When you work with our injury lawyers at Cappuccio & Zaorski, LLC, there is no fee unless we win.

Our injury lawyers ensure that our clients are not stuck with burdensome medical bills.

Once you sign up with our firm, our injury lawyers handle any contact with your insurance company. You only have to worry about getting or feeling better!

If you have been injured in an accident, the most important priority is getting medical attention. Assuming that you are not taken to the emergency room immediately, you should take photos or videos of the accident scene and get the contact information of any witnesses. You should not admit fault or apologize to anyone else who was involved, even if it seems like a polite thing to do. Anything that you say in the aftermath of an accident can be used against you if you pursue a claim or lawsuit later. If you suspect that someone else may have been at fault, you should set up a consultation with an attorney who focuses on these types of cases to discuss all your options. John L. Zaorski, Esq. is a Certified Civil Trial Attorney who focuses on these types of cases.

You do not need to make this decision on your own. Contact an attorney and set up a free consultation to go over your situation in detail. The attorney will be able to tell you whom you can sue and what you can expect to recover, based on the facts of the accident and the laws in your state. Essentially, in most situations, you would have a case if someone acted carelessly under the circumstances and caused your injuries. Applying this standard is more complicated than it sounds, however, which is why it is important to consult an attorney.

You should not speak with an insurance adjuster for someone else involved in the litigation. They may seem friendly and sympathetic, but they are almost certainly trying to coax statements from you that would reduce or eliminate the liability of their insured. Tell the insurance adjuster to contact your attorney, if you have retained an attorney, or contact your insurance company, if you do not have an attorney. The same points apply if an attorney for someone else contacts you.

The main type of damages is known as compensatory damages, which is further divided into economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages are based on tangible, relatively objective costs and losses, such as medical bills, lost income and earning capacity, property damage, and the costs of future treatment. Non-economic damages are more subjective, covering items such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, and lost enjoyment of life. Damages must be reasonably quantifiable to be awarded, rather than being speculative. If the defendant has acted in an especially egregious manner, you may be able to recover punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages. 

Very few personal injury cases go to trial. The overwhelming majority end in a settlement with the defendant or an insurance company. Unfortunately, the time that it takes to reach a settlement is hard to predict and can vary dramatically. Generally, a claim that involves substantial injuries and a significant amount of money will take longer to settle because the insurer will fight harder over it. If the case is complex or liability is unclear, a settlement also may take longer to reach. Hiring an attorney sometimes can motivate an insurer to make a fair offer earlier in the process, since they know that they are less likely to take advantage of you.

The insurance for the at-fault party will not pay for your lost wages in the immediate aftermath of the accident. You can use PIP coverage if you were injured in a car crash or another motor vehicle accident, or you may be able to get short-term or long-term disability benefits through your employer. These insurers usually will need to be reimbursed when and if you get a settlement. If you have vacation time, sick time, paid time off, or other forms of “comp” time through your employer, you can use these as well.

If you were hurt on the job, you may have multiple options for compensation. In most situations, you will be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits through your employer. These will cover your medical bills in addition to a portion of your lost wages. Workers’ compensation also may provide vocational rehabilitation assistance and lump sum payouts for certain types of injuries or disabilities. If someone other than your employer or a coworker caused your accident, you may have an additional personal injury claim against that third party. For example, you might be able to sue a manufacturer of workplace equipment if you were injured because the equipment was defective. Workers’ compensation may have a right to be reimbursed from the proceeds of that claim but pursuing a personal injury claim (if applicable) is usually a smart strategy because you can get more money than you could through workers’ compensation alone. At Cappuccio & Zaorski, LLC, we handle both aspects of your case to ensure the best results.