Tuesday, March 31, 2015

HOW TO FIND A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER IN NEW YORK

If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident you will want to consider hiring a personal injury attorney. A personal injury attorney is a lawyer who concentrates in handling cases where people have been injured due to the negligence of others. Negligence is the failure to provide reasonable care. A personal injury lawyer will be able to advise you on what steps are required to protect your rights, whether you have a viable legal action, and how much time you have to sue. 

There are tens of thousands of lawyers in New York and thousands that handle personal injury cases. How do you find a personal injury attorney who is right for you?

There are many ways to find an attorney: referrals by a friend, family member or another attorney are a good way to start. Lawyers can also be found through advertising, whether online, on television, radio, or print media. Searches for lawyers who have written for legal publications, newspapers, magazines or online on the legal issues you have questions about can also lead to finding a lawyer with the appropriate expertise.

Once you have the name of a lawyer to contact, you should make sure that the lawyer is experienced in handling personal injury cases, and specifically the type of personal injury case you need an attorney for. Make sure that you are comfortable with the lawyer. Speak to the lawyer and make sure the lawyer is able to explain to you the law what will be expected of you throughout the lawsuit. It is important that you are able to communicate with your attorney and that he or she communicates with you.

Don’t hire an attorney just because he or she promises you a lot of money. Anyone can make promises. Many attorneys will promise a lot of money in order to get a case regardless of the issues that may prevent a large recovery down the road. Be wary of an attorney who paints a rose-colored picture just to get your business. An experienced and trustworthy lawyer knows better than to make any guarantees.

Most attorneys will offer a free consultation - take advantage of that meeting to have all your answers questioned to your satisfaction. Most attorneys in New York work on a contingency fee on personal injury cases, so there are no attorney’s fees unless there is a recovery. The standard attorney fee for personal injury cases in New York is one-third of the recovery, though in medical malpractice cases there is a statutory sliding scale. Thus, the amount of the attorney’s fee will likely not be an issue in your decision.

In summary, you want a lawyer who is licensed to practice in New York, has years of experience handling personal injury cases, is able to answer your questions and explain the law, and you feel comfortable with.

For a FREE CONSULTATION call SILER & INGBER, LLP at 1-877-529-4343. 

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