And as usual, the time has come for the weekly ten-minute communication with Michael Brook, the head of the Bureau of Accident and Road Traffic Investigation. Misha, hello.
Michael: Hello, Alexander. Hello, dear radio listeners. I wish you all good health and hope you don't receive any injuries. But if, God forbid, you or your close friends, relatives, or colleagues experience some misfortune, you receive an injury in one way or another, for example, in a car accident, and afterwards your back, neck, or lower back starts hurting. Or, God forbid, you break something or fall somewhere and get injured, be it at work or elsewhere. In all these situations, the most important thing to get the maximum sum is to consult a lawyer as soon as possible. I will provide you with such a consultation any day of the week, any time of day or night. You need only remember my phone number: 718 256-56-10. Enter this number on the internet from anywhere, and you'll reach my website. You can save it as an icon on your smartphone or directly download my business card, so you'll always have my information at hand on your phone.
Michael: Here are several questions on the same topic. The point is, if an accident happened not in the city but somewhere far away, like at a retreat near New York, for instance, and the person lives in New York City, should they hire a local lawyer who works there and knows everyone, or should they search for someone in our city? They are asking, in which case will the case proceed faster and the result be better, meaning, the amount be greater? Please answer this.
Michael: As a rule, I would advise hiring a large law firm that has ample funds to handle the case because sometimes the success of the case depends on how much is invested in it. Small firms in upstate New York or on the outskirts of New Jersey often don’t have such resources; therefore, they cannot, for example, hire very costly experts to reconstruct the entire incident and appear in court as expert witnesses to prove what caused the person’s injury. This can sometimes be quite expensive. Moreover, sometimes it requires involving expert doctors, who are even more expensive. All this is done to gather the necessary evidence and win the case—and win it for the maximum amount. Sometimes there is a very large insurance policy, but proving the property owner or establishment’s fault can be extremely challenging and requires additional information.
For example, a woman contacted me; she stayed in a B&B—rented a house through an app where you can rent an apartment or house in a certain place. She and her husband settled in to relax. Later, she walked down the steps of a small porch that had three brick steps down, fell, and suffered a severe wrist fracture. Several lawyers refused at once because, firstly, it was far, and secondly, the local lawyer also inspected the place and said the porch was fine, and that she was to blame for the fall. When she called me, I connected her with a large law firm. This firm sent an expensive engineer to the site, who proved the steps were not up to code—that is, as they say here, not to standard—such as the absence of a handrail on one side, which was a violation of standards. Moreover, the angle of inclination of these steps was not quite right. Thanks to this engineer, we managed to prove the homeowner’s percentage fault in the woman’s fall, and the lawyer was able to secure a payout of $250,000 from the insurance company. So, if something similar happens, the best course of action is to call me as quickly as possible at 718 256-56-10, and I will recommend a large law firm that has the resources to prove your case and obtain the maximum amount. Otherwise, your case may be lost, and you will receive nothing. So, once again, my number is 718 256-56-10. Note it down, carry it with you at all times. Michael Brook, 718 256-56-10, or search my number on the internet, reach my website, and download my business card directly to your phone. Thank you.
And now let's listen to Yakov.
Yakov: Here's what happened; I was crossing the street, and a car that came out of a corner hit me right on the pedestrian crossing and then drove away. I didn’t manage to note the number. I later went to the hospital myself and got an X-ray. They said I have a fracture and need to wear a cast for six weeks. Here’s the question: Was it correct that I went to the hospital on my own, or should I have done something else?
Michael: In such situations, under no circumstances should you leave the scene of the accident, even if you’re a driver. You must call an ambulance to the scene, and preferably the police. If the police don’t arrive, but the ambulance does, that’s enough to officially record your case. This is necessary because if the culprit escapes, a police or fire department report is needed for further resolution or settlement, as ambulances are typically under the fire department. This report must be filed within 24 hours of the incident—the sooner, the better. If more than 24 hours have passed, or if you went to the hospital on your own and the culprit is not found, the case might be closed by a judge.
Additionally, it happens sometimes that the pedestrian owns a car at home. Your car's insurance covers such cases if the culprit has fled. The lawyers whom I recommend handle such cases through a special legal procedure called Arbitration. For a successful resolution of a case, it’s also essential that a report is filed within 24 hours. For example, a man contacted me who was hit by a car at an intersection. I advised him not to leave the scene; we helped call an ambulance and police, and he was taken to the hospital in the ambulance. It turned out he had his own car and insurance, and our lawyer managed to get $100,000 from his insurance company for him. If something like this happens, just call me as soon as possible, preferably from the scene, and don’t go anywhere. Record my phone number and keep it with you at all times. 718 256-56-10.
Maria: I'm working for a company that washes windows in offices, and while I was working, the ladder slipped from under me and crashed to the floor. I fell, and my right arm is severely swollen, but I'm now going to the hospital to find out what's wrong with it. Can you talk about such a case and how it’ll play out in New York State?
Michael: If it happens that the fall from a height is more than three feet, which is approximately one meter, special laws apply here. If the area where you were washing windows is not directly in the office where you work, you can sue the insurance of that establishment. Besides, your employer has a special insurance called Workers' Compensation. I will give you two lawyers right away. One will handle this insurance for you without charging you anything for his work, as his work is separately paid for by the insurance company. They ensure that you receive compensation for the missed work time and medical treatment, while another lawyer will sue the building where you washed the windows, that is, the building’s owner, and receive money from that building’s insurance. The laws are structured in this way in New York State so that for any fall at a site, regardless of why the ladder fell, you can still receive compensation. I will give you a specialized lawyer who handles such cases. When a person falls from any height at a site, even from a modest ladder or platform or anything while doing some work, such lawyers receive significant settlements for those injured.
One time, a woman who also fell from a ladder eight months ago contacted me to wash windows. She had a wrist fracture, and unfortunately, judging by the swelling of your hand, you might also have a fracture or crack. My lawyer managed to get no less than $800,000 for this woman, even with just a minor crack. If there’s a fracture with an operation, the amount is usually higher, sometimes in the millions. These cases are addressed under special laws and involve substantial sums. So if something like this happens, quickly call me at 718 256-56-10. In case of accidents, injuries, or fractures, Michael Brook, the head of the Bureau of Accident Investigation and Road Traffic Incidents, will direct you to experienced lawyers who will secure the maximum compensation for you. 718 256-56-10.