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New York Personal Injury Lawyer
A personal injury claim asks the person or company responsible for an injury to pay for it. What you need to prove, and how long you have, depends on how it happened.
Find your situation below. Over 40 years and more than $100 million recovered for clients.
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Which kind of claim is this?
The way you were hurt decides who may be responsible and which deadline to check first. Each row links to the page that explains it.
Car or truck crash
Other driver or vehicle owner; sometimes a road or vehicle defect
Check no-fault eligibility promptly; lawsuit generally three years, subject to exceptions
Car accidentsHit as a pedestrian or cyclist
Driver and owner; sometimes the City for road design or signals
Check the applicable no-fault insurer; public-entity notice deadlines may apply
Pedestrian accidentsBus or transit injury
The transit authority or private bus operator
Authorities have their own short notice rules
Bus accidentsFall on a sidewalk, stairs or in a store
Owner, manager or tenant; the City for some sidewalks
Generally three years against a private owner; City notice usually within 90 days
Slip and fallConstruction or work injury
Owner, general contractor or another company on site
Workers' compensation runs separately; third-party suit generally three years
Construction accidentsHarm from medical care
Doctor, hospital or other provider
Two years and six months, with exceptions
Medical malpracticeNursing home injury
The facility and its staff
Depends on the claim; check early
Nursing home injuryDog bite
Owner or keeper of the dog
Generally three years; report the bite
Dog bitesInjured by a product
Manufacturer or others in the distribution chain
Generally three years; latent substance-exposure injuries have a limited discovery rule
Products liabilityA family member died
Whoever would have been liable for the injury
Wrongful death generally two years after the death
Wrongful death
Also: bicycle accidents, truck accidents, premises liability, work accidents, brain injuries.
Deadlines
The deadline depends on the claim
There is no single injury deadline in New York. The legal theory and the defendant decide it. New York City claims start with a notice filed with the Comptroller.
Shared fault. Generally, your own share of fault reduces the damages in proportion but does not bar the claim (CPLR 1411).
One exception: in a personal-injury action subject to Insurance Law article 51 (New York's no-fault law) that is commenced on or after May 26, 2026, recovery is barred if the claimant's culpable conduct is greater than that of the defendant, or greater than the combined culpable conduct of the defendants (DFS Circular Letter No. 3 (2026)). See our car accident page for details.
- Most injury claims against a person or business
- Generally three years (CPLR 214).
- A city, county, town, village or school district may be responsible
- A notice of claim is usually due within 90 days where one is required (GML 50-e), and suit generally within one year and 90 days (GML 50-i).
- Medical malpractice
- Two years and six months, with exceptions (CPLR 214-a).
- Injury from exposure to a substance that shows up later
- Three years from discovery of the injury, or from when it reasonably should have been discovered, whichever is earlier (CPLR 214-c). This applies to latent exposure injuries, not to every product case.
- A death
- A wrongful death action generally within two years after the death (EPTL 5-4.1).
- The injured person is a child
- CPLR 208 can extend the time to sue, but notice deadlines still need attention.
If no-fault coverage applies after a vehicle crash, its forms have separate short deadlines. Motorcycle riders generally are not covered by mandatory no-fault. See the no-fault and PIP guide.
Building the claim
We build the claim around proof
The key to any recovery is proving who was legally responsible. That takes three kinds of proof, gathered early.
- Liability proof. Police and incident reports, photos, video, witnesses, property and worksite records.
- Medical proof. Emergency, imaging, specialist and therapy records that connect the injury to the incident.
- Loss proof. Lost wages, job restrictions, household help and out-of-pocket costs.
Video and scene conditions can disappear within days. A notice of claim may be needed when a city, county, school or transit agency is involved.
Sidewalks, scaffolding and work sites can involve several responsible companies. Identifying all of them early matters.
Published firm results
Results across practice areas
These are the firm's published results from across New York and New Jersey, quoted exactly as recorded. They cover several kinds of cases and do not predict any other outcome.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts.
See the full verdicts and settlements archive$950,000
$950,000 Settlement for a Preventable Eye Injury
The Licatesi Law Group fought for a woman who suffered permanent blindness in one eye after an alleged failure to identify a retained contact lens during an ophthalmologic examination.
$250,000
$250,000 Settlement — Queens Parkway Rear-End Collision
After being rear-ended on a busy Queens parkway, our client suffered a torn shoulder and herniated discs in his lower back. His injuries disrupted his work and daily life, ultimately requiring surgery.
$325,000
$325,000 Settlement — Exam-Table Fall
Our firm secured a $325,000 settlement for a 25-year-old client who suffered a serious traumatic brain injury after fainting and falling from an elevated exam table moments after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination required for their job.
$1,021,235
Million Dollar Verdict — Long Island Auto Accident
Plaintiff was involved in an auto accident in Long Island sustaining an exacerbation of prior neck and back injuries resulting in spinal surgery and physical therapy. Following careful deliberation, a Suffolk County jury awarded plaintiff a verdict for pain and suffering in the amount of $1,021,235 after a minimal $50,000 pre-trial offer.
Read the case study$800,000
$800,000 Settlement — Auto Accident with Severe Injuries
A hardworking individual's life changed dramatically after an accident at an intersection, leading to severe injuries that required spine surgery. Beyond the physical pain, the accident brought significant emotional and financial hardship.
Read the case study$650,000
$650,000 Verdict — Auto Accident with Injuries
The Licatesi Law Group obtained a $650,000 verdict for a 55 year-old woman who underwent discectomy after being rear-ended at a red light. The Defendant argued the accident was of minimal impact, and that the plaintiff had pre-existing conditions due to a previous spinal surgery. The last offer prior to trial was $12,500.
Read the case study
Near you
Find help where it happened
Need an office nearby? See personal injury lawyer near me. Just had an accident? Start with accident lawyer near me or the auto accident lawyer near you page.
Related legal resources
More local accident and injury resources
Choose the page that best matches the incident type, location, or legal issue before calling for a consultation.
Bicycle Accident Lawyer Near You
Local bicycle crash help for riders injured by drivers, unsafe streets, dooring, or hit-and-run collisions.
New York Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Representation for cyclists hurt in traffic crashes, bike-lane collisions, and roadway defect incidents.
Car Accident Lawyer Near You
Find nearby help for no-fault benefits, injury claims, vehicle damage, and insurance disputes after a crash.
Construction Accident Lawyer Near You
Local support for construction workers and site visitors injured by falls, equipment, scaffolds, or unsafe sites.
Dog Bite Lawyer Near You
Local dog bite claim help for medical treatment, scarring, infection risk, and owner or property liability.
NYC E-Bike and E-Scooter Injury Lawyers
Guidance for micromobility crashes involving delivery e-bikes, rental scooters, cars, pedestrians, and road defects.
Medical Malpractice Lawyer Near You
Local medical malpractice help for hospital negligence, delayed diagnosis, surgical errors, and care failures.
Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Near You
Nearby motorcycle injury representation for crash investigation, serious injuries, and insurance disputes.
Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Near You
Local help for pedestrians struck in crosswalks, parking lots, intersections, and hit-and-run crashes.
Personal Injury Lawyer Near You
Find local injury claim help for crashes, falls, malpractice, workplace injuries, and wrongful death matters.
Premises Liability Lawyer Near You
Local representation for falls, unsafe property, negligent security, and dangerous building conditions.
Slip and Fall Attorney Near You
Nearby help after falls involving wet floors, broken stairs, poor lighting, sidewalks, or unsafe premises.
New York Train Accident Lawyer
Representation for injuries involving trains, platforms, stations, transit operators, and unsafe rail conditions.
Truck Accident Lawyer Near You
Local truck accident help for serious crash claims involving commercial vehicles, carriers, and layered insurance.
Workplace Injury Lawyer Near You
Nearby workplace injury help when third-party negligence, construction hazards, or unsafe equipment caused harm.
Wrongful Death Lawyers Near You
Compassionate local legal help for families after fatal crashes, malpractice, unsafe property, or workplace incidents.
New Jersey Bus Accident Lawyer
New Jersey bus crash representation involving transit operators, private carriers, injuries, and insurance claims.
New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer
Dog bite injury help for New Jersey clients dealing with treatment, scarring, infection risk, and liability proof.
New Jersey Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Representation for New Jersey pedestrians hit in intersections, parking lots, crosswalks, or roadway crashes.
Uniondale Injury Attorney
Uniondale and Nassau County personal injury support from the firm’s Long Island office.
A personal injury claim asks someone whose carelessness or defective product caused an injury to pay for the harm. Common examples are vehicle crashes, falls on unsafe property, construction and work injuries, medical malpractice, dog bites and defective products. The claim has to show who was responsible, how the injury happened and what it cost you.
Most personal injury lawsuits must be started within three years. Shorter or different deadlines apply to medical malpractice, wrongful death and claims against a city, county, town, village or school district, where a notice of claim is usually due within 90 days. The right deadline depends on the claim and the defendant, so check it early.
Usually yes. Your share of fault generally reduces the damages rather than barring the claim. One exception: in a personal-injury action subject to Insurance Law article 51 (the no-fault law) commenced on or after May 26, 2026, recovery is barred if the claimant’s culpable conduct is greater than the defendant’s, or greater than the defendants’ combined.
Claims against public bodies usually start with a written notice of claim. For an ordinary injury tort claim against the City of New York, notice is generally filed with the Comptroller within 90 days of the incident; exceptions and different rules, including wrongful death, need separate review. Transit and bridge authorities have their own notice rules. Missing the notice can end the claim, so tell us right away if public property, a city vehicle or a bus was involved.
The consultation is free, and we charge no fee unless there is a recovery. You can start by phone at (516) 227-2662 or by video, and meet us later at our Uniondale, Brooklyn or Corona office.
Yes. New Jersey has its own rules and deadlines, which are different from New York’s. Our New Jersey personal injury page explains them, and our Teaneck office serves New Jersey clients.
Talk to a New York personal injury lawyer
Tell us how and where you were hurt. We will tell you which deadline applies and what to do next. The consultation is free, and there is no fee unless there is a recovery.
What to bring
- Where and when it happened
- Any police or incident report number
- Medical records and bills
- Insurance letters you have received
Photo credits: 2nd Avenue and East 116th Street by PrecipiceofDuck, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized; Sidewalk shed work on 47th Street by Jim.henderson, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.