According to the New York State Department of Health, 1.5 million people visit emergency rooms in the state to treat injuries every year. In New York City, building construction accidents alone injure over 500 workers annually, according to the New York City Construction Safety Report.
If you’ve been hurt in an accident at a construction site or elsewhere in New York City, you may be facing mounting debt from medical bills and lost wages. In a free lawyer consultation in NYC, you can meet with an attorney to discuss your legal options without adding to your ongoing list of expenses.
If you’re looking for a free consultation with a construction accident lawyer in New York City, call William Schwitzer & Associates, P.C. In the meantime, our experienced personal injury attorneys cover what you can expect during a free legal consultation.
What Happens During a Free Consultation?
Also known as a free case evaluation, a free consultation allows you to speak with a lawyer about your case at no cost. These initial consultations may consist of an office visit lasting 30 to 60 minutes or a video or phone call lasting 15 minutes. Ask about the duration and location of the meeting when setting up your appointment.
A free legal consultation gives you the chance to do the following:
- Discuss the facts of your accident to see if you have a valid legal claim.
- Ask about the lawyer’s experience and whether it is a good fit for your case. For example, a truck accident attorney has knowledge of trucking regulations, while a construction accident attorney knows about construction safety rules and regulations.
- Give the attorney the basic information necessary to evaluate legal issues, including liability, standards of care, and the applicable statute of limitations.
- Discuss legal fees and payment structures, such as whether the attorney charges on an hourly basis or a contingency basis.
- Gain a clear understanding of communication between you and the office (Will you talk to the lawyer or another team member? How quickly will the office respond to questions? Is this communication included in the cost?)
What Should I Bring to a Free Consultation?
Because free consultations cover a lot of information in a short amount of time, you should prepare for the appointment beforehand. Think about what you want to discuss and organize relevant documents in advance. Specifically, you should bring the following to your free lawyer consultation in NYC.
List of Questions
Write down all the questions you may have about the case, like “How much might my case be worth?” and “Is it better to pursue compensation through workers’ compensation, or do I have grounds for a lawsuit?” This will make sure you don’t forget anything important during the meeting.
Concise Case Description
You may also find it helpful to prepare a short (less than one page) case description. This allows the attorney to quickly understand your case without taking up too much time during the consultation. This summary should include the basic facts of the situation, including when, where, and how the accident occurred, who was involved, and any developments that have occurred since then.
Relevant Documents
Attorneys need to understand the facts of your accident to know whether you have a claim, if they are qualified to help you, and the best way to move forward. That’s why you should bring relevant documents like the following to your consultation:
- Medical records showing treatment and expenses, including invoices, emergency room paperwork, and doctors’ notes
- Any police reports relating to the accident
- Timesheets or paystubs showing missed work or reduced income
- Insurance details for yourself and anyone else involved in the accident
- Photographs or video evidence of property damage, the accident scene, and your injuries
- Estimates of property damage (for example, a repair estimate for your car from a collision center)
- A list of witnesses and any witness statements you may have already gathered
- Anything else you feel might be relevant to the accident
How Does Payment Work After a Free Consultation?
You may know your free lawyer consultation in NYC won’t cost money, but what happens after the initial meeting? It is essential to understand how your attorney will bill you for your case. You may find the following fee structures in place.
Hourly Fees
Many lawyers, such as family law attorneys, charge you hourly for the time they spend working on your case. Each person on the legal team has a set hourly rate, depending on their position and experience. For example, a paralegal’s time typically costs less than an attorney’s.
Many law offices use hourly rates in conjunction with retainers, which means they ask you to make a deposit at the beginning of your case. The office then deducts their hourly charges from the retainer until no funds remain. If there is work left to do, you would need to submit another retainer payment.
Contingency Fees
Personal accident attorneys (including construction accident lawyers) often charge a contingency fee. In this arrangement, the amount the law office charges you is contingent (dependent) on the outcome of the case. Typically, if you don’t recover any compensation, you don’t have to pay the attorney for legal services. If you do recover compensation, the attorney collects a percentage of the total.
According to the New York City Bar Association, the typical contingency percentage is 33%. However, some attorneys charge less, and some charge more. The contingent fee can also work on a sliding scale. For example, your agreement may specify that the attorney charges 45% of the first $10,000 recovered, 35% of the next $40,000, and 25% of any amount over $50,000.
Alternatively, a sliding scale may depend on how your case is resolved. For example, the attorney may collect 35% of a settlement achieved without a lawsuit, 40% percent for cases that settle after a lawsuit is filed, and 45% for compensation awarded in a trial. As a general rule, the more difficult or risky your case is, the higher the contingency fee is.
Flat Fees
Attorneys who work on flat fee agreements charge a set price for certain types of legal matters. Although this type of pay structure is less common, you may see it with wills, uncontested divorces, and simple bankruptcy filings. During your consultation, make sure to ask whether the upfront price includes additional expenses such as filing fees.
Pro Bono (Free) Legal Assistance
When attorneys decide to represent clients pro bono, it means they do not charge for their services. Unlike legal aid societies that pay lawyers to provide free legal services to those who cannot afford them, pro bono attorneys do not make any money on the case. Many law firms occasionally or regularly take on cases pro bono as a community service for people who may not otherwise have access to legal services.
Schedule Your Free Consultation With a Construction Accident Lawyer in New York
If you’ve been hurt in an accident in New York City, the personal injury attorneys at William Schwitzer & Associates, P.C. can help. For more information about the kinds of accidents that often lead to lawsuits and what kind of damages you can seek, check out our blog post on how to hire a personal injury lawyer.
If you’d like to set up a free lawyer consultation in NYC with William Schwitzer & Associates, P.C., call us today at 212-683-3800. Our firm works on a contingent fee basis, which means that if you decide to hire us, you won’t pay anything in attorney fees unless we secure compensation for you.
