Yes. I am licensed to practice law anywhere in New York State and have represented people throughout the state. I am able to keep travel expenses to a minimum because it is possible to attend most hearings and depositions via zoom or other electronic platforms. Similarly, whenever possible, I retain expert witnesses who live close to the legal venue in order to keep costs to a minimum.  

Scheduling in law can be frustrating. Important events like trials often need to be planned months ahead because it's hard to find dates that work for everyone involved. This includes judges, lawyers, witnesses, and court staff. The saying 'Hurry up and wait' describes this well. Delays are common and usually out of a lawyer's control, which can be very annoying.

The “fee” is what compensates the law firm for the professional services and expertise it provides to the client. Costs, on the other hand, refer to expenses required in order to move the case forward, and are always paid by the law firm at the time they become necessary. Typical costs may include payment of the filing fee, medical records, facility records, postage, court reporter charges, witness charges, expert witness charges, deposition transcripts, and reasonable travel expenses. The law firm is reimbursed for the costs of litigation at the conclusion of the case, but only if a recovery was obtained for the client.   

Yes. An estate would need to be set up for the deceased individual and the family would need to select a personal representative of the estate. The personal representative would then be the individual who sues on behalf of the estate of the deceased person. It takes some extra time because it requires court approval, but it is not a problem. The law firm pays for it up front because it is a cost of litigation.   

This is a scary question to answer because I usually don’t have enough information to answer it at first. It depends on a lot of different factors such as the insurance coverage limits, nature and extent of the injury, how the injury occurred, and the people involved (esp. the defense attorneys, experts and insurance adjusters). My opinion often fluctuates as I find out more information about these factors.