After an accident, many injured victims consider negotiating their own settlements. Maybe they have handled a small home insurance claim in the past, so they feel confident they can handle their own personal injury claim. They might also be worried about paying a lawyer’s fees, which they believe will reduce the amount they take home.

Attempting to tackle an undertaking like this by yourself is a mistake, however. A New York City personal injury attorney offers many benefits to accident victims and can often help victims recover significantly more compensation than they would if they had represented themselves.

An Attorney Strengthens Your Claim

Obtaining compensation requires showing that some person or entity was at fault for the accident that injured you. This evidence can take time and energy, which are often in short supply when a victim has suffered serious injuries. If you have a broken bone, burn, or brain injury, you might not have the energy to go out and collect evidence. Your NYC personal injury attorney can do all this for you.

Evidence is not always easy to find, either. For example, you might have slipped in a business parking lot. In a case like this, a lawyer may need to visit nearby businesses to see if there is surveillance video of the parking lot where your accident occurred. Because lawyers know what evidence is helpful—and where to find it—they can pull together unusually strong claims for compensation.

Your Personal Injury Attorney Can Increase Your Settlement

Insurers rarely offer fair settlements right out of the gate. Instead, they typically make a low-ball offer, discounting much of the pain and suffering that a victim has experienced and sometimes even challenging the amount of medical care a client has received.

To get the compensation they deserve, victims often need to negotiate with insurers, which have little incentive to increase the amount offered. Many insurers are confident they can outwait an injured victim, who needs money to pay their rent or mortgage, buy groceries, and pay for medical care.

Our lawyers understand the insurance laws that require that insurers treat victims fairly and settle claims quickly. When insurers act in bad faith, they can be sued for failing to follow these rules. Consequently, we can put pressure on insurers whenever they are acting unfairly. Many insurers behave very differently when they see a seasoned attorney on the other side of the bargaining table. Because of our experience, we can often increase the amount of money our clients take home—even after deducting our fees.

Your Attorney Can Fight for You in Court

Settlement negotiations are not always successful. Some insurers will not make a fair offer, no matter how much back-and-forth is involved. In these situations, a victim needs an attorney who can file a lawsuit to obtain fair compensation.

Litigation is complicated and requires detailed knowledge of legal procedures and evidence. Our team can successfully bring a lawsuit and make a compelling argument to a judge and jury. If successful, our clients can often receive substantial compensation at trial.

Contact a New York City Personal Injury Lawyer to Get Started

With so much on the line, there is no reason not to hire a qualified personal injury lawyer in NYC to represent you. At Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman, we remain committed to our clients. If you call 212-285-3300 or fill out our contact form, we will get to work on your behalf, too.

Does a Brain Injury Show Up Immediately after an Accident?

No two brain injuries are the same. Some manifest symptoms immediately, which makes them easy to diagnose. Others, by contrast, can take days or even weeks before a victim is aware that something is wrong. Because each brain injury is different, those involved in accidents must carefully monitor how they feel and go to a doctor as soon as they suspect something is wrong. Once you have a diagnosis in hand, you can meet with a New York City brain injury attorney for help with a legal claim.

Not All Concussions Cause a Loss of Consciousness

One way that many people know they have suffered a brain injury is that they immediately lose consciousness. This is particularly true with moderate or severe traumatic brain injuries.

However, concussions do not always result in a loss of consciousness. Sometimes they do. Sometimes a person, especially if they are alone, might lose consciousness without even really knowing it. For these reasons, we don’t believe people should assume they haven’t suffered a brain injury simply because they did not pass out.

Watch for Symptoms of a Brain Injury Instead

In the days and weeks following an accident, pay attention to how you are feeling. If you notice any of the following symptoms, they might indicate a brain injury:

• Headaches, especially very painful headaches
• Lack of coordination or balance
• Sensitivity to light and sound
• Slurred speech
• Blurred or double vision
• Too little or too much sleep
• Mood imbalances, including depression
• Memory problems

Each of these suggests that a person has suffered a brain injury. Intense headaches, in particular, could mean that you are bleeding in the brain, which is a life-threatening injury warranting immediate medical treatment.

Diagnosing a Brain Injury

Brain injuries can be difficult to diagnose. In many case, doctors diagnose them by asking you questions about the accident and how you are feeling. A doctor may also order different tests, such as a CT scan or an MRI. These tests allow the doctor to look at the brain to see what is going on. It is vital that you get to the hospital or a doctor as soon as you begin feeling symptoms of a brain injury.

If you have a concussion or other traumatic brain injury, then an imaging test might not show anything unusual. This does not mean you haven’t suffered a serious brain injury; it simply means you have a different type of one. Doctors usually diagnose concussions and other TBIs based on your symptoms and your memory of how you were injured.

Contact a New York City Brain Injury Lawyer for Help with Your Claim

All brain injuries are serious, even if they do not immediately require surgery. At Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman, we have helped many clients obtain compensation to cover their medical expenses (which are considerable) and lost wages. Brain injuries also often warrant compensation for pain and suffering and emotional distress.

Give us a call today to schedule a free consultation. You can reach us at 212-285-3300 or by filling out our contact form.