Contact Gerling Law in Evansville to speak to Gayle Gerling Pettinga or any of our personal injury attorneys. Fill out the following form to schedule a free, no obligation consultation. You may also contact our office by calling 1-888-GERLING.
Gerling Law
Injury Attorneys
519 Main Street
Evansville, Indiana 47708
(812) 423-5251
10401 N. Meridian Street, Suite 300
Indianapolis, Indiana 46290
(317) 616-3646
401 W. Main Street, #710
Louisville, Kentucky 40202
(502) 587-8888
(888) GERLING
(812) 423-9928 (fax)
Meet Our Evansville, Indianapolis, and Louisville Personal Injury Attorneys
At Gerling Law in Evansville, Indianapolis, and Louisville, our personal injury attorneys have earned an impressive reputation for quality and are known for being some of the most accomplished and aggressive lawyers in the Tri-State area. Gayle Gerling Pettinga and our team of personal injury attorneys are dedicated to protecting your legal rights by providing aggressive, compassionate legal counsel. We help you get the compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering resulting from an accident, injury, or the wrongful death of a loved one.
To learn more about our Evansville, Indianapolis, and Louisville personal injury attorneys, click on the links below.
- Gayle Gerling Pettinga
- Edward B. Anderson
- David G. Hatfield
- Stephen H. Thomas
- Daniel A. Barfield
- Stephanie Brinkerhoff Riley
- Gary L. Gerling
- Contact Our Personal Injury Attorneys
Gayle Gerling Pettinga
Owner, Managing Attorney, Gerling Law
Born: 1961
Indiana Attorney Since 1987
Bar Admissions: Indiana (1987)
As owner and managing attorney at Gerling Law in Evansville, Gayle Gerling Pettinga leads a group of respected and highly experienced personal injury attorneys. She has extensive experience as a trial lawyer in the state of Indiana, having begun her legal career in 1987 as an attorney at Baker & Daniels in Indianapolis. In 1991 she became an attorney for Eli Lilly and Company, also in Indianapolis, where she served until 1994.
Ms. Gerling Pettinga graduated near the top of her class at Smith College in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She received her Juris Doctor from Indiana University, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1987. There, she also served on the Board of Editors at the Indiana Law Journal.
Today, Gayle Gerling Pettinga has taken over ownership of her father’s law firm in Evansville and leads an experienced group of personal injury attorneys with additional offices in Indianapolis and Louisville. During her career, she has handled cases involving nursing home negligence, automobile accidents, medical malpractice, pharmaceutical products liability, playground accidents, and claims involving serious brain injury, spinal cord injury, and wrongful death. Ms. Gerling Pettinga also has experience handling commercial, insurance, and contract litigation.
Gayle Gerling Pettinga is a member of the following associations:
- American Association for Justice
- Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
- American Bar Association
- Indiana State Bar Association
- Evansville Bar Association
- Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association
Gayle Gerling Pettinga is a member of the Amicus Curae Committee for the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association and serves as a director on its board of directors. She is a past board member and past chair for the Women and the Law Division of the Indianapolis Bar Association. She is currently a member of the Court Action Committee for the Evansville Bar Association, and previously served that association as a co-chair of the Law Day Committee.
Edward B. Anderson
Born: 1950
Indiana Attorney Since 1977
Bar Admissions: Indiana (1977)
Since joining Gerling Law in 1979, Edward B. Anderson has represented personal injury clients in cases involving auto accident, medical malpractice, and railroad accidents, as well as accidents involving commercial trucks and other commercial vehicles, and complex medical claims involving serious brain injury, and wrongful death. He also represents clients with personal injuries and wrongful death claims arising from the use of defective products.
Mr. Anderson received his Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University in 1974 and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Fernando in 1977. He began the practice of law as director of the Child Support Division of Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office.
Mr. Anderson is a member of the following associations:
- American Association for Justice
- Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
- Evansville Bar Association
Edward Anderson is also a graduate of Evansville’s community leadership program.
David G. Hatfield
Born: 1954
Indiana Attorney Since 1980
Kentucky Attorney Since 1989
Bar Admissions: Indiana (1980), Kentucky (1989)
During his legal career, David G. Hatfield has represented personal injury clients in cases involving serious automobile accidents, medical malpractice, maritime and federal Jones Act claims involving injuries on navigable waters, railroad collisions with automobiles, accidents involving semi-tractor trucks and claims involving serious brain injury, and wrongful death. He has trial experience in both state and federal courts in Indiana and Kentucky.
Mr. Hatfield graduated Cum Laude from the University of Evansville in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and received his Juris Doctor from Indiana University in 1980.
Mr. Hatfield is a member of the following associations:
- American Association for Justice
- Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
- American Bar Association
- Indiana State Bar Association
- Kentucky Justice Association
- Evansville Bar Association
David Hatfield is a former member of the board of directors for the Evansville Bar Association. He is involved in the community and serves as Chairman of the Downtown Branch Board of Directors of the YMCA, and serves on its Metro Executive Board of Directors, and is a member of the board of directors for the Evansville Youth Hockey Association. He also serves as Chairman of the City of Evansville Environmental Protection Agency Board.
Stephen Hensleigh Thomas
Born: 1951
Indiana Attorney Since 1976
Kentucky Attorney Since 1988
Illinois Attorney Since 1998
Bar Admissions: Indiana (1976), Kentucky (1988), Illinois (1998)
Throughout his legal career, Stephen H. Thomas has handled personal injury and accident cases, including product liability, professional and medical negligence, Uniform Commercial Code, and contract litigation. Prior to joining Gerling Law as one of its personal injury attorneys, he was a partner with an insurance defense firm. He also holds certification as a civil and family mediator.
Mr. Thomas graduated Cum Laude from Southern Illinois University in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He earned his Juris Doctor in 1976 from Southern Illinois University School of Law and served on the board of editors for Southern Illinois University Law Journal. He holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame.
Mr. Thomas is a member of the following groups:
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- American Association for Justice
- Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
- Evansville Bar Association
- Kentucky Justice Association
- Saint Thomas More Society
Stephen Thomas is involved in the community and serves as President of Habitat of the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Evansville. He was involved for many years in local youth hockey serving as hockey coach and on the board of directors for the Evansville Youth Hockey Association. He is an instructor of Legal Studies at the University of Evansville and a substitute teacher for the Catholic Diocese of Evansville.
Daniel A. Barfield
Born: 1970
Indiana Attorney Since 1995
Illinois Attorney Since 1995
Bar Admissions: Indiana (1995), Illinois (1995)
Daniel A. Barfield has experience in personal injury accident cases and insurance law from his years of experience in representing insurance companies. He has handled a variety of personal and commercial insurance claims against insurance companies and agents, and has handled slip-and-fall accidents, automobile accidents, construction injuries, and toxic torts such as sick building cases.
Mr. Barfield received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Purdue University in 1991. In 1995, he graduated Summa Cum Laude at Valparaiso University School of Law with his Juris Doctor. There, he also served on the board of editors of the Valparaiso Law Review. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Evansville Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.
Mr. Barfield is a member of the following groups:
- American Association for Justice
- Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
- American Bar Association, Indiana State Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Evansville Bar Association
- St. Thomas Moore Society
- Brooks Inns of Courts
Daniel Barfield has also served as a Law Day Mock Trial Coach.
Stephanie Brinkerhoff Riley
Born: 1972
Indiana Attorney Since 2001
Bar Admissions: Indiana (2001); Northern District of Indiana (2001); Northern District of Illinois (2002); Southern District of Indiana (2004)
Stephanie Brinkerhoff Riley has experience in family and criminal law in the Indiana counties of Vanderburgh, Warrick, Gibson, and Posey. Within family law, she handles such matters as divorce; child support collections; modifications of custody, visitation and child support (including college expense worksheets); emancipation; grandparent visitation rights; de facto custodian proceedings; adoptions; step-parent adoptions; mediation; and appeals. Under criminal law, she represents clients charged with any level of offense in State or Federal Court, and handles petitions to revoke probation or parole; sentence modifications; and appeals.
Ms. Brinkerhoff Riley received her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Administration with a minor in Political Science from the University of Evansville in 1996, graduating Cum Laude. In 1999 she graduated from the Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington where she worked three semesters for Student Legal Services, was a Sherman Minton Moot Court participant, and served as research assistant to national labor law arbitrator Terry Bethel.
Prior to joining Gerling Law Offices, Ms. Brinkerhoff Riley worked for three years as a Staff Representative and Environmental and Safety Consultant for the United Steelworkers of America, followed by three years as a solo practitioner.
Ms. Brinkerhoff Riley is a member of the Evansville Bar Association, is active in the Volunteer Lawyers Program, and works as a Special Public Defender in Vanderburgh County.
Gary L. Gerling
Founding Attorney, Gerling Law
Born: 1937
Indiana Attorney Since 1963
Bar Admissions: Indiana (1963)
Gary L. Gerling founded Gerling Law in 1963 in order to provide aggressive, quality legal representation to victims of personal injury. Today, he has passed on leadership of his law firm in Evansville to his daughter Gayle Gerling Pettinga, who leads a group of highly experienced personal injury attorneys from offices in Evansville, Indianapolis, and Louisville.
Throughout his legal career, Mr. Gerling has handled all types of injury claims, including those involving serious brain injury and wrongful death.
Mr. Gerling graduated from the University of Evansville with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1960, and then went on to earn his Juris Doctor in 1963 from Indiana University, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif, and served on the Indiana University Law Journal.
Mr. Gerling is a member of the following associations:
- American Association for Justice
- Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
- American Bar Association
- Indiana State Bar Association
- Evansville Bar Association
Gary Gerling also serves on the American Board of Trial Advocates.
Contact Our Evansville, Indianapolis, and Louisville Personal Injury Attorneys
At Gerling Law in Evansville, Indianapolis, and Louisville, our personal injury attorneys are dedicated to providing aggressive, compassionate legal counsel for our clients. If you are faced with a difficult situation caused by an accident, injury, or wrongful death, Gayle Gerling Pettinga and her team of experienced attorneys can help. Contact Gerling Law today for a free, no obligation consultation.