New York Personal Injury Attorney

What Types of Cases Can a New York Personal Injury Lawyer Help With?

We can connect you with one of our law firm partners near you if you were injured in a:

• Car Accident: Proving someone was negligent in an auto accident can be complicated, but an attorney can thoroughly investigate the accident.
• Truck Accident: Your attorney will hold all responsible parties liable. This could include the truck driver, trucking company, maintenance company, cargo/shipping company, or manufacturer.
• Motorcycle Accident: Catastrophic motorcycle accident injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries, can cause intense financial strain. A lawyer will pursue the maximum compensation you may qualify for.

Motor vehicle accidents can cause serious injuries and long-term effects on your life. Our co-counsels can help you fight for the compensation you need for these effects.

A New York Personal Injury Attorney Will Seek Fair Compensation for Your Losses

Injuries can devastate a person’s life. In addition to dealing with physical pain, you may be stressed about medical expenses, lost income, and what the future will hold for you. Fair compensation should account for all the losses you experience from the accident.

You may qualify for financial compensation for:

Medical Expenses

Medical bills for an injury can quickly become overwhelming. You may qualify for compensation that covers medical care, such as:

• Emergency room visits
• Doctor appointments
• Diagnostic exams
• Medication
• Physical therapy
• Surgeries

Lost Wages

If your injury prevents you from working, compensation may cover:

• Lost income
• Lost job benefits, such as PTO or bonuses
• Diminished earning capacity

Property Damage and Other Expenses

Car repairs or replacement, gas and mileage to and from doctor appointments, and home modifications to address a new disability may all be recoverable losses.

Non-Economic Losses

These are losses that aren’t directly financial. They include things like:

• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Lowered quality of life

Your personal injury attorney will listen to your story and may consult with medical experts to get a complete understanding of your losses. They will fight for the maximum compensation you may qualify for.

Contact The Goldwater Law Firm today to discuss your legal options after an injury in New York.

How Can a Lawyer Help With Your Case?

Life doesn’t stand still after an injury, which means that on top of recovering, you still have all your day-to-day worries. Dealing with combative insurance companies or trying to track down evidence to support your claim can seem impossible. Here is where one of our law firm partners can come in, as they can:

• Complete and file all necessary paperwork
• Investigate to determine liability
• Gather evidence to support your claim
• Negotiate with the insurance company
• Represent you in court if needed

The Goldwater Law Firm practices the Gold Standard of Injury Law. We’ve been helping injury victims like you for over twenty years. Our co-counsels will be with you throughout the legal process, ensuring you feel supported and informed.

Who Was At Fault For Your Injury?

To successfully pursue a personal injury claim, you must prove that your injury was due to someone else’s negligence. Some potentially liable parties include:

• Other drivers
• Trucking or other commercial companies, if a delivery van, 18-wheeler, or rideshare vehicle was involved
• Mechanics, if poor maintenance procedures led to the accident
• Vehicle or parts manufacturers, if a defective part was involved
• Government entities, if road hazards contributed to the accident

An injury lawyer will establish negligence and liability by:

• Interviewing any eyewitnesses, these may include other drivers and passengers, as well as bystanders
• Obtaining photos and surveillance footage, such as from security cameras, traffic cameras, and dashcams
• Reviewing police reports and other documents that pertain to the cases, such as black box data from commercial trucks, driving records, and maintenance logs
• Consulting with experts who may provide additional context, such as a trucking industry safety expert or an accident reconstructionist

Your lawyer’s ability to gather evidence, such as eyewitness statements, may depend on your acting quickly. Contact The Goldwater Law Firm to get started right away.

New York Personal Injury Laws and How They Affect Your Case

Under New York’s statute of limitations, you typically only have three years to file a personal injury lawsuit. There may be exceptions to this, so it’s always best to consult your New York personal injury attorney if you have questions or concerns about this deadline.

In addition to the statute of limitations, comparative negligence is another crucial law to understand. Under New York’s pure comparative negligence law, accident victims can seek compensation even if they were partially at fault for their injuries. However, your percentage of fault will reduce what you can recover.

Insurance companies often attempt to place more blame on the injured claimant to reduce a potential payout. Your lawyer will combat this tactic through a well-built case and evidence.

What Should You Do If You’ve Been Injured in New York?

If you’ve been in an accident, you should first check yourself and others for injuries. If you are hurt, seek medical attention immediately. You may want to have paramedics come to the scene. You should also:

• Report the Accident: Police officers will write a crash report with their observations and any evidence that they gather. This can be vital evidence later on in your case. It prevents the other party from denying that the accident happened or changing their story later.
• Document Everything: Photograph the accident scene and your visible injuries if you are able. This can be important, time-stamped evidence for your accident claim. Once you are away from the accident scene, you should also keep track of your medical records, receipts, bills related to your medical care, and any other accident-related expenses. We recommend keeping them in a folder (digital or physical) for your attorney.
• Continue Medical Treatment: Delaying or stopping a doctor-prescribed treatment plan can significantly impact your ability to recover. Additionally, insurers can use your disobeying your doctor’s orders against you, arguing that you stopped treatment because your injuries weren’t serious.
• Don’t Give a Recorded Statement: An adjuster from the insurance company will likely call soon after your accident, asking to record you giving your side of the story. This can be a trap. They will ask leading questions in the hopes that they can twist an innocent statement and use it against you. We recommend that you stick to the direct facts of the accident when answering questions. Do not agree to the recorded statement and direct further questions to your attorney.
• Avoid Social Media: Complaining about your accident online may seem like a good way to vent. However, you should avoid doing so, as the insurance company and its legal team can use your posts against you.

Your personal injury lawyer can answer any questions you have about your actions and help you choose the right steps going forward to preserve your rights.

Affording a Personal Injury Lawyer in New York

After an accident, you will likely have bills from doctors, worries about lost wages, and repairs needed on your vehicle. It can be difficult to consider adding another cost when you’re already under financial pressure. However, most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis.

Contingency fees allow injury victims to seek legal representation, no matter their financial circumstances. You will have no upfront costs; you will only pay your lawyer if they recover compensation. Their fee is an agreed-upon percentage of your settlement.