The Court Of Public Opinion

1. Lawsuits seek to compensate you for your injuries.

a. They compensate you for:
i. Your lost wages, and your future lost wages,
ii. Your medical expenses, both past and future, and
iii. Your pain and the suffering it caused in the past, and for the future

2. Lawsuits do not directly seek to harm anyone?s reputation.

3. A doctor who is sued will not lose their medical license if the lawsuit is successful.

4. A lawsuit attempts to compensate the injured victim, and at the same time, try to ensure that the same type of bad treatment is not repeated in another patient.

5. ?A lawsuit is not a lottery.?

a. This phrase is often used by defense attorneys during jury selection to remind jurors that their job is not simply to allow the injured victim to ?hit it big? and award huge amounts of unjustified money.

b. A more realistic approach to a lawsuit is for reasonable, full and fair compensation to allow you to recover all of your past and future expenses, and all of your past and future pain and suffering compensation.

6. You don?t have to pay any money upfront to an attorney to handle your case. There is no ?hourly fee?.

a. Medical Malpractice and injury cases are generally handled on contingency.

b. That means that the attorney fee depends upon you winning your case. If you lose, the attorney loses as well, and receives no fee.

c. The expenses that the attorney pays to prosecute your case are technically supposed to be repaid by the client in the event the case is lost. However, as a personal matter, I have never asked a client to reimburse me for my expenses if I lose a case. It just doesn?t make sense to do so, and in my personal opinion, it?s bad business. However, some attorneys do require this, so make sure you ask first before you make your decision.

7. Not every attorney has the same experience.

a. Ask your attorney how many years they?ve been in practice,

b. Ask the attorney what percentage of medical malpractice or accident cases he handles compared to other types of cases,

c. Ask whether he/she tries cases in the Supreme Court (it?s the trial level court for New York,

d. Ask whether he?s ever lost a case;

i. If he tries cases, and claims he?s never lost a case?I?d suggest either that the attorney is not being accurate, or simply only accepts clear-cut cases that he cannot lose- that?s extremely rare.

ii. The majority of trial attorneys will have lost a case from time to time. Unfortunately, it?s the nature of the beast.

e. Ask whether the attorney you meet with will be the one handling your case on a day to day basis. If not, who will be your attorney? Whom will you call with questions? How quickly will the attorney call me back? How often can you expect to receive correspondence from the attorney about the status of your case?

8. A lawsuit takes time to come to a conclusion.

a. The average time is 2-3 years from start to finish.

9. How often do I have to come into the attorney?s office during this time?

a. Once to meet the attorney in an initial meeting,

b. Once to sign documents that start your lawsuit (often this can be done by mail),

c. Once to have your deposition (where you are asked questions by the other side?s attorney),

d. At least once to prepare you for trial, and sometimes two or three additional times to prepare you.

10. As in life, there are no guarantees to winning. However, with good experienced counsel and thorough preparation, you stand a much better chance of being fully informed about your prospects and achieving a good result.

Gerry Oginski is an attorney with over 16 years of experience handling medical malpractice and injury cases involving car accidents, trip and falls, defective products and medication errors. His consultations are always free. He invites injured victims and their family members to call with any legal questions they may have about their injuries or their accident. The consultation is free, and there is never any pressure or obligation at any time. Call Mr. Oginski today and get the information you need to help you through the legal minefield; 516-487-8207.

Q: What are the top 10 most important things you need to know if I slip and fall?

A: 1. What was the weather like on the day you fell?
2. What were you wearing on your feet?
3. Do you wear eyeglasses?
4. Do you have a history of dizziness or falling?
5. Are you taking any medications that make you dizzy?
6. What did you slip or trip on?
7. After you fell, did you see what it was that you fell on?
8. Were there any witnesses to your fall?
9. Did you file an accident report with the owner of the property, or with the police?
10. How long do you think the dangerous condition existed before you fell?

Q: I slipped and fell on a city sidewalk and broke my leg. Do I have a case?

A: The key question is whether the City had ‘notice’ of the defect you fell over. Did they know about the condition and fail to fix it in time to prevent your accident? If they didn’t have actual written notice, was the defect large and significant enough so that they should have known about it?

The answer to those questions will help determine whether we are able to prove that the City was responsible for your injuries. Remember, there may have been construction in the area where you fell that may have contributed to creating the defect you fell over.

With a claim against the City, you must file a notice of claim within 90 days of the date of the incident! This must be done correctly to protect your legal rights.

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Q: When you question my doctor at a deposition, can I be present? Can I ask questions too?

A: During a lawsuit, each side gets to question the other side during a procedure called a deposition. (It’s also called an examination before trial- EBT). During a deposition, it’s an opportunity for me to get specific answers about what happened to you or your loved one. There are important strategies used by experienced trial lawyers when questioning a doctor in your case.

Not only are we trying to establish facts, as the doctor recalls them, but are also attempting to lock the doctor into a position about what was done for you, and why. I will always ask the doctor to read his treatment record, and then have him or her explain the reasons for treating you the way he did.

As a victim or family member of a loved one involved in the case, you are always welcome to be present when I question the doctor at his deposition. However, I must caution you that sitting across from the person whom you believe caused you or your family serious harm is very unsettling. The urge to reach across the table and do something physical is ever-present. The urge to verbally respond to a comment by the doctor is also very strong. Please remember, if you wish to be present, you can. BUT, the focus and emphasis is on questioning the doctor, NOT your desire to give him or her a piece of your mind.

If you have certain questions you feel are important to your case, by all means discuss them with me before the deposition. You will not be permitted to ask questions yourself.

Importantly, if you choose not to be present when I question the doctor…not to worry. I can send you a copy of the transcript so you can read it at your leisure. In my experience, 99 times out of 100, my client will choose not to be present during a doctor’s deposition.

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Q: During my case, will I have to be examined by a doctor for the defense?

A: In almost every type of injury case the answer is yes. When you put your medical condition in issue, and you claim you were injured because of another’s wrongdoing, the defense has a right to have you examined by a doctor of their choosing. This allegedly (at least in theory) allows them to evaluate your current medical condition to see for themselves whether you are truly as disabled as you claim to be.

The reality is that there are many doctors who are routinely used by various insurance companies to perform Independent medical exams. This term is really a farce, since there is nothing Independent about this exam. The defense insurance company selects this doctor. They send him your records. They pay his fee for the exam. In some cases, the referrals to doctors for these types of exams will make up the bulk of a doctor’s practice. In that instance don’t you think that the doctor is more likely to MINIMIZE your injuries, and make the defendant’s position better, so as to encourage the insurance company to keep sending patients to the doctor to examine?

If the doctor gave an unbiased, totally objective medical opinion in every instance, I am pretty sure that many of the monetary offers by insurance companies would be much fairer and higher than they currently are. Remember, insurance companies are in business to MAKE MONEY. Not to give it away. Also, these doctors who are doing these exams see the patient only one time; and not for treatment. They don’t have the benefit of seeing the patient many times, over a period of weeks, months or even years. There is no real relationship that develops during this solitary exam. How can a physican realistically evaluate someone’s medical condition without the benefit of seeing and evaluating them over time?

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1. Lawsuits seek to compensate you for your injuries.

a. They compensate you for:
i. Your lost wages, and your future lost wages,
ii. Your medical expenses, both past and future, and
iii. Your pain and the suffering it caused in the past, and for the future

2. Lawsuits do not directly seek to harm anyones reputation.

3. A doctor who is sued will not lose their medical license if the lawsuit is successful.

4. A lawsuit attempts to compensate the injured victim, and at the same time, try to ensure that the same type of bad treatment is not repeated in another patient.

5. A lawsuit is not a lottery.

a. This phrase is often used by defense attorneys during jury selection to remind jurors that their job is not simply to allow the injured victim to hit it big and award huge amounts of unjustified money.

b. A more realistic approach to a lawsuit is for reasonable, full and fair compensation to allow you to recover all of your past and future expenses, and all of your past and future pain and suffering compensation.

6. You dont have to pay any money upfront to an attorney to handle your case. There is no hourly fee.

a. Medical Malpractice and injury cases are generally handled on contingency.

b. That means that the attorney fee depends upon you winning your case. If you lose, the attorney loses as well, and receives no fee.

c. The expenses that the attorney pays to prosecute your case are technically supposed to be repaid by the client in the event the case is lost. However, as a personal matter, I have never asked a client to reimburse me for my expenses if I lose a case. It just doesnt make sense to do so, and in my personal opinion, its bad business. However, some attorneys do require this, so make sure you ask first before you make your decision.

7. Not every attorney has the same experience.

a. Ask your attorney how many years theyve been in practice,

b. Ask the attorney what percentage of medical malpractice or accident cases he handles compared to other types of cases,

c. Ask whether he/she tries cases in the Supreme Court (its the trial level court for New York,

d. Ask whether hes ever lost a case;

i. If he tries cases, and claims hes never lost a caseId suggest either that the attorney is not being accurate, or simply only accepts clear-cut cases that he cannot lose- thats extremely rare.

ii. The majority of trial attorneys will have lost a case from time to time. Unfortunately, its the nature of the beast.

e. Ask whether the attorney you meet with will be the one handling your case on a day to day basis. If not, who will be your attorney? Whom will you call with questions? How quickly will the attorney call me back? How often can you expect to receive correspondence from the attorney about the status of your case?

8. A lawsuit takes time to come to a conclusion.

a. The average time is 2-3 years from start to finish.

9. How often do I have to come into the attorneys office during this time?

a. Once to meet the attorney in an initial meeting,

b. Once to sign documents that start your lawsuit (often this can be done by mail),

c. Once to have your deposition (where you are asked questions by the other sides attorney),

d. At least once to prepare you for trial, and sometimes two or three additional times to prepare you.

10. As in life, there are no guarantees to winning. However, with good experienced counsel and thorough preparation, you stand a much better chance of being fully informed about your prospects and achieving a good result.

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Q: What is a deposition, and will I have to testify at a deposition?

A: First, a deposition is a question and answer session where you will swear (or affirm) to tell the truth. The questions and answers are recorded by a Court stenographer, who will later transcribe all of the questions and answers into a booklet.

If you are bringing a lawsuit for injuries you or your loved one suffered then you will be required to testify about your knowledge of the events and your knowledge of the injuries. You will also be asked questions about how those injuries have affected you (or your loved one) and what treatment you’ve received to treat those injuries.

The attorney(s) for the people you have sued will be questioning you, usually in my office. Sometimes, because of an inability to travel, we can accomodate the injured victim and conduct the deposition closer to their home. Naturally, I will be there with you every step of the way.

Prior to your ‘deposition’ you will meet with me, either on the day you are scheduled to be asked questions, or on a scheduled day before the deposition. During that meeting, I will prepare you extensively about what you can expect will be asked of you by the other attorney(s). By the time we have finished our meeting, you will be aware of practically all the types of questions you will likely be asked by our adversaries.

During the deposition, if you have any questions or concerns, we can take a break and discuss them in the privacy of my office.

Once your deposition session is finished, you can expect to receive a copy of the booklet that contains all of the questions and answers asked and given. You will also receive special instructions about how you must review the transcript for any errors, and what to do if you find factual or typgraphical errors.

On another date, I will have an opportunity to then question the ‘defendant’ (the party that you have sued) to determine from them what happened and why. You are welcome to attend the defendant’s deposition with me, however there are some instances where I will advise against being there, and in some instances I will encourage the client to accompany me.

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You’ve just been injured in an accident. Get ready for the onslaught of mail from lawyers at home. Be prepared for those ugly billboards showing pictures of crashed cars and wreckage with victims crawling away. Beware the yellow pages ads that proclaim quick and fast settlements for your injuries.

Do you need an attorney? No, and here’s why:

5 Reasons Why You Don’t Need An Attorney After You’ve Been Injured In An Accident

1. You know it all.

By knowing it all you have more knowledge and experience than a New York personal injury trial lawyer. That’s good. You know what the law is and whether your injuries are serious enough to prevent you from getting thrown out of court. Knowing it all means you know how to negotiate with the insurance company. You are aware of the common tricks they use to get unsuspecting victims to settle cases, like sending a low-ball settlement check to the client with the appropriate closing papers, telling them all they have to do is sign here and the check is theirs. You must know how to find out what the insurance policy limits are, and whether there is any excess insurance available to pay for your injuries. Having all the information means you know how to say No to an insurance company offer and start a lawsuit on your own behalf. It also means knowing how much time you have to file a claim with the insurance company, and how much time you have before you need to start your lawsuit.

2. You know how disabling and permanent your injuries are.

Doesn’t it feel good to know that you can convey how serious and permanent your injuries are? You can clearly and concisely express your frustrations and feelings to the insurance company. Just don’t expect them to shed any tears for you.

3. You know the true value of your injuries in the county you live in and don’t need a lawyer to tell you otherwise.

Knowing it all means that you know your injuries are worth more than the McDonald’s Lady who won a large award. It means knowing that your injuries are worth more than the insurance company has ever seen before. It means knowing that in your town and in your county, the same type of injuries for the same age individual is similar or different than your own. Knowing it all means that you know where to search for information that you can use to show the insurance company that your injuries are worth more than a similar victim. It means that you know what medical records and documents the insurance company needs to confirm your injuries and permanent disability.

4. Why should you have to give part of your compensation to some lawyer you don’t even know?

Why do you need to give up 1/3 of your award, when you can do it all yourself? You know that handling an accident claim and then a lawsuit is no different than reading a do-it-yourself book, similar to building a deck in your backyard. If your neighbor the lawyer can do it, so can you! Why pay someone to do it for you? Do you think they could possibly obtain more money for your injuries than you can? If you don’t think so, then by all means, don’t hire an attorney. But if you have that nagging suspicion that they just might be able to achieve a better result, then you owe it to yourself and your family to call a personal injury lawyer right away.

5. You have more experience than a New York personal injury trial lawyer and know that you can overcome any defense the insurance company throws at you.

You know that with every claim and every lawsuit, the insurance company and their lawyers will fight you tooth and nail on everything from liability, to causation, to the extent of your injuries. You must know all of those defenses and how to overcome them. You must surely know of how to contact witnesses and obtain their statements, and how to use them to your benefit. Of course, you also know how to try your case and achieve success- all the while trying to support your family and recover from your injuries.

Conclusion

So, do you need an attorney after you’ve been in an accident? I leave that question for you to ponder. If you know it all, then you don’t need an attorney. However, if you think you might benefit from legal counsel and their experience, then don’t wait. Call an experienced injury lawyer immediately to make sure you know and understand your legal options. Good luck in your quest for justice!

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