What to look for in a Brooklyn personal injury lawyer
A personal injury attorney in Brooklyn should have experience handling cases similar to yours—car accidents, slip-and-fall injuries, workplace accidents, or medical malpractice. Ask directly how many cases like yours they have handled and what the outcomes were. Experience matters because Brooklyn courts have specific rules, judges have patterns, and local insurance companies have predictable settlement behaviors that a lawyer who works here regularly will know.
Check whether the attorney works on contingency, meaning they take payment only if you win or settle. Most personal injury lawyers in Brooklyn work this way, but confirm the percentage they charge (typically 25 to 40 percent of your recovery) and whether they deduct costs like filing fees, informed witness fees, and medical record requests before or after calculating their cut. Get this in writing.
Look at how they communicate. A good attorney should explain what happened in your case, what the law says about it, and what your realistic options are—not pressure you toward settlement or trial. If they cannot explain your case clearly in a first conversation, that will not improve once you hire them.
Key Takeaways
- Ask a potential attorney how many cases like yours they have handled and what the typical outcome was, because experience with your specific type of injury matters in Brooklyn courts.
- Confirm in writing whether they work on contingency, what percentage they charge, and whether costs are deducted before or after their fee is calculated.
- The State Bar of New York's lawyer referral service and local bar associations can confirm licensing and disciplinary history before you meet anyone.
- A consultation should include an honest assessment of your case's strength and realistic settlement ranges, not a may provide of a specific outcome.
- If an attorney pressures you to settle quickly or refuses to answer questions about their experience, that is a sign to keep looking.
How to find attorneys accepting your type of case
Start with the New York State Bar Association's lawyer referral service, which lists attorneys by practice area and location. You can search for personal injury lawyers in Brooklyn and filter by the type of injury. The service does not screen for quality—it only confirms the attorney is licensed and in good standing—but it gives you a starting list.
Ask your primary care doctor, hospital, or physical therapist for referrals. They work with injury attorneys regularly and know which ones actually communicate with medical providers and understand the medical side of cases. This source often leads to attorneys who take your injury seriously rather than treating it as a paperwork exercise.
Check online reviews on Google, Avvo, and the Better Business Bureau, but read them skeptically. Look for patterns in what people say—do reviewers mention communication, honesty about case strength, or settlement speed? Ignore reviews that make extreme claims in either direction. A lawyer with hundreds of reviews and a 4.5-star average is more reliable than one with five perfect reviews.
Ask friends or family whether they have used a personal injury attorney and what their experience was. Personal referrals carry weight because someone you know has actually worked with the person.
Red flags that suggest you should keep looking
Do not hire an attorney who guarantees a specific outcome or settlement amount. No honest lawyer can promise that. Courts and insurance companies make final decisions, not attorneys. If someone says "I always get my clients six figures" or "I have never lost a case," they are either lying or taking only the easiest cases and refusing harder ones.
Avoid attorneys who pressure you to settle quickly or refuse to answer questions about their experience and strategy. You should feel comfortable asking how many cases they have tried to verdict, how many they have settled, and what the average settlement range is for injuries like yours. If they dodge these questions or seem annoyed by them, that is a sign they do not respect your right to make an informed decision.
Be cautious if an attorney takes your case without understanding your injury or asking detailed questions about how it happened. A thorough first conversation should include questions about your medical history, current treatment, lost wages, and how the injury has affected your daily life. If they seem to be processing you like a form, they probably are.
Watch for attorneys who advertise heavily on billboards or late-night television but have no online presence showing their actual case results or client reviews. High advertising spend does not correlate with case quality.
Understanding contingency fees and what they actually cost
A contingency fee means the attorney's payment depends on winning your case. If you do not recover money, they do not get paid. This aligns their interest with yours, which is why it is the standard in personal injury law. However, you still pay costs.
Costs are separate from the attorney's fee. These include filing fees paid to the court, fees for obtaining medical records, informed witness fees (if your case requires a doctor to testify), and deposition costs. Ask whether costs are deducted before the attorney calculates their percentage or after. If costs are $5,000 and your settlement is $20,000, the difference between deducting costs first versus last is significant to what you actually receive.
Get the fee agreement in writing before you sign anything. It should state the percentage the attorney charges, how costs are handled, what happens if the case is dismissed, and whether the attorney will advance costs or whether you pay them as they arise. Read it carefully. If anything is unclear, ask for clarification in writing.
What happens in the first meeting
Bring documents: the police report (if there is one), photos of your injury or the accident scene, medical records and bills, proof of lost wages, and any communication with the other party's insurance company. The attorney will review these to understand what happened and assess the strength of your case.
Be honest about your injury and your life. If you have a prior injury to the same body part, tell them. If you have not followed your doctor's treatment plan, tell them. If you have posted on social media about activities that contradict your injury claim, they need to know before the other side finds it. Attorneys cannot help you if they do not have the full picture.
Ask the attorney to explain the process: what discovery is, how long cases typically take in Brooklyn courts, what settlement negotiations look like, and what happens if the case goes to trial. They should be able to walk you through the timeline and what you can expect at each stage.
At the end of the meeting, ask directly: "Do you think I have a case?" A good attorney will give you an honest answer—yes, no, or "it depends on X." They should explain the strongest and weakest parts of your claim and what evidence would help or hurt you.
Checking an attorney's background and disciplinary history
The New York State Bar Association maintains a public record of all licensed attorneys and any disciplinary actions taken against them. Go to the New York State Bar website and search by name. You can see whether the attorney has been disciplined, suspended, or disbarred. Any history of discipline does not automatically disqualify someone—minor infractions happen—but it is information you should have.
Ask the attorney directly about any disciplinary history. If they have been disciplined, they should be able to explain what happened and what they learned from it. If they become defensive or refuse to discuss it, that is a warning sign.
Check Avvo, which aggregates bar records and client reviews. The site shows the attorney's license status, years in practice, and areas of practice. It is not perfect, but it gives you a quick overview.
When to hire an attorney versus handling it yourself
You do not need an attorney for every injury claim. If you have a minor injury, clear liability (the other party was obviously at fault), and the other side's insurance company has already offered a reasonable settlement, you may be able to negotiate without legal help. However, most people underestimate their case's value and accept settlements that are too low.
Hire an attorney if: the injury is serious or will require long-term treatment; liability is unclear or disputed; the other party's insurance company is refusing to pay or offering far less than your medical bills; you have lost significant wages; or you are unsure how to value your claim. An attorney's fee (typically 25 to 40 percent) is usually much smaller than the difference between what you would accept and what they can negotiate.
Many attorneys offer free initial consultations. Use these to get a sense of whether your case is worth pursuing and what an attorney thinks it might be worth. You can talk to multiple attorneys before deciding.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a personal injury case take in Brooklyn?
Most cases settle within 6 to 18 months, but it depends on the injury's severity, how quickly you reach maximum medical improvement, and whether the other side is willing to negotiate. Cases that go to trial can take 2 to 3 years. Your attorney should give you a realistic timeline based on your specific circumstances.
What if the insurance company denies my claim?
An attorney can file a lawsuit, which forces the insurance company to defend its denial in court. Many denials are reversed once a lawsuit is filed because the insurance company realizes the claim is stronger than it initially thought. This is one of the main reasons to hire an attorney.
Can I switch attorneys if I am unhappy with mine?
Yes, but there are costs. You will need to sign a new fee agreement with the new attorney, and the two attorneys may dispute how to divide the fee. If possible, address problems with your current attorney directly before switching. If the relationship is truly broken, a new attorney can help you transition your case.
What if I was partially at fault for the accident?
New York uses comparative negligence, meaning you can recover even if you were partially at fault—but your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you were 20 percent at fault and your case is worth $100,000, you would recover $80,000. An attorney can argue that your percentage of fault is lower than the other side claims.
Do I have to go to court?
Most personal injury cases settle without trial. Settlement negotiations happen through your attorney and the other side's insurance company. If no settlement is reached, your attorney will prepare for trial, but the vast majority of cases resolve before that point.