FAQ – personal injury

How much will my personal injury case cost?
Since many injury victims cannot afford to pay an attorney by the hour, we work on a contingency fee only. This means that we do not get paid unless we win the case. If we handle your personal injury case, there are also no up front costs or fees of any kind with our law firm.

Do I need a lawyer for my personal injury case?
The main reason as to why most people do not hire a personal injury lawyer is that they do not want to pay the lawyer’s fees. In very specific cases, you might be better off not hiring a lawyer. In most cases, it is in your best interest to hire a personal injury lawyer to assess your case. Here are three primary reasons:

An experienced personal injury lawyer will assess and evaluate your offer. Insurance companies usually strive to pay as little as possible. Your lawyer will inform you about what the fair value of your case is and take you out of the dark as to what the actual settlement should be. Is $500,00 a fair value for your case? Sounds like a lot, right? But is it?

You are vulnerable to insurance companies without a lawyer because they know that you have no say in the event that your case does not settle. The advantage of having support from an injury lawyer is that they have the leverage to file a lawsuit if the offer is deemed unreasonable.

A lawyer will guide you on how to prepare for your case. Copies of medical bills? Check. A copy of that bill your mechanic sent for the automobile damages? Check. The list goes on!

Will I have to go to court for my personal injury case?
That depends. If no settlement is offered then we will take your case to trial. Considering the many factors involved in evaluating a personal injury case, the best outcome would be to be offered a reasonable settlement and go from there.

How much is my case worth?
This is often the first question a client asks. It all boils down to “damages” and figuring out what your injuries have cost you financially, physically, and mentally.

Your personal injury case may entitle you to different types of compensatory damages including:

• Medical treatment
• Income – the impact on your salary and wages
• Property loss – vehicles, clothes, etc
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional stress
• Loss of consortium – the impact that the personal injury had on a relationship (for example, a friend, spouse, or relative)
• Loss of enjoyment

What should I do after an accident?
Try to stay as calm as possible and take these important steps:

Remain at the scene. In the event that there is an injury, all participants must remain at the scene until the police say it’s ok to leave. In the event of an accident without injuries, pull over to a safe place to exchange insurance and contact info. Remember that leaving the scene of a car accident without exchanging information is a crime.

Take photos – you probably have a smart phone so take pictures of vehicles involved and the area.

Make an insurance report as soon as possible – the insurance company will inform you of what steps to take next.

Track expenses and repair estimates – this includes obtaining medical bills, written estimates or receipts for repairs and anything else related to property damages and injuries caused by the accident.

Contact an attorney – if there are injures or a tremendous deal of property damage then hiring an attorney is a good idea especially if a driver faces criminal charges related to the accident.

This information, based on New York law, was provided courtesy of The Law Office of Christopher J. Arrigali, P.C. It is intended to inform, not to advise. No one should try to interpret or apply any law without the assistance of legal counsel.