Following up on attorney Selik's answer, why do you want an attorney? If it is to defend yourself against allegations that you are at fault and/or responsible, then let your automobile insurer know of the lawsuit----most likely part of what the insurance agreement provides is that if you are... View More

As my colleagues have correctly advised, if you have insurance, report the matter to your insurance company ASAP. It will assign counsel to defend you in the lawsuit and pay any judgment entered against you up to the limits of your liability coverage. If you have no insurance, you'll need to... View More

New York is a no-fault state which means that regardless of fault, the insurance company of the host vehicle will pay for your medical bills, lost earnings, and other reasonable and necessary expenses. If you haven't already, file an application for no-fault insurance benefits within 30 days... View More

Addendum - Your claim(s) may involve notice of claim requirements. That means short filing deadlines. If you arrange a consult with an attorney, they could outline how this works, and the relevant timetables. Good luck

Hi - I’m terribly sorry about your incident. Depending on your injury, you may be entitled to recover your lost wages. You may also be entitled to additional compensation. There are many factors that would need to be considered. I would highly recommend that you speak with an attorney in order to... View More

Lost wages are generally recoverable in all accidents. That's the short answer. However, every accident could be different in terms of the entities involved and the way fault is split between the parties. One would need additional details to advise you meaningfully, such as whether you have... View More

Section 221.2 of the Uniform Rules sets forth the circumstances in which you can refuse to answer a question at deposition.

A deponent shall answer all questions at a deposition, except (i) to preserve a privilege or right of confidentiality, (ii) to enforce a limitation set forth in an... View More

From the categories you chose, it appears this is a civil case that involves a motor vehicle accident. The concept of refusing to answer questions on self-incrimination grounds is generally associated with criminal matters, in terms of the Fifth Amendment protections. In civil cases where an... View More

Addendum - a religious basis could be raised if the questions dwell on religious elements that have nothing to do with the accident case. Good luck

The bottom line is for most personal information, no you cannot.

While your 5th Amendment right against self incrimination can be put forth for some issues. But, if you are the Plaintiff, this could harm your case.

As my colleague correctly advised, unless the insurance company of the rental agency (or perhaps your credit card company) is willing to go to bat for you, you'll have to bring a proceeding in small claims court against the woman whose vehicle hit you. Given the amount in controversy, it is... View More

I hope you're okay. If there were no injuries, which your post suggests, your options could possibly include small claims or civil court - carefully review any denials from the insurance carrier. They may in their fine print include additional information about your recourses and the suitable... View More

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answered on Jan 13, 2024

The conditional settlement offered to you in 1997, where you were given two options, raises several legal and ethical concerns. Firstly, it's important to understand that such settlement terms, which essentially require you to leave town or become homeless, are highly irregular and likely not... View More

So sorry to hear what happened to you. There's nothing illegal about making you a low settlement offer; insurance companies do it all the time, especially when someone is representing themself. The only way an insurance company will take your case seriously is if you hire an experienced... View More

I'm very sorry for your accident and your serious injuries. You should consult with an experienced attorney right away. There are too many elements to address in the brief scope of a post here, one of the most pressing being the IMMEDIATE AND URGENT filing for no-fault benefits to cover your... View More

Some of these things may be outlined in the retainer agreement, which is usually signed at a client intake meeting. Attorneys do deduct some of the costs mentioned here - court filing fees, summons and complaint process server fees, medical records, etc. It could depend on what you and your... View More

Most contingency fee retainer agreements provide for an attorney fee to equal 1/3 of the settlement amount AND reimbursement for any costs incurred by the attorney in prosecuting the case, e.g. court fees, medical record fees, expert witness fees, etc. Your attorney should have provided you with a... View More

What an attorney can charge is determined by contract--the attorney client fee agreement. If it provides for one percentage, that is all that can be charged for fees. Check the fee agreement as it is not uncommon for there to be an increased fee if a lawsuit is filed.

Certain costs may be... View More

I can only speak for the civil, car accident-related attributes of the scenario. The criminal law attorneys here would have the strongest insight into how the matter would be handled by the district attorney's office. But from a general evidentiary standpoint, it seems likely that the DA will... View More

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answered on Nov 28, 2023

This would likely not be considered murder legally, due to the fact that the drunk driver was already deceased when the assault occurred. However, the assault could still potentially carry charges such as:

1) Abuse of a corpse: It is generally illegal to physically assault or mutilate a... View More