PRACTICE

Personal Injury

When a person is injured through the recklessness or negligence of another person, there may be grounds for a personal injury case. A car accident, a slip and fall on hazardous property, or injury from a defective product are all examples of personal injuries.

When injuries are serious, not only are a lot of pain and suffering involved, but you also have to deal with mounting medical bills, lost wages and other general hardship. Some sort of financial assistance is usually needed to get through this difficult time. Unfortunately, many insurance companies are geared more toward denying claims or paying the minimum amount possible to boost their profits than toward helping the injured receive the compensation they deserve.

It is wise to hire an attorney who is sensitive to your struggles and who can assist you in recouping the compensation entitled by law. Many factors are involved in preparing a personal injury case, such as gathering sound evidence and statistical information to substantiate damages, examining medical records and acquiring the evaluations of experts. Our law firm has extensive resources available to assist us in personal injury cases. Preparing adequate documentation early on is very essential to the outcome of your case. For this reason, you should obtain a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible as one of your first actions after incurring a personal injury.

At the Cuomo Law Firm, our attorneys focus our personal injury practice in a number of specific categories, as follows:

Motor Vehicle Torts

Torts are negligent or civil wrongs against people, such as damage to property, reputation or commercial interests, however, not including wrongs resulting from a breach of contract. Motor vehicle torts refer to injury and damage caused by a car accident or other type of vehicle accident.

More personal injury claims are filed for car accidents than any other type of personal injury. When you are the victim of a car or motor vehicle crash, how you deal with the insurance adjuster will significantly affect the outcome of your case. Who to speak with, what to say and what not to say should all be under the guidance of a personal injury lawyer and will influence the amount you recover for damages and injury. There is no substitute for knowing your legal rights, and your attorney can explain the intricacies of insurance law in a consultation where you discuss your case.

Legal expertise in understanding the complexity of traffic laws, determining where the liability rests, as well as having a team of expert witnesses available are all legal services we provide when representing you in a motor vehicle tort case. While most cases are negotiated to favorable results outside of the courtroom, we are prepared to take your case to trial and aggressively litigate on your behalf.

Premises Liability

It is the responsibility of the city, a business or a homeowner to maintain their property in a way that keeps it safe. If you are injured on someone’s property due to owner negligence, it is called premises liability, and you have the legal right to seek compensation for your injuries. Medical expenses, lost wages as well compensation for pain and suffering may be listed in claims against property owners and business establishments for premises liability.

Examples of circumstances that could lead to premises liability include, but are not limited to the following situation:

• Obstructed view of holes in the ground
• Slippery surfaces due to water, ice or snow
• Uneven flooring
• Poorly lit areas
• Unsafe swimming pools
• Falling trees
• Hazardous construction sites
• Products falling off shelves in a retail store

If you have reason to believe that your injury occurred as a result of premises liability, please contact our office and we will arrange a consultation.

Product Liability

Defective products become a liability for companies that produce them and are harmful to consumers that use them. The area of law that addresses liability for defective products is known as product liability.

Through faulty design, poor manufacturing or inaccurate marketing, a product may become defective. An example of product liability resulting from a design flaw is a baby crib where the baby is prone to entrapment that may cause suffocation. Manufacturing defects such as inadequate or omitted gum strips have produced faulty tires that endanger drivers. Failures to supply labels or instructions that warn the consumer about a product’s danger to children or pets are another example of product liability.

Distribution companies may also bear a responsibility in a product becoming defective through improper storage. For example, medicines may become contaminated during the storage process if not maintained at a proper temperature.

Our attorneys at the Cuomo Law Firm can help you determine whether the injury you suffered was due to a defective product. Also, a class action suit may be a more effective and practical means of dealing with the responsible party when product liability affects a large base of consumers.

Wrongful Death

When a serious physical injury caused through the recklessness or negligence of another person results in death, it is termed a “wrongful death.� The wrongful death of a loved one can be devastating to a family, not only in terms of their own grief and loss, but also through financial burdens of medical costs, lost wages, lost future income, funeral expenses and other hardships they would have otherwise not experienced.

At the Cuomo Law Firm, our attorneys help families put their lives back in order. Laws regarding wrongful death are specific. We explain your rights and determine which family member should bring legal action and file the lawsuit for you.

Catastrophic Injury

When injuries are extremely serious, they may result in a disruption of bodily systems and permanent damage, which requires long-term care. These types of injuries are considered catastrophic injuries. Traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, paraplegia (lower limb paralysis), quadriplegia (paralysis from the neck down), severe burns, coma, amputation and multiple fractures are all examples of catastrophic injuries.

The extent of medical, assistive and rehabilitative care to manage a victim of a catastrophic injury is often tremendous and very expensive. The home and vehicles may require structural modification.