FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Who will pay my wages while I am out of work recovering from my injuries?

A: It depends on how, when and where you were injured. Generally, an injury victim can file for benefits with No-Fault Insurance, Disability Insurance or Workers' Compensation. Knowing which one is responsible is complicated and because the deadline for filing a claim can be as little as 30 days after the accident, it is important to contact a competent personal injury law firm as soon as you can after being injured.

Q: How will I pay for my medical bills?

A: Again, it depends on the type of accident and where you are when it happens. It is important to notify the right insurance company immediately and make sure the hospital and doctor's bills are sent to the correct company shortly after treatment is rendered. Most insurance companies can deny a claim if the bills are not sent in timely.

Q: How much is my case worth?

A: This simple sounding question is quite hard to answer. The correct answer is - "well it depends." There are four parts to making up the value of a case:

1. How bad is the injury and is it going to be permanent?
2. Who is at fault in causing the accident? Is it entirely the fault of someone else or did the injured party play a part in the happening of the accident?
3. What is the ability of the person responsible for the injury to pay for the harm they have caused? But keep in mind as the old saying goes "you can't get blood out of a stone."
4. Will the case be properly and skillfully prepared and prosecuted by a competent law firm?

Q: How soon can my case be settled?

A: It is often necessary to wait six months to a year to allow the injury to fully heal before the full extent of the harm can be appreciated. Keep in mind that once settled a case is over for all time and the injured party cannot ask to reopen the case if the injury turns out to be worse than first thought.

Q: What is the most important thing I should do if I am injured in an accident?

A: Get immediate medical attention. Sometimes an injury which appears minor at first suddenly develops into a serious life-threatening situation. Any blow to the head or chest must be taken seriously. Puncturing wounds must be cleaned and dressed by a health care professional to prevent infection.

Q: What should I do at the accident scene to protect my rights?

A:

1. Get the name and phone number of any eyewitness.
2. Call the police at the scene of the accident and arrange to file a police report.
3. Take photos of the accident scene as soon after the accident as you are able. Most cell phones today have cameras.
4. Be prepared to explain to the police, ambulance crew and hospital personnel in a few short sentences how the accident happened. Your description of the accident to the police, ambulance crew and hospital personnel will be the first place the attorneys for the defense look to defeat any case brought by you.
5. Contact the firm of Altier & Vogt, LLC to help preserve and protect your rights.

Q: Are all cases settled out of court?

A: No, although the vast majority of cases do settle for a 'fair value', many cases are tried to verdict. Cases are only settled for a fair value if the case had been prepared and handled from the beginning as if it was going to be tried to verdict. We at Altier & Vogt know that unless a case is worked up as if a trial were necessarily going to happen, fair value would not be gotten in a settlement.

Q: What should I do if I am injured in any type of accident?

A: Consult us at once! Our firm handles a wide variety of personal injury cases including auto accidents, slip/fall accidents, products liability, medical malpractice and general negligence. If you, your family or any of your friends are involved in an accident, please contact us for a FREE NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATION.

Q: Why should I meet with an attorney?

A: A consultation with a lawyer will permit you to find out what your rights are. You will learn and discuss all the legal choices that are open to you and the consequences of each. You will find out who is responsible for paying your medical bills and how to get reimbursed for lost earnings.

Q: What should I do to prepare for our consultation?

A: You should take with you all your notes of the facts, details and other information in your possession of the accident, no matter how insignificant you feel they might be. Complete honesty is very important in order to establish good lines of communication with your attorney so that he can properly prepare your case. If you are involved in an automobile accident, bring your automobile insurance policy if you have one, to the consultation.

Our attorneys can make a difference

From our office across from Penn Station, our NY accident injury attorneys represent accident victims, including railroad workers and firefighters, throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, and Long Island.

Contact an injury lawyer for an honest evaluation of your case. Your initial consultation is free, and you pay no legal fees unless we recover on your behalf.

Trustworthy. Competent. Experienced.