Even though the city of Wilkes-Barre is the smaller of the two cities that make up the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, it definitely has an identity that is completely separate from its large neighbor to the north.
Wilkes-Barre is the county seat of Luzerne County with a population of 41,498, making it the 10th largest city in the state. It is part of a metro area that has a population of 563,631. The east branch of the Susquehanna River flows through the west end of the city with the borough of Kingston on the other side of the river. The city is part of the Wyoming Valley that has the Pocono Mountains to the east, and the Endless Mountains to the west.
Like Scranton, Wilkes-Barre was founded due to the discovery of anthracite coal. It has the nickname “The Diamond City.” It was the home to businesses such as Planters Peanuts, Woolworth Department Stores and Stegmaier Beer. There is a large Veterans Administration Hospital and Complex on the north end of the city. In nearby Wilkes-Barre township is the Mohegan Sun Arena, the home to the minor league hockey team called the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Also like Scranton, Wilkes-Barre has an academic reputation with four-year institutions such as Wilkes University, Kings College, Misericordia University, Luzerne County Community College, and Penn State Wilkes-Barre. It is also part of the large Scranton/Wilkes-Barre television market which includes eight stations.
Interstate 81 is the main interstate highway running through the region and is a connection to other major routes that can take a passenger anywhere in the United States and straight through to the Canadian border to the north.
The law firm of O’Connor Law has its main office just 45 miles south of Wilkes-Barre in Frackville, Schuylkill County, just off Interstate 81. The firm has also had a continuing presence in the city with a local office at 216 North River Street to better serve the residents of the Wyoming Valley and greater Luzerne County.
Our main area of practice is Worker’s Compensation, an area of the law that protects employees who are hurt on the job and unable to collect a steady paycheck as a result. Proving injury in the work place can be difficult. Judges on hearing boards sometimes turn down requests for compensation because they might not have the proper legal representation. Our attorneys are experienced in knowing how to deal with this complicated process. We employ experts who can investigate your case and determine a just outcome for yourself.
People can also be injured travelling to work in an automobile or motorcycle accident resulting in long-term injury and permanent disability. We can assist in any legal investigation and deal with difficult negotiations involving insurance companies. We specialize in Social Security Disability in the case that returning to work is no longer a possibility.
That is especially true in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area where many people commute to work on the various roadways that connect the region. Do not face the possible difficult situations listed above alone. If you have been hurt on the job or in an accident on the roadways, contact us for a free consultation. Let us fight for your rights.