Evaluating and hiring an injury attorney usually involves a initial consultation, which most attorneys provide free of charge. Many attorneys also provide free transportation to and from their offices, to make the process as convenient as possible for the client.
During the initial consultation, your attorney will want to collect as much information as possible relating to the incident surrounding your accident or injury. This includes information regarding your medical treatment, who was involved in the accident, any witnesses, your insurance coverage, as well as thorough information about circumstances that resulted in your accident or injury. The attorney will also usually discuss the costs of the case and the legal fees that you can expect.
After you choose an attorney and have signed a retainer contract, they will begin investigating your case in a process called "discovery." There are 3 forms of discovery - written, document production and depositions.
Written discovery involves Interrogatories, which are just questions about the facts of your case. Document discovery is the gathering of any documents related to your case, electronic or printed. Any party has the right to see documents that are related to a case. Depositions are sworn statements, and you can likely expect to be deposed to get the facts.
Settlement is when the person who is filing the lawsuit agrees not to pursue legal action in return for an agreed upon amount of money. Most lawsuits end in settlement. In deciding whether or not to settle, there are many factors to consider:
We’ve all heard the expression that everyone deserves a fair day in court. We don’t believe that a person’s wealth or intelligence should have anything to do with their right to justice.
If you have been harmed, you deserve compensation. And if insurance companies are using your inexperience to keep your hard-earned money, then you deserve someone with experience and tenacity to get it back.
Our firm exists because we want to help you fight the bad guys, but we know you can’t do it alone. You need people who know the system, the jargon, the rules, so we can beat corporations at their game and give you the outcome you deserve.
Mark Linder received a Bachelor of Arts in Business from the University of Michigan in 1986 and obtained his Juris Doctorate from Boston University in 1989. Mr Linder formed the partnership of Harmon and Linder in 1991. He combined his business and legal knowledge to help build Harmon, Linder and Rogowsky into one of the top personal injury law firms in the Tri-State area. The firm has successfully recovered money on thousands of cases covering areas of automobile accidents, slip/trip and fall, food poisoning, medical malpractice, ceiling collapses and construction accidents. Recently, Mr. Linder has been involved in the implementation of strategy, marketing and litigation initiatives surrounding mass torts against Vioxx, Bextra and Avandia. Moreover, the firm has taken in settlements totaling more than $300 million. Among Mr Linder’s top settlements are cases that he resolved for $4 million, $2 million and $1.5 million. Mr Linder also has experience in the various methods of resolution including trials, mediations and arbitrations. Mr. Linder is one of the most knowledgeable attorneys in the field of personal injury law.
Ira Rogowsky received a Bachelor of Arts in social sciences from the State Univeristy of New York at Stony Brook in 1991 and obtained his Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School in 1994. Mr Rogowsky joined the Harmon and Linder partnership in 1997 to create the law firm of Harmon, Linder and Rogowsky. He combined his legal knowledge and strong business acumen to help build Harmon, Linder & Rogowsky into one of the top personal injury law firms in the Tri-State area. Recently, Mr. Rogowsky has been involved in the implementation of strategy surrounding mass torts against Vioxx, Bextra and Avandia. During Mr. Rogowsky's tenure with Harmon, Linder and Rogowsky, the firm has taken in settlements totaling more than $300 million. In addition, Mr. Rogowsky specializes in conducting mediations and arbitrations for the firm. Over the years, he has resolved thousands of cases through these methods and is regarded as one of the top plaintiff arbitration/mediation attorneys in the New York area. Mr. Rogowsky is also experienced in trial work and knowledgeable about medical problems and terminology related to personal injury accidents.