New York Workers' Compensation Attorneys

At DearLegal, we connect you with experienced New York workers' comp attorneys who handle claims before the New York State Workers' Compensation Board.

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30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide

Free New York workers' compensation case review

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How we match your New York workers' compensation case

When you submit a New York workers' compensation matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A workers' compensation matter needs someone who handles workers' compensation work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under New York law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in New York who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

Get started How DearLegal works

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Exhibit A

What happens with a workers' compensation claim in New York

Day 0
You’re hurt at work.
Report it to your employer in writing and get medical care. In New York, the report and the first medical visit are the two things every comp claim is built on.
Within 24 hours
Tell us what happened.
Two minutes on this page. A New York workers' compensation attorney reviews it for free and, if it’s a fit, you’re matched within 24 hours.
Weeks 1–4
The claim is filed and documented.
Incident report, medical records, wage history, and the insurer’s acceptance or denial. Your attorney handles the forms and the follow-ups.
Months 1–6
Benefits, and pushback.
Wage-loss and medical benefits should start; insurers routinely dispute treatment or ratings. Your attorney contests denials and independent medical exams.
Before the 2-year deadline
Hearing or petition if needed.
New York gives 2 years from the date it happened. Filing keeps your leverage; missing it ends the claim.
Resolution
Award or settlement.
You pay nothing along the way. The fee — typically 15% — comes only out of what’s recovered. If nothing is recovered, you owe nothing.

Governing Statute: Workers' Comp Act
New York Workers' Compensation Law, WCL Ch. 67
Agency: WCB
New York State Workers' Compensation Board (WCB)
Notice of Injury: 30 days
30 days to notify the employer (WCL § 18)
Statute of Limitations: 2 years
2 years from injury or knowledge of work-relatedness (WCL § 28)
Attorney Fees: Court-approved
Subject to Board approval (WCL § 24)
Typical attorney fee: 15%
Board-approved (typically 15%–20%)

New York's Workers' Compensation Law (WCL Ch. 67) is administered by the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB). TTD pays 66 2/3% of AWW under WCL § 14, capped at 100% of the state AWW. New York is an employee-choice doctor state under WCL § 13-a — workers pick their own treating physician from the Board's authorized panel. Notice must be given to the employer within 30 days under WCL § 18, and the claim filed within 2 years under WCL § 28. New York is unique because Labor Law §§ 240(1) and 241(6) create absolute liability for height-related and statutory-violation construction injuries against owners and general contractors — running outside the comp system as third-party claims. Attorney fees are subject to Board approval under WCL § 24. The five-borough construction boom, the largest hospital system in the country, and substantial port/rail (LHWCA/FELA overlap) drive enormous claim volume. An experienced New York attorney secures the right disability classification, develops Labor Law 240/241 claims in parallel, and preserves third-party claims.

Exhibit B

When to call a workers' compensation attorney in New York

Does any of this sound like you? Tap what applies.

Exhibit C

Workers' Compensation cases we take in New York

Which one is closest to yours?

Construction site injuries with Labor Law 240/241 claims

Falls, scaffolding, and falling-object injuries on five-borough and Long Island construction. Parallel Labor Law § 240(1) and § 241(6) claims against owners and general contractors deliver full tort damages on top of comp benefits.

Sound like yours? A New York attorney reviews it free — no fee unless they win.

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Exhibit D

How much do New York workers' compensation attorneys cost?

Sample settlement statement

New York · Workers' Compensation

Recovery$100,000

Attorney fee · 15%− $15,000

Case costs (advanced by firm)repaid at the end

To you$85,000

Due today$0

Try a different recovery$100,000

$5,000$3,000,000

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Most New York workers' compensation attorneys work on contingency: the fee is a share of what they recover, and nothing if they don’t.

New York workers' comp attorney fees are subject to Workers' Compensation Board approval under WCL § 24, typically running 15%–20% of contested benefits. Labor Law § 240(1)/§ 241(6) construction claims and third-party tort claims (motor vehicle, product liability, contractor) run outside the comp system on standard 33%–40% personal-injury contingency.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

Get startedTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit E

What your New York workers' compensation compensation can include

A New York workers' compensation recovery is built from several parts. Tap one to see what it covers.

Medical Benefits

Reasonable and necessary medical treatment under WCL § 13, including future medical when needed for the work injury.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Exhibit F

New York workers' compensation questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a New York attorney will review it for free.

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Notice to the employer within 30 days under WCL § 18, and the formal claim (C-3) must be filed within 2 years of the injury or knowledge that the condition was work-related under WCL § 28.

You do. New York is an employee-choice state under WCL § 13-a — workers pick their own treating physician from the WCB's authorized panel. The insurer can require an IME but cannot direct care.

New York attorney fees in workers' comp are subject to Board approval under WCL § 24 — typically in the 15%–20% range on contested benefits. Labor Law 240/241 and third-party tort claims run on standard 33%–40% contingency outside the comp system.

Generally no — exclusive remedy under WCL § 11. But under Labor Law § 11, 'grave injury' (defined narrowly) can support third-party contribution claims. Third-party claims against non-employers (general contractors, owners, equipment makers, negligent drivers) are not barred.

Labor Law § 240(1) ('scaffold law') imposes absolute liability on owners and general contractors for height-related injuries (falls, falling objects) on construction sites. § 241(6) imposes liability for violations of specific Industrial Code rules. Both run parallel to comp as third-party claims with full tort damages — pain and suffering, lost earnings, future earnings — substantially exceeding comp benefits.

Medical treatment, TTD at 66 2/3% of AWW (capped at the state AWW), permanent partial disability under WCL § 15 (scheduled-loss-of-use, classification, and non-schedule), permanent total disability, and death benefits. Schedule-loss awards are paid in a lump sum at MMI.

New York prohibits retaliation under WCL § 120 — a Board claim that can include reinstatement, back pay, and statutory penalty. Damages outside comp are also possible under Reilly v. Reuters.

Workers' Compensation attorneys by city in New York

Same New York rules and the same attorneys — with what’s local to each city.

Other case types in New York

All New York practice areas →

Animal Incident attorneysNew York holds dog owners strictly liable for bites only if the owner knew the dog was vicious — ordinary negligence claims for the bite itself are largely barred.

Business Dispute attorneysNew York’s Commercial Division handles cases over $500K — and the state’s recently strengthened non-compete enforcement rules cut both ways.

Car Accident attorneysNew York’s no-fault auto regime means most minor cases stay with your own insurer — but a "serious injury" opens the door to suing the other driver.

Consumer Protection attorneysNew York’s deceptive-practices and false-advertising laws let consumers recover triple damages up to $1,000 plus attorney fees — a workhorse for everyday claims.

Criminal Defense attorneysNew York’s 2019 discovery and bail reforms reshaped criminal practice — your attorney needs to know how the new evidence-sharing timelines interact with NYC DA offices.

Defective Product attorneysNew York is one of the leading states for products-liability law — its courts established strict liability for defective products and have shaped duty-to-warn doctrine for decades.

Employment attorneysThe NYS Human Rights Law is broader than federal law (1 employee minimum), and NYC’s Human Rights Law is broader still — both with longer filing deadlines than federal.

Family Law attorneysNew York divides marital property equitably — and a 2010 reform brought "no-fault" divorce, ending the require-grounds era. Maintenance follows a presumptive formula.

Immigration attorneysNYC has one of the highest immigration-case loads in the country — the New York immigration court calendar is years out, so motions to advance matter.

Lemon Law attorneysNew York’s Lemon Law covers both new and used cars — and the state’s Lemon Law arbitration program is a real alternative to suit.

Medical Malpractice attorneysNew York has no damages cap, but judgments over $250K are paid out in installments over time — and state law caps your attorney’s contingency fee on a sliding scale.

Personal Injury attorneysNew York’s 3-year injury filing deadline and pure comparative fault are generous — but no-fault auto and the construction-site "scaffold law" carve out their own rules.

Slip and Fall attorneysNew York City requires written notice to the City within 90 days of municipal-property claims — miss it and your case is gone.

Social Security Disability attorneysNew York SSA hearing offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx are among the busiest nationwide — counsel helps you climb the hearing queue.

New York Workers' Compensation Attorneys

How we match your New York workers' compensation case

Case type

Size and complexity

Jurisdiction and licensing

Capacity and fit

What happens with a workers' compensation claim in New York

You’re hurt at work.

Tell us what happened.

The claim is filed and documented.

Benefits, and pushback.

Hearing or petition if needed.

Award or settlement.

When to call a workers' compensation attorney in New York

Workers' Compensation cases we take in New York

Construction site injuries with Labor Law 240/241 claims

Healthcare worker injuries

Trucking and transportation injuries

Logistics and warehouse injuries

Port and longshore injuries

Railroad worker injuries

Back and spine injuries

Repetitive stress and cumulative trauma

Slip-and-fall on the job

Workplace violence and assault injuries

Occupational hearing loss

First-responder PTSD and 9/11-related illness

How much do New York workers' compensation attorneys cost?

What your New York workers' compensation compensation can include

Medical Benefits

Temporary Total Disability (TTD)

Schedule Loss of Use (SLU)

Classified Permanent Partial Disability

Permanent Total Disability (PTD)

Death Benefits

New York workers' compensation questions, answered

Workers' Compensation attorneys by city in New York

Other case types in New York

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