Searching for an attorney on the Internet creates a unique challenge. How can you know that this is the right law firm and the right attorney for you and your case?

There is a famous New Yorker cartoon that shows a dog typing on a keyboard while standing in front of a computer screen and telling another dog that is standing there and watching him type, “On the internet nobody knows you’re a dog.” What this cartoon means is, how do you know what you are getting, or whom you are hiring to represent you, just by looking on the internet and at a website?

Before you hire an attorney to represent you in your personal injury case there are some facts that you should be aware of. Since most people who are looking for an attorney are doing so for their first time and are not familiar with lawyers, or the legal system, there are some things you should be aware of.

When you hire an attorney to represent you in a personal injury case, whether your injury was suffered on a construction site, in a car accident, a slip, trip or fall or any other fact pattern imaginable, you should be aware that all New York personal injury attorneys charge basically the same fee. The fee is called a “contingency fee”, which means that the attorney is to be paid 1/3rd of any recovery, but only if you are successful and win your case.

If the attorney agrees to accept your case, usually the attorney will also agree to advance all of the necessary expenses required to bring your case to a successful conclusion so that you do not have to pay anything, and it costs you nothing to start and proceed with your personal injury case. Remember that the attorney will receive a fee only if your case is brought to a successful conclusion.

If you are looking to hire an attorney for a personal injury lawsuit by using an internet search, then, you must be prepared to learn the following about the attorney and law firm that you are considering calling and contacting.

Your first step should be to look at the firm’s former client reviews and testimonials.

• How many reviews does this firm have?
• What do their past clients say about the firm, the attorneys, and the support staff?
• For how many years has the firm received reviews?
• And finally: Do the reviews look real? Do you think that the reviews were written by real clients?

If after reading the firm’s past client reviews you are considering hiring this law firm to represent you in your case, then, the next step should be to carefully look at the firm’s web site.

When you are looking at the law firm’s web site do they provide you with the following information?

• How long has the firm been in practice?
• How many attorneys work in the firm?
• Will you be meeting with a senior partner to discuss your case?
• If you hire this law firm, who will you be able to keep in contact with while your case is proceeding?
• If the reason you are seeking an attorney is because you suffered a serious physical injury has the attorney or firm successfully handled such types of serious cases in the past?
• What are the past results this firm has obtained in similar cases, by both verdicts and settlements?
• Does the firm write and handle its own Appeals if an Appeal becomes necessary?
• Has the firm been acknowledged as a leader in the legal field by its contemporaries and
• received any awards or exclusive memberships?

At the New York City personal injury firm, Jaroslawicz & Jaros, you will find the following information to all of the questions listed above:

How many positive reviews does this firm have?

You will find hundreds of reviews on Google, AVVO and also on our web site.

What do their past clients say about the firm, the attorneys, and the support staff?

If you read the reviews, you will see many of the individual attorneys and support staff are being thanked and complimented by prior clients of Jaroslawicz & Jaros. You will see that both senior partners, David Jaroslawicz and Abraham Jaros, as well as the staff, receive many positive comments and thanks for their representation and conduct.

For how many years has the firm received reviews?

At Jaroslawicz & Jaros we have received positive reviews for over forty (40) years.

Do the reviews look real? Do you think that the reviews were written by real clients?

If you read the reviews posted for Jaroslawicz & Jaros you will see that these are real clients that had real cases with Jaroslawicz & Jaros and that the clients were very satisfied with the results. The reviews on our web site identify our clients only by their initials and not by their full names so as to preserve their privacy.

How long has the firm been in practice?

The firm of Jaroslawicz & Jaros was founded in 1980 by two brothers, David Jaroslawicz and Abraham Jaros, after they had each been in private practice for nine and eight years respectively.

How many attorneys work in the firm?

At this time the firm has ten (10) experienced associate attorneys assisting and working together with the two senior partners. Photos and resumes of the attorneys are on the web site. The firm of Jaroslawicz & Jaros has put together what we believe to be the finest team of Trial and Appellate attorneys, with trial attorneys that have obtained a hundred million-dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients.

Will you be meeting with a senior partner to discuss your case?

At your initial meeting you will almost always be speaking with either David Jaroslawicz or Abraham Jaros, the two senior partners of the firm.

If you hire this law firm, who will you be able to keep in contact with while your case is proceeding?

If you do hire the firm of Jaroslawicz & Jaros after your initial meeting you will always be able to contact either David Jaroslawicz or Abraham Jaros, the two senior partners of the firm to discuss your case. In addition to David Jaroslawicz and Abraham Jaros, you will also have another associate that will be working with them on your case so that you will always have an attorney to contact.

If the reason you are seeking an attorney is because you suffered a serious physical injury has the attorney or firm successfully handled such types of serious cases in the past? What are the past results this firm has obtained in similar cases, by both verdicts and settlements?

The firm of Jaroslawicz & Jaros is proud to have recovered over two billion dollars for its clients since starting the firm in 1980. We recovered a verdict of forty-four ($44) million dollars for a construction worker injured on the job, one of the largest ever in New York.

At Jaroslawicz & Jaros we have over one hundred (100) settlements and verdicts in excess of one million dollars in various cases, involving car accidents, construction site accidents, slips and falls, medical malpractice and various other personal injury cases. We have listed some of these past results on our website.

Does the firm write and handle its own Appeals if an Appeal is necessary?

The attorneys at Jaroslawicz & Jaros have been writing and arguing Appeals for over forty (40) years and have been involved in literally hundreds of cases on various Appeals at all levels-including the New York Court of Appeals, New York’s highest court, and even to the United States Supreme Court, the highest court in the United States.

We have not only been involved in having the existing law properly interpreted to benefit our clients but have also been involved in cases that have actually been instrumental in changing the law. Jaroslawicz & Jaros has changed the law involving injured construction workers who are hurt on the job and who receive the special protection of New York’s Labor Law, various motor vehicle claims, product liability, medical malpractice, life and disability insurance and even laws affecting the recovery for property losses.

Has the firm been acknowledged as a leader in the legal field by its contemporaries and received any awards or exclusive memberships?

• Jaroslawicz & Jaros is rated a ten (10), the highest score, on AVVO.
• Five (5) Jaroslawicz & Jaros attorneys have been selected as Super Lawyers.
• Jaroslawicz & Jaros has been recognized as leader in the field of personal injury litigation by:
• The American Trial Lawyers Association has rated David Jaroslawicz as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers.
• The National Trial Lawyers has rated both David Jaroslawicz and Abraham Jaros as being in the Top 100 Trial Lawyers.
• These are just some among many other awards and acknowledgements.

Now that you have done your research and have checked the credentials and history of the law firm and its attorneys, be aware that you can interview and meet with more than one firm before you decide which firm to hire for your case. Since the first meeting with a personal injury firm is always free and costs you nothing, you should consider meeting with more than one firm before you decide which firm to hire.

Remember, your case may take a couple of years from when it is started until its conclusion so that you will need to feel comfortable with the attorneys and firm that you decide to hire.