When an accident leaves you or a loved one seriously injured, you are not without options. You may be entitled to compensation for your economic and non-economic damages.
A Nassau County personal injury lawyer from the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP can fight for the money you deserve after someone else’s negligence leaves you hurt.
Personal Injury Damages You May Be Able to Recover
You may be able to recover compensatory damages through a personal injury case. These damages may be economic or non-economic in nature. Additionally, you may qualify to receive compensation for both your current and future losses.
Economic Damages
Economic damages refer to losses with a concrete financial cost. Your medical bills, lost wages, and out-of-pocket expenses are all included under this category. Additionally, when we calculate your economic losses, we will make sure to include the future damages your injuries cause.
For example, if an accident left you permanently disabled, we will seek damages for any ongoing medical care you will need, such as rehabilitative therapy. You may also need to make modifications to your home, and you may qualify for reduced earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from working.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages refer to the mental and emotional harm for which you can also be compensated. Things like physical pain, disability, and loss of enjoyment of life can all fall under this category.
After a serious injury, you may not be able to participate in hobbies you once enjoyed. You may even struggle with going about your day-to-day activities. A Nassau County personal injury lawyer can build a case to show that these non-economic damages have value, and you deserve to be adequately compensated.
Wrongful Death Damages
If you lost a loved one due to an accident, we can also seek damages to help you deal with their absence. Financial recovery may include:
- Burial and funeral costs
- Cremation
- Loss of consortium, which compensates you for the services your loved one performed around the household
- Loss of inheritance, which compensates you for the income your loved one would have provided throughout the years
No amount of compensation can bring your loved one back, but you deserve to grieve in peace. A financial award can help ease the burdens their death brings upon your family. If we cannot secure these damages through an insurance claim, we can file a wrongful death lawsuit on your behalf.
The Severity of Your Injuries May Qualify You for Additional Compensation
Whether you suffered a slip and fall, a vehicle collision, or another type of accident, your life can change forever. You may have suffered a temporary or permanent disability that costs your family a fortune in medical care and lost wages.
Even if you do not believe your injuries to be severe, it is important for you to seek medical attention. Your doctor may discover that you have latent injuries that will later lead to long-term medical conditions requiring ongoing care. You do not want to be left footing the bill for these accident-related injuries.
How do You Prove the Other Party’s Liability?
In order to prove the liability of the other party, you will need to present evidence that they were behaving negligently or recklessly. You must also show that their actions or behavior led to your accident and injuries.
The Four Elements of Negligence You Need to Prove in Your Case
Whether your accident occurred on the road or someone’s property, we must prove that negligence played a role. To do this, we will gather evidence to prove that:
- The liable party had a duty of care, meaning they should have taken actions to keep you reasonably safe.
- The liable party breached this duty, such as by failing to maintain a property, abide by the laws of the road, or produce a safe product.
- The breach of duty led to the accident that caused your losses, such as a slip and fall or vehicle collision.
- Your accident caused your injuries and losses.
When we take on your case, we help you with all aspects of pursuing damages, whether we are filing an insurance claim or lawsuit.
Proving Contributory Negligence
To receive compensation, you do not need to prove that they were 100% responsible for what happened. Under New York Civil Practice Law & Rules (CVP) §1411, you only need to show that they were more responsible for what happened than you were in order to recover damages. This is called “contributory negligence,” and it means that you may still have options even if you believe you were partly to blame for the accident.
If you do bear partial responsibility for the accident, your award will be reduced by the percentage of fault you share. If a claims adjuster argues you were more at fault than the other party, we will conduct our own investigation and gather evidence to counter their findings.
Examples of Personal Injury Cases our Firm Can Handle
The term “personal injury” refers to the physical, mental, or emotional harm done to your person. This is a broad category that encompasses many kinds of injuries for which you can seek damages.
There are certain subsets of cases that merit legal action. At the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP, we have experience handling a wide variety of personal injury cases, so we can help you fight for your rights in any of the following situations:
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Car accidents, truck accidents, and other forms of traffic accidents can cause serious injuries for all parties involved. Some of these injuries can be life-altering or even deadly. As a result of a collision, you or a loved one may be suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the loss of a limb, whiplash, paralysis, or organ damage.
If the accident was caused by another driver’s negligent and unsafe actions, then you could have the foundation of a personal injury case. Our law firm can help you fight for damages to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Premises Liability Incidents
“Premises liability” refers to the responsibility a property owner has to keep people safe while on their property. Some common types of premises liability cases include slip and fall accidents, dog bites, elevator and escalator accidents, poolside accidents, and other incidents caused by dangerous and defective conditions.
If you or a loved one was injured while on someone else’s property due to their negligence, then you may be entitled to compensation.
Workplace Accidents
A Nassau County personal injury lawyer from the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP can help you recover compensation for your work-related injury. Whether you need help with your workers’ compensation claim or you need to know your options if you are not covered by workers’ compensation, we can help you understand your rights when you get hurt on the job.
Our New York law firm can help you secure a financial recovery for your injury-related losses.
Having a Personal Injury Lawyer By Your Side Can Help Strengthen Your Case
You deserve to rest and recuperate after an accident. You can leave the legal hassle to us while you recover from your injuries and spend time with your family.
Investigating Your Accident
A personal injury lawyer from our firm can investigate the circumstances of your accident in order to gather evidence of negligence. They can collect documentation, record eyewitness statements, and call in professional experts that can help show exactly what happened—and who should be held liable for it.
Negotiating for a Settlement
Armed with evidence, your lawyer will negotiate with the insurance company to fight for the best possible outcome on your behalf. Unlike insurance adjusters, your lawyer works for you and has your best interests at heart.
Insurance companies want to keep their payouts as low as possible. This means that sometimes, they try to pay less than what claimants deserve. If the liable party refuses to settle for the amount you are owed, your personal injury lawyer may need to take your case to court.
Handling All of the Paperwork and Communications for You
An insurance claim or lawsuit comes with a copious amount of paperwork that we can handle for you. For example, if an adjuster undervalues or denies your claim, we can file an appeal. We can also take care of all the legal paperwork involved with going to court.
When you hire one of our personal injury attorneys, you will never have to directly speak to an insurer or the liable party. We can manage all of the communication necessary.
Advocating for Your Legal Rights
A personal injury attorney is meant to be an advocate for you and your rights. So, if insurance companies will not play fair, your lawyer will argue your case before a judge and jury. At the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP, we are committed advocates for our clients, and we will be at your side every step of the way.
You Must Abide By the Statute of Limitations in New York
According to CVP §214, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit in New York is generally three years. Yet, based on the nature of your case, this could be subject to change.
If you need to file a wrongful death lawsuit, you only have two years to do so, under EPT §5-4.1.
You may feel that three or two years is ample time to begin a case, but keep in mind that negotiations with insurers can eat into that time. We want to protect your right to take legal action. The sooner you call us, the sooner we can begin working on your case.
Our No-Fee Promise to You
We want you to be able to pursue fair compensation for your losses while also focusing on your health. This is why we make it possible to hire a lawyer without any risk. We take clients on a contingency-fee-basis, meaning we do not charge you for our services unless we can secure a settlement or court-awarded offer on your behalf.
You can begin your case immediately while freeing up time to focus on your physical recovery and spend time with your loved ones. Let us handle the legal process for you. Take advantage of our free consultation during which you can discover your legal options.
Our Case Results Speak for Themselves
We boast impressive accomplishments when it comes to handling our clients’ cases. Take a look at some of the verdicts and settlements we have won for them:
- $1.2 million for a child injured in a car accident
- $1.3 million for a woman who suffered injuries to her nose, neck, and back after a bicycle accident
- $875,000 for a slip and fall victim at a hotel
- $1.5 million for an elevator accident
- $2 million for a lead poisoning accident in an apartment building
- $300,000 for a motorcycle accident victim
We give each of our clients the personalized attention they deserve. See what our personal injury lawyers can do for you after a Nassau County accident.
Call our Attorneys Today to Explore Your Legal Options
After suffering accident-related injuries in Nassau County, let a personal injury lawyer from the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP handle your case. We can investigate how your injuries occurred, gather the necessary evidence, and pursue the liable party for a fair financial award.
Call today to get started on your complimentary consultation.
For a free legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer serving Nassau County, call 516-358-6900
