Contacting a lawyer right after an accident could be the difference between collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars or receiving nothing. When you retain an attorney at the Law Office of Carl Maltese, we immediately begin an investigation using several different experts.
Car Accident Investigations
For car accidents, we have an investigator that locates witnesses and takes written statements from them. Additionally, the investigator will speak with local businesses and obtain their surveillance camera footage of the accident. In many cases, both drivers claim that they had a green light. A statement from an independent witness could be necessary to persuade the insurance company that our client was being truthful and get compensation for their injuries.
Trip and Fall Accident Investigations
When investigating trip and fall accidents, we have a licensed physical engineer that visits the site, takes photographs and measurements, and identifies what building codes have been violated. We also have an investigator that speaks to people in the area to determine how long the dangerous condition existed before our client’s accident.
There have been numerous trip and fall cases dismissed by the court because an engineer inspected the accident site too long after the fall. The court stated that the site could have changed over a period of several months. Often times, a property owner will repair the problem after a client’s accident, so it is important to call a lawyer right away to investigate and prove that the hazard existed and caused the trip and fall.
Dog Bite Accident Investigations
Following a dog attack, our investigator will begin a comprehensive search to find proof that the dog’s owner was aware the animal was vicious prior to biting our client. The investigator will obtain statements from neighbors, local postal workers, and any other delivery drivers that service the house. Additionally, the investigator will search the public safety records of the Town for information regarding prior bites.
In order for a dog bite victim to recover damages in New York, they must show that the pet’s owner was aware that the dog had prior vicious propensities. Without an immediate and thorough investigation, this can be almost impossible to establish.
Construction Site Investigations
For clients that have been injured at a construction site, the Law Office of Carl Maltese will work with a safety expert and licensed physical engineer. These experts will visit the site immediately after the accident to determine the cause. The experts will also identify any violations of OSHA, New York State law, or local code that contributed to the accident. We will also have an investigator get statements from all eyewitnesses.
Many construction accident cases are based on violations of the New York State Industrial Code. By having an expert at the site immediately following the accident, these Industrial Code violations can be properly identified and photographed.
An immediate investigation of construction accidents is important because once the construction project is completed, the Industrial Code violations no longer exist and eyewitness to the accident may have moved on to another construction site.
