How to Choose a Car Accident Lawyer in New York City

Why This Matters

Advertising volume is not a quality signal. It tells you what a firm spends, not how it communicates, who works your file, or how it handles cases like yours.

New York gives you specific protections worth knowing before you sign. Court rules require a written engagement letter in most matters (22 NYCRR Part 1215, with limited exceptions), and in personal injury contingency cases the retainer must be filed with the Office of Court Administration under 22 NYCRR § 691.20 (Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island) and § 603.7 (Manhattan, the Bronx). Separately, Judiciary Law § 479 makes it unlawful for anyone to solicit legal business or retainers on a lawyer's behalf, and § 482 bars attorneys from employing solicitors. The court system's free attorney search covers most of the rest.

The 6 Steps Before You Sign

Work through these in order. Each one takes minutes, and together they cover the consumer protections New York gives you.

1. 1

   Verify the registration

   Search the attorney by name on the New York attorney search. The lookup is free and takes about a minute. Do it before the consultation, not after you sign.

   • Registration status is current.
   • No public discipline. If discipline appears, read the underlying record before deciding.
   • The office address matches where the firm says it practices.
2. 2

   Ask who will handle your case day to day

   Many New York City injury firms run high-volume intake operations. The attorney you meet first is not always the lawyer who works your file. Ask for the name and registration of your day-to-day contact, and how to reach them directly.

   • A named attorney, not just “a team” or a case manager.
   • How often you will get updates, and by what channel: phone, email, text, or portal.
3. 3

   Get the retainer in writing and confirm it gets filed

   New York court rules require a written engagement letter in most matters (22 NYCRR Part 1215, with limited exceptions). In personal injury contingency cases, the retainer statement must also be filed with the Office of Court Administration under § 691.20 or § 603.7, and a closing statement is filed when the case ends. Read the retainer before you sign, and ask about anything unclear.

   What to confirm in the written retainer▼

   Term	What to confirm
   Contingency percentage	One third of the net recovery is the common arrangement in New York injury cases, with a sliding-scale alternative under the court rules. Ask which one the retainer uses.
   Net vs. gross computation	Under the court-rule fee schedules that govern many injury cases, the scheduled fee is computed on the net sum after litigation expenses are deducted. Whatever your retainer uses, it must say how the fee is computed. Confirm it matches what you were told.
   What counts as expenses	Filing fees, expert witnesses, depositions, medical records, and investigation are typical. Ask for examples for a case like yours.
   If there is no recovery	Ask what happens to expenses if there is no recovery. Many firms absorb them, but some agreements make the client responsible. The retainer should say which.
   OCA filing	Ask whether the retainer statement will be filed with the Office of Court Administration. Court rules require it in injury contingency cases.
   Liens and medical bills	Ask how medical liens, health insurance reimbursement, and unpaid bills are handled at settlement.

4. 4

   Ask these questions at the consultation

   Free consultations are standard at New York injury firms, so use them to compare. A direct answer to each question below is itself a good sign.

   The questions, and why they work▼

   Question	Why ask it
   How many cases like mine has the firm handled in the last three years?	Recent, relevant experience tells you more than total years in practice.
   Will your office file my no-fault application, and when?	The no-fault claim is due to the insurer within 30 days of the crash. A firm that handles it immediately is protecting your medical and wage benefits.
   What is your honest read on the strengths and weaknesses of my case?	A measured answer is a good sign. A promised dollar amount is not.
   How do you evaluate the serious-injury threshold in my case?	New York limits lawsuits to injuries that meet the Insurance Law threshold. A clear explanation of how your injuries fit is a sign of real practice experience.
   How often will I hear from you, and by what channel?	Communication is the most common source of client frustration. Set expectations now.
   How is the fee computed, and on what amount?	New York retainers should state the percentage and that it is computed on the net recovery after expenses. The answer in person should match the writing.

5. 5

   Watch for red flags, including illegal solicitation

   Two red flags carry legal weight in New York. Anyone who approached you at the crash scene, a hospital, or a body shop and offered to connect you with a lawyer may be soliciting unlawfully under Judiciary Law § 479, and an attorney who employs solicitors violates § 482. Violations are a crime under § 485. And a firm that asks you to rely on a spoken description of the fee is not following the court rules that require a written, filed retainer. You can report either to the Attorney Grievance Committee for the borough.

   Good signs vs. red flags▼

   Good sign	Red flag
   Registration found and current on the court system search	Cannot be found on the attorney search, or dodges the question
   Hands you the written retainer to read	Asks you to trust a spoken description of the fee
   Names the attorney who will work your file	Cannot say who will handle the case
   Gives a measured read on your case	Promises a specific result or settlement amount
   Gives you time to read, ask, and compare	Pressures you to sign the same day
   You found the firm through your own research	Someone approached you at the scene, hospital, or body shop

6. 6

   Compare 2 or 3 firms before you sign

   Comparing costs you nothing but time, and New York generally gives you three years to file a car accident injury lawsuit (CPLR § 214). One exception does not wait: the no-fault claim is due to the insurer within 30 days of the crash, and claims involving government vehicles have much shorter notice deadlines. Choose the lawyer whose answers were direct, whose communication style fits you, and whose written retainer you understood the first time you read it.

Key Numbers

Every legal rule on this page links to its primary source: the New York Judiciary Law, the CPLR, or the court rules (22 NYCRR). Statutes verified against nysenate.gov and Cornell LII on June 11, 2026. Items described as common arrangements reflect market practice, not legal standards. Designed as a neutral consumer-protection guide.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. 1

   Choosing an attorney from advertising alone

   Personal injury firms advertise heavily across New York City. Ads tell you a firm's marketing budget, not how it handles cases. Use ads as a starting list at most, then run the six steps above.

2. 2

   Letting the 30-day no-fault deadline pass while you compare

   Comparing firms is smart, but the no-fault application is due to the insurer within 30 days of the crash. File it, or confirm the firm you are interviewing will file it immediately.

3. 3

   Signing without knowing how the fee is computed

   Whether the percentage is computed on the net recovery after expenses or on the gross can change what you take home by thousands of dollars. New York retainers must put the fee terms in writing. Ask before you sign.

4. 4

   Accepting a referral from someone who approached you

   Soliciting accident victims at crash scenes, hospitals, and body shops is unlawful in New York under Judiciary Law § 479. Find your own attorney, or use a service that explains how it matches you.

5. 5

   Never learning who actually works your file

   At high-volume firms, the intake attorney and the working attorney are often different people. Get the name of your day-to-day contact before you sign.

Frequently Asked Questions