practice-areas.html

---
layout: default
title: Practice Areas
---

<section class="areas">
  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-12">
      <h2>Practice Areas</h2>
      <p>For thirty years the law firm of Steven Smedresman has dedicated itself to fighting for the interests of the injured and hurt, in court and out, to make sure that the insurance company does the one thing it hates the most: Pay full value on the claim.</p>
      <p>If you have been injured or if a family member has been injured or killed in New York City, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens or in Nassau, Suffolk or Rockland Counties you may well be entitled to collect money damages.</p>
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-12">
      <hr/>
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-3">
      {% image practice-areas/icon-auto.svg %}
      <h3>Car Accidents</h3>
    </div><!--/col-->
    <div class="col-9">
      <p>Every New Yorker knows that auto accidents are a sad fact of life in this busy city. But until you or a loved one has actually been involved in an accident it is impossible to realize how physically and financially damaging such events truly are. For three decades the Law Firm of Steven Smedresman has represented injured New Yorkers with their crucially important auto accident cases.</p>
      <p>We will be there every step of the way to help. We will initiate a prompt investigation of your case to obtain witness statements and other evidence vital to the case; we will make sure your medical claims are filed with the correct insurance company and that your bills are paid; we will make sure that all possible sources of insurance coverage are looked into and that claims are all put in on a timely basis; we will help you find the right doctor for your case if you don’t have one already, and we will collect all the medical reports to put forth the strongest possible case.</p>
      <p>Even if your case involves a hit and run accident or an uninsured car, we can still get you money for your claim. If you’ve been involved in a hit and run accident it is crucial that you contact me immediately, as filing deadlines must be strictly adhered to!</p>
      <!-- <p>For thirty years the law firm of Steven Smedresman has dedicated itself to fighting for the interests of the injured and hurt, in court and out, to make sure that the insurance company does the one thing it hates the most: Pay full value on the claim.</p>
      <p>If you have been injured or if a family member has been injured or killed in an auto accident in New York City, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens or in Nassau, Suffolk or Rockland Counties you may well be entitled to collect money damages.</p> -->
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-12">
      <hr/>
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-3">
      {% image practice-areas/icon-bike.svg %}
      <h3>Pedestrian &amp; Bicyclist Knockdown &amp; Hit and Run Accidents</h3>
    </div><!--/col-->
    <div class="col-9">
      <p>We all know that New York is a town where you’re expected to hurry up or get out of the way. Unfortunately, that way of life all too often leads to pedestrians and bicyclists getting hit or knocked down by cars, trucks and busses. For three decades the Law Firm of Steven Smedresman has helped injured New Yorkers with their pedestrian or bicyclist knockdown cases.</p>
      <p>Pedestrian knockdown or bicyclist knockdown accidents are often the result of simple carelessness: The usual reasons are carelessness (for example, drivers not watching the road ahead, or being distracted by cell phone calls) or other reasons (alcohol involvement, rushing for work, inexperience). Most auto accidents involve some combination of speed and inattention.</p>
      <p>Injuries from auto accidents are often very severe, physically and psychologically. Neck, head and back injuries often result, and in more severe cases there can be nerve damage, broken or dislocated bones, paralysis, loss of limbs and even death. Being unable to work even for a brief period, and surely for lengthy periods causes serious financial difficulties.</p>
      <p>We will be there every step of the way to help. We’ll initiate a prompt investigation, obtain witness statements and other evidence to prove the case; we’ll make sure your medical claims are filed with the correct insurance company and that your medical bills are paid; we’ll make sure that all possible sources of insurance coverage are looked into and that claims are all put in on a timely basis; we’ll help you find the right doctor for your case if you don’t have one already, and we’ll collect all the medical reports to put forth the strongest possible case. Even if your case involves a hit and run accident or an uninsured car, we can still get you money for your claim, if you act quickly and contact us.</p>
      <p>Many people are often hesitant to bring a claim because the feel that in some way they might have been at fault or contributed to the accident. Even if that’s you, you should call: New York State law provides that fault is allocated between the parties in a common sense, comparative manner by allocating fault between the parties. My job is to fight for you, and put the strongest case possible before the Court. Your job is simple: To get better.</p>
      <!-- <p>For thirty years I have dedicated myself to fighting for the interests of the injured and hurt, in court and out, to make sure that the insurance company does the one thing it hates the most: Pay full value on the claim.</p>
      <p>If you or a family member has been injured, or a family member injured or killed in a pedestrian or bicyclist accident in New York City, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens or in Nassau, Suffolk or Rockland Counties, you may be entitled to collect money damages.</p> -->
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-12">
      <hr/>
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-3">
      {% image practice-areas/icon-worker.svg %}
      <h3>Construction Worker Accidents (Labor Law)</h3>
    </div><!--/col-->
    <div class="col-9">
      <p>Some jobs are simply more dangerous than other jobs. If you are a construction worker, or if you have a family member who is a construction worker, you know that working at a construction site exposes workers to acutely dangerous accidents. Falling from a height; being exposed to falling objects; being hit by construction equipment; crush injuries; injuries resulting from falling into ditches or trenches; and electrocution are just some of the great dangers construction workers face every day on the job. For three decades the Law Firm of Steven Smedresman has represented New York’s construction workers with their crucially important on-the-job cases.</p>
      <p>The first step in protecting your rights is to ensure that your worker’s compensation claim is set up. Worker’s compensation laws provide you with coverage for most of your medical expenses and some of your lost wages. You are automatically entitled to these benefits regardless of your own fault in the accident. The worker’s compensation laws provide you with a source of automatic payments that start almost immediately. But the worker’s compensation laws also prevent you from suing your employer or co-workers.</p>
      <p>To get full justice if you’ve been hurt in a construction accident you will need an attorney experienced in suing other parties (so-called “third parties”) who might be legally responsible for your accident. New York’s pro-worker Labor Laws squarely place legal responsibility for a safe place to work on a landowner, general contractor and other parties.</p>
      <p>Bringing a lawsuit against the building owner, general contractor or others requires professional legal representation. Construction worker cases, also known as Labor Law cases, involve an ever-changing and subtle area of law where having the right attorney can mean the difference between winning in court and having your case dismissed. Just as you would want the best surgeon for your surgery, so too do you want the most experienced attorney for your day in Court.</p>
      <!-- <p>For thirty years the law firm of Steven Smedresman has dedicated itself to fighting for the interests of construction workers injured and hurt on the job, by going to Court to make sure that the insurance companies do the one thing they hate the most: Paying out full value on your claim.</p>
      <p>If you have been injured or if a family member has been injured or killed in a construction accident in New York City, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens or in Nassau, Suffolk or Rockland Counties, you may well be entitled to collect money damages.</p> -->
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-12">
      <hr/>
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-3">
      {% image practice-areas/icon-arrest.svg %}
      <h3>False Arrest and Civil Rights Violations</h3>
    </div><!--/col-->
    <div class="col-9">
      <p>The United States Constitution guarantees each and every citizen freedom from abuses of State power and State and City police powers. If you have been falsely arrested and spent time in jail for a crime you did not commit, or if you have been the victim of police brutality or beating, you may be entitled to money damages. For three decades the Law Firm of Steven Smedresman has vigorously represented injured New Yorkers with their civil rights violations cases.</p>
      <p>Examples of civil rights violations are false arrest and/or wrongful imprisonment; wrongful conviction; police brutality and excessive force; false arrest based on racial profiling; and prosecutorial misconduct</p>
      <p>For anyone who has ever been the victim of abuse of state power you know well how deep an injustice such an event is and how crucial it is to go to Court to correct that great injustice.</p>
      <p>Cases against the City of New York or other public authorities always carry strict time deadlines for filing the claim and for bringing the suit. Such time limits are crucial. Broadly speaking, one has ninety days to file a claim and one year and ninety days to thereafter start a lawsuit against the City of New York. Filing time frames are particularly crucial in civil rights violations cases as such cases often involve municipalities, so be sure to contact me immediately if you believe you have a such a case.</p>
      <!-- <p>For thirty years I have dedicated myself to fighting for the interests of the injured and hurt, in court and out, to make sure that my clients receive their measure of justice.</p>
      <p>If your family member has been the victim of a false arrest, false imprisonment or other civil rights violation in New York City, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, or in Nassau, Suffolk or Rockland Counties, you may well be entitled to collect money damages.</p> -->
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-12">
      <hr/>
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-3">
      {% image practice-areas/icon-medical.svg %}
      <h3>Medical Malpractice</h3>
    </div><!--/col-->
    <div class="col-9">
      <p>The consequences of medical malpractice can be devastating and tragic for the patient and family. Cases involving babies born with Cerebral Palsy (caused by a lack of oxygen to a baby’s brain during childbirth), Erb’s palsy (caused by having excessive force placed on a baby during a difficult birth causing damage to the child’s brachial plexus); and cases involving a failure to diagnoses certain cancers on a timely basis, are examples of medical malpractice cases.</p>
      <p>Medical malpractice cases are the most difficult of all personal injury cases to bring to a successful conclusion. It’s not enough to show that a mistake has occurred. To bring a successful case you must show that the error or mistake was so egregious that a jury can conclude the health care professional departed or deviated from all accepted standards of medical care.</p>
      <p>It goes without saying that the victims of malpractice and their families need to be certain that they are entrusting their case to an attorney with a long and successful history of handling these types of claims. The firm of Steven Smedresman PC, working with Alan R. Chorne, his partner of many years on such cases, is there to compassionately help your family and aggressively seek justice for you in Court.</p>
      <p>The time frames to initiate a medical malpractice case are often stunningly short. You may have only 90 days to bring a claim against New York City’s Health and Hospital system! If the claim is being brought against a private health care provider then your time frame to bring the case may be as short as two and one-half years. If you suspect you have a claim contact me immediately.</p>
      <p>Thirty years of experience in handling medical malpractice cases has taught me that determining if a medical error rises to the level of professional malpractice requires a dispassionate analysis of the records. One can expect a vigorous defense from the doctor’s or hospital’s attorneys and insurance carriers. Understanding the records and retaining experts for your case is the first and most crucial first step on the road to bringing a successful malpractice claim.</p>
      <!-- <p>For thirty years the law firm of Steven Smedresman has dedicated itself to fighting for the interests of victims of medical malpractice by going to Court to make sure that the insurance companies do the one thing they hate the most: Paying out full value on your claim.</p>
      <p>If you have been injured or if a family member has been injured or died as a result of medical malpractice in New York City, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, or in Nassau, Suffolk or Rockland Counties, you may well be entitled to collect money damages.</p> -->
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-12">
      <hr/>
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-3">
      {% image practice-areas/icon-death.svg %}
      <h3>Wrongful Death</h3>
    </div><!--/col-->
    <div class="col-9">
      <p>There is no tragedy more devastating for a family than the loss of a loved one. When that loss is caused by an accident it is even more incomprehensible. For three decades the Law Firm of Steven Smedresman has compassionately represented New Yorkers with their vitally important wrongful death claims.</p>
      <p>When someone dies as a result of an accident the family he or she leaves behind has the right to bring a claim in Court. Wrongful death claims may include claims for loss of financial support, based on the loss of all the wages the family member would have earned and contributed to the household; loss of pension, retirement or inheritance benefits; expenses associated with the death, including the funeral and medical expenses; the pain and suffering the family member endured before their death; and loss of guidance, companionship and future care.</p>
      <p>Wrongful death cases arise in car accident cases, due to falls and injuries at construction sites, due to defective and dangerous products, or as a consequence of medical malpractice.</p>
      <p>We will be there every step of the way to help. We will initiate a prompt investigation, obtain witness statements and other evidence to prove the case; we will make sure your medical claims are filed with the correct insurance company and that your bills are paid; and we will make sure that all possible sources of insurance coverage are looked into and that claims are all put in on a timely basis.</p>
      <!-- <p>For thirty years the law firm of Steven Smedresman has dedicated itself to fighting for the interests of the injured and hurt, in court and out, to make sure that the insurance company does the one thing it hates the most: Pay full value on the claim.</p>
      <p>If your family member has tragically died as a result of any type of accident in New York City, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens or in Nassau, Suffolk or Rockland Counties, his or her estate may well have the right to bring a claim for money damages.</p> -->
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-12">
      <hr/>
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-3">
      {% image practice-areas/icon-building.svg %}
      <h3>Premises Liability</h3>
    </div><!--/col-->
    <div class="col-9">
      <p>Every property owner has a legal responsibility to protect tenants, pedestrians, friends or workers by keeping their property in a safe condition. This legal duty extends to owners of single-family homes, co-op owners, condo owners, owners of apartment buildings, or the City of New York, which owns the streets sidewalks and many other properties.</p>
      <p>A raised slab of concrete, a sloped step, an unlit hallway, an icy sidewalk or a wet floor can all cause serious accidents. For almost three decades the Law Firm of Steven Smedresman has professionally represented injured New Yorkers with their premises liability claims.</p>
      <p>We will be there every step of the way to help. We’ll initiate a prompt investigation, which means we’ll get to the scene immediately to photograph the condition that caused your accident. Never has the expression “a picture is worth 1,000 words” been more true than in the context of cases involving dangerous streets, sidewalk or property conditions which are subject to rapid change or repair, or icy conditions that by their nature change quickly.</p>
      <p>We’ll obtain witness statements and other evidence to prove the case; we’ll make sure your medical claims are filed with the correct insurance company; we’ll help you find the right doctor for your case if you don’t have one already, and we’ll collect all the medical reports to put forth the strongest possible case.</p>
      <p>Cases against the City of New York or the New York City Housing Authority have their own special deadline requirements (broadly speaking, ninety days to file a claim and one year and ninety days to thereafter start a lawsuit). Filing time frames are particularly crucial in such cases, so be sure to contact me immediately if you believe you have a claim against the City or the Housing Authority.</p>
      <p>For almost thirty years I have dedicated myself to fighting for the interests of the injured and hurt, in court and out, to make sure that the insurance company does the one thing it hates the most: Pay full value on the claim.</p>
      <!-- <p>If you or your family member has been hurt as a result of a tripping or slipping due to someone’s failure to maintain their property in a safe condition, in New York City, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens or in Nassau, Suffolk or Rockland Counties, you may well have the right to bring a claim for money damages.</p>
      <p>When you hire me you’ll get me. I’ll give you my personal cell phone number so you can reach me 24/7. My promise to you is that I will always know exactly what the status of your case and I’ll always return your phone calls.</p> -->
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-12">
      <hr/>
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

  <div class="row">
    <div class="col-3">
      {% image practice-areas/icon-cone.svg %}
      <h3>Other Types of Accidents</h3>
    </div><!--/col-->
    <div class="col-9">
      <p>New York is a place where accidents and other unforeseen incidents can and often do happen. In addition to the types of accidents more fully described in the practice areas section of this site, below is a list of other types of cases handled by Steven Smedresman:</p>
      <ul>
        <li>Auto, taxi, bus, or subway accidents</li>
        <li>Construction worker's accidents (Labor Law cases)</li>
        <li>Accidents in buildings, apartments, streets</li>
        <li>Slip and fall cases caused by icy or defective streets or sidewalks</li>
        <li>False arrest, false imprisonment</li>
        <li>Medical malpractice cases, including birth defects, brain damage or Cerebral Palsy</li>
        <li>Injuries resulting in death or dismemberment</li>
        <li>Dangerous machines that cause injury</li>
        <li>Ceiling cave-in cases</li>
        <li>Elevator and escalator malfunction cases</li>
        <li>Broken stairs or other dangerous building conditions</li>
        <li>School accidents</li>
        <li>Improper or inadequate security leading to criminal attack</li>
      </ul>
      <p>If you think you may be entitled to monetary compensation for any type of accident caused by another’s carelessness or negligence, call us at 1.888.571.5022 or contact us online for a FREE consultation.</p>
    </div><!--/col-->
  </div><!--/row-->

</section>