A best personal injury lawyer can be instrumental in helping you recover from a serious accident that left you with debilitating injuries. Their job is to build a strong case to help you receive compensation to cover past and ongoing medical bills, pain and suffering, loss of life’s enjoyment, and lost wages. They will investigate your claim, determine liability by the at-fault party, and handle all negotiations with their insurance company.

In addition, they will work to establish the extent of your physical and emotional damages. In New York, this includes a claim for punitive damages that are designed to punish the defendant for their negligent actions and serve as a deterrent to others from engaging in similar conduct. This type of award can be granted when the defendant is a corporation or business that acts in bad faith or a medical professional who commits malpractice.

When evaluating potential personal injury lawyers, there are some basic questions you should ask at the outset of your first interview. For example, how long has the attorney been in practice and what percentage of their caseload consists of personal injury cases? Also, it’s important to understand the attorney’s philosophy and approach to handling a personal injury case. For example, some attorneys believe in aggressively negotiating with the insurance companies and may not be afraid to try your case in front of a judge and jury.

Finally, you should find out the lawyer’s policy regarding expense reimbursement in the event that they lose your case. Many personal injury lawyers will not require you to reimburse them for expenses related to your case, whereas others do.