Practice Areas
Automobile accidents account for the greatest percentage of personal injury claims in the United States. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), someone in our country is involved in an auto accident every 10 seconds. If you drive or travel in an automobile, odds are that you will be involved in at least one accident. Many of these auto accidents result in significant vehicle damage and serious injury. Protect yourself by wearing a seat belt, observing the rules of the road, and purchasing sufficient auto insurance including liability, uninsured, and underinsured motorists coverage. Liability insurance will protect you in the event you cause an accident. Uninsured and underinsured coverage will help protect you in the event someone else causes an accident and injures you.
Serious auto and other motor vehicle accidents require the guidance of an experienced injury lawyer. Our automobile accident attorneys have decades of practice and a track record of proven results handling auto and motor vehicle accident cases in New York and Pennsylvania. Insurance companies do not always treat injured victims fairly. They try to settle a claim without giving the victim fair compensation. We help level the playing field to help you get the compensation you deserve. We are well-versed in all aspects of insurance law and know how to properly protect an injured client’s interests whether it is through litigation with the responsible party or insurance company, arbitration of underinsured or uninsured claims, or investigation of excess liability policies.
Our office handles all types of automobile accidents on behalf of individuals injured as a result of another driver’s negligence or reckless conduct. In addition to driver error cases, we handle claims involving faulty road design, ongoing hazardous roadway construction work, defective seat belts and airbags, and other related auto design defect cases.
We understand that an auto accident can be physically and emotionally draining, financially stressful, and sometimes complex with all of the insurance issues that have to be attended to at the outset of a claim. We can help guide you through the process of collecting no-fault wage and medical benefits, prescriptions for your ongoing health care, as well as compensation for your pain and suffering. Our lawyers can assist you with any personal property damage claim, car rental, towing, and repair issues. We will notify all relevant insurance carriers so you don’t have to deal with them directly. Our office will advise you how best to complete accident and no-fault forms and reports. We will protect your claim. To learn more about New York State auto insurance and no-fault benefits click here.
If you or someone you know has been injured in an auto or other motor vehicle accident, you can count on the experienced caring representation of attorney Steve Proudfoot and the Proudfoot Law Firm. Contact us today for a FREE consultation to get the legal help you need and to protect your interests in your auto accident case.
Our firm has handled many construction-related injury claims and we pride ourselves on our experience and success. Every year, thousands of people are injured or killed as a result of improper safety measures at a construction site. Construction accident injuries result from errors in judgment, faulty equipment, falls from scaffolds, being struck by falling materials or machinery, defective or unreasonably unsafe equipment, chemical leaks or explosions, electrical accidents, and electrocution injuries.
Accidents on a construction site also can be the result of many problems, including inadequate safety inspections, someone’s negligence, poor equipment, and OSHA violations. Owners and general contractors are obligated to keep construction sites safe. We are experienced in all facets of New York construction site accidents, especially in determining the complex liability situations involved when there are many different contractors on a job site. We understand the complexities of New York construction laws, as well as issues of owner, agent, and contractor liability.
If a construction worker is injured, in many cases a claim can be brought against the owner or contractor, in addition to a workers’ compensation claim. Workers’ compensation benefits may not be enough to cover the expenses resulting from the serious injuries that New York construction accidents can cause. It is important to hold all negligent parties accountable.
In New York, pursuant to sections 200, 240, and 241(6) of the New York State Labor Law, a construction worker involved in a work-related accident, in addition to a workers’ compensation claim, may also have a third-party lawsuit against the general contractor and/or owner of the construction site. A direct cause of action may also exist against another contractor to the extent that the other contractor was at fault for the happening of the accident.
Whether you are a worker severely injured on the job, or an innocent passer-by injured in a New York construction site accident, we have the experience and expertise to handle your case and will get you the maximum monetary reward you are entitled to. If you were injured by a welding rod, a nail gun, heavy equipment, a chemical leak, an explosion, or by falling from a height, we have the legal skill and expertise necessary to help you. If you have been injured in a construction-related accident, call one of our personal injury lawyers today for a FREE consultation and case review.
Dog bites are a significant national problem in the United States. Each year there are nearly 5 million cases of dog attacks and bites. Some 800,000 victims per year require medical attention. Children are the main victims and account for the majority of individuals who have to be treated at the hospital, usually for bites to the face.
Whether you are out for a walk, walking up the stairs to your apartment, at a social gathering, or just passing by a dog, you shouldn’t have to worry about being attacked. Unfortunately, dog owners do not always take the precautions they should to protect others from their pet. At Proudfoot Law Firm, we are prepared to hold owners accountable for injuries caused by their dogs. As personal injury attorneys with experience handling dog attacks and bites, we’ve seen the damage a dog can do - disfigurement, puncture wounds, scarring, torn ligaments, and broken bones. Our firm will investigate your dog bite claim and go after those responsible for the dog bite injuries.
Get the information you need to pursue compensation for your injuries - contact our office for a FREE consultation.
Steps to Take to Help Your Dog Bite Case
- Take photographs of the dog
- Take photographs of your injuries
- Obtain medical records concerning your treatment
- Videotape or photograph the area where the dog attack took place
- If you know of any witnesses to the attack, get their contact information
- Call an experienced personal injury dog bite attorney to protect your interests
Our office has successfully tried and settled dog attack and bite cases. If you or a family member has been attacked, call attorney Steve Proudfoot today for a FREE consultation.
When you receive treatment from a hospital or doctor, you expect that you will be cared for in a professional and competent manner. You place your health, and often your life, in the hands of others. In the majority of cases, medical professionals are fully qualified, experienced, and provide excellent treatment. However, even the most experienced professionals sometimes make mistakes that result in serious injury or even death. This may be medical malpractice. Medical malpractice is a form of negligence where an injury results from the failure of a professional or medical facility to exercise care, skills, or diligence in performing a duty. At Proudfoot Law Firm, we have experience handling medical malpractice cases, both in and out of court. We have received favorable jury verdicts and settlements against both hospitals and physicians.
Some types of medical malpractice cases we can help with include:
- Plastic Surgery Malpractice
- Cancer Misdiagnosis
- Pediatric Malpractice including Birth Injuries
- Complications during Birth or C-Section
- Misread Diagnostic Tests
- Misread Charts
- Mistakes in Prescription Drugs Prescribed or Dispensed
At Proudfoot Law Firm, we are prepared to evaluate your potential medical malpractice case at NO CHARGE. If you feel that you or a loved one has been a victim of medical malpractice, contact Attorney Steve Proudfoot to review your claim.
At Proudfoot Law Firm, we have handled all kinds of motorcycle accident cases for both operators and passengers of motorcycles. Many times when motorcycle operators are operating their bike carefully and safely, other inattentive automobile or truck drivers are to blame for an accident. They often simply fail to see the motorcyclist.
Motorcycle accidents often result in serious injury or death to the operator or a passenger of the bike. Injuries can range from road rash and lacerations to fractures and death. The laws governing motorcycles differ from those governing automobiles or other vehicles.
Our family firm understands that seriously injured victims of motorcycle accidents have a long and difficult path to recovery. We will fight for the compensation you deserve including all medical bill costs, lost earnings, and pain and suffering.
If you or a family member has been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact Attorney Steve Proudfoot or one of our firm’s other personal injury lawyers for a FREE review of your case.
A personal injury is any physical or mental injury to a person as a result of someone’s negligence or harmful act. Sometimes personal injury may be referred to as bodily injury.
The following are some of the most common accidents resulting in personal injury:
- Automobile Accidents
- Other Vehicle Accidents (Aviation, Bicycle, Boat, Motorcycle, Railroad, Truck)
- Burn Accidents
- Construction/Work-Related Accidents
- Accidents Resulting from Dangerous or Defective Products
- Dog/Animal Bites
- Medical Malpractice (Birth Injuries, Misdiagnosis, Surgical Negligence)
- Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
- Slip & Fall Accidents/Premises Liability
Personal injury accident victims are entitled to recover monetary damages for all losses and expenses sustained as the result of an accident. Depending upon the particular circumstances of your case, damages may include recovery for any of the following:
- Medical Bills and Expenses
- Lost Income, including Overtime Wages
- Pain & Suffering
- Physical Disability
- Disfigurement
- Emotional Trauma
To discuss your personal injury case, call us for a FREE consultation.
Product liability refers to actions for injuries suffered as the result of a defective product. This includes actions against product designers, manufacturers, or distributors. Some examples include defective seatbelts, defective air bags, faulty tires and wheels, dangerous baby toys, medical devices, and industrial machinery. To recover damages, the injured person must prove that an unreasonably dangerous condition or defect existed in the product at the time the product left the manufacturer’s control, and that the condition was a proximate cause of the individual’s injury.
A product is unreasonably dangerous or defective if it fails to perform in a manner reasonably to be expected in light of its nature and intended function. Products can be defective and unreasonably dangerous in any of three ways. First, the product may contain a manufacturing flaw. Second, the product may be defectively designed. Third, the product may have an information defect such as inadequate warnings, directions, or instructions.
Attorney Steve Proudfoot and the lawyers at Proudfoot Law Firm have handled numerous product liability cases including lawsuits against Sears (ladder), Wal-Mart (light), Black & Decker (cleaner), Hawker-Dayton (punch press machine), and Remington Rand (defective gun safety), to name a few. Attorney Proudfoot recovered a structured settlement worth $675,000 for an infant injured by a defective light purchased from Wal-Mart. He also recovered a structured settlement worth $1.25 million for a man injured by a punch press machine at work.
If you or someone you know has been injured, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Call for a FREE consultation today.
A slip and fall is an injury which occurs when someone slips, trips, or falls as a result of a dangerous or hazardous condition through the negligence of a property owner.
When an individual slips and falls on someone else’s property and is injured as a result of a dangerous condition on the property, the land-owner or business proprietor may find himself legally responsible and may be liable for the injuries.
Property owners are responsible for injuries that occur as a result of dangerous or hazardous conditions on their property, which the owner knew about, or should have known about.
Dangerous & Hazardous Condition Defined
Dangerous and hazardous conditions may cause slips and falls due to the accumulation of water, ice, snow, or other liquids, abrupt changes in flooring, raised or cracked sidewalks, poor lighting, or a hidden hazard such as a hidden ground hole.
- A dangerous or hazardous condition may be apparent such as a broken step or railing in a staircase, or it may be hidden such as a ground hole that is overgrown with grass.
- A dangerous or hazardous condition may be permanent such as a two-inch raised area of a sidewalk creating a change in elevation, or it may be a temporary condition such as a spill of liquid in the aisle of a grocery store.
- A dangerous and hazardous condition may even appear to be something normal but be in reality a slippery situation.
Damages for Slip, Trip, or Falls
- Medical bills and expenses incurred as a result of the incident
- Lost income for time away from work
- Recovery of the fair value of any clothing damaged in the incident
- Compensation for pain and suffering as a result of the incident
- General damages
Attorney Steve Proudfoot vigorously prosecutes cases involving slips, trips and falls
- Our office will advance all costs and has the capital to fully fund all necessary expenses of your case.
- Our office will make extensive efforts to pursue insurance coverage that will provide just compensation for your injuries and damages.
- We don’t get paid until you get paid.
- You don’t have to come to us, we’ll come to you.
Millions of dollars in trial verdicts and settlements have been recovered for our clients for personal injury cases.
If you have been injured as a result of a slip and fall, call us for a FREE consultation.
New York State workers' compensation benefits cover individuals who have been injured or suffered occupational disease as a result of their employment. If you have been injured at work, an experienced workers' compensation lawyer can explain the complexities of the compensation law and help you obtain the maximum benefits allowable for your claim. You may be entitled to benefits such as permanent disability, wage loss, wage reduction, disfigurement, and amputation awards. Proudfoot Law Firm is committed to helping injured workers receive all the workers' compensation benefits they are entitled to. Our firm has decades of experience handling workers' compensation claims and has assisted thousands of clients with their medical bills, compensation for lost time from work, and compensation for any permanent injury. If you or a loved one has suffered a work-related injury or disease, call our office now for a FREE consultation to discuss your workers' compensation claim.