Simon & Simon, PC

You always have the right to hire and fire any attorney at any time for any reason. However, before trying to change lawyers, you should always try to rectify the situation with your current lawyer. Many times, by calling your current lawyer and explaining your frustrations, you can resolve the issues you have and move forward without changing counsel. While you are always allowed to change lawyers, doing so may cause added stress and complications that can be avoided.

Yes. Our lawyers and paralegals are available 24/7 to answer your questions, provide updates on your case and assist you in any way you need. We understand that suffering an injury can be a stressful and frustrating time. You will never go through it alone. Once you retain our firm to represent you, you will be provided a direct phone number and e-mails for the team members working on your case. While not everyone may be available to speak immediately, all e-mails and phone calls are responded to within 24 hours to ensure the highest level of communication.

In the first few months, our team will be in contact with you regularly as the investigation into your case may require more information, including ongoing medical records from your doctors as you go through the treatment process. Most of the work we do for your case is behind the scenes and doesn’t require much of anything from you. Remember, it’s our job to take the stress and burden of dealing with the insurance companies off you. We will continue to communicate with you about updates on your case, Court dates, and settlement offers and helps with any other issues that arise during the case. But, just because you haven’t received an update in a while, it doesn’t mean your case isn’t moving forward as it is. You will be provided direct contact information for your legal team that will always be available to answer any questions.

As soon as our firm begins working on your case, you will be assigned to a specific team to guide you through the claims process and make any resources you may need available. But, much of the work on your case is done behind the scenes with very little, if any, the onus on you. Your only responsibility is to follow your doctor's treatment plan and recuperate from your injuries as quickly as possible. Let us do the rest. Your team of lawyers and paralegals will take you through each step or phase of your case when it’s the right time to move forward without interrupting your medical care.

We don’t need much to get started on your case. Our investigation team can fill in any holes with the resources at our disposal. However, the most important thing is to be thorough and honest with your lawyer from the very beginning. Don’t hold anything back. Even if certain information seems trivial, it may be critical to your case later on. In order to begin the claims process, we will need basic information about you, your accident, and your injury, including any insurance information, police report, and the names of medical facilities. We always want to get started immediately and seek out any missing documents or information later, so don’t hesitate to contact us just because you’re missing certain information.

Yes. All consultations are free. We do not charge a single penny until and unless we recover money for you. There is no fee for your initial consultation whether or not you hire our firm.

Call your car insurance company immediately if you are sued following a car accident. As part of your car insurance policy, your insurance company is required to hire a lawyer – at no cost to you – to defend you against the person who has sued you. If you did not have car insurance at the time of the accident, call your local Bar Association for a referral to an attorney that may be able to help.

Whether or not to file a claim and an eventual lawsuit is your decision and your decision alone. But remember that the money you recover is usually coming from the insurance company and not the individual person who caused your injury. More importantly, most states have a relatively short statute of limitations, or deadline, to get a recovery for your injuries. So, it is crucial to contact an experienced injury lawyer and, at the very least, make a claim with the proper insurance companies as quickly as possible. Even if you are unsure about pursuing your case, you should always set up your claims at the beginning to preserve your rights. Failing to do so could negatively impact your case later on when you do decide to move forward.

Simply put: you don’t have to. Our firm works for you on a contingency fee, meaning we don’t get paid until and unless you get a settlement. Our contingency fee agreement also says that we will pay all expenses related to your accident case upfront, only to be reimbursed if and when we recover money for you. So if you cannot get a settlement, you will not owe us a penny for any reason. Instead, we take that financial burden off you so you can recuperate from your injuries, knowing that your case can move forward risk-free.

Unfortunately, there is no real specific answer to the question, “how long will my case take.” Personal injury settlements can come as soon as a few months after an accident but could also take three (3) or more years. The timeframe for your case depends on many factors, including the type and severity of the injury suffered, the extent of the medical treatment needed, the insurance company and the lawyers on the other side, and the Court in which your lawsuit is filed. More important than the timeline is ensuring that you get the financial compensation you deserve. While you may be able to get a quick settlement within a few months, it often takes much longer to get a fair settlement.

Generally, most states’ laws give injured victims the right to recover two (2) types of damages: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are financial losses suffered after an injury, such as lost wages, future earning capacity, medical bills – both those that you already owe your doctor and those that may stack up in the future, and payments for household services that someone else may need to do while you’re recuperating. Economic damages are easily calculable with bills, receipts, and wage documents which your lawyer can properly account for under the law in your state. Non-economic damages are subjective, and different juries may award different amounts they deem appropriate. Despite the name, non-economic damages seek financial recovery for pain and suffering, emotional distress, embarrassment and humiliation, and loss or limitations in enjoying your daily life.

Your lost wages are almost always recoverable after an injury. Recuperating from car accidents or fall-down injuries can take time. While you are suffering physically and mentally, most states' law protects you from suffering financially. When someone else causes an injury that forces you out of work, you are entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering and the money you would have earned during the time you were recovering. Make sure to keep any financial documents from your employer that shows how much time you missed and how much money you lost after an accident. It’s imperative to speak to your lawyer about missed time from work so that you can get back every penny to which you are entitled.

NO. It is illegal for employers to fire or punish you for filing a workers’ compensation claim. Your employer cannot retaliate against you just because you were injured on the job. However, many employers may find other reasons to justify your termination after a workplace injury. If you believe you were illegally fired or punished after a workplace injury, call us to connect with an experienced worker’s compensation lawyer about your rights.

Yes. If you suffer any injury, even one you believe to be minor, you have the right to claim the person or company responsible. You are always entitled to recover for your pain and suffering, no matter how big or small, as well as other losses endured from a car accident or fall down. Even small injuries can result in huge medical bills, lost time from work, and major disruptions in your daily life. Worse, your seemingly small injury may turn out worse than you originally thought. You should always contact an experienced injury lawyer to discuss your rights.

Yes. Even if you believe you are partially to blame for the accident, you still have the right to recover from your injuries. While the law in each state is different, most states still allow you to recover money for your injuries even if that amount is reduced by the percentage of fault you bear for the accident. Remember, only a Jury can decide to what extent you are at fault and to what extent the other driver is at fault. And in most states, you are entitled to compensation as long as the other driver is more to blame. Contact us immediately to learn more about the law in your state.

The most important thing to do after a car accident is to CALL THE POLICE. Do not try to handle the situation yourself. If you are injured, you must alert the police of your injuries so that they can provide emergency medical services and get you to the hospital. If you can, TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLES INVOLVED. You must preserve all the evidence possible at the scene so that the other driver and their insurance company cannot deny any damages you suffered. Next, make sure to GET THE OTHER DRIVER’S INSURANCE INFORMATION before leaving the scene. Without the other driver’s insurance information, you may not be able to recover any money for your injuries. If the police fail to arrive on the scene, make sure to obtain the other driver’s information, including his/her vehicle information, license plate, and insurance information and either go to the closest police precinct or call your state’s Department of Transportation to report the accident.

The majority of personal injury cases settle before trial. But, this does not mean that you should avoid trial. A Jury is the one that can tell an insurance company what they MUST pay versus what you or your lawyer tell them they SHOULD pay. That said, whether or not your case goes to trial depends on whether the insurance company is willing to make a fair enough offer before putting it in the hands of the Jury. In most cases, the insurance company or at-fault party will seek a settlement to avoid trial risks and legal costs. Depending on the facts of your case, a settlement may also be in your best interest. However, some cases do go to trial. And the most important thing you want to do is hire the best attorney for the job if that happens.

Most states have laws giving a deadline to either file a lawsuit or settle your claims. This is called the “statute of limitations,” and, depending on the state in which your accident occurred, this deadline could be as little as one (1) year from the date of your injury or as much as five (5) years. Contact us immediately to find out the statute of limitations in your state and what you can do to preserve your rights.

While you’re not required to hire a lawyer for a car accident or fall-down claim, it is never a good idea to try to negotiate a settlement without one. An experienced injury firm is imperative to maximize the settlement value of your case. Every insurance company knows which lawyers will settle cheap and early and which ones will hold out for the highest possible settlement amount or go to verdict if necessary. They also know that, without a lawyer, you will not be able to take your case to a Jury verdict, at which point all bets are off. Therefore, an experienced negotiator and trial lawyer is the only way to get the highest settlement you deserve after suffering a car accident or fall-down injury.

I really need the money. NO. You should NEVER accept the insurance company’s first offer. Remember, the insurance company making the offer is NOT your insurance company; it’s the other person’s (the one that hurt you). It’s that insurance company’s job to keep money in their own pockets and out of yours. The first offer usually comes very early, before you’ve completed medical care or even found out exactly how badly you were hurt. Clearly, that is too early to be a fair offer. Think of the first offer as a kick-off to negotiations from which the offers will only go up.

What if I can’t afford to hire an attorney? Unlike most lawyers, we do not charge any fee at all unless and until you win or settle your case. Instead, our firm works on a “contingency fee” basis, meaning our fee is a percentage of your award, settlement, or verdict. The fee percentage often depends on how and when your case can be resolved and whether or not it goes to trial. This also means that if you lose your case, you do not owe our firm any money at all. A contingency fee not only makes hiring a lawyer affordable, but since we don’t charge you a penny until the case is over, there is no downside in calling us to explore your legal options.

We are a large-scale personal injury law firm representing injured victims that have suffered pain, suffering, and emotional and financial loss through no fault of their own. The most common injury lawsuits result from car crashes, slip or trip and fall incidents, and workplace mishaps. But, many of our clients have also fallen victim to the negligence of doctors, nurses, security guards, the police, and many others to whom they’ve trusted their health and safety. Any injury caused by the misconduct of others may be grounds for financial compensation.