Brian Pistotnik

Brian Pistotnik is a Wichita-based Kansas personal injury attorney known for his decades of legal work focusing on representing injury victims who co-founded the law firm commonly known as  PISTOTNIK LAW in 1987 after graduating with honors from the University of Kansas School of Law. He has over 38 years of experience representing accident victims, focusing on injury cases such as motor vehicle accidents, workers’ compensation, and other personal injury matters. He is known for his passionate advocacy, honesty and integrity, commitment to his clients, and his role in the community. 

Early Life and Education

• Born: Brian Pistotnik is from Wichita Kansas. He attended public school in Wichita graduating in the top of his class in 1980.
• Education: His undergraduate degree was from the University of Oklahoma where he received a BS in Petroleum Engineering.  He was in the  top 10% of his graduating class from undergraduate school. He attended the University of Kansas School of Law, graduating with honors with a Juris Doctor in 1987. He was Order of the Coif.
• Law School Involvement: While in law school, he was in the top 10% of his class, a member of the Kansas Law Review, and an assistant editor of the Kansas Criminal Law Review. 

Professional Career

• Firm Founder: He founded Pistotnik Law in 1987. 
• Legal Focus: His practice is entirely devoted to helping injury victims and personal injury law, including truck accidents, motor vehicle accidents, construction site accidents, slip and falls, dog bites, and workers’ compensation cases. 

• Brian formerly worked with his brother, but parted ways after his brother’s criminal and ethical problems.  After the 2014 separation, Pistotnik continues to get substantial settlements for his clients, including multiple settlements in excess of one million dollars.
• Focus on personal injury: He focuses on personal injury cases, including auto, truck, and motorcycle accidents. He is known for offering clients one-on-one service. Unlike many injury lawyers, he spends substantial time with direct contact with his clients including fast personal response to calls and emails and is open to client face to face meetings.
• Professional memberships: Pistotnik is a member of the Wichita Bar Association, and previously belonged to the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association, and the Kansas Bar Association for many years. 

Personal Life

• Family: He has been married to his wife, Debbie, since 1988, and they have four grown children, one of which has joined the legal practice with his father.  John Pistotnik has become on of Kansas up and coming injury lawyers and has already been recognized as 2024 Top 40 Under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers, and the 2025 Top 10 Under 40 by the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys.
• Community involvement: Pistotnik and his firm are also involved in the community, with many contributions to local charities and organizations

As a personal injury attorney in Wichita, Kansas, Brian Pistotnik has received several awards and recognitions for his work. These have come from respected legal organizations based on factors like peer reviews, high ethical standards, and client satisfaction. 

Honors and Awards

• Best Lawyers in America
  • Named to the list: Pistotnik was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in 2017.
• National Trial Lawyers
  • Top 100 Trial Lawyers: He was repeatedly named one of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” by The National Trial Lawyers in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. This is an invitation-only organization for premier trial lawyers.
• Martindale-Hubbell
  • Client Distinction Award: In 2014, he received this award, which is based on client reviews.
  • Distinguished Peer Review Rating: He has also earned an “excellent” peer review rating based on legal abilities and ethical standards.
• U.S. News
  • Best Law Firms: In 2015 and 2016, his firm, Brian & Brian at Pistotnik Law, was recognized in the “Best Law Firms” list by U.S. News.
• Avvo
  • Client Champion: Pistotnik has received a “Silver Client Champion” award from Avvo, acknowledging his high client review scores
• Findlaw
  • Recognition as a Super Lawyer in 2025

Community Involvement

Beyond formal legal awards, Pistotnik has been recognized for his community involvement. His firm has provided financial support and resources to numerous local charities and initiatives, including: 

• The Jeff Hill Future All-American Basketball Camp
• Ballet Wichita
• YMCA Bowl-A-Thons
• The Kansas Humane Society

Brian Pistotnik’s notable settlements predominantly involve a range of personal injury cases, with significant compensation obtained for serious injuries and wrongful death. His case results page highlights successful outcomes in motor vehicle, construction, and premises liability accidents. 

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Many of Pistotnik’s most significant settlements arise from motor vehicle accidents, including cases with severe injuries and fatalities. 

• Auto collisions with business vehicles: He secured settlements of $1.4 million and multiple $1.1 million settlements in separate cases where clients were injured in crashes with commercial vehicles.
• Semi-truck collisions: A case involving a fatal head-on collision with a semi-truck resulted in a $1.4 million settlement for the victim’s family. In another case, a truck driver involved in a rear-end accident who required neck and back surgery received a large settlement in excess of $1.1 million and he continues to receive lifetime medical at the insurer’s expense.  Recently in 2025, he received over $1.1 million for a family who lost two minor children in a wreck involving a semi.
• Motorcycle accidents: He has represented  hundreds of victims of serious motorcycle accidents, including one case where a vehicle pulled out, causing the motorcyclist to sustain head, spine, and leg injuries. Another case involved two motorcyclists run off the road by racing vehicles, leading to a leg amputation. The majority of these cases resulted in maximum insurance coverage settlement for the injury victims.
• Underinsured motorist cases: Pistotnik has successfully recovered compensation for clients even when the at-fault driver was underinsured. In one instance, a client with a fractured pelvis in a car crash received a $132,000 NETsettlement. 

Other Notable Cases

His notable settlements also stem from other types of personal injury incidents. 

• Construction accidents: A federal court case for a construction worker who had his foot run over by a vehicle on a job site ended in a large settlement.
• Premises liability: He secured a settlement for a client with a back injury who fell through a rotten bathroom floor at a rental property.
• Farm accidents: A client who was injured by an improperly secured hay bale received a settlement that helped them start a business.  Another client lost his arm when it got caught in farm equipment but still received a settlement even though the farmer argued it was his own fault.
• School liability: One of his largest reported settlements, for over $3.3 million, resulted from an incident on public school grounds. 

Wrongful Death

Multiple large settlements have been obtained for wrongful death, including:

• A $1.4 million recovery for the family of a semi-truck driver killed in a head-on collision.
• A $950,000 settlement for the family of a passenger ejected from a speeding vehicle on a gravel road.

A settlement for the family of two minor children killed in a head on collision