpreted as normal
- The patient was then discharged from the hospital and died from a heart issue within two weeks
- An autopsy found significant narrowing of all of the arteries of the heart, including a 90% narrowing in the LAD (i.e. the “widowmaker”)
- The pathologist and coroner opined that the decedent had a cardiac event caused by the significant narrowing of the arteries, which caused his death
- The ensuing claim was that the stress test was misinterpreted by the defendant cardiologist
- Our expert, a local cardiologist, testified that our client properly interpreted the stress test and that 10% of patients with coronary artery disease will still have a normal stress test
- The jury returned a verdict finding no negligence by the defendant cardiologist
- News 98 Marshall Dennehey Attorneys Recognized in the 2026 Editions of The Best Lawyers in America and the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America August 20, 2025
Practice Areas Explained
Brett C. Shear's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Brett C. Shear handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Medical malpractice lawyers represent patients harmed by negligent doctors, hospitals, and other providers. Free case review, no fee unless you win.
Brett C. Shear is one of 49,086 medical malpractice attorneys indexed nationally. Browse medical malpractice attorneys in Pennsylvania →
Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.
Brett C. Shear is one of 264,852 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in Pennsylvania →
Elder law attorneys for Medicaid planning, long-term care, guardianship, conservatorship, and elder abuse.
Brett C. Shear is one of 53,430 elder law attorneys indexed nationally. Browse elder law attorneys in Pennsylvania →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Pennsylvania
Practicing law in Pennsylvania. Legal matters in Pennsylvania are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Pittsburgh are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Pennsylvania state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Pennsylvania brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Pennsylvania courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Pennsylvania attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Pittsburgh or all attorneys in Pennsylvania.
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