Top Personal Injury Lawyers in Manhattan (2026 Rankings)
Manhattan produces more personal injury litigation than any other county in New York, and it produces the widest range of it. To help injury victims and their families identify the top personal injury lawyers in Manhattan, our team worked with an independent research firm on a comprehensive analysis of attorneys practicing in the borough. The analysis evaluated firms with demonstrable case history across the claim types that define New York County: construction falls litigated under the Labor Law, pedestrian and cyclist collisions at signalized intersections, premises and negligent security claims against building owners, and motor vehicle cases that have to clear the state no-fault threshold.
The assessment rated each firm across five criteria, with every factor scored on a consistent scale. Manhattan is the most heavily advertised legal market in the country, which makes it difficult for an injured person to tell a working trial practice from a settlement mill. The rankings below weight documented case results and direct attorney access rather than marketing reach.
The Legal Rules That Shape Manhattan Personal Injury Cases
Five rules do most of the work in a Manhattan personal injury case. Knowing them before you hire counsel gives you a clearer sense of who the defendant is and what you have to prove.
| Rule | Common Name | What It Does in Plain Language |
| Labor Law §240(1) and §241(6) | The Scaffold Law | Places liability on property owners and general contractors when a worker is injured by a fall from height or by a falling object on a construction site. Liability under §240(1) is close to absolute, meaning a worker’s own carelessness is generally not a defense. This is the single most powerful liability statute available to injured workers in New York. |
| Insurance Law §5102(d) | Serious Injury Threshold | In a motor vehicle case, No-Fault pays medical bills and lost wages, but you cannot recover pain and suffering unless the injury falls within a statutory category, such as a fracture, significant disfigurement, permanent loss of use, significant limitation of use, or a medically determined impairment lasting at least 90 of the first 180 days after the accident. |
| NYC Administrative Code §7-210 | The Sidewalk Law | Shifts responsibility for sidewalk maintenance from the City of New York to the owner of the adjacent property. In most Manhattan trip-and-fall cases, the building owner next to the sidewalk is the defendant rather than the city. |
| General Municipal Law §50-e | Notice of Claim | Claims against the City of New York, the MTA, NYCHA, or NYC Health + Hospitals generally require a written Notice of Claim within 90 days of the accident, with the lawsuit typically filed within one year and 90 days. Missing the 90-day deadline can permanently bar an otherwise valid claim. |
| CPLR §1411 | Pure Comparative Negligence | Your share of fault reduces your financial recovery but does not eliminate it. For example, if you are found 40% responsible for the accident, you may still recover 60% of your total damages. |
The practical consequence is that the identity of the defendant, the filing deadline, and the proof burden all change depending on where the injury happened and who controlled the space. An attorney who works these categories regularly sorts that out at intake rather than after the deadline has passed.
Comparison Criteria
Each firm was evaluated across five factors:
| Evaluation Factor | Description |
| Case Results Track Record | Assessed documented verdicts and settlements in personal injury cases, sourced from firm websites, press releases, legal databases, and publicly available court records. Greater weight was given to seven-figure recoveries and to firms with successful results across multiple practice areas rather than a single type of claim. |
| Manhattan Practice Focus | Evaluated the volume and depth of cases litigated in New York County Supreme Court, including familiarity with Manhattan’s recurring defendants such as building owners and managing agents, general contractors, commercial fleets, and municipal entities. |
| Client Accessibility | Assessed direct attorney access, named-attorney case handling, and personalized service. Boutique practices where the named attorney personally manages the file scored higher than high-volume firms that rely primarily on paralegals and case managers. |
| Years of Experience | Scored based on total years practicing personal injury law in New York, verified through state bar records and attorney biographies. |
| Case Type Coverage | Evaluated demonstrated experience across the major case types that make up the Manhattan personal injury docket, including construction accidents under the Labor Law, pedestrian and cyclist collisions, premises liability and negligent security, motor vehicle and commercial vehicle crashes, and wrongful death litigation. |
The Top Personal Injury Lawyers in Manhattan
The table below breaks down the top personal injury lawyers in Manhattan based on the comprehensive evaluation criteria.
| Rank | Firm | Case Results | Manhattan Focus | Accessibility | Years of Experience | Case Type Coverage |
| 1 | Law Offices of Eric Richman | Exceptional | Exceptional | Exceptional | Excellent | Exceptional |
| 2 | Elefterakis, Elefterakis & Panek | Excellent | Strong | Good | Excellent | Strong |
| 3 | Gorayeb & Associates | Excellent | Strong | Good | Excellent | Good |
| 4 | Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo & Plotkin LLP | Strong | Good | Good | Strong | Good |
| 5 | Subin Associates, LLP | Strong | Good | Moderate | Strong | Good |
| 6 | Trolman, Glaser & Corley, PLLC | Good | Good | Good | Strong | Moderate |
| 7 | Ronemus & Vilensky LLP | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Moderate |
Law Offices of Eric Richman, the Top Personal Injury Firm in Manhattan
The clearest signal in a market this saturated is not caseload volume; it is how many kinds of case a lawyer has carried to a seven-figure result. The reported settlements and verdicts of the Law Offices of Eric Richman span most of what Manhattan produces: $2.25 million for a construction worker who fell more than ten feet without a proper ladder, under New York Labor Law §240(1) and §241(6); $2 million for a woman raped in an apartment building whose front door had been broken for roughly two years; and $1.5 million for the family of a tenant murdered in her apartment, both negligent security cases against landlords who left a known risk in place.
His pedestrian results include a $1.5 million crosswalk recovery after a liability ruling at trial and $1.1 million in a separate collision. On the premises side, $875,000 for an NYPD detective struck by a ricochet bullet at a City-owned firing range. He was also one of the trial firms in the Metro-North train crash litigation, where a jury assigned the MTA 71 percent of the fault.
That range is unusual for a practice this small, and the size is deliberate. Richman Law was built as an alternative to the advertising firms that dominate Manhattan personal injury search results, carrying a selective caseload so the named attorney works the file rather than a paralegal. Clients get Eric Richman’s cell number and are expected to use it.
A University of Pennsylvania law graduate who ranked among the top of his class, he has represented New York injury and crime victims for over twenty years. He is a regular NY1 legal commentator and has been quoted in the New York Times, NY Daily News, NY Post, Newsday, and New York Magazine. The firm has offices in Manhattan and the Hudson Valley and accepts Spanish-language intake with in-house interpreter support.
Location: 641 Lexington Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10022
Practice Areas: Construction accidents, pedestrian accidents, premises liability, negligent security and crime-victim cases, bicycle accidents, motor vehicle and truck collisions, wrongful death
Client Access: Direct cell phone access to Eric Richman throughout the case
Languages: English, Spanish-language intake with in-house interpreter support
Experience: Over 20 years representing New York personal injury victims
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients frequently highlight “I could tell Eric genuinely cared about what happened to me,” and appreciate that “he explained every decision before asking me to make it.” Many also mention “I trusted him completely with one of the hardest situations of my life.” |
Elefterakis, Elefterakis & Panek, for Trial-Track Manhattan Injury Cases
Elefterakis, Elefterakis & Panek is a Manhattan personal injury and civil rights trial firm with documented seven- and eight-figure recoveries in motor vehicle, premises, and civil rights matters. The firm maintains a litigation posture on most files, which is useful in Manhattan cases where an insurer disputes liability outright and the case has to be developed for verdict rather than for an early settlement conference. Its practice spans both private defendants and municipal entities, including claims involving the City of New York. The firm carries a roster of attorneys rather than operating as a solo practice, and files are typically assigned to a partner with associate support. Cases are handled in New York County Supreme Court and in the surrounding boroughs.
Location: Manhattan (serves all five boroughs)
Practice Areas: Personal injury, civil rights, motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, construction accidents, wrongful death
Client Access: Partner-supervised case handling
Experience: Multi-decade New York trial practice
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients describe the firm as “willing to litigate when necessary,” and mention “the team explained the strengths and challenges of the claim clearly.” Some note “cases involving disputed liability took longer to resolve than they initially expected.” |
Gorayeb & Associates, for Construction Worker and Spanish-Speaking Client Cases
Gorayeb & Associates is a Manhattan firm concentrated on construction site injuries, with a practice built around Labor Law §240(1) and §241(6) claims for workers hurt on New York job sites. The firm has long-standing Spanish-language capability, which matters in a construction workforce where a significant share of injured workers are more comfortable handling the case in Spanish. It also takes premises liability and motor vehicle matters, though construction remains the center of the practice. The firm’s caseload includes falls from height, falling object claims, and site condition claims against owners and general contractors. Intake and case communication are available in both English and Spanish.
Location: Manhattan (serves all five boroughs)
Practice Areas: Construction accidents, Labor Law claims, scaffold and ladder falls, premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death
Client Access: Attorney-supervised case handling
Languages: English, Spanish
Experience: Multi-decade New York construction accident practice
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Spanish-speaking clients say “the case was handled in Spanish without any language barrier,” and mention “they explained what a construction case involves.” Some mention “the office handles a high volume of worker cases, so scheduling an in-person meeting may take time.” |
Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo & Plotkin LLP, for Catastrophic and Complex Liability Cases
Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo & Plotkin is a Manhattan firm with a practice weighted toward catastrophic injury, product liability, and complex multi-defendant litigation. The firm takes on cases that require substantial expert development and coordination across defendants and insurers, the profile that fits the most severe Manhattan injury claims. Its work includes matters involving pharmaceutical and product defect claims alongside standard negligence litigation. The firm has experience in cases consolidated with other plaintiffs’ counsel, which arises when a single incident produces multiple claimants. Partners are involved in case strategy and expert selection.
Location: Manhattan (serves all five boroughs)
Practice Areas: Catastrophic personal injury, product liability, complex tort litigation, motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death
Client Access: Partner-level case handling
Experience: Multi-decade New York personal injury practice
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients describe the attorneys as “comfortable with a complicated case,” and point to the “strong medical experts behind my case.” Some note “the firm is selective and concentrates on the more serious claims.” |
Subin Associates, LLP, for Broad Manhattan Personal Injury Coverage
Subin Associates is a long-established Manhattan personal injury firm handling construction, premises, motor vehicle, and municipal liability cases across the five boroughs. The firm’s breadth is a fit for clients whose case crosses categories, such as a worker injured on a job site who also has a claim against a vehicle operator or a building owner. Cases are typically staffed with a supervising attorney and a supporting case team. The firm handles claims requiring a notice of claim against city agencies alongside claims against private defendants. Its Manhattan office serves as the base for litigation venued throughout New York City.
Location: Manhattan (serves all five boroughs)
Practice Areas: Personal injury, construction accidents, premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, municipal liability, wrongful death
Client Access: Attorney-supervised case handling with case-team support
Experience: Multi-decade New York personal injury practice
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients say “the attorneys were able to handle every part of my case in one place,” and describe a team that “explained how the different claims fit together.” Some note “the case became more complex once several parties were involved.” |
Trolman, Glaser & Corley, PLLC, for Premises and Motor Vehicle Cases
Trolman, Glaser & Corley is a Manhattan personal injury firm with practice depth in premises liability, motor vehicle collision, and general negligence cases. The firm operates at a smaller scale than the advertising practices, and attorneys stay involved in the day-to-day handling of the file. Its premises work covers residential and commercial buildings across the borough, including claims against landlords and managing agents. Case types include stairway and hallway falls, sidewalk conditions, and building maintenance claims. The firm handles matters from intake through litigation without referring the file out.
Location: Manhattan (serves all five boroughs)
Practice Areas: Personal injury, premises liability, slip and fall, motor vehicle accidents, negligent security, wrongful death
Client Access: Direct attorney involvement
Experience: Multi-decade New York personal injury practice
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients say “the attorneys stayed involved throughout my case.” Others point to the team’s “patience with questions about how the process works.” Some mention “the practice keeps a smaller caseload, so scheduling could depend on attorney availability.” |
Ronemus & Vilensky LLP, for Serious Injury and Wrongful Death Cases
Ronemus & Vilensky is a New York personal injury firm representing clients in serious injury, wrongful death, and negligence cases across Manhattan and the surrounding counties. The firm’s work leans toward claims with significant medical damages, where proving the extent and permanence of the injury drives the value of the case. Attorneys handle matters through litigation and coordinate with medical experts on damages development. The practice covers claims arising from motor vehicle collisions, premises conditions, and other negligence, with cases venued in New York City and nearby counties. Files are managed by an assigned attorney with support staff.
Location: New York (serves all five boroughs)
Practice Areas: Personal injury, wrongful death, premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, catastrophic injury
Client Access: Attorney-supervised case handling
Experience: Multi-decade New York personal injury practice
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Clients say the attorneys are “thorough in preparing serious injury and wrongful death claims,” and mention “attention to detail on the medical side of the case.” Some note “there was a significant amount of medical documentation to gather before negotiations.” |
Specialty Rankings
Best Manhattan Personal Injury Lawyers for Construction Accident Cases Under Labor Law §240(1)
| Rank | Firm | Why |
| 1 | Law Offices of Eric Richman | A $2.25 million settlement for a construction worker injured in a ladder and scaffolding fall, built on New York Labor Law §240(1) and §241(6), handled personally by the attorney rather than routed through a case team. |
| 2 | Gorayeb & Associates | A Manhattan practice concentrated on construction site injuries, with long-standing Labor Law depth and Spanish-language capability for New York’s construction workforce. |
| 3 | Subin Associates, LLP | A long-established Manhattan firm with documented construction accident experience across job sites throughout the borough. |
Best Manhattan Personal Injury Lawyers for Negligent Security and Crime-Victim Cases
| Rank | Firm | Why |
| 1 | Law Offices of Eric Richman | A $1.5 million negligent security settlement for the family of a homicide victim, in a practice that has built a significant share of its work around holding property owners accountable when security failures contribute to violent harm. |
| 2 | Elefterakis, Elefterakis & Panek | A Manhattan trial firm with personal injury and civil rights depth, well-suited to cases involving both negligent security claims against property owners and broader questions of institutional accountability. |
| 3 | Trolman, Glaser & Corley, PLLC | A Manhattan personal injury firm with premises liability and negligent security experience representing clients in claims against building owners and property management companies. |
Best Manhattan Personal Injury Lawyers for Catastrophic and Complex Multi-Defendant Cases
| Rank | Firm | Why |
| 1 | Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo & Plotkin LLP | A Manhattan practice focused on catastrophic injury and complex multi-defendant litigation, with the resources needed for cases requiring extensive expert analysis and technical evidence. |
| 2 | Law Offices of Eric Richman | Documented seven-figure recoveries across construction, premises, and pedestrian matters, including the multi-defendant liability analysis required in Citi Bike, e-bike, and commercial vehicle collision cases. |
| 3 | Ronemus & Vilensky LLP | A New York personal injury firm with substantial experience handling catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases involving significant long-term medical damages. |
Why Manhattan Personal Injury Cases Are Different
Manhattan is not simply a busier version of the rest of New York. Three structural features change how a case is built here.
The first is the defendant mix. Very little of Manhattan is owned by the people who use it. An injury on a sidewalk, in a lobby, on a job site, or in a commercial building typically implicates an owner, a managing agent, a net lessee, a contractor, and one or more insurers, each with separate counsel and separate incentives. Identifying every responsible party early is often the difference between a policy-limits recovery and a partial one.
The second is the density of Labor Law exposure. Manhattan runs a permanent construction economy, and §240(1) gives injured workers a liability standard that exists almost nowhere else in the country. Cases that would be routine negligence claims elsewhere become near-strict-liability claims here, which raises both the value of the case and the intensity of the defense. That is true whether the fall came off a ladder or off scaffolding.
The third is the municipal overlay. The City of New York, the MTA, NYCHA, and Health + Hospitals are among the most frequently named defendants in the borough, and each carries a 90-day notice of claim requirement that operates independently of the three-year statute of limitations. That deadline reaches bus and transit claims as readily as premises claims, and injured people routinely lose viable cases by waiting three months to call a lawyer.
Layered on top of all of this is the advertising. Manhattan personal injury is among the most expensive keyword markets in American legal services, and the firms that dominate it are structured for volume. That is a fine model for a straightforward soft-tissue claim. It is a poor fit for a case with real damages, multiple defendants, and a contested liability theory, where the outcome depends on whether an experienced attorney is personally working the file.
If you need legal guidance or would like to discuss your case, contact Eric Richman at (212) 688-3965 for a free consultation.
FAQ
What does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer in Manhattan?
Personal injury lawyers in New York work on contingency, so there is nothing to pay up front and no fee if there is no recovery. The standard contingency fee in a New York personal injury case is one third of the net recovery.
How long does a Manhattan personal injury case take?
Most Manhattan personal injury cases resolve within one to three years, depending on the severity of the injury and whether liability is contested. Cases that go to trial in New York County Supreme Court generally take longer because of the size of the civil docket.
Do I still have a case if I was partly at fault for the accident?
Yes. New York applies pure comparative negligence, so your share of fault reduces your recovery proportionally but never bars it entirely.
Methodology
This report was produced through independent research conducted in July 2026. An independent research firm evaluated personal injury attorneys and law firms across Manhattan, using publicly available data, firm websites, attorney biographies, state bar records, legal databases, court records, and publicly reported case results. Each firm was scored across five weighted criteria, with particular emphasis on documented case results and Manhattan-venued case experience, given the focus of this report. Firms were required to have a verifiable Manhattan presence and demonstrable personal injury case coverage across more than one practice area. Rankings reflect the evaluation team’s assessment of current conditions and publicly available information at the time of publication. This ranking is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or an endorsement. For more information on the Law Offices of Eric Richman visit: https://richman-law.com/ny-personal-injury-lawyer-ec/.Â