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NY Personal Injury Attorneys
What is a “personal injury”?
A personal injury lawsuit involves one party (the plaintiff) seeking monetary compensation for injuries caused by another party (the defendant). Most personal injury lawsuits allege that the defendant caused the plaintiff’s injuries through negligence. Personal injury claims sometimes do not progress to a court trial. More frequently, they are resolved through settlement negotiations between NY personal injury attorneys and insurance adjusters.
Just about any case can be the basis for a claim, but some of the more common ones include:
- car accidents;
- dog bites;
- product defects; and
- slips and falls.
Each of these types of cases involves different legal issues, but the underlying facts NY personal injury attorneys must prove are similar in all situations.
What is negligence?
Negligence is failing to use reasonable care to prevent an injury. Negligence can take the form of failing to do something a reasonably prudent person would do or doing something a reasonably prudent person would not do. To win a lawsuit based on negligence, you must show that the defendant violated his or her duty to you.
Whether the defendant was negligent is usually the main point of contention in a personal injury case, and the question of negligence is best understood by a legal professional. When in doubt, contact a NYC personal injury lawyers to help evaluate the strength of your claim.
How much is my case worth?
This is the question NY personal injury attorneys hear most frequently, but it is one of the most difficult to answer, especially right after your injury. Medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and permanency of your injuries make up a large portion of your recoverable damages, but it is impossible to know these amounts until after you have healed. When you meet with your New York personal injury attorney, he or she will investigate the circumstances of your case before coming up with a settlement demand figure.
How long does a personal injury claim take?
This depends on a variety of factors. If your case is not complicated and the defendant does not dispute liability, it could be settled within six to eight months. If your case involves unusual legal questions, it may progress to trial, which will invariably take a lot longer. It is important not to become too impatient and accept a lowball offer from the insurer. Adjusters know that your financial pressures are mounting, and some may stall unnecessarily to take advantage of this fact.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, the experienced NY personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
