Have you or a family member been injured after a slip and fall in New York? If so, you aren’t alone. Slip and fall injuries make up nearly 21 percent of emergency room visits across the United States.
This experience can have a devastating impact on your short- and long-term health. It can also change the way that you live your life forever. When you suffer an injury as the result of another party’s negligence, you need an advocate in your corner.
Read on to learn about why retaining a slip and fall injury lawyer is important.
Specialization in Personal Injury Law
The legal field is made up of dozens of different areas of the law, but you need a law firm that devotes its practice to personal injury cases. That’s because these matters are very fact-intensive with many nuances under New York law.
An injury lawyer will know what questions to ask you during your initial consultation. Providing candid answers to your counsel about your slip and fall helps them give you an accurate assessment of your case.
Since slip and fall injuries can cause minor and significant injuries, there are a lot of different areas of medicine that can come into play. A slip and fall personal injury lawyer will know about some different areas of medicine.
Although your lawyer is not a doctor, personal injury counsel will have experience working with doctors and reviewing medical records. This allows your attorney to have a better understanding of how to present your case.
Legal Education and Training
Your personal injury attorney has courtroom experience and legal training that is essential to handling your case the right way. For the majority of practitioners in the State of New York, they must graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
Before graduation, law students attend three years of study to obtain their Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. They will also take courses on Evidence, Trial Advocacy, and Civil Procedure. These courses are crucial education for your personal injury attorney.
A lawyer must also hold a license in good standing with the State of New York. This requires passing the New York State Bar and clearing a character and fitness review.
Strong Reputation in the State of New York
The best personal injury attorneys in New York will have a long-standing reputation for their handling of cases in the state. There are many benefits to retaining a law firm that has been practicing in the state for many years.
The firm’s attorneys will have experience and familiarity with the court system and judges within the circuit where your case is filed. The way cases are interpreted and decided can vary based on where they are handled. Sometimes this is because of legal precedent with other cases or how judges read the law.
An experienced firm will also have working relationships with different lawyers that represent insurance companies and their clients. This can help your counsel have a better feel for how those firms handle these kinds of cases.
Your lawyer will consider all their knowledge and these factors as they develop a strategy for handling your slip and fall claims.
Persuasive Writing Skills
Your personal injury must have persuasive writing skills they can use to your advantage before and during a lawsuit. Before you file a lawsuit, your counsel will speak with you about the facts of your case and review your medical records.
They will apply the facts of your slip and fall to the law in the State of New York. Once this information is gathered, your lawyer will often prepare a demand letter to the other side.
The demand letter is sent to all parties that may have any legal liability and financial responsibility for your injuries. Preparing a persuasive demand letter puts the other parties on notice about your claims.
A demand letter also makes a demand for the payment of damages on or before a certain date. If the at-fault parties do not want to resolve the claims pre-suit, your lawyer will file a complaint and litigation begins.
Ready to Take Your Case to Trial
Even the most skilled negotiators may not be able to resolve your case short of trial. The insurance company or other defendants may not be reasonable with their pre-trial settlement offers. Sometimes, there are genuine issues in dispute that both sides want to be presented to a judge or jury.
Did you know that only about one percent of civil cases go to trial in the federal system? Although the chances of a trial may not be high, you need a law firm with trial experience handling personal injury cases.
When the other side knows that your law firm is ready to try your case, this can have a big impact on settlement negotiations. The insurance company or defendant will have to weigh the costs and uncertainty of trying your case in front of a judge or jury.
Without the threat of a trial, the other side may not be as motivated to resolve your claims. This can result in lower settlement offers or dragging your case out for longer than necessary.
Hire a Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer Today
Hiring a slip and fall injury lawyer is one of the most important decisions you will make after an accident. The law firm you pick can have a big impact on the course of your claims and their resolution.
At Grandelli & Eskenasi, we have been representing clients in personal injury cases since 1992. We are an experienced team of lawyers and legal staff members that dedicate our practice to slip and fall cases like yours.
We have offices conveniently located in Manhattan and Staten Island. This allows us to serve the needs of our clients in New York state. Contact us today to set up a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you!
