The Long Island personal injury lawyers at Duffy & Duffy have significant experience representing individuals who have been hurt due to negligent conduct by another person or entity. Whether your injuries have occurred as a result of an automobile accident, a slip and fall, or a healthcare provider’s negligence, we will stand up for your right to compensation with the vigor that you deserve.
These cases generally involve a claim of negligence on the part of another party that has failed to act with the appropriate level of care in the circumstances. To establish the victim’s right to damages, several requirements must be met. You must first show that there was a duty that was breached. It is generally accepted that every person owes others a duty of reasonable care, or the responsibility to act in a manner that does not pose undue risks to their safety. For example, drivers need to operate their vehicles in a prudent manner, and a business must maintain its premises in a safe condition for patrons. Once a duty has been established, you must then show that there has been a breach, or violation, of the duty and that it caused harm from which you incurred damages.
It is particularly important in a personal injury claim in Long Island to include all the responsible parties in the case. In some situations, it may be easy to recognize who caused an accident. However, there are other instances where an employer or other third party, such as a manufacturer of a defective product, may also share the responsibility for your injuries. A company may be held vicariously liable for the negligence of an employee, for example, when he or she was acting in the scope of the employment relationship at the time that the harm was caused.
Tragically, careless actions may cause injuries so serious they result in death. In these cases, it is possible for the personal representative of the victim’s estate to bring a wrongful death lawsuit in pursuit of compensation on behalf of the deceased person’s surviving family members. The personal representative must show that there was some sort of reckless or negligent conduct that caused the death and that the relatives suffered damages because of their loss.
In a wrongful death action, it is common to seek compensation for medical expenses, funeral and burial costs, lost earning capacity, and harm associated with the relationship between the deceased person and the family members, such as loss of consortium, companionship, or support. When the defendant has acted especially egregious, it may be possible to pursue punitive damages, as it is in an ordinary personal injury lawsuit.
In the state of New York, there are laws that limit the amount of time in which you may bring a negligence claim, whether based on your own harm or the loss of a loved one. These laws are known as statutes of limitations and can deny you the right to pursue compensation completely if your claim is not asserted within the permitted time frame. For standard personal injury cases, you must file your lawsuit within three years of the event that gave rise to it. Wrongful death actions must be filed within two years. A personal injury attorney in Long Island could ensure a claim is filed within the statute of limitations.
If you or someone you know has been hurt because of someone else’s carelessness, the Long Island personal injury lawyers at Duffy & Duffy are ready to help you explore your options. Based in Long Island, we have assisted many individuals throughout New York in holding a variety of responsible parties accountable for the harm that they have caused. The recovery process can be long and challenging, but you should not have to shoulder the additional burden of mounting medical expenses and other costs. Contact us online or call (516) 394-4200 to speak with one of our attorneys today.
No. Our injury cases are handled on a contingent retainer. You pay nothing upfront, and we recover attorney’s fees only if your litigation is successful. We don’t bill by the hour. You don’t need to worry about running up a large attorney’s bill before you see any recovery for your injuries.
Yes. Our firm is dedicated to creating a strong relationship with our clients, beginning with keeping your information and consultation confidential.
Each case we encounter is carefully screened and evidence scrutinized to make sure the claim is meritorious and may be successful at trial. We will perform an investigation, and then our partners make a final decision on whether to take on a case.