Top Personal Injury Law Firms in New York

One firm on this list has recovered over $2 billion for injured clients. Another has recovered over $100 million. Both call themselves a top choice for accident victims in New York, and nearly every firm makes the same promise: aggressive representation and "the biggest settlements." Only one thing actually separates them.

This guide evaluates six established New York personal injury firms against a fixed, eight-point standard: verified results, real attorney access, and a genuine presence in the state, rather than simply looking at advertising budgets. Here's how each one measured up.

Why the Firm You Choose Matters in New York

New York personal injury claims move through a system that rewards documented evidence over guesswork. Insurance adjusters often look for ways to limit payouts, and cases involving multiple policies, injured minors, or claims against a government entity can involve rules most people never encounter until they're dealing with a claim themselves.

The right personal injury attorney does more than submit paperwork. They investigate liability, coordinate medical evidence, negotiate from an evidence-backed position, and are prepared to take a case to verdict when an insurer refuses to make a fair offer.

How We Scored These Firms

We measured every firm against the same eight criteria, each worth one point. A firm needed genuine, verifiable evidence to earn a point, not a marketing claim alone.

• Documented case results. Verified settlements or verdicts reported by courts, legal publications, or the firm's own case archive.
• Long-term focus on injury law. Years of practice built specifically around personal injury, not general practice work that occasionally includes it.
• Independent peer recognition. Honors from outside sources such as Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, or Martindale-Hubbell.
• Direct attorney access. The attorney whose name is on the door personally handles cases, rather than routing clients through a rotating team of case managers.
• Contingency-fee representation. No fee charged unless the firm recovers money for the client.
• Trial readiness. A demonstrated willingness to take a case to verdict when an insurer won't pay fair value, not just a pattern of early settlements.
• Round-the-clock availability. Free consultations reachable any hour, since injuries rarely happen on a business schedule.
• Genuine regional footprint. A real, staffed office in the area the firm claims to serve, not just a mailing address for lead generation.

Every firm below is evaluated against the same eight-point standard, with the order based on those criteria rather than firm size or advertising spend. Only firms that cleared at least seven of the eight criteria made this list; several well-known names that fell short of that bar were left off.

Top 6 Personal Injury Law Firms in New York

1. Fellows Hymowitz Rice

Credentials: $100M+ recovered | Practicing personal injury exclusively since 1981 | Robert L. Fellows: New York Metro Super Lawyer, Personal Injury, 2013–2024 | 4.9 AV rating (Martindale-Hubbell) | Avvo 10/10 across three partners | Rockland County headquarters

Scorecard: Meets all eight criteria. 8/8

Fellows Hymowitz Rice built its 40+ year practice on a simple structure: the partners try the cases themselves. That direct access, combined with more than $100 million in documented recoveries, contingency-fee terms, 24/7 free consultations, and a Rockland County office serving the Hudson Valley and NYC boroughs, is what earns the firm the top spot on this list.

All three partners carry their own credentials rather than resting on one headline name: Steven Hymowitz has been a Super Lawyer every year since 2014, and Matthew Rice since 2023, both with Avvo 10/10 ratings alongside Fellows. Case results include an $8,365,000 municipal liability settlement, an $8,000,000 birth injury recovery, and a $2,500,000 fatal construction accident settlement; the firm serves Rockland, Westchester, Orange, Dutchess, and Putnam counties as well as all five NYC boroughs, with free consultations available in English and Spanish.

2. Sobo & Sobo, LLP

Credentials: Founded 1969 in Middletown, NY | 98% reported success rate | Landmark jury verdict against a negligent hotel in Newburgh (2022) and a spot on Top Verdict's Top 100 New York and Top 50 New Jersey personal injury verdicts for 2024 | Super Lawyers and Avvo recognized attorneys | Contingency-fee "No Fee Guarantee"

Scorecard: Meets seven of eight criteria; direct attorney access isn't confirmed given its multi-office, multi-attorney structure. 7/8

Now in its sixth decade, Sobo & Sobo has built a real trial record to go with its Orange County roots, including a landmark jury verdict against a negligent hotel and multiple verdicts recognized by Top Verdict in 2024. With offices spanning Middletown, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Kingston, and New York City, the firm offers round-the-clock free consultations and a "No Fee Guarantee." However, cases are generally assigned to one of its attorneys rather than handled personally by a founding partner.

3. Block O'Toole & Murphy

Credentials: $2B+ recovered | #1 in New York for $1M+ case results every year since 2012, per ALM's Verdict Search | $110,174,972 verdict, believed the largest non-medical-malpractice personal injury verdict in New York State history | Contingency-fee, no fee unless the firm wins | Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and Forbes recognized

Scorecard: Meets seven of eight criteria; round-the-clock availability isn't independently confirmed. 7/8

No firm on this list can match Block O'Toole & Murphy's verdict history. Based in Manhattan, the firm has produced more reported seven- and eight-figure results in New York than any other practice for over a decade, and clients describe named partners Dan O'Toole and Stephen Murphy personally handling their cases, making the firm a strong option for catastrophic, high-value claims anywhere in the state.

4. Morgan & Morgan

Credentials: $20B+ recovered nationwide | 1,000+ attorneys | 35+ years in practice | 278+ New York attorneys named to Super Lawyers or Rising Stars lists | Offices throughout New York State | "Only pay if we win"

Scorecard: Meets seven of eight criteria; direct attorney access isn't confirmed given its high-volume, multi-attorney case model. 7/8

Morgan & Morgan describes itself as America's largest injury law firm, and its size gives it access to resources few practices can match: parallel investigations, in-house experts, and enough financial depth to outlast large insurers. That scale is also its trade-off, since a case is more likely to be staffed by a team than a single named partner.

5. Harding Mazzotti, LLP

Credentials: $1B+ recovered since 1994 | 40+ attorneys and 120+ support staff | $7.436M jury verdict, St. Lawrence County, and a $4.86M wrongful death verdict, Washington County | Available 24 hours a day for free case evaluations | 2026 Best Law Firm, Albany Times Union's Best of the Capital Region

Scorecard: Meets seven of eight criteria; direct attorney access isn't confirmed given its 40-plus attorney team model. 7/8

Known regionally as "The Heavy Hitters," Harding Mazzotti gives clients across upstate and central New York access to big-firm resources without a trip to Manhattan. Its documented jury verdicts, including a record medical malpractice award reported nearly 10 times the insurer's offer, demonstrate the firm’s willingness to take cases to trial rather than settle every claim.

6. Finkelstein & Partners, LLP

Credentials: Founded 1959 in Newburgh, NY | Describes itself as New York State's largest personal injury law firm, with 85+ attorneys | $34M verdict against a major pharmaceutical manufacturer, plus a $31M jury verdict in an Ulster County rear-end case | Managing partner Andrew Finkelstein: 10-time Super Lawyers honoree | Contingency-fee representation, no upfront fees

Scorecard: Meets seven of eight criteria; with 85-plus attorneys across the firm, cases aren't necessarily handled personally by a named partner. 7/8

Finkelstein & Partners has grown from a single Newburgh office in 1959 into a firm with genuine reach across Orange, Ulster, Dutchess, Sullivan, and Rockland counties, offering clients free consultations and 24/7 access to their case files. Its jury verdicts against a major drug manufacturer and in Ulster County rear-end cases demonstrate the firm’s willingness to take cases to trial instead of settling every one. However, given its size, cases are typically assigned to one of its attorneys rather than handled personally by a named partner.

How to Choose Between These Firms

A high score on paper earns a firm a spot on this list, but it doesn't guarantee the right fit for your specific injury, county, or insurance situation. Before signing a retainer with any personal injury lawyer in New York, take a few extra precautionary steps.

Look Past the Star Rating

A 4.8-star average tells you almost nothing on its own. Read the written reviews and look for specifics: do clients name the attorney who actually handled their case, or only a paralegal or case manager? Do reviewers mention being kept informed, or long stretches of silence? A handful of detailed reviews describing real communication patterns can tell you more than a wall of five-star ratings with no substance behind them.

Ask the Right Questions at Your Free Consultation

• Which attorney will personally manage my case, and how quickly do they respond to calls and emails?
• Have you handled cases involving injuries similar to mine, and what were the outcomes?
• Will you pursue every available source of insurance coverage, not just the at-fault party's policy?
• What percentage does the firm take on contingency, and are case costs deducted separately from that fee?
• If the insurance company won't offer fair value, will your firm actually take the case to trial?

Don't Wait: New York's Filing Deadlines Are Strict

Most personal injury claims in New York must be filed within three years of the date of injury, while wrongful death claims carry a two-year deadline. Claims against a city, county, or other government entity move on a far tighter clock: General Municipal Law § 50-e generally requires formal written notice within just 90 days of the incident. Missing any of these deadlines can permanently bar you from receiving compensation, no matter how strong the underlying case may be. Evidence also fades quickly, so the sooner an attorney begins investigating, the stronger your claim is likely to stay.

Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer in New York Today

If you or someone you love was injured anywhere in Rockland County, Westchester, the Hudson Valley, or the New York City boroughs, Fellows Hymowitz Rice has recovered over $100 million for injured clients since 1981. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation, and you pay nothing unless we win.