Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I have a case?

If you were injured in an accident you have certain legal rights.  Therefore, it is important to contact us as soon as possible to determine what your rights are and how they apply to the facts of your case.  In many cases, there is a limited amount of time within which you are able to file a claim and protect your rights, so contacting us quickly is very important. 

What should I do if I think I have a case?

The first thing to always do is seek out medical treatment to quickly and accurately assess your injuries. This will give you the best chance for a quick and speedy recovery. In addition, it will allow you to assess the severity of your injuries. After consulting a physician you need to document the accident and should take all necessary pictures. If you are injured as the result of an accident you should file a police report with a precinct near you, and you should get the names of any witnesses to the accident.

All of this information can be used as evidence for your case, and can help in properly documenting the extent of your injuries.

What should I NOT do if I think I have a case?

Most importantly,

• DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING WITHOUT HAVING AN ATTORNEY REVIEW IT FIRST.
• Do not give out any statements without having an attorney present.
• Do not put off seeking medical treatment.
• Often when people are injured they put off treatment or fail to report an accident because they feel it isn’t necessary. Unfortunately, the severity of many injuries is not immediately clear, which is why it is important to get checked out as soon as possible. 
• DO NOT TALK TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY!!!

• All the insurance companies care about is themselves. They are looking out for their best interests, not yours. It is in YOUR best interests to get an attorney as soon as possible and have them handle the insurance companies for you.

How long do I have to make a claim?

The time you have to make a claim depends both on who you are suing and what you are suing about. If you are suing the City of New York there is a 90 day time limit for filing a notice of claim, and a lawsuit must be started within 1 year and 90 days. In cases against the State of New York, if a notice of intent is filed within 90 days, then you have 2 years to start suit.

If you are making an injury claim against someone or someplace other than the City or State of New York there is a 3 year statute of limitations on negligence and products liability claims, and a 2 ½ years statute of limitations on medical malpractice claims. 

What services does Leav & Steinberg provide?

• First and foremost, we will assess your situation quickly and honestly.


• We will handle all aspects of your case.  If there are aspects of your case that require specialization outside our area of expertise we will advise you of that



• We strongly believe that early investigation is the foundation for building a strong personal injury case.  Often the “trail gets cold” in these cases very quickly.  Therefore, we employ an investigator to aid in gathering vital information for your case.


• Your satisfaction is most important to us. Therefore, we do everything in our power to make what could potentially be a very stressful matter as painless as possible.

What if I can’t afford an Attorney?

We recognize that the last thing you need after suffering an accident is to deal with the costs of an attorney. That is why our firm handles all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. We do not recover a fee unless we are successful in recovering money for you.  You will not be billed for our services until the end of the case.  At that time we will be paid a percentage of the amount of money we recover for you less expenses.

We work hard to make sure that you receive every penny that you deserve