Manhattan Brain Injury Lawyer
Suffered a brain injury in Manhattan? You are not alone. At Frekhtman & Associates, our Manhattan brain injury lawyers prove invisible brain injuries using advanced DTI imaging, vestibular testing, and neuropsychological evaluation, even when standard scans appear normal. Our team works with neurologists, neuropsychologists, and vocational experts who build the medical proof your case needs. No fee unless we win. Call (212) 222-1111 for a free consultation.
You look fine. Your scans may show nothing. But inside, everything has changed.
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an external force causes the brain to swell, bleed, or suffer damage. The effects are often invisible to everyone except you. In Manhattan, the risk is constant. From construction zones in Hudson Yards, Midtown, and Lower Manhattan to crowded pedestrian crossings on Broadway and Fifth Avenue, and the constant flow of vehicles and delivery trucks. Serious brain injuries happen here every day.
When your symptoms cannot be seen, the experience becomes isolating. You may struggle with memory loss, headaches, or personality changes, while doctors dismiss your concerns because imaging appears normal, and insurance adjusters suggest you are exaggerating. But what you are experiencing is real.
At Frekhtman & Associates, we believe you. Founded in 2000 by Arkady Frekhtman, our firm has recovered over $900 million for injured New Yorkers, and we know how to prove brain injuries that do not appear on standard scans. We work with neuropsychologists, neuroradiologists, and vocational experts who use advanced DTI imaging to detect damage that traditional MRIs often miss.
- $900M+ recovered for injured clients across documented cases
- 25+ years fighting for New York injury victims
- $69.25M largest single recovery in a motor vehicle accident case
- 300+ five-star Google reviews from real clients
- Fluent in English and Russian
- 9.9 Avvo rating and National Top 100 Trial Lawyers
- Featured in the NY Post, Daily Mail, and CBS New York
You risk nothing to talk with us. Our Manhattan personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis, so you pay no attorney fees unless we recover for you.
You can visit us at 30 Broad Street, Suite 1461, New York, NY 10004, Financial District, or 488 Madison Avenue, New York, NY. Midtown.
Proved the Brain Damage the Insurer Said Was Imaginary
Our client suffered a traumatic brain injury in a Manhattan motor vehicle crash. Standard imaging looked clean, and the carrier treated the case like a soft-tissue claim. We retained a neuroradiologist for DTI imaging, brought in vestibular testing, and put a neuropsychologist on the medical record. The jury returned a $1,800,000 verdict for the brain injury the carrier said was not real.
Types of Brain Injuries We Handle in Manhattan Accident Cases
Accident victims in Manhattan suffer a wide range of traumatic brain injuries, each with different causes and long-term consequences. Our New York brain injury attorneys handle all types of TBI claims arising from negligence across New York.
The most common types of brain injuries we handle include:
Concussion (Mild TBI)
A concussion occurs when a jarring impact causes the brain to move rapidly inside the skull, producing symptoms like headaches, memory loss, and cognitive fog that can persist for months or years even after the initial injury appears resolved.
Moderate TBI
Loss of consciousness lasting minutes to hours with potential for permanent cognitive impairment, personality changes that strain relationships, and difficulty returning to demanding work environments common in Manhattan’s professional sectors.
Severe TBI
Coma, permanent disability, or death requiring lifetime medical care, round-the-clock nursing assistance, and comprehensive rehabilitation that may never restore previous levels of independence or functioning. Severe TBI often co-occurs with Manhattan spinal cord injuries, and our firm handles combined catastrophic injury claims.
Contusion
Coup-Contrecoup Injury
Penetrating Injury
An object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue, common in Manhattan construction site accidents involving falling tools or scaffolding collapse, typically resulting in permanent structural damage and high infection risk.
Anoxic and Hypoxic Brain Injury
There is no prosthetic for the brain; dead neurons cannot be restored by any surgery, medication, or device currently available, which is what makes TBI categorically different from every other personal injury.
Recent Case Results
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is unique, and the value of any claim depends on its specific facts. These verdicts are a small sample of the New York City personal injury verdicts our firm has secured since 2000 – see the full list of personal injury verdicts and settlements for more recoveries.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Brain Injury?
Brain injury symptoms fall into three categories, and many appear days or weeks after the accident, which is why immediate medical evaluation is critical even if you feel fine.
Physical Symptoms
- Persistent headaches that resist over-the-counter medication
- Dizziness and vertigo affect balance and coordination
- Sensitivity to light and sound makes normal environments unbearable
- Overwhelming fatigue unrelated to activity level
- Sleep disturbances ranging from insomnia to excessive sleeping
- Blurred vision and ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Persistent nausea
- Seizures, slurred speech, or fluid draining from the nose or ears in severe cases
Cognitive Symptoms
- Forgetting conversations
- Struggling to find words mid-sentence
- Reading the same paragraph repeatedly
- Slowed thinking and processing speed
- Mental exhaustion after short concentration
- Poor decision-making
- Getting lost in familiar Manhattan places
Behavioral Symptoms
- Irritability and snapping at family over minor frustrations
- Anxiety in situations that never caused distress before
- Sudden crying spells or inappropriate emotional responses
- Personality changes noticed by loved ones
- Sleep changes, including sleeping far more or far less than usual
These are not personality flaws or character weaknesses; they are the direct neurological result of damage to the brain, and every one of them is evidence in your legal case.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries in Manhattan Accidents
Manhattan’s density, construction activity, and traffic congestion create concentrated brain injury risks. Nationally, the CDC reports more than 586 TBI-related hospitalizations and 190 TBI-related deaths every day, with falls, motor vehicle crashes, and assaults among the leading causes – all common in Manhattan’s crosswalks, construction zones, and daily traffic.
- Pedestrian Knockdowns: Crosswalk accidents on Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 42nd Street occur when drivers fail to yield, run red lights, or turn without checking blind spots in Manhattan’s most congested pedestrian zones.
- Construction Falls: Scaffolding collapses and crane accidents in Hudson Yards, Midtown, and the Financial District cause gravity-related TBIs protected under New York Labor Law § 240, which holds property owners and general contractors strictly liable.
- Subway and MTA Incidents: Platform falls at Grand Central, Times Square, and Penn Station, door injuries from closing train doors, and collisions between passengers and trains cause thousands of Manhattan brain injury cases annually.
- Premises Liability: Slip-and-fall accidents in commercial buildings, hotels, and retail stores result from wet floors, debris, inadequate lighting, and unmarked hazards that property owners fail to remediate.
What to Do Right After a Brain Injury in Manhattan
The hours immediately after a brain injury accident are the most important window for both your health and your legal case.
Step 1: Seek Emergency Medical Care Immediately
Go to a Level I Trauma Center the same day, even if you feel fine. In Manhattan, that includes NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, Mount Sinai Hospital, NYU Langone (Bellevue), and Lenox Hill Hospital. Delaying treatment gives insurance companies a reason to dispute your claim.
Step 2: Document the Accident Scene
Take photos or video of what caused the accident, such as wet floors, construction debris, or traffic conditions. Also, photograph any visible injuries, including bruising, cuts, or swelling.
Step 3: Collect Witness Contact Information
Get the names and phone numbers of anyone who saw the accident. In Manhattan, witnesses are often commuters or tourists and can be difficult to track down later.
Step 4: Start a Daily Symptom Journal
Record symptoms like headaches, confusion, mood changes, sleep issues, and memory problems from the first day. This documentation is important when scans appear normal.
Step 5: Never Give a Recorded Statement
Do not speak to the other party’s insurance company before consulting a lawyer. Adjusters often call quickly while victims are confused to obtain damaging statements.
Step 6: Contact Frekhtman & Associates Immediately
Reach out as soon as possible; our team will preserve critical evidence. In Manhattan, surveillance footage from traffic cameras, buildings, and subway stations is often overwritten or deleted within days.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Manhattan Brain Injury?
- Motor Vehicle Accidents: Negligent drivers who cause collisions, companies that employ reckless drivers, trucking companies with inadequate safety protocols, and delivery services whose drivers cause accidents can all be held liable.
- Premises Liability: Property owners, building management companies, retail stores, hotels, and restaurants are responsible for maintaining safe conditions and can be held liable when hazardous conditions like wet floors, broken stairs, or inadequate lighting cause brain injuries.
- Construction Accidents: General contractors, subcontractors, and property owners can be held liable under New York Labor Law § 240 – the Scaffold law for gravity-related falls from scaffolds, ladders, or elevated work platforms that result in traumatic brain injuries.
- Product Defects: Manufacturers of defective helmets, safety equipment, or vehicle components can be held strictly liable when faulty products directly cause or fail to prevent brain injuries.
- City of New York and MTA: For subway accidents, sidewalk defects, or roadway hazards involving city-owned property or vehicles, you must file a 90-day Notice of Claim under New York General Municipal Law § 50-e – the short-fuse procedural rule that ends most government cases before they begin if missed.
In many Manhattan brain injury claims, more than one party shares responsibility. Our attorneys investigate every potentially liable party from the start to build the strongest possible claim on your behalf.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Brain Injury?
Brain injury victims can seek compensation across three damage categories, and understanding the full scope before accepting any settlement offer is critical.
Economic Damages
- Emergency care, hospitalization, and surgeries
- Diagnostic imaging (MRI, CT, DTI)
- Cognitive rehabilitation, speech therapy, and occupational therapy
- Prescription medications
- Home modifications and in-home nursing care
- Lost wages and permanent income loss
Non-Economic Damages
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish from cognitive decline and personality changes
- Emotional distress, including depression and anxiety
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium for family members
Note: New York does not cap non-economic damages in personal injury cases, unlike some states that artificially limit pain and suffering awards.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are rare in most brain injury claims and are awarded only in cases of gross negligence or reckless conduct to punish the defendant and prevent similar behavior.
Wrongful Death From a Brain Injury
When a brain injury results in death, New York wrongful-death law (EPTL § 5-4.1) allows the deceased’s estate to recover funeral and burial expenses, lost financial support, lost guidance and services to the family, and pre-death medical expenses tied to the injury. The 2-year filing window runs from the date of death, not the date of the original accident.
Time Limits to File a Brain Injury Lawsuit in New York
New York gives you three years from the injury date to file a personal injury claim under CPLR § 214 (5). However, shorter deadlines apply when government entities are involved. Missing any deadline can permanently bar your case.
- Standard Personal Injury Claims. Three years from the accident date for claims against private parties like drivers, property owners, or construction companies.
- City of New York and MTA Claims. A 90-day Notice of Claim under General Municipal Law § 50-e, followed by 1 year and 90 days to file the lawsuit, for subway accidents, sidewalk defects, or city-vehicle crashes.
- Wrongful Death Claims. Family members have 2 years from the date of death under EPTL § 5-4.1 for fatal brain injuries.
- Medical Malpractice. Brain injuries caused by medical negligence have a shorter window – 2 years and 6 months under CPLR § 214-a.
- Delayed-Symptom TBI: New York’s general “discovery rule” for personal injury is narrow. The 3-year clock for ordinary TBI claims typically runs from the date of the accident, not the date the brain injury is later diagnosed. A true discovery rule applies primarily to toxic-exposure cases under CPLR § 214-c.
Insurance adjusters know these deadlines and intentionally drag out settlement negotiations, hoping you miss the filing window, which is why early legal representation is critical.
How the Manhattan Brain Injury Claim Process Works
Stage 1: Free Consultation
Stage 2: Investigation
Stage 3: Medical Documentation
Stage 4: Demand Letter
Stage 5: Negotiation
Stage 6: Lawsuit Filing
Stage 7: Trial or Settlement
Why Choose Frekhtman & Associates for Your Manhattan Brain Injury Case
Choosing the right lawyer after a brain injury can determine whether you recover full compensation or accept far less than your case is worth. At Frekhtman & Associates, our Manhattan brain injury lawyers focus on securing maximum compensation by building strong medical evidence and challenging insurance companies that try to minimize legitimate claims.
Arkady Frekhtman founded this firm in 2000 after seeing insurance carriers take advantage of injured people who had no real representation. He started his career as a personal injury associate in Manhattan, has tried his largest single published verdict at $69.225 million in an auto-accident case, served as a presenter at Trial Lawyers University Live 2026 on a $3.5M Bronx subway slip-and-fall case, and has published appellate decisions in the New York Appellate Division, Second Department.
- Convergent Validity Framework: Our three-tool diagnostic approach uses DTI imaging, vestibular testing, and neuropsychological evaluation to prove brain injuries that standard imaging cannot detect. When all three independent tests reach the same conclusion, the result is an evidentiary framework no adjuster or defense expert can easily dismiss.
- Medical-Legal Team Built for TBI Cases: We work with a network that includes neurologists, neuropsychologists, life-care planners, vocational economists, accident reconstructionists, and neuroradiologists. For a Manhattan TBI case, that team is assembled around the specific neurological injury at the center of the claim.
- Manhattan Courtroom Experience: Our trial-ready legal team tries cases in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County (60 Centre Street), and knows the local defense firms, judges, and tactics specific to NY County courts.
- Trial-Ready on Every Case: Every case is prepared as if it’s going to trial from day one. Insurers know which firms settle early and which ones go to court, and our track record of significant verdicts means they take our settlement demands seriously.
- English and Russian Service. Communication runs in English and Russian for clients in Brighton Beach, Bensonhurst, Forest Hills, and across the Manhattan Russian-speaking community.
- Contingency Fee: No attorney fees unless we recover for you. Free 24/7 case review. Hospital and home visits available for clients too injured to travel.
Our attorneys are ready to fight for the compensation you deserve.
Reviews from Manhattan Brain Injury Victims
Below are reviews from clients we have represented in personal injury cases throughout Manhattan and New York.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Every case is different, and outcomes depend on the specific facts and circumstances. Our attorneys work tirelessly to achieve the best possible result for every client.
To discuss your case and learn how we can help you recover maximum compensation.
Areas We Serve Across Manhattan and New York
Battery Park City, Chelsea, Chinatown, East Harlem, East Village, Financial District, Gramercy Park, Greenwich Village, Harlem, Hell’s Kitchen, Hudson Yards, Little Italy, Lower East Side, Midtown, Murray Hill, SoHo, Tribeca, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Washington Heights, West Village
We also represent clients in Brooklyn (Kings County), Queens, The Bronx (Bronx County), Staten Island (Richmond County), Nassau, and Suffolk Counties, and across Long Island.
Manhattan Brain Injury Lawsuit FAQs
Can I File a Manhattan Brain Injury Claim if My MRI is Normal?
Yes, you can file a Manhattan brain injury claim even if your MRI is normal. Standard MRI and CT scans often miss microscopic nerve damage called diffuse axonal injury. Advanced DTI (diffusion tensor imaging) scans and neuropsychological testing can detect brain damage that standard imaging cannot see.
What if I Was Partially at Fault for My Manhattan Brain Injury Accident?
You can still recover compensation if you were partially at fault for your Manhattan brain injury accident. New York follows pure comparative negligence under CPLR §1411, which allows you to recover damages even if you were at fault; your compensation is simply reduced by your percentage of fault.
What Are the Long-Term Effects of a Brain Injury?
Long-term effects of a brain injury include chronic cognitive deficits such as memory loss and attention problems, permanent neurological symptoms such as balance issues and headaches, personality changes, depression, and lifelong disability requiring ongoing care.
What if My Brain Injury Was Caused by Medical Malpractice?
You can file a New York medical malpractice claim by proving that a doctor or hospital breached accepted medical standards and that the breach caused your injury. The filing window in New York is 2 years and 6 months from the date of malpractice under CPLR § 214-a, and the case requires medical experts to establish the standard-of-care violation.
Does NY Labor Law § 240 Cover Brain Injuries on Manhattan Construction Sites?
Yes. The Scaffold Law (Labor Law § 240) imposes strict liability on property owners and general contractors for elevation-related accidents, including brain injuries from scaffold falls, ladder collapses, or falling debris.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Manhattan Brain Injury Lawyer?
It costs nothing up front to hire a Manhattan brain injury lawyer. Brain injury lawyers work on a contingency fee, typically 33⅓%, which means you pay us no attorney fees unless we win your case, and all costs are deducted from your settlement or verdict at the end.
How Long Does Brain Injury Recovery Take After a Manhattan Accident?
Brain injury recovery time varies by severity. Mild TBI symptoms may improve in days to weeks. Moderate TBI recovery extends several months. Severe TBI recovery spans months to years. The fastest improvement typically occurs in the first 6 months, but meaningful recovery often continues for up to 2 years with rehabilitation, including physical therapy, cognitive therapy, and occupational therapy.
Can I Sue NY or the MTA for a Subway Brain Injury?
Yes, you can sue the MTA for a subway brain injury, but you must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days of the accident with the New York Transit Authority under General Municipal Law §50-e. After filing the Notice of Claim, you have 1 year and 90 days from the accident date to file your lawsuit; failure to meet these deadlines may permanently bar your claim.
Get Help from a Manhattan Brain Injury Lawyer Today
The insurance company has already opened your file and started building a case aimed at limiting what they pay. The sooner evidence is preserved, the stronger your claim becomes.
If you or a loved one suffered a brain injury in a Manhattan accident, our Manhattan brain injury attorneys can step in right away to take over communication with insurance adjusters, secure surveillance and traffic-camera footage before it is overwritten, and coordinate with the medical experts who document brain damage that standard imaging misses.
Call Frekhtman & Associates. Get a trial-prepared firm on your side.
- Manhattan Office: (212) 222-1111
- 24/7 toll-free: (866) 288-9529
Contact For A Free Case Review
While it’s possible to handle a personal injury case on your own, having an experienced attorney by your side significantly increases the likelihood of a favorable outcome. According to studies, victims represented by a personal injury lawyer receive higher settlement amounts compared to those who handle their cases independently. For a free case evaluation: