If you have been injured on a New York City construction site, it is vital that you learn your rights as soon as possible. One of the best ways to get information that can help you recover is to speak to an injury attorney about the potential for filing a lawsuit. Injury attorneys will typically offer free consultations to injury victims to offer initial thoughts on compensation options and see if the victim and attorney should work together. Injury victims can greatly benefit their claims—and choose the best representative for the case—by asking each attorney a few simple questions.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a New York Injury Attorney
New York construction workers have options when it comes to selecting a lawyer for their accident case, and the one they choose can have a significant impact on their recovery. Victims can narrow their options and get peace of mind with their selection by asking the following questions:
How is your track record?
Your attorney should be open and honest about his or her case results in the specific type of accident you have suffered. You should know how many injury cases like yours the firm has won and lost, and if the firm has any testimonials from past clients they would be willing to share. Of the cases won, you should know about how many settled, and how many went to trial. While the vast majority of cases settle, a good attorney should have trial experience and be willing to go to trial if a client’s case is best served by going to court.
What are your specialties?
The law is vast, and attorneys cannot possibly know every detail about every area of law. Most will choose a specific area of one type of law to center their entire practice around it. For this reason, not every lawyer is best suited to an injury case. While you may already know that hiring a tax attorney or divorce attorney for an injury case may not be a good fit, there are many differences among the specialties of injury lawyers. The lawyer you choose should be familiar with your type of accident, your type of injury, and what needs to be done to secure compensation in these cases. For instance, our focus is on maritime injuries and construction accidents in New York City, so we are familiar with the kinds of injuries sustained in these cases and have extensive experience dealing with construction employers, applying state labor laws and federal injury statutes, and coordinating benefits with the workers’ compensation system.
How long have you been serving injury clients?
It is not uncommon for attorneys to focus on more than one area of law throughout their careers, especially those who represent injury victims. At Hofmann & Schweitzer, we have been primarily serving construction injury and maritime injury clients in New York City for over 30 years, and that brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our clients.
What resources will be used to develop my case?
Some lawyers ask their clients for upfront payment to shoulder the costs of investigating the case. Our injury attorneys know that clients are usually struggling financially after an injury, and will never ask them to take on this additional burden. We cover the costs of investigation, filing fees, hiring expert witnesses, and other expenses until after your case is won.
What can I expect after hiring you for my case?
Attorneys may have multiple clients, but a good attorney will make you feel as if he or she is working just for you. You should know the attorney’s policy on following up with you, how long it will take to respond to your calls and emails, and whether someone in the office will always be available to you.
If you were injured while working on a New York City construction site, we will spare no expense in securing you the compensation you deserve. We can help you get your workers’ compensation benefits approved and determine whether you may be able to file a third-party claim—and we will not collect payment for our services unless we are able to secure a recovery for you. Fill out our quick online contact form or call (800) 362-9329 to speak with a construction injury lawyer at Hofmann & Schweitzer today, or read through our FREE brochure, Hurt in a Construction Accident? You’re Not Alone.
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