Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City’s five boroughs, with a population of about 2.6 million. While you can find personal injury lawyers throughout the borough, the largest concentration of personal injury lawyers is located in Downtown Brooklyn, on Court Street. The term “Court Street lawyer” has become synonymous with the street-smart, aggressive personal injury and malpractice lawyers that inhabit the area. While there have always been some scoundrels and ambulance chasers to be found, the great majority of Court Street lawyers are skilled attorneys who fight hard for their clients and are feared in the courtroom.
Here are a few things you need to consider before hiring a Brooklyn “Court Street” lawyer.
1. Does he or she offer a free legal consultation?
Most personal injury lawyers offer a free consultation, either by phone or in office. If a lawyer charges for an in office consultation, you might want to look elsewhere. Reputable, experienced personal injury lawyers never charge a consultation fee.
2. Is this lawyer an ambulance chaser?
Did the lawyer contact you about your recent accident? If he did, he got your name and information from one of his “investigators” or “runners.” These individuals have “ins” with tow truck drivers, police officers and even hospital staff who supply then with your pertinent information. Be leery. Ambulance chasers are not the most skilled or well-respected lawyers on the block. They usually have high volume practices and therefore cannot devote much time to any particular case.
3. How experienced is the lawyer?
Is the lawyer you are about to hire a seasoned pro who knows the ins and outs of personal injury law? Is his or her practice limited to personal injury cases? You do not want to hire a lawyer who does a little of everything. You wouldn’t hire a foot doctor to do brain surgery. You shouldn’t hire a criminal lawyer to handle your personal injury claim.
4. Has the lawyer told you how much your case is worth?
Some lawyers will tell you your case is worth a large sum of money to induce you to hire them. When settlement time comes, the amount you are asked to accept is a faction of that large number promised. Be leery of the lawyer who uses the hard sell. No lawyer can tell you what your case is worth in an initial consultation. Every case is different, even cases that share the same fact pattern.
5. Has the lawyer told you he can settle your case quickly?
While many personal injury cases do settle relatively quickly, these are usually small cases where there are few facts in dispute. Cases involving serious injury or complicated issues tend to take time to resolve. If a lawsuit has to be started, the case could drag on for years. Be leery of any lawyer who tells you he can settle you case quickly. He may be just looking for a fast settlement, to your detriment.
If you’re a Brooklyn accident victim, a “Court Street” lawyer may be just what you need. But remember, there are all kinds of lawyers out there. Choose wisely.
Delores Lyon says
June 1, 2015 at 4:04 pmThanks for sharing this advice on hiring the right attorney. I agree that it is very important to hire an attorney that isn’t an ambulance chaser, especially if your case is complicated. It is really nice, though, when an attorney offers you a free legal consultation. It helps you understand the basics of your case, and whether or not filing a claim is a good idea.
McKayla Strauss says
June 24, 2015 at 11:58 amIt’s good to know that you should be really careful when dealing with lawyers that contact you first after you’ve been in an accident. If I’m going to be hiring anyone, I would want it to be someone that I found and have thoroughly researched first. If I haven’t checked them out first, I’d have a very hard time believing that they would be best to represent me.
Virginia Davis says
July 2, 2015 at 1:28 pmThanks for the information. It is good to know some ideas for how to find a good personal injury attorney. I agree it is important to find a lawyer who specializes in your kind of case. That way, you can be sure that they know what to do and the best way to do it. I will be sure to consider your advice when looking to hire a lawyer.
Lily de Grey says
August 19, 2015 at 11:48 amGreat post, John! Thanks for sharing this with us! I’ve been thinking about hiring a personal injury lawyer, so I’m glad that I stumbled upon your article. I think you’re absolutely right: it’s important to ask your potential attorney how experienced they are in your case. I’m going to make some appointments today, and I’m hoping that I’ll be able to utilize your questions. Wish me luck!
Lily de Grey says
September 8, 2015 at 1:17 pmExcellent article, John! I’m glad that I stumbled upon it because I’ve been thinking about hiring an auto accident attorney. I was recently involved in a car accident last week, and the medical bills have pilled up, and they’re hard to afford. I think you’re absolutely right: it’s important to ask whether or not your potential lawyer has experience. I’ll be sure to follow your suggestion by asking him for his referrals before I hire him. Great suggestions! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Jenkins Leroyson says
September 22, 2015 at 10:55 amThis is great information. I like how you point out that you should first start by getting a free legal consultation. That can really help you find the best lawyer for your case. Thanks for sharing this.
Jake White says
October 7, 2015 at 8:51 amWe are currently looking for a personal injury lawyer for our friend who got his foot run over by a careless driver. We will take these considerations into mind as we look for a good lawyer, especially finding out how experienced the lawyer is in these matters. it seems like that would be one of the more important things to find out about a potential lawyer. Thanks for sharing this information with us!
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