New York, like every other state in the United States, has a number of laws designed to protect the rights of those who are injured due to the negligent or deliberately wrongful acts of others. New York personal injury law allows injured victims to pursue compensation for losses and expenses resulting from an injury caused by another party in a court of law. The party responsible for the injury may be required to compensate the injured party for medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation expenses, pain and suffering, and other losses and expenses, depending on the nature of the case. In wrongful death cases, the party responsible for the death may also be required to compensate the victim's family for funeral expenses, future lost wages, loss of support and consortium, and other expenses that can reasonably be projected into the future.

Representation from a New York personal injury lawyer is generally necessary to maximizing compensation in a personal injury case. Most personal injury lawsuits are settled before they proceed to trial, although an experienced personal injury lawyer will always be willing to pursue a case to verdict if it is in the best interests of the client. Personal injury settlements are often reached before court dates are even scheduled.

Most New York personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that they do not collect lawyers' fees unless they win, and then they collect a predetermined percentage of the settlement or jury award. This percentage depends on the type of case, with medical malpractice cases subject to a fee schedule determined by state law.

The statute of limitations in New York personal injury cases, such as car, truck, or motorcycle accident claims, is three years from the date the injury was (or should reasonably have been) discovered. The statute of limitations in New York wrongful death cases is two years from the date of death.