Getting hurt because of someone else’s negligence is stressful enough on its own. Add in medical bills, time off work, insurance adjusters calling, and confusing legal language, and the situation can feel overwhelming fast. If you’ve been injured in Queens because of someone else’s carelessness, you may have more options than you realize.
At Bangel, Cohen & Falconetti, we help personal injury victims in Queens and throughout New York City connect with an attorney suited for their injuries. Our Queens lawyers have spoken with individuals involved in car accidents, slip and falls, construction accidents, and other incidents where someone’s negligence caused harm.
What a Personal Injury Case in Queens Actually Involves
A personal injury claim is your legal right to seek compensation when another person, business, or entity caused your injury through negligence or wrongdoing. To have a valid claim, you generally need to show:
- A duty of care existed (drivers must operate safely; property owners must maintain safe premises)
- That duty was breached through negligence or reckless conduct
- The breach directly caused your injury
- You suffered actual damages as a result
Queens sees a high volume of personal injury cases because of its dense traffic, active construction, and the sheer number of people living and working in close proximity every day.
Types of Personal Injury Claims We See
Our firm has spoken with Queens residents injured in a wide range of situations, including:
- Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents on local roads and highways
- Slip and fall accidents on commercial or residential property
- Construction site accidents involving property owners or contractors
- Pedestrian accidents at intersections throughout the borough
- Dog bites and animal attacks on public or private property
- Premises liability cases involving unsafe property conditions
When a Workplace Injury Also Becomes a Personal Injury Case
Many people don’t realize that a work injury can give rise to both a workers’ compensation claim and a separate personal injury lawsuit. Workers’ comp covers your medical bills and a portion of your lost wages, but it does not compensate you for pain and suffering, and it caps what you can recover. A personal injury claim against a third party has no such cap.
This situation comes up more often than you might expect in Queens. If you were injured on a job site and the responsible party was not your direct employer, such as a general contractor, a subcontractor, or the property owner, you may have a third-party personal injury claim. The same applies if a defective piece of equipment contributed to your injury. Under New York Labor Law § 240 and § 241, property owners and contractors can be held liable for certain construction site injuries regardless of fault.
If you were injured in a vehicle accident while driving for work, you may also have a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver on top of your workers’ comp benefits. Pursuing both claims at the same time requires careful coordination. Getting workers’ comp doesn’t mean giving up your right to sue a third party, and in serious injury cases, that additional claim can make a significant financial difference.
How New York’s Statute of Limitations Affects Your Case
Under New York CPLR § 214, most personal injury cases in New York must be filed within three years of the date of injury. Missing that deadline typically means losing your right to compensation entirely.
If your case involves a government entity, such as a trip and fall on a city sidewalk in Flushing or Jamaica, you may need to file a Notice of Claim within 90 days of the injury. These shorter deadlines catch many people off guard, so acting quickly matters.
What You May Be Entitled to After a Personal Injury
Compensation in a personal injury case can include:
- Medical expenses, both current and projected future costs
- Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Property damage in vehicle accident cases
Talking to Our Team at No Cost
You don’t need to figure this out alone. If you or someone you care about has been injured in Queens, our firm offers a free consultation to go over what happened, your options, and what a claim could look like. There is no pressure, and you pay nothing unless compensation is recovered for you.
Call our Queens injury attorneys at 718-446-4400 or contact us online to schedule a free case review.
