The path depends on how you were hurt
Personal injury is a broad label, and the route a claim takes depends on the setting. In New York, injuries from car accidents start with no-fault insurance for medical bills and part of lost earnings, and a claim for pain and suffering beyond that requires meeting a serious injury threshold set by state law. Injuries at work generally go through workers' compensation, although a separate claim against a third party, such as an equipment maker or a property owner, may also be possible. Injuries on property, from products, or during medical care each raise their own questions about responsibility. New York reduces, rather than bars, recovery when the injured person shares some of the fault.
What to keep from the start
Keep medical records, bills, and the names of every provider you saw, along with proof of missed work. Photographs of the scene and of your injuries, taken as soon as practical, often carry weight later. Write down witness names and the police or incident report number. Save any messages from insurers, and be cautious about giving a recorded statement or signing a broad medical authorization before talking to a lawyer. Continue the treatment your doctors recommend, because gaps in care are often used to argue the injury was minor.
Timing and how we start
Deadlines apply, and some are much shorter than people expect. Claims against a city, a county, a public authority, or another government body usually require a notice of claim within a brief period after the injury. Insurance policies have their own notice requirements as well. At the outset we work out which kind of claim you have, who might be responsible, which insurance is in play, and which deadlines apply to you. Personal injury matters are commonly handled on a contingency basis, and we explain how that arrangement works before you agree to anything.
