Why You Should Hire an Accident Injury Attorney A New York accident injury attorney helps victims of negligence get compensation for their losses. These include medical costs as well as future income loss and discomfort and pain. The first step for an attorney is to gather pertinent information. This includes the details of the accident and medical records that detail injuries. Statute of Limitations A statute of limitations is a law that establishes an amount of time after an accident you are able to bring a lawsuit. A lawyer can help you determine what statute of limitations is appropriate for your case. This limit can vary by state and is often determined by the type of injury. For instance, New York personal injury cases have a three year time limit, but there are exceptions to this that an attorney can help with.