Manhattan Personal Injury Lawyer

Every day across Manhattan, people are hurt in ways that were entirely preventable. A construction worker falls from an unsecured scaffold on a Midtown job site. A pedestrian is struck by a delivery truck running a red light near Columbus Circle. A patient suffers serious harm because a physician at a major hospital missed a diagnosis that should have been caught. The common thread is not bad luck. It is negligence, and negligence in New York carries legal consequences. A Manhattan personal injury lawyer at Mark David Shirian P.C. represents people who have been harmed by someone else’s carelessness and who are now facing medical bills, lost income, and a recovery process no one prepared them for.

New York City’s density creates injury risks that simply do not exist at the same scale in other markets. Manhattan has some of the most heavily trafficked intersections in the country, construction projects operating on nearly every block, aging transit infrastructure, and enormous commercial buildings where maintenance failures can injure visitors, tenants, and passersby alike. When an injury happens in this environment, the liable parties are not always obvious. A city contractor, a property management company, a trucking company based in another state, or a manufacturer whose defective product caused the harm may all be parties to the claim. Identifying them, and building a case against them, requires the kind of focused attention that this firm brings to every file it accepts.

Mark David Shirian P.C. was founded in 2016 with a direct purpose: to help people who have been wronged. Attorneys Mark D. Shirian and Shawn D. Shirian handle personal injury matters across New York City and New York State, advocating on behalf of injured clients against insurance companies, corporations, and institutional defendants who have far more resources than the individuals they harm.

What Injured New Yorkers Should Know About Building a Claim

New York operates under a pure comparative fault system, which means that a plaintiff who is partially responsible for their own injury can still recover compensation. The damages awarded are reduced by the plaintiff’s percentage of fault, but they are not eliminated. This is relevant in Manhattan because defendants and their insurers routinely try to shift blame onto the injured person. A pedestrian who stepped off the curb slightly before the light changed. A cyclist who was not wearing a helmet. A worker who did not report a hazard to a supervisor before it caused an accident. These are the kinds of arguments that get made, and understanding how New York handles shared fault helps injured clients recognize when they are being lowballed or misled.

New York’s statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is three years from the date of the injury. That window sounds generous, but it disappears quickly when you account for medical treatment, recovery time, and the fact that most people do not contact an attorney until weeks or months after the incident. Claims against a city agency or the New York City government follow a different and far shorter timeline. A notice of claim must typically be filed within ninety days of the injury, and failing to meet that deadline can permanently bar the claim. If your injury involved a city vehicle, a defective sidewalk that the city was responsible for maintaining, or any other city-related negligence, do not assume you have three years. The timeline is much shorter, and it begins running immediately.

Accident and Injury Types Commonly Handled in Manhattan

• Motor vehicle collisions: Manhattan’s grid sees high-volume crashes at corridors like the FDR Drive, the West Side Highway, and heavily used crosstown streets. Delivery vehicles, rideshare drivers, and commercial trucks all contribute to a significant number of collisions that injure cyclists, pedestrians, and other motorists each year.
• Construction site accidents: New York Labor Law sections 240 and 241 impose specific duties on property owners and general contractors when workers are injured at elevated heights or by falling objects. These provisions are among the strongest worker protection statutes in the country and apply to a significant share of Manhattan’s active construction sites.
• Premises liability: Property owners in New York have a duty to maintain safe conditions for lawful visitors. Slip and fall accidents in office lobbies, retail stores, apartment building common areas, and restaurant entrances account for a substantial portion of personal injury filings in Manhattan courts.
• Medical malpractice: New York City is home to world-renowned hospitals and medical centers, but proximity to top-tier facilities does not prevent errors. Surgical mistakes, misdiagnosis, medication errors, and birth injuries all give rise to malpractice claims subject to New York’s specific procedural requirements, including a certificate of merit.
• Subway and transit injuries: MTA-related injuries involve claims against a public authority, which triggers a notice of claim requirement and different procedural rules than standard negligence cases. Platform accidents, train door incidents, and bus collisions all fall within this category.
• Product liability: Defective consumer products, industrial equipment, and pharmaceutical drugs cause injuries that span every borough. These claims often involve multiple defendants across the supply chain, from manufacturers to distributors to retailers.
• Bicycle and pedestrian accidents: Manhattan’s expanding bike lane infrastructure has not eliminated the danger cyclists face from turning vehicles, dooring incidents, and drivers who fail to yield. Pedestrian knockdowns near crosswalks and at unmarked intersections remain among the most serious injury events the firm handles.

Why Mark David Shirian P.C. Represents Manhattan Injury Clients

Founded in 2016, the firm has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of its clients across personal injury and other practice areas. That track record reflects something beyond courtroom familiarity. It reflects the kind of case preparation that comes from treating every client’s situation as singular rather than as a file to be processed. Attorneys Mark D. Shirian and Shawn D. Shirian work directly with clients rather than handing off matters to paralegals or junior staff after the intake call. Clients have described the firm’s approach as attentive, communicative, and genuinely invested in their outcomes. One client noted that the firm “works very hard to get the outcome we both were looking for.” Another described Mark D. Shirian as someone who “pays close attention to details that are important for your case.”

Personal injury cases in Manhattan involve large institutions on the other side. Hospitals carry aggressive insurance defense. Construction companies retain experienced liability counsel. The MTA has a litigation department. Going into that environment with representation that is thorough in preparation and direct in strategy matters. The firm’s founding philosophy, described plainly as assertive, dependable, creative, and honest, reflects the kind of approach that holds up when defendants and insurers push back hard on the merits. A Manhattan personal injury attorney at this firm will assess the facts clearly, communicate the realistic range of outcomes, and pursue the strongest available path forward without overpromising.

What to Do After a Serious Injury in New York City

The period immediately following a serious accident is disorienting, and the decisions made in that window have lasting effects on a claim. The most important thing to understand is that documentation begins at the scene if at all possible. Photographs of the hazardous condition, the accident location, and any visible injuries are genuinely valuable. Witness names and contact information, taken before people leave the scene, are often impossible to recover later. Police reports should be requested, not assumed to have been filed. If the accident involved a city sidewalk, a transit vehicle, or any government-owned property, that matters immediately because of the ninety-day notice of claim requirement.

Medical treatment is both a health priority and a legal one. Gaps in medical care give insurers ammunition to argue that the injury was not serious or was not caused by the accident. Following through with recommended treatment, keeping records of all appointments, prescriptions, and out-of-pocket costs, and documenting the ways the injury has affected daily life and work capacity all strengthen the damages portion of a claim. Wage loss documentation from an employer, written records of what physical activities have become impossible, and communications with health insurance providers about coverage denials or disputes are all material to the case.

Personal injury cases in Manhattan are handled at the New York County Supreme Court, located at 60 Centre Street. Depending on the amount in controversy, some claims may proceed in Civil Court of the City of New York. Understanding which court your case belongs in affects the procedural timeline and the discovery process. An attorney can clarify this early in the representation and set realistic expectations about how long the litigation is likely to take from filing through resolution, whether that is a negotiated settlement or a verdict after trial.

One of the most common mistakes injured people make is speaking directly with the defendant’s insurance carrier before consulting an attorney. Insurers have significant experience taking recorded statements that are later used to minimize or deny claims. Nothing in New York law requires an injured person to give a recorded statement to an adverse insurer. Declining to do so until represented is a straightforward way to protect the value of the claim.

Questions Manhattan Injury Clients Ask

How long does a personal injury case in Manhattan typically take?

The timeline varies considerably based on the severity of the injury, the number of defendants, and whether the case resolves through settlement or trial. Cases that settle during or after negotiation with insurance carriers can sometimes resolve within months of reaching maximum medical improvement. Cases that proceed to trial in New York County Supreme Court often take two to four years from the date of filing, given the court’s docket volume. Cases involving government defendants have additional procedural stages that extend the timeline further.

What if I cannot afford a doctor while my case is pending?

Many injury attorneys in New York work with medical providers who treat on a lien basis, meaning the provider agrees to be paid from the ultimate settlement or judgment rather than requiring immediate payment. This arrangement allows injured people to receive necessary treatment without paying out of pocket while the case is ongoing. No-fault insurance, which is mandatory in New York for motor vehicle accidents, provides a separate medical coverage benefit that pays for treatment up to the applicable limit regardless of who was at fault.

What does New York’s no-fault law mean for my injury claim?

New York requires all registered motor vehicles to carry no-fault insurance, also called personal injury protection. This coverage pays medical bills and a portion of lost wages for anyone injured in a vehicle accident, without requiring proof that another driver was at fault. However, to bring a negligence lawsuit against the at-fault driver for pain and suffering damages, the injured person must meet New York’s serious injury threshold, which includes categories such as significant disfigurement, fracture, permanent limitation of use of a body organ or member, and similar criteria.

Can I file a claim if I was hurt on a construction site where I was a worker?

Yes, and New York’s Labor Law provides unusually strong protections for construction workers. The so-called scaffold law imposes absolute liability on property owners and general contractors for elevation-related injuries in certain circumstances, meaning the injured worker does not have to prove negligence in the traditional sense. Workers can also pursue a workers’ compensation claim, and in many cases a separate civil lawsuit against third parties who contributed to the unsafe condition.

What happens if the driver who hit me did not have insurance?

New York requires all drivers to carry minimum liability insurance, but uninsured drivers exist. If the at-fault driver had no insurance, your own uninsured motorist coverage, if you carry it, may provide a path to recovery. If the accident involved a hit-and-run driver who left the scene, the Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification Corporation (MVAIC) administers a fund that may provide compensation to qualifying victims who have no other source of recovery.

Does comparative fault in New York really apply even if I was mostly responsible?

New York’s pure comparative fault rule allows recovery even if the plaintiff was more at fault than the defendant. There is no cutoff percentage. A plaintiff found seventy percent at fault could theoretically recover thirty percent of their damages. That said, a high degree of attributed fault will significantly reduce the net recovery, and defendants will use any evidence of plaintiff negligence to push that number as high as possible.

Is there a difference between suing the MTA and suing a private party?

Yes. Claims against the MTA involve notice of claim requirements and a hearing process before litigation can proceed. The MTA also has specialized defense counsel and internal investigation procedures that activate quickly after transit accidents. The procedural path is different enough that handling an MTA claim the same way as a private negligence case can result in forfeiture of the right to sue.

What kinds of damages can be recovered in a Manhattan personal injury case?

New York recognizes economic damages such as past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity, as well as non-economic damages for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress. In some cases involving egregious conduct, punitive damages may be available, though they are relatively uncommon in standard negligence cases. Wrongful death claims, brought by surviving family members, can also include damages for the financial support the deceased would have provided.

How are settlement amounts calculated?

Settlement negotiations account for the documented economic losses, the severity and permanence of the injury, the strength of the liability evidence, the applicable insurance limits, and the jurisdiction’s historical verdict ranges for similar injuries. New York County juries have historically awarded substantial verdicts in serious injury cases, which gives plaintiffs and their attorneys meaningful negotiating leverage in settlement discussions. The realistic range in any individual case depends on the specific facts.

Should I accept the first settlement offer from the insurance company?

First offers in personal injury cases are almost always below the full value of the claim. Insurers make early offers in part because they know that injured people are often under financial pressure and may not yet fully understand what their long-term medical needs will cost. Accepting a settlement releases all future claims, including claims for medical treatment that has not yet occurred. Before accepting any offer, having an attorney evaluate the adequacy of that number against your documented losses and projected future needs is an important step.

Serving Personal Injury Clients Across Manhattan and the Surrounding Boroughs

Mark David Shirian P.C. represents personal injury clients throughout Manhattan, from the Financial District and Tribeca in the south through the neighborhoods of SoHo, Greenwich Village, Chelsea, and Midtown. The firm serves clients in the Upper East Side and Upper West Side communities, as well as residents of Harlem, East Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood at the northern end of the island. Beyond Manhattan, the firm’s personal injury representation extends to clients in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. The firm also handles matters across New York State for clients whose accidents or injuries occurred outside the five boroughs. Wherever in New York City or New York State the injury occurred, the firm’s attorneys assess the claim and determine the appropriate forum for pursuing recovery.

Speak with a Manhattan Personal Injury Attorney at Mark David Shirian P.C.

Recovering from a serious injury is hard enough without also navigating a legal process that involves insurance adjusters, medical lien holders, and defense attorneys who represent the party that caused your harm. A Manhattan personal injury attorney at Mark David Shirian P.C. can evaluate your situation, explain what your claim is actually worth, and represent you through every stage of the process. Attorneys Mark D. Shirian and Shawn D. Shirian work directly with clients throughout New York City and New York State, bringing the same focused preparation to injury cases that the firm applies across all of its practice areas. Contact Mark David Shirian P.C. today to schedule a confidential case evaluation.