Personal Injury

New York Car Accidents

When involved in a car accident, the law requires drivers to stop their vehicles, exchange information regarding insurance coverage and identification, and to notify the police about the accident. If those legal requirements are not met, the accident can turn into a hit-and-run case (leaving the scene of an accident), which is a criminal offense. If the police suspect that a driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the driver may be subjected to sobriety and other tests to check if the blood-alcohol level is above the legal limit. Criminal liability involves penalties that range from imposition of fines to jail sentences, as well as collateral consequences such as administrative suspension or revocation of a driver’s license. In the case of civil liability, a court determines damages based on the facts and circumstances of each individual case, and monetary compensation can be awarded in appropriate circumstances.

Steps you can take if you are involved in a car accident include:

• First, pay attention to immediate medical needs Try not to panic.
• Assess the extent of damage or injuries.
• Do not leave the scene of the accident until you inform the police, and the police come to the scene and record the accident information.
• Make a note of the type of vehicles involved, the weather and road conditions at the time of the accident, and obtain the license plate and identification numbers of the vehicles involved. Also obtain the names, addresses, and phone numbers of everyone involved in the accident and any witnesses.
• Inform your insurance agent as soon as possible.

If you have been involved in a car accident as a driver, passenger or pedestrian, call Hochheiser Hochheiser & Inwood for a consultation.

Construction Accident Lawyers in New York City

Construction workers must deal with some of the most dangerous working conditions faced by employees in any industry. Regulations, specifications, inspection requirements, and job safety programs all seek to prevent construction site accidents and promote safety awareness on the part of all parties involved in a construction project. But despite these important efforts to deal with the challenge of construction site safety, accidents occur and will undoubtedly continue to occur, due to both the nature of the work itself and the variety of hazards faced by construction workers. These hazards can include falls from scaffolds and other elevations, being struck by moving or falling machinery, electrocution, health hazards resulting from exposure to asbestos and chemicals, injuries caused by defective or unreasonably unsafe equipment, and lifting and repetitive motion injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a construction accident, the first step in your legal recovery is to meet with a skilled attorney to discuss the situation. Issues in your potential case, including compliance with occupational and site safety standards and regulations, engineering issues, and liability and indemnity determinations, all require that your claim be handled by an attorney who is experienced in the area of construction accident liability. If you are injured in a construction accident call Hochheiser Hochheiser & Inwood for a consultation.

New York City Elevator Accident Lawyers

To operate an elevator, the building owner should comply with requirements imposed by the federal and local building codes. But sometimes building owners do not faithfully comply with these regulations, and accidents result. If you are injured in an elevator accident, call Hochheiser Hochheiser & Inwood for a consultation.

NYC Manhattan Product Liability Lawyers

Product liability refers to a manufacturer or seller being held liable for placing a defective product into the hands of a consumer. Potentially liable parties include: the product manufacturer; a manufacturer of component parts; the wholesaler, and the retail store that sold the product to the consumer.

In general terms, the law requires that a product meet the ordinary expectations of the consumer. When a product has an unexpected defect or danger, the product cannot be said to meet the ordinary expectations of the consumer.

Product liability actions are often quite complex, and establishing legal fault often requires the assistance and testimony of experts. There are several theories under which a plaintiff might bring a claim, and several defenses that might defeat such a claim. Accordingly, it is important to consult an experienced attorney if you or a loved one suffers injury caused by a potentially defective product. If you have been injured by a defective product, call Hochheiser Hochheiser & Inwood for a consultation.

New York City Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyer

Slip and fall is a term used for a personal injury cases in which a person slips or trips and falls, and is injured on someone else's property. These cases usually fall under the broader category of cases known as "premises liability" claims, because slip and fall accidents usually occur on property owned or maintained by someone else, and the owner or possessor of the property may be held legally responsible.

Dangerous conditions such as torn carpeting, changes in flooring, poor lighting, narrow stairs, or a wet floor can cause someone to slip and suffer injury on a sidewalk, inside a business or inside a private residence. If you have been injured after a trip and fall on a public sidewalk, stairway, escalator, pothole in the ground, or in a business while shopping, or on someone else’s private property, call Hochheiser Hochheiser & Inwood for a consultation.

New York City Wrongful Death

Wrongful death lawsuits are brought by the relatives of a person who died as a result of a wrongful act. Wrongful death litigation is designed to compensate the relatives of a deceased person who depended upon the deceased for financial or emotional support. The wrongful act may be a negligent or careless act, such as careless driving; a reckless act; or an intentional act, such as murder.

There are several prerequisites to filing suit, and the plaintiff has the burden of proving that the act, omission, or conduct of the defendant caused the death. A plaintiff must also show that the deceased has a surviving spouse, child, or other dependent, and that the death of the victim has caused emotional distress or financial loss to those dependents.

Potential damages in wrongful death cases include medical, hospital, funeral, and burial expenses; pain and suffering damages; and damages for loss of financial and emotional support, services, wages, and other benefits to the family members of the deceased.

If a plaintiff establishes that the death of the victim was caused by an intentional, malicious, or premeditated act of the defendant, punitive damages may also be available.

NYC Medical Malpractice Lawyers

When illness or injury forces you to see a physician or go to the hospital, you can generally be assured that a medical professional's years of experience and training will result in excellent treatment. But in truth, medical care providers are only human, and errors are always possible. Medical malpractice occurs when a negligent act or omission by a doctor or other medical professional results in damage or harm to a patient. Negligence by a medical professional can include an error in diagnosis, treatment, or illness management. Medical malpractice laws are designed to protect patients' rights to pursue compensation if they are injured as a result of negligence. However, malpractice suits are often complex and costly to win. Therefore, if you believe you have a medical malpractice claim, call Hochheiser Hochheiser & Inwood to arrange a consultation with an attorney experienced in medical malpractice cases.