Car Accident Lawyers on Long Island
Following a car accident on Long Island, you have a lot of options for hiring an attorney to represent you in your injury claims. But how do you decide which attorney is right for you?
Parker Waichman LLP believes in the importance of selecting the best attorney for your legal needs, so our law firm has put together some helpful tips to help guide you through the process of hiring the right legal team for your accident injury case. When you're ready to take action, call us for a free case evaluation to see what our experienced attorneys can do for you.
Why Do You Need an Attorney?
Under New York's no-fault law, you must start by submitting a claim through your own automobile insurance carrier to receive reimbursement of economic losses such as lost wages, medical bills, and lost income. But you may not know that you are also eligible to file a lawsuit against the driver who injured you.
A qualified Long Island car accident attorney can help to ensure that you are fully compensated for the damages you have suffered. When you hire a Parker Waichman auto accident attorney on Long Island, we'll fight hard to maximize the amount of compensation you receive. To begin building your case, your attorney will:
- Create a summary of the accident from your perspective and/or that of any family members
- Identify and (if possible) speak to any witnesses to the accident
- Obtain police reports from the accident
- Obtain film or photos from any nearby businesses that might show the accident
- Gather film or photos of the accident, injuries, and/or vehicle damage from you and any witnesses
- Contact insurance carriers
- Determine the applicability of New York's no-fault law to your claim
- Order medical records from the treatment you received for your accident injuries
- Consult with experts regarding the strengths and weaknesses of your claim
Your Long Island auto accident attorney will also handle all of the details of your litigation, from filing court documents to advocating on your behalf in settlement negotiations and/or in court.
What Qualities Should You Look For in an Attorney?
Once you decide to hire an attorney for your Long Island car accident case, how should you go about selecting someone? There are a number of qualities you can look for in a lawyer to make sure you have chosen a firm you can count on to deliver results. Your lawyer and law firm should have:
- Experience: Make sure you are working with a firm that has litigated numerous car accident cases in New York and on Long Island in particular. You want someone who understands this area of law and understands the procedures on Long Island.
- Adequate Staffing: Your firm should have enough lawyers and staff to manage your case and keep you informed. You should not go through long stretches of time without hearing back from your Long Island auto accident lawyer or the law firm's staff, and you should feel like your case is progressing appropriately.
- A Strong Reputation: Perform some online research and ask questions before hiring a firm to make sure the firm and its lawyers have a reputation for success. Read online reviews and testimonials, and feel free to ask the firm about its results in Long Island car accident cases.
To assess the best attorney and firm for you, ask plenty of questions during your initial consultation. You should not feel rushed or pressured to sign with a lawyer but should feel comfortable with the case intake process and the firm's apparent ability to handle your claims.
Questions to Ask Potential Long Island Auto Accident Attorneys
When you are weighing your options for representation, contact each firm for a consultation, and ask questions to help you understand the environment at the firm and the attorneys' level of experience. Some key questions can help you quickly discern whether you want to sign with that firm or keep looking for other Long Island auto accident lawyers:
- How much experience do you have with New York car accident cases?
- What are some of your recent car accident case results?
- How long have you been taking cases on Long Island?
- What other types of cases do you handle?
- How many car accident lawyers does the firm have?
- If I sign with your firm, how accessible are the attorneys for case updates?
- What methods do you use to update clients on their cases?
- Do you use contingency-fee contracts?
- What is your percentage of attorneys' fees?
- How quickly can you evaluate my case?
Because of the stakes involved for you and your family, you should only work with lawyers who know car accident law and know how to win these cases. The above questions should assist you in vetting firms to find representation you and your family trust to achieve the outcome you need.
Parker Waichman: Experienced Long Island Car Accident Attorneys
The attorneys at Parker Waichman have decades of experience litigating Long Island car accident claims. Ours is a nationally recognized law firm with an ever-growing reputation for securing impressive results for those who seek our legal help.
We understand how devastating car accident injuries can be, and we help our clients recover compensation to make up for lost wages, pay for property damage, and cover medical bills so that you can focus on recovering from your injuries.
Our experienced lawyers quickly investigate and review new cases to give our clients timely answers about their legal options, and we always contract cases on a contingency-fee basis. This arrangement means that our law firm only gets paid when you do. If you do not achieve a successful resolution to your case, we will not receive attorneys' fees or reimbursement for our expenses. When you hire an experienced Parker Waichman auto accident lawyer on Long Island, you'll pay nothing out of your pocket for our services.