Greenberg & Stein: Personal Injury Lawsuits Accidents happen. How many times did you hear that when you were growing up and somebody tried to soothe you about a mistake you made…or when you experienced the mistake of another? If you or someone you know is an injured victim of an accident, as your personal injury lawyer Greenberg & Stein will help you collect compensation to cover past and future expenses incurred for lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Personal Injury Lawsuits Greenberg & Stein have helped compensate victims with personal injury lawsuits. The most common, and more obvious personal injury lawsuits are automobile accidents, work-related injuries, negligence and malpractice, sports injuries and defective products. That’s not to say that somewhat unexpected and bizarre accidents don’t occur; subway derailment happens! It’s true, a couple of years ago the F train on its way to Brooklyn derailed in a tunnel about 1,200 feet south of the 65th Street station in Woodside, in Queens, New York. Fortunately no one was killed, however there were four people who sustained potentially serious injuries. Not long ago a 46-year-old victim was not so lucky; he was killed in a Brooklyn bicycle accident after a BMW plowed into him, throwing him on the hood of the sedan that then rammed into an SUV while going the wrong way on a one-way street. These are not just freak accidents; these are accidents that happen because of the erroneous behavior of other human beings. In some cases a lawsuit is pretty straightforward. However in others, it can become quite complex. For example, if a subcontractor and not the employer cause a construction accident, a lawsuit can be brought against the subcontractor (even if workers’ compensation covers the accident). Last year a construction worker fell 10 stories to his death while working on a building on West 33rd Street in Manhattan in this construction accident. According to the NYC Department of Buildings, that site had two open safety complaints and 41 open violations. There has been an increase in the number of New York City construction accidents over the past few years. Construction sites like the one above constitute a workplace safety issue for construction workers, and even though construction workers should be covered by Workers’ Compensation, in some cases the compensation is inadequate to cover the loss of wages, future job possibilities, medical care and other injury-related expenses. Common Personal Injury Lawsuits Did you know that something as seemingly minor as a head bump in a slip and fall accident could be life threatening? A head injury can be as trivial as a tiny bump or as serious as an excessive internal hemorrhage leading to brain damage. In fact, in the State of New York, when you suffer a reasonably serious head injury you have the choice of a settlement–to save the time and trouble associated with litigation–or filing a personal injury lawsuit against the guilty party to legally recover the damages. The damage caused by personal injuries can be severe, curtailing a person’s future with debilitating effects. Here is a partial list of common injury areas resulting in personal injury lawsuits: Head Brain Back Neck Spinal cord Dog bites Dog attacks Exposure to toxic/harmful chemicals/materials – such as asbestos poisoning Carpel tunnel Wrongful death Medical malpractice Product liability Auto accident Taxi accident Bicycle accident Pedestrian accidents Construction accident Personal injury Product liability Premises liability Public transit Train accident truck accident Slip and fall accident Workplace safety Workers compensation NY Statute Of Limitations For Personal Injury Lawsuits Every state has its own statute of limitations to file a personal injury lawsuit. Awarding you damages for personal injuries and getting you compensated for the entire loss requires that the injured file a claim within the timeframes set by New York law for each classification of injury. If you fail to do so, you will be unable to bring a lawsuit. Lawsuits mean more than just calculating statutes of limitations–that is often more complicated than just adding time to the date of the accident. The statue of limitations for various classes of injuries in New York might be shorter than you think. The start date is from the actual date of the incident. In New York you have: Six years for Fraud One year for Libel-Slander-Defamation 30 Months for Medical Malpractice 1 year for Medical Malpractice–Foreign Object Left in Body 3 years for Personal Injury, Product Liability and Professional Malpractice 2 years for Wrongful Death Compensatory Damages For Personal Injury Lawsuits Understanding how compensatory damages are awarded in New York personal injury cases can provide insight into what your personal injury case may be worth. The largest personal injury verdict in NY history was awarded to Shirley Miller–a whopping $22,000,000. A Duane Reade Pharmacy truck had struck her as she was crossing Ninth Ave. Some other history making settlements were $800,000 for a workplace accident/fall from a ladder, $1.75 Million for Medical Malpractice, $500,000 for a Slip and Fall and $1.6 Million for a Dog Bite. The most common types of damages awarded in New York personal injury cases are: Compensatory Damages, Medical, Property, Income, Pain and Suffering Loss of Enjoyment, Emotional Distress, Family Relationship Interference. Greenberg & Stein Personal Injury Lawyers At Greenberg & Stein, P.C., we firmly believe that all personal injury accident victims are entitled to justice. As you’ve read in this article, injuries can happen at work, in a traffic accident, because of faulty products or services, mistakes in medical service…the list is long, and if you’ve experienced any of these wrongs you know what it’s like to try to get satisfaction and compensation. Protecting you and your claim can only happen if you contact the lawyers at Greenberg & Stein. If you think you have a personal injury lawsuit you would be wise to call the lawyers at Greenberg & Stein immediately. Do not hesitate or wait. By retaining Greenberg & Stein, P.C. to handle your personal injury claim, you will have a team of dedicated lawyers standing behind you and guiding you every step of the way. If you or someone you love was injured through someone else’s wrongful, negligent or careless actions, then you are legally entitled to pursue a personal injury claim. Our New York City personal injury lawyers can act as your advocates and pursue maximum financial compensation on your behalf. At Greenberg & Stein, P.C., our lawyers: Have 50 years of combined experience Are members of the Million and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum Honored as a “Lead Counsel Rated Attorney” Named “Officer” of the NY State Trial Lawyers Associations Are available 24/7 to take your calls Call us today to learn more about our experienced New York City personal injury lawyers. To schedule an initial case consultation contact our firm today! Our NYC Office Location: 360 Lexington Avenue, Suite 1501, New York, NY 10017 Call us: 888-411-3966 Email us anytime: seth@greenbergandstein.com