Premises Liability

What To Expect During A Car Accident Trial In Upstate, New York: A Guide For Plaintiffs

Published on: February 13, 2024 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

What-to-Expect-at-Trial-Blog-scaled Being involved in a car accident is stressful enough, but the prospect of a trial can feel overwhelming. Suppose you’re facing this situation in Upstate New York. In that case, understanding the process can ease your anxiety and empower you to make informed decisions. Our elite team of Buffalo, New York, car accident injury lawyers at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. represents countless car accident victims and wants to guide you through what to expect during a trial.

Before The Trial:

Discovery: This phase involves exchanging information and evidence between both parties. We’ll assist you in gathering crucial documents like accident reports, medical records, and witness statements. This stage is essential for building a strong case.

Building Code Violations And Negligence In Premises Liability Lawsuits

Published on: May 2, 2023 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

Building-Code-scaled Local municipalities, Erie County, and New York State have enacted various building codes and other standards to ensure public safety. These codes regulate the construction, repair, and maintenance of shopping malls, residential properties, and large office buildings. When building code violations and other property owner negligence occur, devastating personal injury accidents are bound to happen. Suppose you, or a loved one, were injured as a guest or visitor on someone else’s property. In that case, you may be entitled to pursue a premises liability lawsuit against the owner or other responsible party.

Common Types Of Code Violations And Negligence

Unfortunately, these violations occur more often than most people would think. While some minor building code violations may not pose substantial safety risks, others can be hazardous. Some of the most dangerous building code violations include:

Evidence In Injury Claims

Published on: April 18, 2023 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

EVIDENCE-scaled Suppose that you were severely injured because of another’s carelessness or recklessness. You may wonder how much evidence you need to win your personal injury lawsuit. Under New York law, plaintiffs in personal injury cases have the burden of proof. In other words, for the defendant to be held legally responsible, you must prove that they were negligent. Considering that insurance adjusters and jury members were not at the accident scene, your lawyer must use evidence to demonstrate your version of events. The outcome of your case will be highly contingent upon the quality of evidence you can provide. The more evidence your attorney has to substantiate the case, the higher your chances are of reaching a reasonable settlement or winning in court.

What Type Of Evidence Will Support My Case?

The first couple of hours and days following your accident are crucial for collecting and preserving evidence. Gathering evidence can seem stressful and daunting, especially if you need help knowing where to begin. Uncollected evidence can easily get lost or destroyed. Therefore, immediately after any accident, try to amass as much evidence as possible. Some common forms of evidence frequently used in personal injury lawsuits include:

The Litigation Process

Published on: April 11, 2023 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

the-litigation-process-scaled After suffering devastating injuries in any type of accident, you are likely feeling helpless and overwhelmed. If another’s carelessness or irresponsibility caused your injuries, you might be eligible to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. The Dietrich Legal Team’s veteran litigators realize that the litigation process may seem both complex and intimidating. Our lawyers believe that by helping you better understand the legal process, we can eliminate most of your stress and uncertainty.

Steps In The Personal Injury Litigation Process

Although no two claims are identical, each lawsuit filed in New York Supreme Court follows the same steps as it advances through the litigation process. The actions that the Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s highly experienced attorneys will take include:

Household Guest Injuries Compensable Under Homeowner Policies

Published on: March 21, 2023 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

homeowner-ins-blog-scaled Each year, over 10 million victims are treated in emergency departments nationwide for home-related injuries. Fortunately, almost every homeowner carries insurance, and many tenants maintain renter policies. This type of insurance shields residential property owners against personal liability when someone else suffers bodily harm or property damage in an accident caused by the homeowner’s negligence. While homeowner’s insurance is typically regarded as protection against property damage, these policies also provide crucial liability coverage for guests’ injuries.

Are Accidents In Homes Covered By Insurance?

All land owners, including homeowners, are legally obligated to maintain their property reasonably safe for guests. When property owners expose visitors to unnecessary risks by failing to remedy safety concerns or neglecting to warn guests about known dangers, they can be held responsible for any adverse consequences suffered. Victims of household-related injuries are responsible for more than 6 million insurance claims annually. Coverage for bodily injury could compensate an injured person for their medical expenses if their injuries were caused by the owner, other household residents, or even their pets. Additionally, if a guest’s property is damaged, the homeowner’s policy could pay for its repair or replacement.

The Attorney-Client Relationship

Published on: March 7, 2023 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

Attorney-Client-Relationship-Blog-scaled When you hire a personal injury attorney to litigate your accident case, knowing that you have certain rights as a client is crucial. Strict standards of ethical and professional responsibility bind personal injury lawyers. The relationship between an attorney and their client should be based on confidence and trust. At the Dietrich Law Firm P.C., our battle-tested litigators believe in building strong relationships with our clients. We take the attorney-client relationship exceptionally seriously and are dedicated to treating every client with the respect, consideration, and compassion they deserve.

Rights And Privileges That Your Attorney Should Provide

As a client, you should be able to expect the following from your attorney:

What Is A Bellwether Trial?

Published on: February 7, 2023 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

Bellweather-Trial-scaled The word bellwether can be traced back to the 13th century when shepherds hung bells around the necks of some of their sheep to designate them as leaders. Similarly, bellwether trials are designed to track and monitor the potential results of a large group of lawsuits. They are test lawsuits that use individual claims originating from a group of widely contested lawsuits filed against the same party. When hundreds or even thousands of lawsuits are filed against one party, these trials allow a few select cases to go to court to predict how the remaining pending claims will turn out at trial.

What Is Multidistrict Litigation?

In recent years, the number of medical injuries and pharmaceutical claims that have developed into multidistrict litigations has significantly increased. Multidistrict litigation, also known as MDL, is a special judicial proceeding designed to help federal courts better manage a large group of related lawsuits filed in various jurisdictions by different plaintiffs with similar legal issues and the same defendant. These proceedings are contingent on getting a majority approval from 7 district court judges, known as the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. Upon approval, the cases are temporarily transferred and consolidated at one or more district courts for pretrial coordination.

What Is A Summons?

Published on: January 17, 2023 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

SUMMONS-scaled After being injured in an accident, knowing what to expect when pursuing your claim brings you peace of mind. Some of our most frequently asked questions are about the summons. At the beginning of a lawsuit, a summons and complaint are two legal documents served to all defendants. The summons informs the defendant of the plaintiff’s commencement of the legal action and demands that they answer the complaint. The complaint is a written document detailing the plaintiff’s reasons for pursuing the lawsuit. It states the plaintiff’s claims against the defendant and the damages they seek compensation for.

Serving A Summons

New York State law forbids any party to the legal action from serving the summons. The person who serves the summons must be at least 18 years old. Process servers are typically used to serve these legal documents. The three methods of delivering a summons are:

What Does The Statute Of Limitations Mean?

Published on: October 25, 2022 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

Statute-of-Limitations-scaled Suppose that you, or a family member, have been injured in an accident caused by another person’s negligence or recklessness. You may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. Pursuing a case against the responsible party could be your only means to recover compensation. However, you only have a limited time to file your claim. The deadline is known as the statute of limitations (SOL). The statute of limitations, like a countdown, can significantly impact when or even if you can pursue your case. Regardless of the strength of your claim, when the statute of limitations runs out, your case will be considered time-barred. Meaning the defendant can assert that the statute of limitations has run out and ask the court to dismiss the lawsuit on that basis alone.

The Purpose Of The Statute Of Limitations

The statute of limitations are laws that establish a maximum duration from the date of the incident that a victim must commence legal proceedings. These laws are based on the principle of fairness and apply to criminal and civil cases. Over time, evidence is improperly preserved, memories tend to fade, and witnesses start to disappear. People move on with their lives and do not expect to be sued for accidents long ago. Some crimes, such as murder in the 1st degree and treason, are so horrendous that they cannot be time-barred.

What Is Comparative Negligence?

Published on: September 13, 2022 | By Dietrich Law Firm P.C.

Comparative-Negligence-Blog-scaled Liability in personal injury cases is often unclear and ambiguous. This is because a defendant may not be entirely responsible for the accident. It is not uncommon for plaintiffs to be partially at-fault too. Fortunately, victims may still be eligible to recover compensation for their damages even if they were partly to blame. When applying the legal doctrine of comparative negligence, also known as comparative fault, a plaintiff that contributed to their accident would still be awarded compensation for their damages. However, the total amount would be reduced based on their share of fault. Whether you have been hurt in a car crash, construction accident, slip and fall, or any other mishap, comparative negligence can significantly impact the compensation you obtain.

Common Comparative Fault Claims

When a defendant can successfully demonstrate that the plaintiff shared some responsibility for an accident, they will not have to pay the full jury award. Consequently, comparative negligence is one of the most prevalent affirmative defenses raised in personal injury litigation. Some situations where plaintiffs might be considered comparatively negligent include: