New York Personal Injury Law

Personal Injury Claims in New York

An unexpected injury can turn your world upside down and make you wonder how you can cope with this sudden life change. Beyond the initial shock and immediate pain, the real costs of a personal injury add up over time and for a lifetime:

• Medical expenses
• Hospital bills
• Lost income due to missed work
• Rehabilitation or therapy
• Ongoing pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Property damage
• And more.

Why Choose the New York Lawyers at Kaplan Lawyers PC?

Choosing your New York personal injury lawyer is a serious task. If the negligent actions of another party have harmed you or your loved one, you may be relying on a damage award to help cover the cost of medical bills and other expenses, such as lost wages. You have one opportunity to recover compensation for your losses. It is important that your personal injury attorney be highly skilled, with experience in handling the type of accident you were in.

The New York personal injury attorneys at Kaplan Lawyers PC understand how much your case means to you. We know that it can mean the difference between struggling to pay to make ends meet after recovering from an unfair accident and going on to lead the fulfilling life you and your family deserve.

When you choose Kaplan Lawyers PC, you know that we deliver exceptional results, as shown by:

• Millions of dollars recovered
• Our satisfied customer base
• Our commitment to the local community.

We Get You the Results You Need

When you choose the New York attorneys at Kaplan Lawyers PC, you can rely on our experience and know-how to get the award or settlement you deserve. Our results speak for themselves. Our personal injury lawyers have recovered millions of dollars in damage awards for our clients. No case is too big or too small for our law firm. We have helped clients with awards that range from four to seven figures. We have helped numerous personal injury victims claim the compensation they deserve.

Satisfied Customers

When you are struggling to recover from a devastating injury, you need someone on your team to help you put the pieces back together. We have helped our clients get the compensation they need to recover from car accidents, slips and falls, and a range of personal injury accidents.

Our clients refer us to their friends and family after their exceptional experience working with us. Some of the glowing reviews we have received describe our New York personal injury lawyers as:

• Friendly
• Compassionate
• Attentive
• Efficient
• Helpful
• Reassuring
• Hard-working
• Dedicated
• Highly recommended.

Our brooklyn car accident lawyers understand how a traumatic event can become a pivotal moment in a person’s life. With the necessary support and assistance, you have the opportunity to recover and grow stronger from a seemingly senseless act of negligence. Our goal is to help you overcome these difficult times so you can look back on your accident as an opportunity for growth rather than an insurmountable hurdle.

Community Commitment

Our New York attorneys pride themselves on being more than legal consultants and litigators. We are committed to improving our community, inside and outside the courtroom.

Of course, we pride ourselves on seeking justice within the courtroom for members of our community. However, we are just as committed to our community outside the courthouse. Our lawyers regularly give back to the local community in various ways through our Kaplan Lawyers PC community involvement programs.

These programs include the following:

• The Kaplan Lawyers PC Scholarship, awarded to students who write compelling essays on personal injury legal issues
• American Cancer Society, an organization dedicated to eradicating cancer
• Wounded Warriors Project, which benefits veterans of actions following the 9/11 attacks
• Ronald McDonald House of Long Island, which helps shelter local families with sick children
• ASPCA Suffolk Co, an organization dedicated to animal welfare and animal rights.

We understand how important it is to give back to our community. We are proud to support nationwide and local organizations whose missions represent the change we want to see in our community.

Call us at (516) 399-2364 to see what our personal injury attorneys can do for you.

How Our New York Lawyers Can Help

Speaking with an injury lawyer may be the furthest thing from your mind after a traumatic injury. While rest and recovery are of the utmost importance, it is important to get the ball rolling on the legal aspects of your case. Luckily, recovery and legal work are not mutually exclusive.

When you hire the New York attorneys at Kaplan Lawyers PC, you can focus on your recovery while we take on the burden of your legal work.

When you call our office to set up your free initial consultation, you may not know what to expect, especially if this is your first time dealing with a personal injury legal case.

Here is what you can expect:

• Free consultation: A Kaplan Lawyers PC personal injury lawyer will meet with you during a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case. Our personal injury lawyer will visit you if you cannot make it to our office. Our lawyer will listen to your story, answer your questions, and give you a preliminary case analysis.
• Honest analysis: This analysis will include an honest evaluation of their perception of the strength of your case. If your case is difficult to prove in court, we will explain why. If your case appears to have a strong likelihood of prevailing, we will inform you of the compensation range the court may award. Of course, no one can ever guarantee a win or a compensation amount. However, we are happy to provide you with an estimate based on previous experience.
• Experienced legal representation: If we believe your case has merit and is likely to succeed in court or negotiations, we will offer to represent you. At Kaplan Lawyers PC, we do not require an up-front payment. Instead, we operate on a contingency-fee basis. A contingency fee means you don’t pay until we recover your compensation. You owe us nothing if we cannot recover damages or a settlement.
• Management of the administrative and legal details:We will explain the legal process and the timeline based on the details of your case. We will handle the legal paperwork, communications with insurance companies and negligent parties, and all other details associated with your case. Your sole job will be to focus on your recovery.
• Total control and authority: Throughout your personal injury case, we will inform you of developments, settlement offers, and other relevant information. You will remain in control of all important decisions relating to your compensation and your case.
• The compensation you deserve: Your personal injury attorney will fight aggressively for you in the courtroom. Our goal is to secure for you the total compensation you deserve for your injuries.

The New York attorneys at Kaplan Lawyers PC are passionate about the cases we take on. We will fight to ensure you are fairly compensated for the injuries the negligent or careless party inflicted upon you, whether you suffer from an auto accident, a fall, or any other type of personal injury. Our legal team will work tirelessly to help you receive the verdict or settlement you are owed.

Contact a New York personal injury attorney at Kaplan Lawyers PC by calling (516) 399-2364.

What Is a Personal Injury?

A personal injury is bodily harm, typically suffered due to negligence of another party. It is important to keep in mind that . . .

• Insurance companies don’t represent your best interests. It’s just the opposite, in fact. They’re only looking out for themselves – and their shareholders – first.
• Settlement offers from insurers are almost always “lowball” (in other words, they offer much less than the victim deserves).
• These settlement offers, once signed, mean that’s all you get, and you cannot take any future action.
• Many injuries can take weeks or even months to appear. Where does that leave you if you took the quick money and signed the release?
• Bills can pile up slowly. Your accident might look like a low-cost incident now. But the reality could be different in a few months. And if you’ve already settled, chances are you will have to cover those losses yourself.
• You can hire our personal injury lawyers without paying any money up front. We won’t charge you unless (and until) we get you money.

The Value of a New York Personal Injury Case

Each personal injury case is unique. The value of your case will be based largely on the costs associated with your accident, such as your medical expenses and property damage. However, other factors can also increase the damage awards you are eligible to receive.

Damages you may be eligible to receive are generally divided into economic and noneconomic damages. Economic damages are those losses to which the court can attach a dollar amount with relative ease, such as medical receipts.

Noneconomic damages, on the other hand, are more difficult to assign a dollar value to. An example could be the pain a victim suffers from an injury. Although noneconomic damages are challenging to quantify, the court attempts to assign a fair value to compensate personal injury victims in New York for their losses.

Economic damages you may be eligible to receive include:

• Medical expenses
• Future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Lost future wages
• Property damage.

Noneconomic damages the court may award you or your family include:

• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Pain and suffering
• Scarring or permanent loss of limb
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium.

Damages awarded in personal injury cases can range from thousands to millions of dollars. The amount of compensation a person seeks is based on the financial, physical and emotional consequences of an injury, so the amount you should seek will be unique to your situation. During a free consultation, we can give you a better idea of the damages that are recoverable and those that aren’t.

How Do I Choose an NYC Personal Injury Attorney?

When finding a personal injury attorney in New York, you should consider many factors. Ask yourself if the attorney has a track record of success in these claims. You should trust the firm’s skill and experience. You should also feel comfortable with the firm you are hiring. If you know someone that has had experiences that are similar to yours, you might see if they’ve worked with an attorney they would recommend.

Many firms – including Kaplan Lawyers PC – offer free consultations, so you can meet with an attorney in person to see if you want to hire them. Take advantage of these free consultations when considering the right attorney for your case.

Settlement vs. Trial

When the two sides in a personal injury claim come to an agreement about the amount of compensation that will be given to the injured person, a settlement is reached and there is no need for a trial. If no settlement can be reached, then the matter can be taken to trial, where both sides will argue their case in front of a jury.

The decision to take a case to trial is yours, though our team will make sure you have enough information to make a decision that is in your best interests. When we accept a case, we prepare to go to trial. Though these matters are often resolved in settlement, we find that the best results come from thorough preparation. If the other side knows that we are willing to take a case all the way to court, they are more likely to make an acceptable settlement offer.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Personal Injury Law in New York

Victims of personal injuries in New York often have legal questions they need to ask. Our experienced NYC personal injury attorneys have fielded a wide range of questions from our clients over the years. The following is a selection of commonly asked personal injury questions and our attorneys’ generalized answers.

How long do personal injury cases take?

Some cases are resolved within weeks, while others take several months or longer. Many factors determine how long a case will take, including the number of parties involved in the claim, the willingness of insurance companies to meet demands, the complexity of the case, and whether the case is settled or goes to trial.

How much does it cost to hire a personal injury attorney?

Attorneys can charge clients however they choose. At Kaplan Lawyers PC, we work on a contingency fee, which means you pay us only if you receive compensation. We believe no client should need to pay an attorney’s fees if they don’t get a result; this is why we take a fee only if we win your case.

Can I take legal action even if the injury was partially my fault? 

Yes. In New York, a person can file a claim even if they share some responsibility for an incident. In cases involving vehicle crashes, a person can often receive compensation from their insurance companies regardless of who was at fault.

How long does it take to receive compensation for an injury?

This question has no clear-cut answer simply because every case is different. Your attorney might be able to provide a general time frame that you can expect after a consultation, but there is no set length of time that you can expect when pursuing a personal injury claim.

What does it mean when a person is negligent?

Negligence means carelessness, as in the failure to take a proper amount of care in any given situation. It might also be interpreted as a careless mistake. For example, if a driver was not paying attention to the road and hit another vehicle, their negligence caused that accident. If a construction company puts their workers on faulty or broken scaffolding and a construction worker falls and suffers an injury, the company is negligent.

How do I know whose negligence caused my injury?

Determining who was at fault in a personal injury case can be more complex than one might assume. If a worker is injured on the job because of faulty equipment, it could be the fault of the employer who provided the equipment, or it could be that the company that manufactured the equipment is negligent in selling a dangerous product. Personal injury attorneys investigate cases to determine who was at fault. In some cases, multiple parties could be found negligent.

It is important to understand that each personal injury case is different, with unique details that can separate it from others. It is possible that these generalized answers do not apply to your situation.

Why Do You Need an NYC Personal Injury Attorney?

To handle a personal injury claim properly, you need . . .

• A deep understanding of the law
• The time and resources to handle the day-to-day processes of filing a claim, such as preparing and filing paperwork, corresponding with attorneys and insurance companies, and gathering evidence to build your case
• Access to expert witnesses that can back up your claims with credible science and experience
• The experience to avoid common mistakes people make when filing a claim on their own
• The knowledge and resources to research laws and relevant cases to build a successful case.

Few non-attorneys possess the skill, knowledge and experience required to meet the challenge. By having an attorney represent you in a personal injury case, you’ll be maximizing your case’s chances for success and making sure you aren’t settling for less compensation than you deserve.

What Does a Personal Injury Lawyer in New York Cost?

Launching a personal injury claim can be an intensive process for a law firm. The time, effort and resources required to build a successful case can be substantial. Attorneys can choose how they want to be paid. Some may work on an hourly rate, while others might want some payment upfront. However, many personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee. This type of payment is good for clients, because it means that they don’t have to carry the costs of a claim if it is ultimately unsuccessful.

How Personal Injury Attorneys Serve Clients

No two personal injuries are the same. At Kaplan Lawyers PC, we are proud of the fact that our team is consistent in the service we offer clients, yet flexible enough to cater our services to meet the unique demands of each client. We handle day-to-day aspects of personal injury claims: filing paperwork, conducting research, investigating the causes of our clients’ injuries and corresponding with insurance companies and attorneys on our clients’ behalf.

We have access to the credentialed, reputable expert witnesses that help us build cases. We invest heavily in presentations for trial that demonstrate what led to our clients’ injuries and how those injuries have impacted their lives. We are skilled negotiators, with years of experience representing clients, so we know how to make sure our clients are being given a fair offer.

Our attorneys and support staff answer any questions our clients have, and we keep them informed about the progress of their case throughout every part of the personal injury claim process. We know that meeting a client’s needs requires more than just getting great results; it means listening to their concerns and making sure all of their needs are met.

Set Up a Free Personal Injury Consultation Today

Not all law firms are equal. If your objective is to retain the right lawyer to help you with an injury accident, to be successful you must consider those who offer these features:

• Demonstrated experience
• A clear reputation for client success in injury cases
• Seasoned lawyers with references from satisfied clients
• Integrity and high sense of ethics
• An understanding of YOUR needs.

At Kaplan Lawyers PC, we meet clients on their terms. If a client is unable to make the trip to one of our locations, we go to them. We use all available connections to make sure they get the help they need to get their lives back to normal. Our firm is more than just an advocate in a personal injury claim — we are a support network for our clients.

If you, a friend, or close family member has suffered injury, illness, or injustice in New York, and someone else’s negligent or illegal behavior is to blame, we can help. Our New York injury lawyers will fight to maximize the value of your claim and get you the full amount of compensation you deserve.

To receive the most personalized attention about your personal injury case, call Kaplan Lawyers, PC at (516) 399-2364 to schedule your free consultation.  

Client Testimonial

”Thank you so much for bringing our case to a rewarding close. Your attention and care and friendly approach was greatly appreciated. Our experience working with you has been overwhelmingly positive.” – Barbara Moazzam (Google Review)

Managing Attorney John. J. Tucker, Esq.

John has personally handled thousands of clients who were victims of another’s negligence and fights relentlessly for their rights. John enjoys bringing closure to a client’s matter so that the injured party can move forward with their life. His background enables him to evaluate complex liability related claims and bring resolution to claims in a record time frame. [ Attorney Bio ]