by Andrew Weitz

The Importance of Choosing the Right Personal Injury Lawyer in NYC

Facing the aftermath of an accident, whether a car crash or slip and fall, is never easy, but knowing how to choose the right personal injury lawyer in NYC can give you a head start. A skilled lawyer can walk you through the legal process, protect your rights, and reduce the stress of a lawsuit.

Finding the best personal injury attorney in New York for your case also gives you the best chance of recovering maximum compensation. Your attorney can help you avoid leaving money on the table or falling victim to manipulative insurance company tactics. Making an informed NYC personal injury lawyer selection is vital for the success of your case.

Cases NYC Personal Injury Lawyers Handle

Most personal injury attorneys handle various cases that have one thing in common: someone suffered harm due to the careless or reckless actions of another individual, business, or government entity. Common types of personal injury cases include:

Motor Vehicle Accidents. Car crashes, motorcycle accidents, and collisions with commercial trucks can result in devastating and permanent injuries. If someone else is responsible, NYC victims may have grounds for a personal injury case and should seek legal advice.
Slips and Falls. If property owners or lessees don’t maintain premises adequately, slips and falls are bound to happen. Hazardous conditions like wet floors, broken floorboards, bulging carpets, or loose mats are often the culprits. If you or a loved one suffered injuries on someone else’s property in NYC, you could be entitled to compensation.
Lack of Security. Property owners must ensure that their premises are safe and secure for visitors. If premises lack security, such as locks, proper lighting, or security cameras, visitors may become victims of assaults, thefts, and other crimes.
Medical Malpractice. Medical malpractice can come in many forms, including wrong patient or wrong side surgeries, misdiagnoses, birth injuries, and medication errors. If you were affected by the negligence of a doctor or hospital, you could be entitled to damages.
Nursing Home Neglect. Our loved ones deserve dignity and respect. Unfortunately, neglect and abuse targeting the most vulnerable in nursing homes do happen. Incidents can include poor hygiene, inadequate medical care, and even physical abuse.

There can be many other incidents in which you’ll want to work with the best personal injury attorney in New York, including injuries from defective consumer products, construction accidents, and restaurant or bar negligence.

Why Hiring an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer Matters

While you could handle a minor incident, such as a fender bender without injuries, alone, consider hiring an attorney if you suffered severe injuries and financial losses due to another’s negligent conduct.

The best personal injury attorneys in New York negotiate aggressively with insurance companies that may try to push you into a low-value settlement offer. An attorney is also invaluable for calculating the full worth of your case, including expected future expenses, to ensure you’re getting adequately compensated.

If an insurance company refuses a fair settlement, your attorney can move forward with a lawsuit and present your case powerfully before a judge or jury. In a nutshell, working with a skilled attorney gives you the best chance of recovering what you need to put your life back together, including awards for medical bills, lost wages, and emotional distress.

How to Choose the Best Personal Injury Attorney in New York

While it takes a little time and effort, selecting a NYC personal injury lawyer doesn’t have to be complicated or frustrating. Here are some simple tips to find the best attorney for your case:

Ask for Recommendations. One of the easiest and fastest ways of finding an excellent personal injury lawyer is to ask family members, friends, and work colleagues who may have worked with successful personal injury attorneys.
Conduct Online Research. It can be as simple as searching for “personal injury attorneys near me.” While researching attorneys online, you’ll come across past client reviews and ratings, which can be invaluable.
Schedule Free Consultations. Most NYC personal injury attorneys offer free consultations. Use this opportunity to get to know a few attorneys, ask questions, and determine who is the best fit for you.

Choosing an Excellent Attorney

You wouldn’t want a psychologist to handle your appendix operation. Similarly, you don’t want to work with an attorney who isn’t a personal injury expert, such as a criminal defense or family law attorney. Here’s what to look for when making your NYC personal injury lawyer selection:

Relevant Expertise. Ensure the attorney has experience in handling personal injury cases similar to yours. Say you have a slip and fall case. In that case, aim to hire a NYC personal injury lawyer who has achieved significant settlements in slip and fall claims.
Trial Proven. While the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) says most personal injury claims are resolved out of court, you can’t predict what will happen with your case. Hiring an attorney with a proven trial record is always a good idea and gives you leverage in insurance company negotiations.
No Upfront Fees. Hiring an attorney who works with a contingency agreement works in your favor in two critical ways. Firstly, it means your finances are protected, whatever happens, as you don’t pay the attorney if you lose the case. Secondly, attorneys working on contingency are highly motivated to get the best result for you as they only get paid if you get paid. It’s a win-win situation.

Questions to Ask at the First Consultation

Scheduling free consultations is an important step, providing you with the opportunity to find out more about an attorney and a law firm. It can also be crucial to determine the merits of your case and help you learn about your next best steps. Here are some excellent questions to ask an attorney at the first meeting:

Do I have a strong case?
How many cases similar to mine have you handled successfully?
What are your personal injury case results?
Have you fought and won trials?
Do I have to pay any out-of-pocket attorney’s fees or legal costs?
Who will be handling my case?
How often will we communicate about my case?

Contact Our NYC Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today

If your life is turned upside down due to an injury that’s another’s fault, you don’t have to struggle alone to get compensated. We are here to help and can be by your side every step of the way. When you’re looking for a personal injury attorney with a proven track record and case results that speak for themselves, Berkowitz & Weitz Law, P.C. is here for you.

We don’t charge you a dime in attorney’s fees unless and until we win and you recover compensation. Remember, the time to file a personal injury lawsuit is limited. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more.