Personal Injury Lawyer in the Bronx

Many people think that hiring an injury lawyer means you have to end up in court. Although this happens from time to time, it is more likely that you will reach a settlement agreement with the at-fault party before ever going to court. When the stress and cost of a trial can be avoided, it should be. And the person who caused the injury is usually just as happy to get back to normal life as the injury victim. But if a fair settlement cannot be reached, the legal team at the Law Office of Evan W. Kohn is prepared to take your case to court and fight for the compensation you deserve.

What a Bronx Accident and Wrongful Death Attorney Can Do for You

Having an experienced attorney by your side following an injury accident can greatly reduce stress and costs. Let your lawyer handle the insurance companies, responsible parties, witnesses, and the big piles of paperwork so that you don’t have to. The only thing you should be doing at this point is healing. To give you the best chance of receiving a large financial settlement, your attorney should:

• Gather evidence—This may include photographs of injuries and/or the scene of the accident, statements from witnesses, police and medical reports, employment reports, and hospital bills.
• Negotiate a settlement—This process can take a while as it is dependent on the response and/or offer from the insurance companies and any responsible parties. Once received, your attorney will go over the offer with you to decide, together, if the offer should be accepted or refused.
• File a lawsuit—This will only occur if a fair settlement offer is not made during the negotiations process. If a lawsuit is filed, the defendants will have 30 days to file a response.
• Begin the discovery process—After all defendants have responded, the discovery process will start. Discovery includes getting statements from any involved parties, experts, and witnesses. This process can be long and expensive—just another reason that agreeing on a financial settlement before going to court is preferred whenever possible.
• Prepare for trial—As we said earlier, the goal is to avoid trial (and the lawsuit and discovery process) by reaching a fair settlement outside of court. But if trial becomes necessary, the skilled injury team at the Law Office of Evan W. Kohn will fight aggressively to protect your rights and get you the financial compensation you deserve.

And if you run into trouble with creditors while your case is ongoing, an experienced injury lawyer can help. It is not uncommon for personal injury accidents to lead to financial problems, at least temporarily. You may be out of work as a result of the accident, with medical expenses piling up. We will contact your creditors to explain the situation and negotiate a fair solution. Creditors are usually happy when there is a promise to pay what they are owed out of the money received at settlement. Your attorney can also research whether or not you have Credit Disability Insurance on any loans, which can make your loan payments while you are unable to do so.

What to Do if You’re Involved in an Injury Accident

If you have been harmed due to the negligence of another person, you have rights. But it’s important to understand those rights and do your part to protect them, otherwise, you might lose out on any type of financial award. The steps below will help you improve your chances of a successful injury claim.

• Call for help. If you have been involved in an auto accident, call the police. In addition to protecting your safety, this will result in an official police report, which could be very helpful if you decide to file a lawsuit.
• Take pictures. If you are able to do so, photograph the scene of the accident—including anything that may have contributed to it—from as many angles as possible. For example, if you slipped in a spilled liquid at the grocery store, take a picture of the wet floor. And if no “wet floor” sign had been placed by the spill, make sure to photograph the entire aisle so that your attorney can prove there was no warning sign. Also take pictures of any visible injuries, such as bruises, cuts, or other wounds.
• Seek medical treatment. Immediately following an injury accident, it is important to follow up with a doctor, even if injuries are not visible. Certain injuries, such as soft tissue damage and internal bleeding, may not produce visible symptoms for days or even weeks. But the underlying damage can be serious and irreversible. In addition to protecting your health and wellbeing, seeking medical treatment will help to prove your injury claim or lawsuit.
• Do not discuss your case with the insurance companies or other involved parties. If anyone asks questions, tell them to contact your lawyer. It is also important to avoid signing any documents without first talking to your lawyer.

At the Law Office of Evan W. Kohn, we work on a no win no fee basis, which means that if you don’t win your case, you don’t pay us anything for our services. We charge an affordable fee of one-third of the settlement amount you receive. When your case is settled or you win your personal injury trial, your lawyer will write you a check for your compensation after taking one-third of the total to cover legal fees.

Common Personal Injury Cases We Handle

At the Law Office of Evan W. Kohn, we handle every type of personal injury case. But certain cases are much more common. These include:

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Residents of the Bronx and surrounding areas know heavy traffic, and they see plenty of traffic accidents. Auto accidents, including car crashes, cab, and rideshare accidents, large truck crashes, and those involving motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, are among the most common personal injury cases we handle. Following an accident, insurance investigators, adjusters, and lawyers will do everything in their power to pay you as little money as possible, including offering extremely small settlement amounts when they don’t think you will fight hard for the money you are owed. Having an experienced lawyer by your side will ensure that you are not taken advantage of and that you receive every dollar you deserve.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice can lead to serious health problems, the inability to return to work, emotional pain and suffering, high medical bills, and even death. Some of the most disturbing medical malpractice cases involve serious birth injuries and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that lead to lifelong disability. While birth injuries can occur through no fault of the doctor or other medical professionals, these injuries are often the result of medical negligence. Among the most common negligence-related birth injuries are broken bones, brain injuries, spinal injuries, and cerebral palsy. If you or your child has been injured due to medical negligence, a Bronx malpractice attorney can help you determine how to proceed.

Construction Accidents

Most people know that construction is one of the country’s most dangerous jobs. Thousands of people are seriously injured in construction-related accidents each year, and one in five workplace deaths occurs in construction. From faulty scaffolding and lack of personal safety gear to poor training and supervision, most construction accident causes are easily preventable. Although construction workers are usually covered by workers’ compensation if injured on the job, you may be able to get additional financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other related costs if employer or third-party negligence was involved in your injuries.

Transit (Subway) Accidents

With millions of people traveling on New York’s transit system every year, minor injuries are bound to occur. But when those injuries are serious or are caused by negligence, victims may be able to get compensation for any resulting financial losses. If you were injured on New York’s public transportation—while standing on the platform, riding, boarding or getting off a train or bus, or using the stairwells or elevators to enter or exit, it is in your best interest to consult with a Bronx accident and wrongful death attorney without delay. Whether the injury was due to a negligent or drunk driver or conductor, poor vehicle or terminal maintenance, or broken equipment, somebody is responsible. In addition to helping you obtain the compensation, you need to move on with your life, holding responsible parties accountable can ensure that other people are protected from similar injuries.

What You Can Recover in a Personal Injury Case

In most cases, personal injury victims can get compensation for present and future medical expenses, lost income, costs related to emotional pain and suffering, expenses for alternative transportation, and long-term or permanent disability. In New York as in all states, there is a statute of limitations on personal injury cases, which means you have to file a claim within a certain period of time to obtain compensation. So don’t delay, seek legal counsel today if you want to ensure that your rights are protected, your claim is filed on time, and you have access to the maximum compensation available to you.

Bronx Personal Injury Lawyer: Lawsuit Process

When a reckless person or party causes you harm, where do you turn? Depending on the accident and the extent of your injuries, you may need costly medical procedures and/or lifelong care. If negligence is at fault, you need to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in the Bronx. Filing a claim can help you obtain compensation for medical care, lost wages, and other damages. Additionally, a lawsuit may stop the defendant from acting recklessly in the future, saving other people from the same suffering you were forced to endure.

While every personal injury case in New York is different, some of the basic steps in the process are as follows:

• Consult with a personal injury lawyer in the Bronx — Unless you are a personal injury lawyer yourself, you need to hire an attorney. Think of it this way: If you were injured, would you diagnose yourself? Even if you were a doctor, you would still want a specialist to treat you. The same logic applies when it comes to filing a personal injury lawsuit. To increase your chances of recovering a fair settlement for your accident, you need to retain the services of someone who focuses on helping injury victims like you. And you need to do so sooner than later — the statute of limitations may be running out.
• Case investigation — When you hire an attorney, they should immediately begin investigating the circumstances of your accident. This involves collecting and analyzing police reports, accident reports, medical records, witness statements, financial records, employment history, photographs, and video evidence. Additionally, your lawyer should have access to expert witnesses like accident reconstruction specialists and medical professionals who can support your claim with facts.
• Demand package — Next is what is called a demand package. This is essentially a document that you send to the opposition where you explain your case, the liabilities, and damages you suffered. Your demand package will be reviewed by the defendant’s counsel and/or insurers. Depending on the specifics of your case, the opposition may respond with a rejection, counteroffer, or acceptance.
• Pre-trial phase — Most personal injury cases are resolved out of court through settlement negotiations. However, if a settlement is not accepted, the pretrial phase will begin. This is where the actual lawsuit is filed. Additionally, the discovery process will take place at this time. This is where both sides have the opportunity to poke holes in each other’s’ cases through interrogatories.
• Mediation — Either before or after you file your lawsuit, mediation may be sought as a last-ditch effort to avoid a trial. 
• Trial — If mediation fails, your case will go to trial where a jury will have the power to review facts, determine fault, and award damages.

This is what happens, in a nutshell, in a personal injury case. However, depending on many factors such as evidence, the extent of injuries, and the experience of counsel, your case may be more or less complicated.

What to Look for When Choosing a Bronx Personal Injury Lawyer

Whether it’s for a car accident, a fall, or a medical malpractice case, you might need help from personal injury lawyer in the Bronx at some time in your life. But, how can you find the right one? Here are some things to look for.

Find a Lawyer or Law Firm That is Local

If you live in the Bronx or elsewhere in New York City, you need to be represented by lawyers who are familiar with New York State and New York City laws pertaining to liability, negligence, and other aspects of personal injury cases.

Seek Out Referrals and Reviews

Friends or colleagues may be able to recommend an accident and wrongful death attorney in the Bronx. There are also many reviews of lawyers on various websites and in social media. If you live in the Bronx, you can look for lawyers and check their credentials on the New York City Bar Association website. Do a Google search to see if you find cases that the law firm has handled that had successful outcomes.

Conflicts of Interest

Be sure that the lawyer does not represent a person or business that you might consider suing or other party (such as an insurance company) that might have an interest in your case.

Find a Lawyer Who Specializes in Bronx Personal Injury Cases

Determining negligence can be very complicated for general practice attorneys. Your personal attorney may be able to refer you to a good personal injury lawyer.

Your Lawyer Should Offer a Free Consultation and Work on a Contingency Basis

Most personal injury law firms offer a free initial consultation to help you determine whether or not it makes sense to file a personal injury lawsuit. For the majority of cases, most personal injury law firms work on a contingency basis. If you don’t get compensated for your injuries, you will not have to pay the law firm. You may, however be required to pay for filing documents and other costs.

Find Out if You Can Communicate Well

You should be able to communicate freely, preferably in your native language. Many law firms have lawyers and staff who speak Spanish, Bengali, and/or other languages that reflect their communities.

Contact the Law Office of Evan W. Kohn Today

If you have been injured due to the carelessness, negligence, or recklessness of another person, the skilled legal team at the Law Office of Evan W. Kohn can help. Our highly knowledgeable, experienced lawyers offer legal services tailored to each client’s unique needs and circumstances. Evan W. Kohn and our entire staff work tirelessly to help our clients get the money needed to help them heal, return to work, and live life to the fullest after an injury accident.

Mr. Kohn has practiced as a personal injury lawyer in the Bronx for more than 35 years. He has recently started serving upstate locations including Ulster County and Delaware County. He has a deep understanding of the needs and values of the local community. Whether our clients speak English, Spanish, or Bengali, we have staff who can communicate with them in their native language; every client is understood and handled with compassion. And we never charge unless you win. The legal system is extremely complicated and you should have an experienced injury attorney fighting for you every step of the way. Contact the Law Office of Evan W. Kohn today at 718-409-5500 for a free and confidential consultation about your case.