If you’ve been seriously injured in any type of accident, it’s prudent to schedule a consultation with an experienced Queens accident to determine whether you have a claim against the responsible parties. The best Queens and Brooklyn car accident attorneys can advise you on whether your injuries are serious enough to meet New York State law and whether the negligent acts of the other driver are provable. You may have questions about your property damage, lost earnings, out of pocket medical expenses and other concerns, so it’s a good idea to put together a list of questions to ensure that all the issues are addressed. These are some of the topics that should always be addressed at an initial consultation with a Queens accident attorney, truck accident lawyer in NYC, or any other type of negligence attorney.
What Is the Fee Structure?
Most Queens accident attorneys offer clients a contingency fee with no upfront costs, but you should assume this. It is becoming more common for less established firms to try to pass off more of the costs to the client. For example, the retainer may require the client to pay for expert testimony if the case goes to trial. Experts can cost tens of thousands of dollars, something that most injury victims cannot afford, so you should not sign up with an attorney that requests this. The standard split of the settlement, after disbursements are deducted, is 1/3 to the attorney and 2/3 to the client. You should not accept anything less than 2/3 of the proceeds. If an accident attorney offers to take your case on an hourly fee basis, it’s probably because she doesn’t believe your case has merit and doesn’t want to risk her own time and money. If you can’t find an attorney to take your case on contingency, you should get the hint that your case is weak and not something you want to invest in either.
Types of Damages
Most personal injury cases allow victims to make claims for economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are actual monies that have been spent or will be needed for medical expenses, property damages, lost income, renovations to home and vehicle to accommodate a disability, education for a new career, etc. Non-economic damages are monies paid to compensate for the subjective feeling of pain, suffering and mental anguish caused by the accident and its aftermath. Punitive damages are paid in rare cases where it can be proven that the responsible parties were aware of the potential harm of their actions and did them anyway. When you hire the best Queens accident attorney, they know how to work your case to get you the highest possible amount of compensation.
Top Queens Accident Attorney – Wittenstein & Wittenstein
If you’re looking for the best Queens and Brooklyn car accident attorney, the top truck accident lawyer in NYC or the most skilled construction accident lawyer in the metropolitan area, consider that Wittenstein & Wittenstein has been earning the respect of the community for over sixty years. Call 718-261-8114 for a free consultation.
