Top-Rated Staten Island Personal Injury Lawyer

Each year, 24.8 million people visit a doctor’s office – and an additional 24.2 million people visit the ER – for unintentional injuries. While some of these injuries may just be a matter of bad luck, a significant number of these accidents were caused by the negligent, reckless, or intentional behavior of another person.

When you are hurt because of something that someone else did – or failed to do – you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against them. Whether you were hurt in a construction accident on the North Shore, in a car accident on Hylan Boulevard, or suffered other serious injuries on Staten Island, you can file a claim against the at-fault part. Through this type of lawsuit, you can recover financial compensation for your medical bills, future medical treatment, property damage, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. 

At The O’Connor Law Firm, we are dedicated to helping accident victims get the compensation that they deserve for their injuries. We work hard to help our clients recover maximum compensation for their losses, and never charge a fee unless we recover money for you. To learn more or to schedule a free initial consultation with a Staten Island personal injury lawyer, reach out to our law office today. 

Types of Cases We Handle

At The O’Connor Law Firm, we have significant experience handling all types of New York personal injury claims. Our legal team has represented clients involved in:

• Car accidents
• Truck crashes
• Bus accidents
• Slip and falls
• Motorcycle accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Construction accidents
• Premises liability accidents
• Wrongful Death
• And more!

Each of our cases begins with a free initial consultation. During this appointment, we will listen to your story and offer you legal advice about your rights and options to pursue a claim. We will also offer you a ballpark estimate of the value of your case.

If you decide to hire our law firm, we will get to work right away. We will start with an in-depth investigation of the case. This may include interviewing witnesses, working with accident reconstruction experts, reviewing photos and videos of the accident scene, and analyzing medical records. At the same time, we will perform legal research to build a strong case for compensation.

The next step in the process is to send what is known as a demand letter to the at-fault party’s insurance company. A demand letter sets out the facts of the case, and the legal reason why their insured is liable, and then makes a demand for damages (compensation). Insurance companies typically respond with a counteroffer, which starts the negotiation process.

In most cases, personal injury claims can be resolved without you ever having to set foot in a courtroom. However, if the insurer won’t offer you a fair settlement, it may be necessary to file a lawsuit and take the case to trial to ask a jury to return a verdict in your favor. Our legal team has substantial experience in all aspects of personal injury trials, which we put to work for our clients to help them obtain the best possible outcome.

How Can a Staten Island Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me?

A personal injury lawyer will help you level the playing field by preparing your best case to ensure you get the full compensation you deserve. Some types of damages that a lawyer will work hard to obtain for injury victims include:

• Hospital and medical expenses
• Future medical treatment
• Lost wages
• Reduced earning capacity
• Property damage
• Modifications to your home or vehicle
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Rehabilitation costs
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Disability
• Emotional distress and psychological trauma

These damages are considered compensatory damages because they are designed to compensate an injury victim for their losses. Compensatory damages are broken down into two categories: economic and non-economic damages. Generally, economic damages cover direct financial losses – like property damage and lost wages – while non-economic damages pay you for intangible losses, like emotional distress.

In some cases, you may be able to recover punitive damages. This type of compensation is meant to punish a wrongdoer and deter others from engaging in similar conduct. Punitive damages are only available in cases involving intentional or reckless conduct, such as drunk driving accidents.

For each case, our law firm works hard to help our clients get maximum compensation. If the insurance company won’t offer a fair settlement, we’ll fight hard to get you the money that you deserve. If you have been hurt in a car accident or any other type of accident, reach out today to talk to a Staten Island personal injury attorney. 

Things We Do When We Handle Your Personal Injury Case

After a client has signed with The O’Connor Law Firm, we like to explain the legal process and answer any additional questions about their case. Here is a list of some of the steps we take in handling your case:

• Initial interview with client.
• Educate clients about their particular type of case.
• Notify all negligent parties and their insurance companies of our representation and that they are not permitted to speak with you. Demand that they preserve any evidence.
• Hire an investigator to gather evidence, interview witnesses, obtain police reports, surveillance video, and other relevant evidence.
• Retain experts as early as possible to inspect the accident scene or relevant dangerous conditions before it is repaired by the negligent party.
• Analyze legal issues relevant to your case, including possible defenses, such as assumption of risk, or whether a municipal entity may be involved.
• Gather your medical records and other records that support your damages claims, including W-2s, employment records, and union and pension files.
• Commence the lawsuit by filing a summons and complaint.
• Serve Responses to the defendant’s Discovery Demands.
• Request a court conference to schedule depositions and the exchange of further discovery.
• Communicate with your treating physicians to keep up to date on your condition and better prepare your damages case.
• Review your health care plan and any liens to determine whether any money that was paid for your medical care must be repaid out of your recovery.
• Prepare you for your deposition and appear with you at your deposition.
• Conduct the deposition of all defendants and other non-party witnesses that may have relevant information about your case.
• Advise the Court that discovery is complete and the case is ready for trial.
• Prepare clients for trial testimony when necessary.
• Meet with and prepare expert witnesses for trial, including professional engineers, economists, vocational rehabilitation experts, and physicians when necessary.
• Prepare trial exhibits.
• Appear for court settlement conferences, mediations, and trial(s), when necessary.
• Analyze jury verdict and Judge’s rulings to determine whether either side has any valid arguments for an appeal.

This list is not exhaustive but is intended to give you a framework for the timeline of your case. Each case is different. Some cases may settle early on in the process, while others go all the way to trial. 

Our Staten Island personal injury lawyers have settled cases prior to filing the lawsuit and even settled cases after jury selection but before the verdict. There are always opportunities during the timeline of each case to discuss settlement with the opposing party. During the course of the case, your Staten Island personal injury attorney is in constant contact with our clients making sure they are informed at each stage as the case proceeds.

Contact the Esteemed O’Connor Law Firm Today

Being hurt in an accident can be incredibly stressful and overwhelming. You may be dealing with lost wages, mounting medical bills, emotional trauma, and physical pain. In this situation, it is often difficult to even contemplate filing a lawsuit. Our law office is here for you.

Brian J. O’Connor is a top-rated Staten Island trial lawyer who understands the importance of having a trusted partner you can rely on to help you get the compensation you deserve. Brian will meet with you one-on-one to discuss your case, answer your questions and explain the legal process in easy-to-understand terms. You pay us nothing unless we win your case. To learn more or to schedule a free initial consultation with a Staten Island personal injury attorney, give us a call at 718-948-3500 or fill out our online contact form.

How Can I Afford to Hire a Staten Island Personal Injury Lawyer?

Personal injury claims are almost always handled on a contingency fee basis. This means that you pay nothing upfront, and only pay a fee if your attorney recovers money for you through a settlement or verdict at trial. The total attorney’s fee that you pay will be a percentage of your total recovery, which is usually around 33 ⅓ %.

Contingency fee arrangements ensure that anyone can have outstanding legal representation even if they don’t have the cash on hand to pay a lawyer out of pocket. They also align the interests of attorneys and their clients, as they both want to resolve the case as quickly as possible for as much money as possible. If you have been hurt in an accident, call The O’Connor Law Firm today to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with a Staten Island personal injury attorney.

Will My Personal Injury Case Go to Trial?

The vast majority of personal injury cases are resolved outside of court. While it may be necessary to file a lawsuit to preserve your legal rights, the chances of your case actually going to trial are very low. Insurance companies are usually aware that the cost of taking a case to court often far outweighs a reasonable settlement. 

Having a highly skilled Staten Island personal injury lawyer to represent you can increase the odds of your case being settled. When insurance companies know that your attorney is ready, willing and able to go to trial, they are more likely to offer a fair settlement. If you have been hurt in an accident, you can count on The O’Connor Law Firm. Reach out today to schedule a free consultation with a member of our legal team.