To file a claim in New York, victims must pay a filing fee of typically less than $500. For most people, that is the only money that comes out of their pocket. Working with personal injury attorneys is typically free until you win your case. The attorney pays for expert testimony and most other associated fees. Also, New York abides by the “comparative negligence” law, which means that victims can only recover damages if they were less than 50 percent to blame for the accident, and even then, their damages may be decreased by how much they are to blame for the incident. Also, defendants have attorneys working hard to decrease the amount they have to pay. For these reasons, personal injury victims in New York work closely with expert personal injury attorneys to make sure they are compensated for medical expenses, lost wages, and property damages.

New York offers victims a three year statute of limitations during which to file claims, but the sooner paperwork is filed, the better. This gives victims and their personal injury attorneys time to gather evidence, file paperwork, and retain medical and damage records.