When you are injured in an accident due to negligence, finding the right personal injury attorney to represent you can be complicated. There are hundreds of attorneys scattered across New York City and Long Island more than willing to take your case. But choosing a lawyer that is the best in securing a favorable result can be challenging if you’re not sure where to start.
Not all personal injury lawyers are the same. And general lawyers who claim to have experience in personal injury cases may not have extensive knowledge in this area of law. You can make the process of hiring an attorney easier for you and your family by knowing which qualities make an attorney successful, and the red flags to signal that an attorney is not right for you.
Hiring the Best New York City Personal Injury Lawyer
On any given day, millions of people are rushing around the streets of New York City. When accidents occur, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and distracted, particularly when your accident resulted in a painful injury.
Unfortunately, too many New Yorkers have lost the opportunity to pursue a justified claim after they have been wrongfully injured. Missing the statute of limitations, clients choosing to represent themselves, or hiring the wrong attorney for the job have all resulted in denied claims- even when the presence of negligence is noticeable.
It’s crucial for accident victims in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and on Staten Island to call an experienced personal injury attorney familiar with the fast-paced workings of the city immediately after an accident. The best NYC attorneys understand the complexity of personal injury claims and are ready to spring into action the moment they take on your case. They understand the challenges of filing claims late and the negative implications they can have on an individual’s final result. Dedicated personal injury attorneys know which information is critical to filing a successful claim and possess the resources required to build a convincing argument, ready to take to trial if needed.
Hiring the Best Long Island Personal Injury Lawyers
Finding an experienced personal injury lawyer on Long Island can be just as difficult as finding one in New York City. Suffolk and Nassau County combined have one of the highest populations of licensed lawyers in the state. With so many choices, choosing the right attorney can be difficult when you are stressed and injured after an accident.
The most important thing to remember when choosing a personal injury attorney is that not all law experience is equal. Clients should be looking for lawyers with valuable experience in personal injury law in both Suffolk and Nassau County court systems. The Suffolk County Bar Association and the Nassau County Bar Association are excellent resources to start your search for credible and licensed attorneys. These associations are regulated by the state bar association and previously vetted for attorneys who may not have your best interests in mind.
A sense of community is another excellent quality to look for in a Long Island personal injury attorney. Attorneys who are heavily involved in the communities they work in have a significant advantage over other New York attorneys. Giving back and staying involved allows these attorneys to be strong and competent advocates who are prepared to fight for your rights to fair compensation after an accident.
Why You Need To Hire An Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
Regardless of whether you are injured in New York City or on Long Island, hiring an attorney whose sole concentration is in the area of personal injury law is key. New York lawyers who handle various types of law may know enough to file a personal injury claim, but are unable to secure full compensation or successfully take the case to trial. Other firms to watch for are known as ‘settlement mills’. These firms gain a reputation of only taking on cases they can settle quickly for less money, and robbing the client of the full reward they deserve.
An experienced personal injury attorney has the knowledge and resources to file a claim successfully and fight for the maximum benefits available to support their client’s recovery. These professionals understand the importance of details and will ensure all documentation is filed correctly and on-time to avoid any negative consequences that could affect the success of a claim.
Other factors that should be considered before hiring a personal injury attorney include:
- Past results: Looking at the past results of a personal injury firm will clue you into how successful they are with civil actions and which counties they are most familiar with.
- Experience: Knowing which types of cases a lawyer excels in and has the most knowledge of can significantly help you choose the best lawyer for your case.
- Free Consultation: Attorneys who want to charge you for the first initial consultation may be more interested in the money than your accident. Free consultations are standard for most experienced personal injury attorneys and essential for assessing the strength of a claim.
- Community Involvement: Personal injury firms who are not involved in the communities they work in will not be as successful as the ones who are. Participating in the growth of a community gives attorneys the knowledge they need to understand their clients and the global implications these injuries can have on their lives.
- Contingency Fees: Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, not requiring their clients to pay unless they win. Personal injury attorneys who work hourly can cause financial stress for their clients and may not be motivated to finish strong.
Finding a personal injury attorney who meets all these requirements is not sufficient enough to secure a positive result. The best attorneys must be skilled in all areas of filing personal injury claims and able to overcome the challenges that often get in the way of winning these types of cases during litigation and trial.
Successful Personal Injury Claims Are Filed On-Time
Every personal injury claim is unique with the exception of one rule: they must be filed on time. The moment your accident occurs, the clock begins on how long you have to file a claim for your injuries. The statute of limitations for personal injury claims vary based on the type of accident you have suffered and who is responsible for the damages.
These are some of the New York statutes of limitations for personal injury claims as highlighted by NYCourts.Gov:
- Car Accidents: 3 years from the date of the accident
- Emotional Distress (intentional): 1 year from the act.
- Emotional Distress (negligent): 3 years from the date of the accident.
- Medical Malpractice: 2 years and 6 months from the date of the malpractice or from the end of continuous treatment rendered by the negligent party or entity.
- Negligence (resulting in personal injury): 3 years from the date of the accident.
- Product Liability: 3 years from the date of the accident.
- Wrongful Death: 2 years from death.
Victims who are filing a personal injury claim against New York State or New York City rather than a private party have a 90 day and one-year timeline. If you are injured in an accident due to negligence on government property or a public street, road, or highway in New York City, you must file a “Notice of Claim” within 90 days with the appropriate agency. The agency has 30 days to request a formal hearing, including medical examinations to confirm your injury. Victims then have up to one year to file a personal injury claim to be considered. Any accident involving Mass Transit in New York City follows the same timeline for reporting and filing a claim, with notices going directly to the Port Authority.
It’s up to your attorney to know the timelines applicable to your type of injury to maximize the compensation a client can receive. Attorneys who are unfamiliar with the statute of limitations could end up costing their clients valuable time they cannot get back to file their claim correctly.
Personal Injury Claims Can Be Complicated
Personal injury claims are not as straightforward as some other areas of law. These civil actions require a magnitude of information to prove that someone was negligent, and endless dedication to ensure the laws for filing are adequately met. Nassau County, Suffolk County, and Queens County all have different requirements for filing personal injury claims that can drastically affect the outcome of a client’s reward.
When you’re looking for a personal injury lawyer to represent your rights, you need the best. Finding the right attorney means hiring a professional who doesn’t have to struggle with the details of how to file a claim. An experienced New York personal injury attorney will be well versed in the requirements for filing any type of personal injury claim in each county they practice in. Successful personal injury attorneys possess the knowledge of how to best represent your rights in court under any circumstance and are not afraid to fight for a verdict over settling for less.
The Best Attorneys Take on the Burden of Filing Claims
It’s critical for an individual’s health and well-being to focus on their recovery after an accident- not on gathering evidence for their case. Personal injury victims can suffer physically, emotionally, psychological, and financially after an accident. Medical appointments, surgeries, and therapies can make focusing on the details of your claim nearly impossible during recovery. Fortunately, when hiring the right personal injury attorney, you won’t have to worry.
The best personal injury attorneys do not expect their clients to do the legwork when filing a claim. Successful attorneys possess the resources needed to gather witness statements, expert medical opinions, and investigate the scene of your accident for evidence. They work tirelessly to gather all pertinent details of your case so you can focus primarily on your recovery.
New York City and Long Island Accident Attorneys
Our personal injury attorneys at the law firm of Siler & Ingber have over 20 years of experience serving clients across New York City and Long Island. We protect your rights by maximizing recovery and securing the financial support our clients need to succeed on their road to recovery. Our winning attorneys know how to navigate through the claim process using past experience as insurance defense attorneys. We are not afraid to fight and are fully prepared to take your case to trial to get a justified verdict over settling for less.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident due to the negligence of another, our team at Siler & Ingber are here to help. With a 98% success rate, we have the experience and the know-how to help our clients achieve a favorable outcome. Contact us today at 1-877-529-4343, or schedule an appointment online anytime. We never charge a fee unless we recover money for you.