Best Personal Injury Lawyers 2022
Kramer & Pollack LLP Injury Attorneys
Kramer & Pollack LLP Injury Attorneys serves clients in New York City. Its attorneys represent the victims of car, aviation, bicycle, motorcycle, bus, and pedestrian accidents. They fight for the rights of individuals who sustained birth, brain, and burn injuries, as well as those who were hurt due to dog bites and slips and falls. The personal injury lawyers have almost three decades of courtroom experience. They have won several verdicts, including a $28.5 million settlement for a medical malpractice lawsuit.
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Redmond Law
Located in New York, Redmond Law offers personal injury representation for clients in the greater NYC area. The firm helps personal injury and accident victims seek the compensation they deserve due to motor vehicle accidents, slip-and-falls, construction accidents, medical malpractice, and asbestos injuries. Its purview also includes representation for clients with work-related injuries and claimants in class action, wrongful death, and product liability suits. Attorney Cornelius Redmond has more than 20 years of experience as a trial lawyer.
Hach & Rose
Hach & Rose is a New York, New York-based law firm representing clients in personal injury cases as they pursue negligent parties for compensation related to injuries, lost earnings, and personal difficulties. This firm is experienced in a diverse range of case areas, including injuries caused by automobiles or mass transit vehicles, sexual assault, medical malpractice, and in the workplace. It explores opportunities to file suit based on a multitude of factors and attempt to gain the highest possible award for clients.
The Perecman Firm, PLLC
The Perecman Firm, PLLC has been representing clients in personal injury cases since 1983. The attorneys handle proceedings where clients have been injured by construction accidents, car and truck accidents, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, premises liability, slip and fall accidents, and on-the-job accidents. The Perecman Firm has been seen in reports by El Diario, NY Mag, The New York Times, CNN, and NBC New York. The practice has a Superb Avvo rating and has been recognized by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers.
Raskin & Kremins LLP
Raskin & Kremins LLP provides comprehensive legal services to individuals in New York City and nearby metros. It assists in various personal injury cases, such as construction accidents, premises liability, workers' compensation, sexual assault, and wrongful death. The firm's other practice areas include civil litigation and employment law. The founding attorneys, Bruce Raskin and Michael Kremins, have more than 30 years of combined legal experience. They are members of the American Association for Justice.
David S. Leigh, P.C.
David S. Leigh, P.C., provides clients in New York City with legal representation in personal injury cases. Leigh imparts communication and management skills to gain support and respect in federal and state courts as he defends his clients' rights. He handles cases arising from car and pedestrian accidents, slips and falls, and sexual abuse. Leigh also assists clients with filing suits for wrongful death caused by overspeeding, aggressive and reckless driving, and DUI/DWI.
Liakas Law P.C.
Liakas Law, P.C., is a Broadway-based firm that assists New York City individuals in pursuing compensation for their personal injuries. Its trial lawyers seek testimonies and evidence in cases related to injuries caused by burn or electrocution, impact, fall from height, improper site coordination, and crane and other industrial accidents. The firm also handles civil rights, premises liability, product liability, and mass tort cases. Founding partner Stephen J. Liakas is a member of the Columbian and the Hellenic Lawyers Association.
Sullivan Papain Block McGrath Coffinas & Cannavo P.C.
Sullivan Papain Block McGrath Coffinas & Cannavo P.C. is a team of trial attorneys serving New York City. They handle numerous personal injury claims, covering those that involve mass torts, nursing home abuse, and maritime accidents. They also represent victims of the 9/11 tragedy, who are suffering illnesses related to the event. Throughout a decade, the personal injury firm has recovered over $2 billion in verdicts and settlements for its clients. Christopher McGrath, one of the law office's partners, is board-certified in civil trial practice.
Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C
Arye, Lustig & Sassower, P.C, serves the locals of New York City and the surrounding areas. The firm provides legal assistance and representation to clients involved in matters of personal injury, such as burns, fractures, daycare assaults, and wrongful death. It helps clients get the compensation they need moving forward for their lost income, earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other damages. Arye, Lustig & Sassower has successfully represented thousands of clients, recovering more than 1$ billion in compensation, since 1965.
Greenberg & Stein, PC
Greenberg & Stein, PC, is a personal injury firm serving New York City. Its lawyers hold over 75 years of collective industry experience and won over $400 million on the client's behalf. They represent individuals who obtained injuries during a car, truck, motorcycle, train, and bus accident. Its lawyers strive to protect the victim's legal rights and recover maximum financial compensation. They also handle defective products, wrongful death, nursing home abuse, and premises liability claims. Its associates received recognition from the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Marvin A. Cooper, P.C.
Marvin A. Cooper, P.C., is a law firm that has been serving clients in New York City for over 60 years. It represents clients who suffer personal injuries due to negligence of another individual or entity, including construction, motor vehicle, and slip and fall accidents. It handles claims for financial losses and medical expenses. The firm treats every client like family, with dignity and respect. One of its partners, Anieska J. Garcia, is fluent in both Spanish and English.
Oddo & Babat Attorneys at Law
Oddo & Babat, Attorneys at Law, caters to families and individuals in New York City. The law firm handles personal injury, commercial and criminal matters, including auto accident, products and premises liability, wrongful death, DUI, and breach of contract. Named partner David M. Oddo obtained the biggest settlement for medical malpractice in the state of New York for 2020 amounting to $15 million. The firm has been serving the community for more than 30 years. Its attorneys litigate cases in both federal and state courts.
Merson Law PLLC
Merson Law PLLC is a personal injury law firm serving clients in New York City. It provides representation for clients who have sustained physical or psychological injuries due to negligence. The firm handles several personal injury practice areas, such as birth injuries, construction accidents, and wrongful death cases. It has represented and obtained settlements for children who Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused. Founder Jordan Merson and his legal team also cater to Spanish-speaking clients.
Law Offices of Adam M. Thompson, P.C.
The Law Offices of Adam M. Thompson PC is a sole proprietorship founded by Adam Thompson, a criminal lawyer near Clifton with more than 30 years of experience practicing law in New Jersey and New York. The attorney has additional offices in Lower Manhattan. He defends clients charged with an array of crimes, from making terrorist threats and committing armed robbery to white-collar crimes, such as mail fraud and embezzlement of government funds.
1-800-HURT-911 - Nassau®
1-800-Hurt-911® is a law firm that accommodates individuals who have suffered from injuries resulting from an accident in the New York City metro. It assists clients with their medical treatment and financial compensation, especially in cases involving fractures, reconstructive surgeries, second-degree burns, and amputations. The law firm provides representation for aggrieved victims and aggressively fights insurance companies and other parties who do not take responsibility. Phil Franckel and Rob Plevy established the company intending to provide personal injury knowledge and support to their clients.
Belluck & Fox
Belluck & Fox is a personal injury law firm in New York City that represents clients who have been hurt due to a person or a company's negligent, careless, or intentional behavior. Since the firm's establishment over 25 years ago, it has secured more than $20 billion in compensation. Other practice areas include dangerous drugs, defective products, vehicular accidents, and wrongful death. It also focuses on helping clients who contracted mesothelioma, a type of cancer contracted by people who inhaled asbestos products.
Miller, Montiel & Strano, P.C.
Miller, Montiel, & Strano PC is a personal injury law firm that handles automobile, premises, construction site accidents and all other personal injury matters for residents of New York. Founding member and senior partner Steven Miller is on his 5th decade of practice of experience as a trial attorney. The firm has won major settlements and verdicts in cases involving failures to diagnose, birth injuries, and surgical errors. It represents clients who suffer harm when negligent, careless companies and people display a substandard level of care.
Sgarlato & Sgarlato
Sgarlato & Sgarlato is a law firm that serves New York City and other surrounding areas. Its attorneys have a combined experience of more than 75 years. It deals with different types of laws like personal injury, legal malpractice, and medical malpractice. Personal injury cases may involve a private individual or a government entity. Clients of personal injury cases usually incur injuries with life-long effects so lawyers of this firm assist in ensuring clients have the resources they need.
Addabbo & Greenberg
Addabbo & Greenberg is a New York, New York-based law firm frequently providing representation in personal injury cases. It helps clients understand their rights and take courses of action which strengthen the firm's ability to pursue compensation from liable parties. Prominent experience areas include car accidents, construction accidents, and slip and fall incidents. Sometimes it assists the families of deceased individuals with legal recourse. Addabbo & Greenberg also provides criminal law defense and assists with DWI cases.
Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo & Plotkin LLP
Rheingold, Giuffra, Ruffo, & Plotkin LLP is a personal injury law firm that's provided New York City and Brooklyn with legal representation for over 30 years. It handles motorcycle accident claims by negotiating with insurance companies. It assists injured clients in receiving fair compensation for their losses and injuries caused by reckless drivers or faulty equipment. The members of the legal team at Rheingold, Giuffra, Ruffo, & Plotkin LLP are affiliated with The American Association for Justice.
Levy Konigsberg LLP
Levy Konigsberg LLP serves clients in the New York, New York, metro area, assisting with personal injury lawsuits by gathering evidence and organizing claims against liable parties. This firm handles class-action lawsuits and helps those permanently injured physically or psychologically by lead poisoning, Mesothelioma, defective drugs and medical malpractice, or sexual abuse. It works to recover general damages such as the cost of treatment and special damages such as psychological and emotional trauma.
Pardalis & Nohavicka
Pardalis & Nohavicka is a law firm active throughout the New York, New York, metro area. It regularly participates in personal injury cases, advocating on behalf of clients and offering consultation concerning various issues. Many of the firm's cases involve car accidents, defective products, or industrial accidents. Its personal injury services regularly intersect with its workers' compensation cases, as the firm provides assistance in both areas. Pardalis & Nohavicka also offers commercial litigation services.
Jaroslawicz & Jaros PLLC
Jaroslawicz & Jaros PLLC advocates for the injured individuals in New York City and other neighboring areas. Its legal professionals assist victims of vehicle collisions, cracked sidewalk pavement, and other acts of negligence, drawing on over 300 years of combined experience. They pursue methods for obtaining maximum monetary compensation to cover their medical bills, loss of livelihood, and broken property repair or replacement. Jaroslawicz & Jaros is affiliated with the American Association for Justice and The National Trial Lawyers.
Kramer, Dillof, Livingston & Moore
Kramer, Dillof, Livingston & Moore is a personal injury law firm in New York City. Consistently ranked among the best personal injury and medical malpractice firms in the country, the firm has negotiated over a billion dollars in client settlements. Senior partners Judith Livingston and Thomas Moore are members of The Inner Circle of Advocates, an elite group of trial attorneys limited to the top 100 trial lawyers in America.
The Platta Law Firm
The Platta Law Firm represents individuals involved in personal injury lawsuits in New York City. It caters to the victims of construction accidents, motor vehicle accidents, premises accidents, slips and falls, and wrongful death. The lawyers from this firm work to obtain settlements, financial support, medical coverage, workers' compensation, and Social Security Disability benefits for clients. The firm handled the Wilinski case in 2011, which was a catalyst in allowing injured construction workers to be compensated and protected by state laws for several types of construction hazards.
Giordano Law Offices, PLLC
Giordano Law Offices is a New York City personal injury, motor vehicle accident, wrongful death, and truck accident law firm founded by Attorney Carmen "Jack" Giordano. Giordano Law continues to win awards like Super Lawyers year after year because of their experience and high-level of care for their clients. Over decades, the top rated firm has recovered millions of dollars for their clients. For injury cases, you will not have to pay a fee unless they are successful and get a recovery for you. Giordano Law Offices has a 24/7 office line that accepts both text messages and calls and offers free consultations.
The Law Office of Richard M. Kenny
The attorneys at The Law Office of Richard M. Kenny have more than 100 combined years of legal experience. Richard M. Kenny was selected as a Member of the Nation's Top One Percent by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. The New York personal injury law firm can be contacted 24 hours a day and will handle cases such as construction accidents, slip and fall accidents, premises liability, wrongful arrest, nursing home malpractice, and motor vehicle accidents.
The Weinstein Law Group, PLLC Attorneys at Law
The Weinstein Law Group, PLLC, Attorneys at Law, caters to clients in New York City and the surrounding areas. It provides legal representation in personal injury cases, which may involve medical and dental malpractice; slips and falls; and car, train, and motorcycle accidents. It also handles workers' compensation cases. Founder Steven Weinstein has been practicing law for more than three decades. He recovered over $4 million for one of his previous clients who suffered brain damage.
Douglas & London
Douglas & London is a New York, New York-based law firm assisting clients with personal injury cases. When clients have been seriously injured in transportation or construction accidents, among countless other scenarios, the firm educates them on their options for legal recourse and often advises that they sue liable parties for damages concerning medical car and financial losses. It handles mass torts and class action lawsuits for large groups of clients affected by the same liable parties.
The Law Offices of Eric Richman
For more than 21 years, the Law Offices of Eric Richman has been helping personal injury claimants in the New York metro area seek justice and compensation for their losses. Mr. Richman's focus is on personal injury cases, including those involving vehicles, buses, subways, and bicycles. He also takes on cases of wrongful death, medical malpractice, slip-and-fall accidents, premises liability, and sexual assault. Attorney Richman is a member of the American Association for Justice.
The Law Office of Michael s. Lamonsoff, PLLC
The Law Office of Michael S. Lamonsoff, PLLC, serves clients in New York City. Its personal injury attorneys are prepared to fight for their clients' right to maximum and fair settlement. The firm's 'no holds barred' strategy towards litigation has resulted in its winning over $500m in verdicts to date, including some of the highest settlements in the city's history. The firm's founder, Michael S. Lamonsoff, is known as “The Bull” to his clients. He is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
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Law Offices of Laurence C. Tarowsky
The Law Offices of Laurence C. Tarowsky provides solutions for litigation needs in New York City. The firm is committed to protecting the rights of clients who were injured by negligence and carelessness, including accidents involving vehicles, slips and falls, medical malpractice, defective products, and wrongful death. Its attorney has focused on helping clients obtain money damages for more than 30 years. The firm has recovered $2.7 million in a case involving the death of a child who suffered from lead paint poisoning.
Greg Garber Esq Attorney at Law
Greg Garber, Esq., Attorney at Law, caters to clients in New York City and the surrounding areas. It offers legal representation to individuals who have been injured due to someone else's negligence. The cases it handles involve automobile, bus, motorcycle, and train accidents. It also works on claims related to animal attacks, assault, lead poisoning, medical malpractice, and wrongful death. The firm's team of attorneys has more than 50 years of combined experience in the legal field.
Cohan Law PLLC
Cohan Law PLLC is a personal injury firm with a wide breadth of experience. It assists injured clients in cases involving car accidents, construction accidents, spinal or traumatic brain injuries, and slip-and-fall incidents. Its legal team fights on behalf of clients for monetary restitution from negligent parties and insurance companies. If negotiations aren't resolved amicably, Cohan Law PLLC can provide in-court representation to pursue judgements. This firm also handles cases involving lead paint and bed sores.
Tolmage Peskin Harris & Falick
In business for over 50 years, Tolmage, Peskin, Harris, & Falick is a New York, New York-based law firm serving the entire metro area. It practices personal injury law, helping clients to file suit after involvement in car accidents, medical malpractice, or construction accidents. Service involves an investigation into contributing factors, attempts at settlement, and if necessary, trial proceedings. Outside of various accidents, this firm advocates on behalf of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. Attorneys at Law
Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. Attorneys at Law, is a firm that focuses on the litigation of serious injury cases in New York City. The firm's practice areas include car accidents, construction accidents, wrongful death, medical malpractice, and premises liability. Founder Craig Rosenbaum has been representing injured clients for over 20 years. One of his distinguished cases is the settlement of over $20 million for a brain-injured victim of a pedestrian accident. Rosenbaum was named as one of the Top 100 by The National Trial Lawyers.
Law Office of Vincent C. Loiodice
The Law Office of Vincent C. Loiodice is a legal firm that has been serving New York City since 2017. With experience in an extensive range of personal injury cases, Vincent offers representation for medical malpractice, trip and fall, wrongful death, and car, construction, and school accidents. Vincent started his own firm to assist victims and give them personalized attention. He has been named in the Top 10 Under 40 list by the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys.
Hill & Moin LLP
Hill & Moin LLP is a law firm based in New York. It has been defending the rights of personal injury victims for over 40 years. It is experienced in cases involving auto collisions, workplace accidents, slip-and-falls, medical malpractice, and nursing home abuse. Its legal team seeks compensation for the hospital bills, lost earnings, and pain and suffering of its clients. The firm also helps families pursue wrongful death claims following the loss of a loved one.
Goldstein & Bashner
Goldstein & Bashner is a personal injury law firm in East Meadow, New York, providing legal services to car accident victims throughout the state. The team of attorneys reviews each case, determines whether to settle or go to trial, advises clients on the best course of legal action, and seeks full compensation for all injuries sustained in the accident. The firm also represents victims of bicycle, motorcycle, premise, and boat accidents as well as sexual assault and bullying victims.
The O'Connor Law Firm
The O'Connor Law Firm is a New York-based personal injury firm. Its lawyers fight aggressively on behalf of those who've been injured as a result of another's negligence and regularly handle cases involving slip-and-fall accidents, motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, and construction accidents. Managing attorney Brian J. O'Connor has been practicing for more than 20 years and has earned several honors, including recognition from SuperLawyers and an AV-Preeminent peer rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Burns & Harris
Burns & Harris is a personal injury law firm based in New York, New York. The company was established in 2002 and serves clients who have suffered personal injuries as a result of accidents, police abuse, and professional malpractice. Practice areas covered under these main categories include, automobile and construction accidents, slip and falls, nursing home neglect and abuse, and medical malpractice. The firm was among the 10 Best Attorneys and Firms for Client Satisfaction in 2019.
ROSENBERG, MINC, FALKOFF & WOLFF LLP
Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff LLP is a personal injury firm with offices in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx that's been serving clients since 1922. Its legal team handles civil claims involving slips and falls, animal bites, construction site accidents, medical malpractice, and motor vehicle collisions, such as car, truck, semitruck, public transportation, motorcycle, and pedestrian accidents. The agency's attorneys use their experience and education to get victims the maximum compensation for their injuries.
Injured914
Injured914 is a law firm that represents clients in Westchester County and its surrounding communities, such as New York City and Port Chester. Its attorneys can help clients through a variety of personal injury cases, ranging from spinal cord injury and wrongful death to boating and bus accidents. The firm has been operating for over 35 years, and it has handled cases such as a maintenance worker who was suffering from workplace injuries. The case was settled for over $3.3 million.
Seiden & Kaufman Attorneys at Law
With over 60 years of combined experience, Seiden & Kaufman Attorneys at Law is a firm that concentrates on personal injury cases in New York City. The firm represents injured victims of accidents and surviving family members of wrongful death victims. It has won many cases arising from motor vehicle accidents, dog bites, defective products, and municipal liability. It provides personalized attention and focuses on achieving favorable outcomes for clients. Seiden & Kaufman Attorneys at Law was awarded Top Lawyers 2020 and The National Trial Lawyers Top 100.
Diamond Injury Law
Diamond Injury Law is a personal injury law firm that serves the residents of New York City and the surrounding areas. It handles a wide range of personal injury cases, including those involving motor vehicle accidents, premises and product liability, and medical malpractice. Principal attorney Ivan M. Diamond has been practicing law for over 25 years. He is a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Diamond Injury Law can also serve clients in Spanish.
Chaffin Luhana LLP
Chaffin Luhana LLP is a personal injury law firm located in New York City, serving clients throughout New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The firm has advocated for the victims of negligence and neglect for over 90 years, obtaining over $1 billion for injured plaintiffs. The type of cases it handles includes litigating for consumers harmed by dangerous products, patients injured due to the negligence of medical professionals, and all forms of catastrophic injury.
The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP
The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP is a personal injury law firm located in New York City that has been in operation since 1969. The firm mediates with insurance companies to reach settlements regarding cases involving auto accidents, slips and falls, defective products, and class-action suits. When a settlement can't be reached, the firm advocates for its client in court to obtain a favorable verdict. The firm is affiliated with the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP
Faruqi & Faruqi LLP advocates for the right to compensation of clients in New York City. It represents clients who incurred injuries from construction sites, elevator or escalator malfunction, and vehicular accidents. It seeks justice for those who suffered from medical malpractice, product liability, and wrongful death. It also takes on cases involving police abuse, sexual assault, revenge porn, and wrongful conviction. Partner Reza Rezvani has over 18 years of experience in litigation, premises liability, and vehicle accidents.
Subin Associates, LLP
Subin Associates, LLP, is a law firm that has been providing services to clients in New York City and the surrounding communities for more than 65 years. It handles a wide range of personal injury claims involving car accidents, construction accidents, police brutality, and premises liability. Herbert S. Subin, the firm's lead trial attorney, is a member of the New York County Lawyers' Association. He has been included in the National Trial Lawyers' Top 100 since 2012.
The Law Offices of Michael M. Goldberg - Long Island
The Law Offices of Michael M. Goldberg - Long Island is a firm that deals with personal injury cases in New York City and nearby areas. Founder Michael Goldberg has been practicing as a personal injury attorney for more than 25 years. He focuses on the so-called soft-tissue cases, which pertain to injuries to the muscles, joints, and nerves. He also litigates car accident cases, premises liability suits, and medical malpractice cases. Goldberg has been named among the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.
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Lemmo Law
Lemmo Law handles personal injury cases for individuals in New York City. The office represents injured victims in auto and pedestrian accidents. It helps clients navigate the legal system, secure settlement, and achieve favorable verdicts. Founding lawyer Ed Lemmo has experience handling cases involving medical malpractice, motor vehicle misfortunes, slip and fall accidents, constructions mishaps, and wrongful death. He has helped a taxi driver involved in a car collision achieve a settlement amounting to $1,400,000.
Pazer, Epstein, Jaffe & Fein, P.C.
Pazer, Epstein, Jaffe & Fein, P.C., has represented clients in and around New York City for over five decades. It helps victims seek compensation for personal injuries, such as motor vehicle and construction accidents, workplace mishaps, slip-and-fall injuries, medical malpractice, and wrongful deaths. The law firm addresses cases regarding physical assault and child sexual abuse on campus. It also provides legal assistance for situations involving defective products. The firm is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Cocca Wrongful Death Law Firm
Cocca Wrongful Death Law Firm provides legal counsel and representation from its office in New York City. Its team litigates wrongful death lawsuits, whether the clients are pursuing compensation on behalf of car or truck accident victims. During the legal process, the professionals work with accident reconstructionists and utilize their relationships with hospitals in the state to collect medical records, which are used to build clients' claims. The attorneys also handle birth injury and construction accident claims.
Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP
The Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe LLP is a personal injury firm that advocates for the victims of negligence, neglect, and intent, in and around the New Rochelle metro area. The firm has experience in many areas of the practice. It has advocated for clients poisoned by lead paint, injured by defective medical devices and harmed in auto collisions.
Expert Answers To Common Questions:
- How to choose a personal injury attorney?
- What does a personal injury lawyer do?
- What does personal injury law cover?
- What are the most common types of personal injury claims?
- How do personal injury lawyers get paid?
- How much do personal injury lawyers charge?
- When do I need to hire a personal injury lawyer?
- Can I file a personal injury claim without a lawyer?
- How long does a personal injury lawsuit last?
- What are the benefits of hiring a personal injury lawyer?
- Q: How to choose a personal injury attorney?
- A: It's crucial to find a personal injury attorney who is experienced, but it's also important to feel comfortable. Take advantage of free consultations and ask questions about how long each candidate has been practicing, how their fee structure works, and who will be handling the majority of the casework (some big firms may hand off routine tasks to paralegals). Above all, find someone who listens well and believes they can achieve an optimal outcome. Still uncertain? Ask friends for referrals and check out online reviews.
- Q: What does a personal injury lawyer do?
- A: Personal injury attorneys help those who have suffered due to the negligence of others get the compensation they deserve. That may include negotiating settlements with other people, insurance companies, or even government agencies or arguing the case in court. Some attorneys specialize in a certain type of injury, such as auto accidents or birth injuries, while others advocate for almost any injured party.
- Q: What does personal injury law cover?
- A: In the legal world, "personal injury" is any kind of injury, physical or psychological, that results from the negligence of a person, business, or other entity. While visible or acute injuries such as a broken leg or concussion are among the most obvious types of personal injuries, this category also covers less tangible injuries such as emotional distress and issues such as asbestos exposure that may contribute to long-term problems.
- Q: What are the most common types of personal injury claims?
- A: Personal injury claims encompass a wide variety of situations ranging from accidents on privately owned property to injuries in the line of duty to whiplash sustained during a commute. These claims may include car accidents, dog bites, slip and falls, medical malpractice, defamation, product defect accidents, premises liability, product liability, workplace accidents, food poisoning at a restaurant, and boating or aviation accidents.
- Q: How do personal injury lawyers get paid?
- A: Many personal injury lawyers advertise that they don't get paid unless their client does. This is called "working on contingency," meaning the attorney is compensated only if they win their case. These payments are typically percentage based, giving attorneys a predetermined portion of the court-ordered award. Other lawyers may command an hourly rate or combine an hourly rate with a smaller contingency fee.
- Q: How much do personal injury lawyers charge?
- A: Personal injury lawyer fees can differ from state to state and may be subject to local regulations. In general, personal injury attorneys work under contingency agreements entitling them to 33% of any related settlement or award. Sometimes lawyers use a sliding contingency, charging 33% for awards agreed upon during pre-trial negotiations and raising the fee to 40% once the matter goes to trial.
- Q: When do I need to hire a personal injury lawyer?
- A: Anytime an injury is known or suspected to be the result of negligence, it's a good idea to consult with a personal injury attorney who can offer insight into the validity of a claim and whether or not that claim is worth pursuing legally. A consultation is particularly important if someone has suffered serious injuries that have left them disabled or otherwise impacted their financial future or quality of life.
- Q: Can I file a personal injury claim without a lawyer?
- A: It's possible to pursue a personal injury claim without an attorney; however, it's best to save self-representation for cases involving minor injuries or are otherwise considered straightforward. Cases that involve serious injuries that are not completely resolved or where liability has yet to be determined are more complex. Those situations can quickly become stressful and time consuming as they require an understanding of tort law, resources for gathering medical records, and time to review photographs and evidence pertaining to the injury and scene of the accident (if applicable). Bringing on an experienced personal injury lawyer could result in a higher reward while giving the injured party more time to concentrate on their physical, mental, and emotional recovery.
- Q: How long does a personal injury lawsuit last?
- A: The length of time it takes to settle a personal injury lawsuit is highly dependent on a number of factors ranging from the type of case to the length of medical treatment to whether the suit is settled before court or requires a long trial. While most personal injury cases are resolved within two years, more complicated suits could take longer.
- Q: What are the benefits of hiring a personal injury lawyer?
- A: It's tempting to save on lawyer's fees by pursuing self-representation, but there are many benefits to hiring a personal injury lawyer including their years of experience. A good attorney will know how to properly assess your damages, including not just medical bills but other concerns, such as lost wages and pain and suffering, to craft a demand that fully reflects the compensation to which the injured party is entitled. They also have the resources and knowledge necessary to consult with experts, negotiate effectively with insurance companies, properly navigate the legal system, and otherwise ensure the best possible outcome.
