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A drunk driver runs a red light in Queens and leaves a victim with a broken spine. A hospital in Nassau County misses a cancer diagnosis for months. Both victims need an attorney who has taken a case like theirs in front of a jury, not just settled it from behind a desk. The Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Firm has recovered more than $295 million for injured clients since its founder became the first attorney in New York to win a $1 million personal injury verdict.
1. Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Firm
We built the Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Firm on a case that mattered: our founder, Judge Jacob Fuchsberg, was the first attorney in New York to win a $1 million personal injury verdict. Four generations later, we still take on cases other firms turn away, including medical malpractice claims against major hospital systems, civil rights cases against government agencies, and catastrophic injury cases that call for real trial preparation instead of a quick settlement offer.
Case results that show what we take on:
- $7.5 million settlement for a family severely injured in a car accident caused by a defective vehicle design.
- $7 million settlement for a young construction worker who suffered third-degree burns in a gas explosion during an excavation project.
- $6.5 million settlement for a passenger seriously injured in a car accident after proving the at-fault driver's employer was negligent.
Credentials worth checking before you hire anyone:
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating, held by Alan Fuchsberg and Bradley Zimmerman for more than 25 years.
- Best Lawyers in America recognition for Alan Fuchsberg, Bradley Zimmerman, Keith Gross, and Joseph Lanni.
- Forbes' list of Best Personal Injury Lawyers in NYC, featuring Joseph Lanni every year from 2022 through 2025.
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition for Jaehyun Oh's civil rights work.
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum member since 1995.
- Tier 1 ranking for Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury Litigation in New York City, U.S. News Best Law Firms.
Every client works directly with a senior partner from day one, not a rotating cast of case managers. If a hospital's mistake, a government agency's misconduct, or someone else's negligence changed your life, we handle the case ourselves and only get paid if we win.
📍 3 Park Ave, New York, NY 10016
2. Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf
Based in Lower Manhattan, this century-old firm employs 17 attorneys, including a physician on staff. Total client recoveries exceed $5 billion, including a $272.5 million settlement in the Tribeca crane collapse and a $120 million verdict in a Westchester medical malpractice case. Managing partner Ben Rubinowitz has been named the top-ranked attorney in the New York Metro area by Super Lawyers for three consecutive years.
3. Block O'Toole & Murphy
Located at 1 Penn Plaza, this firm focuses on construction accidents, motor vehicle crashes, and medical malpractice. It reports more individual case results above $1 million in New York than any other firm since 2012, including a $110 million jury verdict for a paralyzed cyclist and a $53.5 million verdict for a construction worker hurt on the job. The firm limits its caseload to concentrate resources on complex litigation.
4. Chopra & Nocerino
Headquartered in Garden City, this firm is the personal injury firm for the New York Mets, Islanders, Nets, and Barclays Center. It secured the largest reported rear-end collision settlement in the U.S. in 2025, at $19.5 million, and landed more of the top 50 personal injury settlements in New York than any other firm in 2020 and 2022. Co-founder Sameer Chopra has appeared on Forbes Advisor's Best Personal Injury Attorney list every year since 2024.
5. Raphaelson & Levine
Founded in 1992 by Howard Raphaelson, grandson of Judge Jacob Fuchsberg, and partner Andrew Levine, this Midtown firm concentrates on car accidents, construction injuries, and medical negligence claims. Client recoveries have surpassed $1 billion, including a $10 million settlement for former child victims of sexual abuse. The firm keeps offices in Manhattan, Queens, and Long Island.
6. The Barnes Firm
One of the country's larger personal injury practices, The Barnes Firm operates offices across New York State, including Manhattan, Long Island, Buffalo, and Rochester, as well as Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Diego. The firm has handled more than 150,000 accident cases and reports $2.5 billion in recoveries, backed by more than 40 attorneys and 500 combined years of practice.
What to Look For in a Personal Injury Attorney
Billboard ads and marketing budgets say nothing about how a firm performs once a case is filed. Before you hire anyone, check for:
- A trial record, not just a settlement history. Insurance companies pay more to firms known for taking cases to verdict.
- Peer recognition from independent sources, such as Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, or Forbes, rather than paid directory placements.
- Direct access to a senior attorney, not a rotating cast of case managers.
- A contingency fee arrangement, so legal costs never come out of your pocket before you recover anything.
- Focus areas that match your injury. A firm built for minor claims may lack the resources for a birth injury case or a civil rights claim against a government agency.
A firm that checks every box above is worth a serious look, whatever else its marketing says.
What to Do After a Personal Injury Accident in NYC
The steps you take in the hours and days after an accident can affect how much compensation you ultimately recover. Insurance adjusters look for any excuse to reduce a payout, and small mistakes early on give them one.
- Get medical care immediately, even if you feel fine. Some injuries, like concussions or internal bleeding, take hours or days to show symptoms, and a delay in treatment gives an insurer grounds to argue your injury wasn't serious.
- Report the accident to police, a property owner, or your employer, and get a copy of the official report. This creates an independent record of what happened before memories fade.
- Photograph the scene, your injuries, and anything that caused the accident before conditions change or repairs are made.
- Get witness contact information while people are still present. Witnesses are often the hardest evidence to track down once a case moves forward.
- Avoid giving a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster before speaking with an attorney. Adjusters are trained to ask questions that shift blame onto you.
- Keep every medical bill, pay stub, and receipt connected to the accident, since these documents form the backbone of a damages claim.
- Contact an attorney early. Evidence disappears, memories fade, and some filing deadlines, like the 90-day notice period for claims against the city, are far shorter than the standard three-year window.
The earlier an attorney gets involved, the more evidence and leverage they have to work with.
New York Personal Injury Laws You Should Know
A few rules under New York law determine how long you have to file a claim and how much you can recover.
Statute of Limitations
Under CPLR Section 214, most personal injury claims in New York must be filed within three years of the date of injury. Medical malpractice claims fall under a shorter window, generally two and a half years from the act of malpractice or the end of continuous treatment. Wrongful death claims must be filed within two years of the date of death under EPTL Section 5-4.1. Claims against a city agency, public hospital, or other government entity require a Notice of Claim within just 90 days of the incident, and missing that window can bar the claim entirely.
Comparative Negligence
New York follows a pure comparative negligence rule under CPLR Section 1411. Even if you were partly at fault for an accident, you can still recover damages, reduced by your percentage of fault. Someone found 30 percent responsible for a crash can still collect 70 percent of their damages, and even a plaintiff found 90 percent at fault can recover the remaining 10 percent. Insurance companies routinely argue for a higher fault percentage to reduce what they owe, which is one reason fault disputes get litigated so heavily.
Contingency Fees
Nearly every personal injury firm in New York, including every firm listed above, works on a contingency basis. You pay no upfront legal fees. Our law firm advances the costs of the case, such as witness fees, court filings, expert witness fees, and deposition costs, and it only collects a fee if it recovers money on your behalf. If there's no recovery, you owe nothing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hire a personal injury attorney in NYC?
Most firms work on contingency, meaning you pay nothing upfront and owe a fee only from your settlement or verdict. The percentage is agreed on before you sign anything, and if there's no recovery, you don't owe a fee at all.
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in New York?
Generally three years from the date of injury under CPLR 214, though medical malpractice, wrongful death, and claims against government agencies each carry different, shorter deadlines. Missing the applicable deadline typically ends the case regardless of how strong the underlying claim is, so it's worth confirming which clock applies to your situation as early as possible.
Can I still recover damages if I was partly at fault for my accident?
Yes. New York's pure comparative negligence rule under CPLR 1411 allows recovery even if you were mostly responsible, with your award reduced by your percentage of fault. A claimant found 80 percent at fault, for example, can still collect the remaining 20 percent of their damages.
What should I avoid doing after an accident?
Do not give a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster, sign settlement paperwork, or post about the accident on social media before speaking with an attorney. Insurers routinely use these to argue an injury was less serious than claimed or that the claimant carried more fault than the evidence actually shows.
What makes a medical malpractice or civil rights case different from a standard injury claim?
These cases usually require independent medical review, government notice requirements, or both, and often take longer to investigate and litigate than a routine accident claim. A medical malpractice case needs a qualified reviewer to show a provider departed from the accepted standard of care, while a civil rights claim against a government actor typically requires proof the person was acting under color of law.
Worried You Waited Too Long to Get Help?
Our attorneys and investigators move fast to secure this evidence, handle every call from the insurance company, and prepare your case as if it's headed to trial from day one.
Ready to Find Out What We Can Do for You?
Every case starts with a conversation, not a commitment. Tell us what happened, and our attorneys will review the facts, identify every party who may be responsible, and lay out your options in plain language, at no cost and with no obligation. At the Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Firm, a senior partner reviews every case personally, never a call center, and you pay nothing unless we recover money for you.
