New York City Personal Injury Attorneys

Helping Injured Victims Recover Compensation

When you are in an accident due to another person’s negligence, you can suffer various injuries that can affect your life. Some injuries might heal with time, while others might have long-term effects, but all injuries can be costly in many ways. You always want to know your legal rights to possible compensation for your losses.

Our injury attorneys at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman have represented innocent victims of accidents and on-the-job injuries for over 80 years. Our strong legal knowledge and skilled representation have led to hundreds of favorable settlements and jury verdicts for our clients. Give us a call today at (917) 261-3488, or contact us online to find out how we might assist you with your injury matter.

Areas of Representation

Our experienced injury lawyers successfully represent clients in accident cases that arise from the following:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Truck accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Mass transit accidents
• Boat accidents
• Workplace accidents (including construction, scaffolding, and ladder accidents)
• Uber and Lyft accidents
• Slip and falls
• Negligent security and premises liability
• Accidents due to defective products (product liability)
• Wrongful death
• Medical malpractice
• Workers’ compensation
• Construction accidents

If you suffered injuries and losses for any reason, you might have a legal claim. Don’t wait to give our experienced injury lawyers a call today to find out how we might assist.

Common Injury Risks in NYC

If you suffered injuries because of someone else’s negligence in New York City, it can disrupt your life. While personal injuries such as yours can come in nearly limitless varieties, some of the most common include:

• Car crashes on FDR Drive in Manhattan or Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn
• Truck accidents on I-78
• Pedestrian accidents in Times Square
• MTA accidents
• Ferry accidents and injuries
• Bike crashes on Brooklyn bike lanes or greenways
• Slip and falls at restaurants or attractions
• Elevator accidents in office buildings or hotels

These are only a few examples of how injuries happen around NYC. Any one of these accidents can lead to serious injuries damages that can include:

• Property damage (such as to your vehicle in a traffic accident)
• Medical expenses, which can be both extensive and ongoing
• Lost earnings, which can lead to a decrease in your overall earning power
• Physical and emotional pain and suffering

Why Choose Our Personal Injury Team?

When you suffer serious injuries, you want a law firm on your side that gets results. While past cases are not an indication or guarantee of future results, they demonstrate our dedication to excellence for every client. We obtained the following for injured accident victims:

• $48 million for a fall victim
• $20 million for pedestrian injuries
• $13 million in a negligent security case
• $20 million for a construction accident
• $9,500,000 for injuries from a defective seat belt
• $9,300,000 for a subway accident claim
• $1,600,000 for a slip and fall victim

These are only a few examples of the successful results we obtain for injured clients. To learn more about our past results and how much your claim might be worth, please reach out to our office directly.

What Is the Personal Injury Claims Process?

While every personal injury claim is unique to the circumstances involved, the basic process remains consistent across claims, including:

• You will file your claim with the at-fault party’s insurance carrier, such as the negligent driver’s car insurance provider (in a car accident claim).
• You will negotiate for a settlement that adequately addresses your full range of physical, financial, and emotional damages with the insurance company.
• If the insurance company refuses to negotiate in good faith, you will file a lawsuit against it – in pursuit of just compensation.

These are the oversimplified steps that make up the personal injury claims process, but perhaps the most important steps – the ones that are most likely to help ensure that your claim reaches a beneficial resolution – include the following:

• Seeking medical attention as soon as possible after the accident and carefully following your medical team’s advice and instructions.
• Consulting with an experienced NYC personal injury attorney as soon after the accident as possible and allowing them to negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf.

How Do You Determine Liability in Personal Injury Cases?

Determining liability in personal injury cases is often complicated, and it is a job for legal professionals. The process of determining fault often revolves around many different variables, including:

• Evidence your dedicated personal injury attorney gathers and analyzes (and any evidence gathered by you and/or onlookers at the scene)
• Accident recreation efforts
• The testimony of expert witnesses
• The testimony of eyewitnesses from the scene of the accident
• The accident report from police officers or other authorities

Unless the fault is obvious (with no room for doubt) in your injury claim, the insurance company handling your claim will attempt to cast doubt on its policyholder’s fault. The adjuster will often attempt to focus that fault on you instead. Don’t be swayed or intimidated by these efforts.

Ultimately, the evidence will back up your claim, making it important to take this kind of tactic by the insurance company with a grain of salt. Another important point is that, even if you share some fault for the accident in question, you can still seek the percentage of damages that the other party is responsible for in New York.

What Role Does a Personal Injury Attorney Play?

Having a personal injury attorney in your corner can greatly increase your ability to obtain the compensation to which you are entitled, making working closely with an experienced personal injury attorney paramount. The attorney’s exact role can include all of the following:

• Building your strongest claim (that is difficult for the insurance company to refute)
• Negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf (the insurance company is skilled at tripping up claimants, and having a buffer is in your own best interest)
• Helping you understand your best options and advising you regarding when it’s time to settle and when it’s time to push harder by filing a lawsuit
• Taking care of all the legal complications, filings, and exacting legal tasks while you tend to the important matter of recovering from your injuries

Your personal injury attorney will, in essence, help effectively and efficiently guide your personal injury claim toward its optimal outcome.

What Is the Value of My Personal Injury Claim?

Because your claim is specific to the circumstances involved, there is no way to put an exact value on it from afar. However, when you carefully assess the damages you’ve suffered due to the other party’s negligence, you can get an idea of what your claim may be worth. In addition to the serious physical and emotional pain and suffering you endured (which can significantly increase the value of your claim), there are economic damages to consider.

Medical Expenses

The medical costs you face can be astronomical, and there may be no end in sight. Serious injuries are closely associated with secondary health issues, and the need for ongoing medical attention is not uncommon. The basic medical expenses you might face include:

• Emergency care at and emergency transportation from the scene of the accident
• Surgical care and follow-up care
• Hospitalization
• Treatment and care from specialists, doctors, and other medical professionals
• Medical testing, procedures, treatment, X-rays, and scans
• Rehabilitation
• Occupational therapy and/or physical therapy
• Prescription medications
• Adaptive physical devices and adaptations to home, office, and vehicle
• Home health care
• Assistance with the activities of daily living

Lost Wages

While recovering from your physical injuries, you’ll likely be off the job, which means you’re unlikely to bring in as much income in wages. This financial downturn can be extremely challenging and can be worse if your injuries affect your ability to do your job or alter the trajectory of your career. Not only are these consequences financially devastating, but they can also be emotionally challenging due to losing your livelihood.

The Burden of Proof in Accident Cases

In cases that involve negligence, the accident victim must demonstrate that another person acted unreasonably under the circumstances and that this negligence led to the damages and injuries suffered. In the case of motor vehicle accidents, the accident victim may file a claim for no-fault insurance. They can also bring a claim against the negligent driver in cases that involve permanent injuries.

With on-the-job illnesses and injuries, the accident victim may be eligible to recover various forms of compensation, regardless of who caused the accident. To be eligible to make a New York workers’ compensation claim, the accident victim must have suffered an injury while working within the scope of employment – and while working on the job.

Types of Negligence in NYC Personal Injury Cases

While personal injury cases come in many forms, some of the most common are traffic accidents, and negligence in these cases tends to involve:

• Distracted driving – Motorists are responsible for training their full attention on driving safely, and drivers who are distracted by anything other than this important task put everyone at risk. Smartphones are quickly becoming the most dangerous and most common distraction of all.
• Impaired driving – Motorists know that drinking and driving is as dangerous and illegal. Nevertheless, many motorists refuse to swear off this terrible practice.
• Drowsy driving – Exhaustion is another dangerous driving impairment that can precipitate life-threatening accidents.
• Excessive Speed – Excessive driving speeds are closely associated with dangerous driving accidents.
• Aggressive driving – Aggressive drivers are easily some of the most dangerous drivers. Aggression can take many forms, and aggressive drivers tend to engage in multiple forms of aggression all at once. Aggressive driving practices include tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic, passing illegally, failing to yield the right of way, attempting to distract and/or offend other motorists, and much more.

If a negligent motorist leaves you or someone you love injured in a traffic accident, an experienced New York City personal injury attorney can help.

Damages Available

The damages available in accident cases depend on the extent of the injuries, the amount of medical bills incurred, and the permanent effects (if any) the accident victim might suffer.

Compensable damages in a New York City accident case might include damages for medical bills, missed time from work, pain and suffering, lost earning capacity, mental distress, inconvenience, and loss of spousal companionship.

Why You Need a New York City Personal Injury Attorney

Many people with injuries wonder whether they need to hire an attorney, and the answer is usually yes. If any of the following apply in your situation, consult with a personal injury lawyer in NYC as soon as possible.

You Suffered Injuries

Accidental injuries can require medical care and even long-term treatment, which can be costly. If you have any medical bills resulting from your injuries, speak with a lawyer to learn whether you can recover financially for these costs from a liable party.

You Have Missed Work

You can include a claim for damages to recover all the wages you lost because you suffered injuries in an accident. If your injuries negatively and permanently affect your capability to work, you may also have a claim for lost future wages and lost earning capacity.

Disputes Over Fault for The Accident

In most cases, those liable for serious accidents don’t want to admit that they caused them. This results in a lengthy and complex legal battle. An experienced New York City personal injury attorney can thoroughly investigate the accident, gather proof to determine fault, and ensure that the negligent party is held liable for your damages.

The Insurance Company Denies Your Claim

Whether you suffered injuries in a car crash, workplace accident, or a slip and fall, the chances are that you’ll need to deal with the liable party’s insurance provider to recoup compensation for your losses. But insurance providers prefer to keep their money than pay out fair compensation to injured victims. They will use sneaky tricks to reduce, delay, or refute your claim.

Having an attorney by your side, however, will help make sure that these insurers can’t take advantage of you. In addition, personal injury claims can get very complicated pretty quickly, such as in cases in which:

• You might not know the liable party’s insurance coverage limits. Figuring this out can be difficult because the insurance claims adjuster (working for the insurer) assigned to your case may not reveal this information.
• The liable party’s insurance coverage might not suffice to cover your injuries and associated damages, which means that you may need to go after the party’s assets to secure the compensation you deserve.
• The insurance provider is questioning or downplaying your injuries and related damages.

At Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman, P.C., our experienced New York City personal injury attorneys provide free initial case consultations to help injured victims decide whether or not they have a valid personal injury claim. Our attorneys can answer questions about your claim and help you determine the best legal options for your case.

Call a New York City Personal Injury Lawyer for Assistance Today

Personal injuries resulting from another’s negligence are fully compensable under the law. The lawyers at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman can review your case, determine your eligibility, negotiate the case on your behalf, and litigate your case through the court system, if necessary.

To schedule a free consultation or case evaluation, please call us today at (917) 261-3488, or contact us online.

New York City Personal Injury FAQs

It is important to recognize that every personal injury case follows its own natural progression and involves circumstances that are case-specific. This said, however, there are certain basics that apply universally, and the answers to the following frequently asked questions can help you make better-informed decisions regarding your own claim:

What should I do first?

If you suffered injuries due to someone else’s negligence, the first order of business is always obtaining the medical attention you need. After you’ve secured medical help, it’s time to consult with an experienced New York City personal injury attorney who will immediately get to work championing your rights in support of a claim resolution that protects your best interests.

Do I need to provide a recorded statement to the insurance company?

If someone else’s negligence leaves you injured in an accident (of any kind), you’re going to be hearing from that person or entity’s insurance company. Further, that insurance company is likely going to request that you provide a statement about the accident (typically a recorded statement). You are not required to provide such a statement, and it’s in the best interest of your case not to do so.

How will I pay for an attorney?

Injuries can lead to a pile of medical bills and lost income, resulting in more unpaid bills. This obviously isn’t a great time to add legal expenses to your budget. Reputable personal injury attorneys, however, work on a contingency basis, which means that their pay is contingent upon you receiving compensation from the insurance company for your damages.