Law Firm in New York City

When you speak with a representative from Morgan and Morgan for the first time, one of the first questions you can expect to answer concerns the type of personal injury incident that caused you harm. Our attorneys handle every type of personal injury case, but some types of cases are much more common than other types of cases.

Car Accidents

New York City is presented in popular culture as a place where motorists exhibit rude behavior and display reckless driving tendencies. Whether drivers deserve the rude behavior and reckless driving reputation is up for debate, but there is no debate over the fact that New York City represents one of the most dangerous cities in the United States for motorists and passengers.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, The New York City Police Department (NYPD) reported 88,323 motor vehicle collisions, which represented around a 50 percent decline from the previous year.  With COVID-19 not as much of a factor in 2021, the number of auto crashes in the Big Apple jumped to more than 97,000. Although reckless driving should be considered one of the most common causes of car accidents, other factors such as distractions and driving while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol also play a role in causing motor vehicle collisions.

Slip and Fall Incidents

Venues open to the public are hotspots for slip and fall incidents, but certain venues report the majority of incidents in which a victim slips and falls. Every one of the professional sports venues in New York City is a hotspot for fans to slip and fall, from overflowing toilets to spilled beverages near concession stands. Because of high traffic and the presence of large beverage stations, convenience stores also rank high on the list of locations where the most slip and fall incidents take place.

A slip and fall can cause one or more serious injuries, including whiplash, a concussion, and spinal cord damage.

Medical Malpractice

New York City is world-renowned for its highly-rated healthcare system. However, patients are still vulnerable to falling victim to acts of medical malpractice. Healthcare facilities operating on tight budgets represent the most likely facilities to experience cases of medical malpractice, as those facilities often cut budget corners when it comes to staffing the right number of professionals. Common examples of medical malpractice include wrong diagnosis, errors committed during surgery, and prescribing the wrong medication.

To win a personal injury lawsuit for a medical malpractice case, your attorney submits copies of medical tests and a detailed description of your treatment programs.

Dog Bites

Living in a large urban area should reduce the chances of getting bit by a dog, but the New York City Department of Health processes more than 5,000 dog bite complaints each year. One of the reasons for the high number of dog bites in the Big Apple is the number of well-developed parks and recreational areas, which include the vast natural splendor of Central Park.

Dog bites can cause minor injuries such as cuts and lacerations to the development of serious, if not life-threatening, infections.

When you meet with a personal attorney for a free case evaluation, you should learn about the many types of legal support you can expect to receive.

Conduct a Thorough Investigation. 

One of the reasons why Morgan and Morgan is considered the best law firm in New York City is that we assign a properly credentialed investigator to every attorney conducting an investigation. The addition of a second investigative professional helps your personal injury lawyer in New York City collect physical evidence to strengthen an insurance claim, and if you demonstrate another party committed one or more acts of negligence, a civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages.

An extensive investigation also includes reviewing the official incident report and interviewing witnesses that verify your version of events.

Calculates a Reasonable Value of Compensation

One of the most common reasons why insurance adjusters deny claims and judges dismiss personal injury lawsuits regards the submission of an unreasonable value for compensation. The personal injury attorney assigned to your case by Morgan and Morgan adds up tangible costs that include lost wages, medical bills, and property damage repairs. Non-economic damages, which cover pain and suffering, can be difficult to calculate because they do not come with a price tag. Many victims of personal injury incidents develop the symptoms associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which can include depression and acute anxiety.

Your personal injury lawyer calculates a reasonable value for non-economic damages by using a formula that factors in the value of economic damages.

Negotiate a Settlement

Whether it happens with an insurance adjuster or the attorney representing another party, you have several opportunities to negotiate a settlement. For an insurance claim, your lawyer can negotiate a settlement at just about any time, but most negotiations take place right before the filing of an appeal for a denied claim. For a civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages, negotiations typically occur during the discovery phase of the litigation process.

Your attorney starts negotiations by submitting an offer, which the other party accepts or rejects. If the other party rejects the initial offer, you might receive a counteroffer or a letter describing the next step to take in the compensation process. Several rounds of counteroffers can follow the initial offer until both parties reach an agreement or decide to try another approach to resolve the case.

Interact With the Insurance Adjuster

Far too many insurance companies take advantage of policyholders that do not retain legal representation when filing a claim. For example, your insurance company might ask you to sign a liability waiver to reduce their financial obligation to compensate you. The insurance adjuster handling your case might deny a valid claim or approve a claim that is worth much less than what you deserve for compensation.

Hiring a personal injury attorney from the best law firm in New York City also allows you to focus on other issues related to your case, such as taking the time required to heal your injuries.

Prove the Four Elements of Negligence

To win a civil lawsuit that pays monetary damages, your personal injury attorney must prove the presence of the four elements of negligence. Demonstrating another party owed you a duty of care to protect you against harm is the first and easiest element of negligence to prove. Then, your personal injury lawyer must present sufficient physical evidence that another party violated the duty of care doctrine by committing at least one act of negligence. Third, the personal injury incident must have produced the injuries you have sustained. The other party’s attorney might claim you sustained your injuries as the result of another event.

Showing your injuries caused financial losses represents the fourth element of proving negligence for a personal injury lawsuit.

File a Personal Injury Lawsuit Before the Deadline

New York has established a deadline for filing a personal injury case at three years. The clock typically starts to tick for the deadline on the day when you sustained your injuries. However, you might receive an extension if you can show the court that you developed delayed symptoms, such as the delayed symptom associated with a concussion. Although three years is plenty of time to take legal action, you should act with a sense of urgency by filing a personal lawsuit that seeks monetary damages as soon as possible after a personal injury incident.

Morgan and Morgan offers all the attributes you want for legal representation. We have more than 35 years of experience litigating personal injury cases, with the compensation awarded to our clients exceeding $20 billion. The personal injury attorney assigned to your case will specialize in the type of incident that caused you harm. You can expect to work with a responsive communicator who represents you during every step of the insurance claim and personal injury lawsuit process. 

Schedule a free case evaluation today to get the best law firm in New York City on your side when the time comes to request compensation to recover financial losses.