The Empire State is home to almost 20 million people, and countless of those residents will find themselves needing professional medical care for accidental injuries at some point in a given year. If you are one of those residents affected, you likely know better than anyone how disruptive an unexpected injury can be to every part of your life.
Often, people who get hurt due to the misconduct of others in New York have the right to file suit against anyone responsible for their injury. However, achieving a favorable result from this type of claim can be difficult without a dedicated attorney’s support. Working with a seasoned New York personal injury lawyer from Phillips Law Group may significantly improve your chances of fairly recovering your losses rather than filing a suit alone.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim For Different Types of Accidents
Most of the time, personal injury claims in New York are built around the legal theory of “negligence,” which places civil liability to pay for ensuing damages on anyone who recklessly or carelessly violates a “duty of care” owed to another person, causing that person to get hurt. For example, since all motor vehicle drivers have a duty to act lawfully and responsibly behind the wheel, someone who causes a wreck by running a red light would likely be civilly liable for any crash-related injuries due to their “breach of duty.”
Alternatively, some people hold “strict liability” for injuries that occur under specific circumstances—for instance, manufacturers who make and sell a product with an unreasonably dangerous defect. Furthermore, while civil claims regarding medical misconduct are generally built around negligence, state law defines “negligence” for doctors and nurses differently than it does for the average person.
Some of the most common types of personal injury cases our team handles claims for include:
- Dog bites
- Slips and falls
- Premises liability
- Medical negligence
- Car, truck, and motorcycle wrecks
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
- Dangerous drugs and defective medical devices
A trusted New York personal injury attorney from our firm could help an injured person understand whether they have a valid claim and, if so, represent their best interests every step of the way, even if that means taking the case to court.
What Damages Could Be Recoverable?
The goal of any personal injury claim filed in New York is to alleviate specific “damages” sustained by an injured person by compensating them for the financial, physical, and psychological effects of those damages. A skilled personal injury lawyer in New York can help factor both “economic” and “non-economic” forms of harm into a personal injury lawsuit, including but not strictly limited to:
- Costs of past and future medical care
- Lost earning capacity and work earnings
- Personal property damage
- Physical pain and discomfort
- Mental trauma and suffering
- Lost enjoyment/quality of life
While rare, courts overseeing personal injury claims may also impose additional “punitive damages” against defendants who engaged in highly egregious negligence or intentionally malicious conduct and then award those damages as extra compensation to the injured plaintiff filing the lawsuit.
Talk to a New York Personal Injury Attorney Today
Getting hurt when you are not expecting to is never easy to deal with, and being proactive about an injury you experienced entirely because of another person’s misconduct can be especially tough. Nevertheless, your responsibility will almost always be to demand fair financial restitution and be proactive about enforcing your rights.
Phillips Law Group has been locally owned and operated for 30 years, aggressively advocating for our clients and achieving favorable results. You have help available from start to finish of your legal proceedings with a New York personal injury lawyer who is willing to fight on your behalf in a civil courtroom if necessary. Call today to speak with a member of our team and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your potential claim.
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