Lever and Ecker, PLLC

The firm handles a wide range of personal injury matters, including (but not limited to):

Motor vehicle and transportation cases

• Car accidents
• Commercial truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Bus accidents (including MTA and other transit buses)
• Rideshare accidents

Premises liability and falls

• Slip and fall accidents
• Trip and fall accidents
• Accidents on public or private property (indoors or outdoors)
• Unsafe conditions in residential and commercial buildings
• Ceiling collapses and other structural hazards
• Scalding water and other dangerous building conditions
• Dog bites and animal attacks

Workplace and construction incidents

• Workplace injuries
• Construction accidents (for example, falls from ladders or scaffolding, falling objects, unsafe worksite conditions)
• Workers' compensation–related injury matters, including cases involving negligent parties other than the employer

Medical and care-related cases

• Medical malpractice, including failures to diagnose serious conditions such as cancer
• Nursing home abuse and neglect
• Birth injury cases

Serious and catastrophic injury cases

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
• Severe fractures and orthopedic injuries
• Severe burn injuries
• Other catastrophic, life-changing injuries

Wrongful death

• Wrongful death claims arising from fatal accidents, including motor vehicle crashes, construction incidents, medical malpractice and other negligence.

Who the firm serves

• Individuals and families injured in accidents caused in whole or in part by someone else's negligence.
• Clients across New York State, including the five boroughs of New York City and Westchester County.
• The firm has offices in White Plains, the Bronx and Queens and can also meet with clients virtually or at another convenient location when needed.

Language support noted on the website includes personal injury services in Spanish for members of the Bronx community.

What to expect when you work with Lever and Ecker

Lever and Ecker, PLLC emphasizes personalized service, clear communication and careful case selection so that every client receives focused attention.

Client experience and communication

• Clients are treated like family, not as file numbers.
• The firm deliberately takes on a limited number of cases at a time so attorneys can devote substantial time and resources to each matter.
• Transparency and communication are priorities. The goal is to keep clients so well-informed that they rarely need to call for updates.
• When clients do call with questions, the firm emphasizes being responsive and available.

Meeting options and accessibility

• Attorneys can meet clients at whichever location is most convenient given their injuries and circumstances: at the office, at home, in the hospital, by phone or virtually.
• Meetings outside standard business hours, including evenings and weekends, are available when needed.
• The Bronx personal injury page notes that services are available in Spanish to better serve Spanish-speaking members of the Bronx community.

How the firm approaches personal injury cases

Every case is prepared carefully and thoroughly. Key elements of the firm's approach include:

1. Thorough investigation of the accident

• Obtaining police and incident reports where applicable.
• Visiting the scene and preserving physical and photographic evidence.
• Gathering and reviewing video footage and other records.
• Interviewing witnesses and, where useful, working with experts such as accident reconstruction specialists.

2. Detailed medical review

• Reviewing medical records to understand the nature, extent and impact of the injuries.
• Consulting with medical professionals, vocational experts and life-care planners where appropriate.
• Evaluating how the injuries affect the client's ability to work and participate in daily activities, both now and in the future.

3. Handling insurance claims and lawsuits

• Preparing and filing personal injury claims with the appropriate insurance companies.
• Communicating with insurance adjusters on the client's behalf so clients can avoid direct contact that might harm their claim.
• Where the insurance company will not pay the full value of a claim, filing a lawsuit in court.

4. Negotiation and settlement

• Negotiating with insurers and defendants to seek fair and reasonable settlements.
• Using the firm's trial experience and reputation to strengthen the client's position at the negotiating table.

5. Trial when necessary

• Preparing every case as if it may go to trial.
• Taking cases to a jury when liable parties refuse to offer fair compensation.
• Advocating in court based on the evidence and expert testimony gathered during the case.

General guidance provided to injured people

Based on information on the website, the firm commonly advises injury victims to:

• Seek prompt medical attention and follow their doctors' treatment recommendations.
• Tell their doctors about all symptoms so a clear medical record is created.
• Keep copies of medical bills and related documents.
• Avoid speaking with insurance companies for the other side; instead, direct those calls to the law firm.
• Avoid signing documents related to the accident or injuries without first having a lawyer review them.

For detailed legal advice on a specific situation, callers should be directed to speak directly with an attorney at the firm.

Contingency fee structure ("no fee unless we win")

• Lever and Ecker represents personal injury clients on a contingency fee basis.
• The attorney's fee is calculated as a percentage of the compensation recovered for the client (for example, through a settlement or jury verdict).
• Clients do not pay attorney's fees up front.
• The client does not owe an attorney's fee unless the firm recovers money on the client's behalf.

Costs and exact percentages

• The website does not publish specific fee percentages or a detailed breakdown of case expenses.
• Any questions about the percentage charged in a particular type of case, how costs are handled, or how fees would apply to an individual matter should be directed to the firm directly.

No guarantees about results

• The firm emphasizes that no lawyer can guarantee a particular outcome or a specific dollar amount in a personal injury case.
• Case results depend on the facts, evidence, applicable law, and many other factors unique to each matter.

Office locations

Westchester (White Plains) office

• Address: 120 Bloomingdale Road, Suite 401, White Plains, NY 10605
• Phone: (914) 288-9191

Bronx office

• Address: 1870 Grand Concourse, Suite 2, Bronx, NY 10457
• Phone: (718) 933-3632
• Notes: Office visits are by appointment only.

Queens office

• Address: 311 St Nicholas Ave, Suite E, Ridgewood, NY 11385
• Phone: (347) 391-6337
• Notes: Office visits are by appointment only.

Consultations and meeting options

• The firm offers free initial consultations / free case evaluations for personal injury matters.
• If an injured person cannot travel, an attorney can meet them at a convenient location (for example, at home, in the hospital, or another agreed location), including after hours and on weekends when needed.
• Specific office opening hours are not listed on the website. Call to confirm current availability and to schedule an appointment.

From the website's New York and borough-specific pages:

• General personal injury claims:

In many New York personal injury cases, an injured person generally has three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit.

• Wrongful death claims:

If an injury results in death, the representative of the estate typically has two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of surviving loved ones.

• Claims involving government entities:

When the at-fault party is a state or local government (for example, a municipality or public authority), the deadlines can be much shorter.

• A Notice of Claim may need to be filed within 90 days of the accident.
• The lawsuit deadline itself can also be shorter than in other cases.

• Other exceptions and shorter deadlines:

The website notes that certain types of cases, including some medical malpractice matters and other specific claims, may have different or shorter deadlines than the general three‑year rule.

The firm emphasizes that the correct deadline depends on the specific facts, parties involved and type of claim, and that courts strictly enforce these time limits.

Why contacting the firm promptly matters

• Waiting too long can lead to missing an important deadline, which can permanently bar a claim.
• Evidence such as video footage, physical conditions, and witness recollections can be lost or degraded over time.
• Speaking with an attorney early allows time for a thorough investigation and for any needed notices or filings to be made on time.

Anyone asking about the deadline for a specific situation should be directed to contact the firm directly so an attorney can evaluate the facts and applicable time limits.

Practical steps after an accident (from the website)

The firm's pages outline several common steps and cautions for people who have been injured:

• Get medical care promptly and follow your doctor's recommendations. Attend scheduled appointments and complete prescribed treatment where possible.
• Tell your doctors about all of your symptoms so they are documented in your medical records.
• Keep copies of medical bills and related documents and provide them to your attorney.
• Avoid talking about the details of your case with anyone other than your lawyers and medical providers.
• Do not speak to the other party's insurance company or provide a recorded statement. Instead, direct the insurer to the law firm to handle communications.
• Do not sign documents related to the accident or your injuries without having an attorney review them first.
• Be cautious with social media and public activities that insurers might later argue are inconsistent with claimed injuries.

For advice tailored to any one accident, injury or person, the next step is to schedule a free consultation with an attorney at the firm.

Selected case results (examples)

The firm publishes numerous examples of past outcomes. A selection includes:

• $12 million – for the family of a pedestrian who suffered catastrophic injuries after being struck by a bus and later died from those injuries.
• $12.2 million – for a construction accident case (as referenced on the firm's home page).
• $8.8 million – for a client who tripped and fell (for example, in a parking garage or pothole) and suffered serious injuries and permanent loss of the ability to work.
• $3.5 million – for a pedestrian accident.
• $3.48 million – for a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle, causing significant lower leg injuries.
• $3 million – in a medical malpractice claim for failure to diagnose cancer by a major hospital.
• $2.8 million – for a construction worker who fell from scaffolding and required back surgery.
• $2.15 million – for the family of a motorcycle rider who was killed in a collision.
• $2 million – for a construction worker who sustained shoulder and neck injuries when a worksite structure or shanty collapsed on them.
• $1.9 million – for a pedestrian struck and injured by a driver who failed to yield the right of way.
• $1.5 million – in a premises liability matter for a client who suffered hip and wrist fractures requiring surgery after a fall from an elevated platform or faulty shelving.
• $1.3 million – for a client who fell into an uncovered hole in a basement, causing rib, knee and back injuries.
• $850,000 – for the family of an infant who sustained second-degree burns from scalding water in a Bronx apartment building; the case resolved before trial.

These examples are drawn from the firm's published case results and are intended to illustrate the types of matters the firm has handled in the past.

Important notes about past results

• Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
• The value of any new case depends on its own facts, evidence, injuries, applicable laws and many other factors.
• Exact compensation estimates for a new matter are not listed on the website and should be discussed directly with an attorney.

Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess.