You are seriously injured as a result of a slip and fall injury while on vacation. You have time off work to recover so you decide not to return for the remainder of your holiday. It turns out that returning home is not an option at all after what happened. Can I hire a lawyer? What can he do for me? How much will it cost? If you are considering hiring a slip and fall lawyer near Centereach, NY after you were injured in a slip and fall incident, read on to find out the answers to these questions from Winkler Kurtz, LLP.
The first thing your lawyer should do is contact everyone involved with your accident. He will order reports and collect evidence so that he can determine the true cause of the accident and who was at fault. For example, it could be your negligence or someone else’s. It may be that the premises where you fell were in a bad state of repair and there is evidence to suggest this.
There is also the possibility that your injuries are worse than first thought. Your slip and fall lawyer near Centereach, NY can provide advice on what type of financial settlement you should ask for. It is important that you do not accept the wrong amount or anything less than what you are entitled to.
Your lawyer will also provide advice if there are any other ways you can get money for your injuries, e.g., getting compensation through insurance providers or suing someone for damages. These measures may be understood better after your case is reviewed by a lawyer.
The other thing that your lawyer will do is instruct medical or accident experts to investigate your injuries. Your doctor might not understand the full extent of your case, especially if this happens to be his first time dealing with it. Medical evidence is crucial in claims like yours and must be handled carefully. If you are unable to work because of your injury, you need this evidence to claim compensation.
What Paperwork Is Needed?
Your lawyer will handle all of the paperwork associated with your case. He will keep you updated about how it is progressing and what can be done to improve it. He may send a letter before action if he thinks someone is intentionally harming or delaying your case in any way.
Maintenance is another thing your lawyer may do for you. He will ask for interim payments to help pay your everyday expenses while you are unable to work, likely until the case is settled or comes to trial.
The last task your lawyer might have is mediation. This means that he will come to an agreement with your opponent’s legal representative so that both parties can avoid going to court.
Your lawyer will not force you to go to court if you do not want to. He may advise, however, that it is often better for clients in your type of case. Your Slip and Fall lawyer near Centereach, NY knows how the courts work and he can help you prepare for any questions they might ask. He will tell you exactly what to expect and how best to handle it.
When you suffer an injury as a result of someone else’s carelessness, your life is turned upside down. You may be left with physical or mental scars that will last for the rest of your life. With the help of a lawyer, you can fight back and get compensation for what happened to you.
Contact Our Slip and Fall Lawyer near Centereach, NY
The fact is no amount of money can make up for what you went through, but it can help in the long-term. A legal representative will fight your case aggressively to get the best possible results for you after your slip and fall accident away from home. For consultation, please visit our appointments page and book your visit to our office now.
Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Injury On Long Island
Naturally, if you’re new to a personal injury lawsuit, you likely have several questions about the process, timing, and anything else in between. At Winkler Kurtz LLP, we strive to provide our clients with the clearest transparency regarding any questions you may have regarding your legal case. We understand our clients needs, and we cater to you in regards to any potential questions that may arise throughout the entirety of our legal battle with you.
If you’d like to speak with someone directly, you can give our office a call by dialing 631-928-8000 or you can fill out one of our online forms by visiting our contact page.
For all other potential questions, our staff has compiled a list below of some of the most frequent personal injury questions that have been asked at our Long Island office:
Question: What is considered to be a personal injury?
Answer: The word to keep in mind in regards to personal injury is negligence. Were you injured as a result of someone else’s misconduct? Accidents are often the driving key when it comes to a case involving personal injury cases. Examples of accidents such as these can include car accident (most common), slip and fall cases, wrongful death, defective or damaged products, and many others. See below for a list of potential cases, and consider if you’ve been a victim of negligence for any of the following:
- Aside from cars, other automobile accidents i.e. motorcycle, truck, bicycle, etc.
- Pedestrian accidents
- Construction accidents and work related injuries
- Medical malpractice (one of our specialties)
- Wrongful death
- Hospital negligence
- Surgical errors
- Struck by an object
- Machinery or equipment injury
- Falling off a ladder or scaffolding
- Misdiagnosis
As specialists in the realm of personal injury, we proudly support our clients and help them gather the compensation they not only require but deserve. For a full listing of all our personal injury specialties, please give us a call today.
Question: How Do I Know If My Case Qualifies For Personal Injury?
Answer: If you were injured in an accident as a result of someone else’s negligence, in all likelihood, you will have a personal injury case. Review of your situation will be necessary, which is why we ask our prospective clients to schedule their free consultation with us. That way, we don’t waste your time or money and can give you an answer after reviewing the facts regarding your situation. The fact of the matter is that all personal injury cases can vary. But we always try to cater to our clients needs and provide them with the necessary resources.
Bodily injury is also key when identifying if you have a case. If you have a physical injury that will require medical expenses to recover from, you may be entitled to compensation. Should you also miss time from work, you can also be eligible to receive compensation for any lost wages.
Question: How Long Does A Personal Injury Case Typically Last In New York?
Answer: Unfortunately this is a vague response, but it really does depend on your situation. Should a settlement be reached, your personal injury case may resolve a lot faster than most people’s cases. However, if a settlement is not reached, your case will then need to go to civil court after filing a personal injury lawsuit. This will likely extend the timing of the process and can extend the case to last even longer. If you accept the first settlement offer, then on average, your case could be resolved within 9 months. At maximum, it can take up to a couple years for a resolution to be reached for your case. It also depends on the nature of your case. Typically, car accident cases are resolved sooner as opposed to those involving medical negligence.
Question: Do All Personal Injury Claims Go To Court?
Answer: In most cases, your personal injury claim will likely not need to be brought to court. Settlements are the most common resolution when it comes to personal injury cases. These settlements are negotiations that are discussed between your personal injury lawyer on Long Island at Winkler Kurtz and the negligent parties’ insurance company. We work tirelessly for our clients to help you attain the settlement value that you deserve regarding your personal injury case. In the unlikely event that a settlement is not reached, we can file a lawsuit on your behalf and bring your case into civil court. Damages and fault will need to be agreed upon from there, but as always we will provide you with the strongest possible legal representation.
Question: When considering a Long Island Personal Injury Lawyer, Why Should I Choose Winkler Kurtz?
Answer: Winkler Kurtz, LLP has been serving both Nassau and Suffolk County residents since 1987. We have been a proud member of the Long Island community, helping residents resolve their personal injury cases with trusted and quality legal representation.
Jim Winkler, Sandy Kurtz, and Rich Winkler established the law firm of Winkler, Kurtz & Winkler, LLP in Port Jefferson Station, New York. As one dynamic firm, these three young men brought together years of shared experience in the areas of personal injury law and family law. From the start, Winkler Kurtz, LLP has been devoted to helping Long Islanders get back on their feet after a tragic accident or the loss of a marriage. In 2005, Winkler Kurtz, LLP expanded the firm by developing our Estates, Wills and Trusts department due to high demand from existing clients for services to help plan for terminal illness and death. Today we have seven attorneys, each of whom has developed a commitment and proficiency to one field of law.
Truthfully speaking, our case results simply speak for themselves. See below for some of the resolutions we’ve achieved for our clients over the years:
- $3.4M Result – For a 9-year-old girl who sustained a traumatic brain injury with hemiparesis from a head-on automobile collision.
- $3.0M Result – For a 48 year old union painter who sustained bilateral shoulder tears and herniated disc requiring discectomy and fusion following a fall from a ladder which broke underneath him.
- $2.25M Result – For the wrongful death of a university professor and his wife who left one adult son surviving them following a motor vehicle accident.
- $2.0M Result – For a woman who suffered brain hemorrhages and multiple fractures following a rear-end collision on the Long Island Expressway.
- $1.9M Result – For a young woman in a medical malpractice action involving the failure to diagnose and treat a ruptured appendix.
At the end of the day, not only do our case results speak for themselves, but we also care about you the individual and will do everything in our power to put your incident behind you and help turn what was a negative situation into a slightly more positive one. Our firm retains an entirely client-centered focus. We offer free consultations for our clients so at the very least you can get a solid starting point and understanding of your situation. Our lawyers are also willing to communicate with you as frequently as you need, as we’re sure you’ll have questions throughout the entirety of the process. That’s what we’re here for!
Question: If I Decide To Meet For My First Free Consultation, How Should I Prepare?
Answer: We ask that you provide us with all details regarding your case. When and where did the accident occur? Who were the parties involved? If you can also provide us with necessary paperwork such as your insurance information, any and all medical expenses or outstanding bills, and an assessment of your current injuries. Was transportation involved as part of your accident, such as riding in an ambulance? What is the current healthcare treatment that you are receiving? Chiropractic care? Physical therapy? Have you seen an orthopedist? Lastly, has your injury forced you to miss any time from work or affected your job performance? If it has caused you to miss time, how much time?