If you were hurt in Queens, whether in a crash on the Van Wyck, a fall on a broken Jamaica Avenue sidewalk or an accident on a job site in Long Island City, you probably have more questions than answers. Who pays the medical bills? Do you really need a lawyer? What does it cost? This guide explains what working with an injury attorney in Queens actually looks like, step by step, so you know what to expect before you pick up the phone.
Step 1: The free consultation
Your first conversation with a Queens injury attorney should cost you nothing. You’ll be asked how the accident happened, what injuries you have, what treatment you’ve had so far and whether you’ve spoken to any insurance company. Bring (or send photos of) anything you have: the police report number, photos of the scene, medical paperwork, insurance letters and the names of witnesses.
A good attorney will tell you honestly whether you have a case, what the main obstacles are and which deadlines apply. At our firm, consultations are free, and we can meet at our Rosedale office, at your home, in the hospital or by video.
Step 2: Protecting the deadlines
New York injury cases run on strict clocks. Most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within three years under CPLR § 214. But if your case involves New York City, the MTA or another public agency, a formal notice of claim is usually due within 90 days under General Municipal Law § 50-e. That covers things like a city bus crash, a pothole or a fall on city property. After a car accident, the no-fault application is generally due within 30 days.
One of the first things your attorney does is put every deadline on the calendar and file what needs to be filed.
Step 3: Investigation and evidence
While you focus on getting better, your legal team builds the case. That usually means:
- Getting the police or incident report and 911 records
- Sending preservation letters so store, building and traffic camera footage isn’t erased
- Photographing the scene before hazards are repaired
- Interviewing witnesses while their memories are fresh
- Collecting your medical records and bills
- Identifying every insurance policy that might pay
Step 4: Medical treatment and documenting your injuries
Your health comes first, and your medical records are also the backbone of your claim. Follow your doctors’ advice and avoid long gaps in treatment, which insurers use to argue you weren’t really hurt. In car accident cases, New York’s serious injury threshold means your records need to show the extent of your injury clearly. Keeping a simple journal of your pain and limits on daily life helps too. Our guide on keeping an injury diary explains how.
Step 5: Demand and negotiation
Once your treatment has stabilized and the full picture of your losses is clear, your attorney sends a demand to the insurance company. Those losses include medical costs, lost wages, future care, and pain and suffering. Most cases settle during this stage. Because New York follows pure comparative negligence, expect the insurer to argue you were partly at fault. Your lawyer’s job is to push back with evidence.
Step 6: Lawsuit and trial, if needed
If the insurer won’t offer a fair amount, your attorney files suit, usually in Queens County Supreme Court in Jamaica. The case then moves through discovery, depositions, medical exams and often mediation before trial. Our article on how a New York injury lawsuit works walks through each stage.
What does a Queens injury attorney cost?
Personal injury lawyers in New York almost always work on a contingency fee: no upfront cost, and the fee comes out of the recovery only if you win. Court rules cap these fees, and the standard fee is one-third of the net recovery. See how contingency fees work for details.
Types of cases we handle in Queens
- Car accidents and Uber and Lyft crashes
- Truck accidents and bus accidents
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
- Slip and fall and premises injuries
- Construction accidents
- Wrongful death
We represent clients in every Queens neighborhood. See our Queens service area.
Visit Yakov Mushiyev & Associates
Our office is at 1 Cross Island Plaza, Suite 325, Rosedale, NY 11422, just off the Cross Island Parkway on the Queens–Nassau border. If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you: at home, in the hospital or by video.
Talk to an injury attorney in Queens today
Yakov Mushiyev & Associates has recovered over $80 million for injured New Yorkers across the five boroughs and Nassau County. Consultations are free, available in English, Russian and Spanish, and there is no fee unless we win.
Call 718.775.3110 or contact us online for a free case review.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different. Attorney Advertising.