About Our Firm
A serious injury changes everything. The medical bills accumulate before the full extent of the damage is even known. Work stops, or becomes impossible. Routines that once felt automatic now require help from others.
And somewhere underneath all of it is the knowledge that none of this had to happen. Someone else's carelessness put you here.
The personal injury attorneys at Washor Kool Sosa Maiorana & Schwartz, LLP represent people at exactly that moment. Our attorneys handle construction worker injuries at unsafe job sites, vehicle crashes involving trucks and commercial carriers, medical mistakes that went undetected until serious harm was done, and slip and fall accidents on property that should have been maintained.
No amount of compensation erases what happened — but holding the responsible party accountable and securing what the law allows is how we stand by the people we represent.
Our attorneys have recovered over $1 billion for injury victims and their families throughout New York and New Jersey. Our attorneys handle cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
Built on Trial-Level Preparation
Many law firms settle cases quickly. Our attorneys prepare every case as though it is going to be trial because that preparation is precisely what produces results. Insurance carriers and defense attorneys take claims more seriously when the attorneys on the other side have a documented history of significant verdicts and settlements.
That history is what our attorneys bring.
Our attorneys are frequently retained by other law firms to represent their clients in complex, catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, and medical malpractice cases. When lawyers who handle personal injury cases themselves refer their most serious matters to outside counsel, that is a meaningful signal about how the legal community evaluates our attorneys' capabilities.
Our attorneys are active members of the organizations that shape personal injury law in New York, including:
- The New York State Bar Association
- The American Association for Justice
- The New York State Trial Lawyers Association
- The New York City Trial Lawyers Alliance
- The New York County Lawyers Association
Several of our partners are also frequent lecturers — presenting on trial preparation techniques, complex personal injury litigation, and medical malpractice subjects to law students, practicing attorneys, and members of the judiciary. That kind of engagement with the legal community reflects a depth of knowledge that goes well beyond what appears in a courtroom.
60 +
Years of
Experience
1 Billion +
Victories
Recovered
99.9 %
Client Satisfaction
Rate
10000 +
Lives
Changed
Recognition That Reflects Our Attorneys' Record
Our attorneys have earned recognition from the organizations that evaluate legal ability and professional standing — not through advertising, but through peer assessment and demonstrated results.
- 6 attorneys have achieved AV Preeminent status with Martindale-Hubbell, representing the highest possible rating for both ethical standards and legal ability, as evaluated confidentially by fellow attorneys and judges
- 5 attorneys have been included in Super Lawyers® in the New York Metropolitan Area, as published in the New York Times Magazine
- Our attorneys are listed among Best Lawyers® in the State of New York
- Our attorneys are listed in the Best Law Firms in the New York Metro area by U.S. News & World Report in the field of medical malpractice law
Individual attorney recognition includes:
- Barry Washor has been included in Super Lawyers® every year since 2007, and included in The Best Lawyers in America® in Medical Malpractice Law — Plaintiffs every year since 2010
- Jonny Kool has been included in Super Lawyers® every year since 2009
- Matthew Maiorana has been included in Super Lawyers® every year since 2013
- Christopher L. Sallay has been included in Super Lawyers® every year since 2013, named a Top 100 Lawyer in the New York Metropolitan Area in 2016, and included in The Best Lawyers in America® in both Personal Injury Litigation — Plaintiffs (since 2016) and Product Liability Litigation — Plaintiffs (2017)
These recognitions are not self-reported. They are the result of peer review processes, independent research, and assessment by the legal community. They reflect how other attorneys and judges evaluate us.
What Our Attorneys Bring to Each Case
Every attorney at Washor Kool Sosa Maiorana & Schwartz, LLP approaches personal injury representation the same way: by understanding the person first and the legal strategy second.
Our attorneys invest the time to:
- Learn the full medical picture, including both current conditions and future care needs
- Identify every available source of compensation, including all applicable insurance coverage layers
- Work with qualified medical, vocational, and financial witnesses to document the true long-term cost of serious injuries
- Build cases that are prepared for trial, not just settlement
That approach has produced results in construction accident cases, vehicle crash claims, medical malpractice litigation, and catastrophic injury matters across New York City, its surrounding counties, and New Jersey.
Where We Practice
New York Personal Injury Cases
Our New York attorneys represent injury victims throughout New York City and the surrounding region. Primary focus areas include Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester County, Nassau County, and Suffolk County.
New York practice areas include:
• Unsafe Work Site Injuries (Construction Accidents)
New York's legal framework gives injury victims important rights. Construction workers injured at unsafe job sites can pursue claims under Labor Law § 240(1) regardless of comparative fault. New York's pure comparative negligence rule allows recovery even when a plaintiff shares partial responsibility for an accident.
Municipal claims — including cases against New York City, the MTA, and other public agencies — require a Notice of Claim filed within 90 days of injury, making early legal involvement critical.
New Jersey Personal Injury Cases
Our attorneys also represent injury victims in New Jersey. New Jersey operates under a modified comparative negligence standard, meaning recovery is available as long as the plaintiff is not more than 50 percent at fault.
New Jersey practice areas include:
• Car Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Slip and Fall Accidents
• Medical Malpractice
• Catastrophic Injuries
• Wrongful Death
• Construction Site Injuries
New Jersey's statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is two years from the date of injury. For medical malpractice, the clock generally runs from the date the injury was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered.
Frequently Asked Questions About Washor Kool Sosa Maiorana & Schwartz, LLP
Are your attorneys actually going to handle my case, or will it be passed to staff?
At Washor Kool Sosa Maiorana & Schwartz, LLP, attorneys are directly involved in the development and litigation of every case. We are not a high-volume settlement operation. The attorneys whose names are on the door are the attorneys who prepare and try the cases.
Why do other lawyers refer cases to your attorneys?
Our attorneys are frequently retained by other lawyers to handle complex, high-stakes personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death matters.
That happens because our attorneys have a demonstrated record of results in cases that require deep preparation, medical knowledge, and courtroom experience.
A referral from another attorney is one of the strongest signals of professional standing in this field.
What does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer?
Nothing upfront. Our attorneys represent personal injury clients on a contingency fee basis. You pay no legal fees unless we obtain a recovery for you. Case expenses are advanced by our attorneys and repaid from any settlement or verdict.
How long will my case take?
Personal injury cases in New York and New Jersey vary widely in duration depending on the severity of injuries, the complexity of liability, and the responsiveness of insurance carriers. Simple vehicle accident cases may resolve in months. Complex medical malpractice or catastrophic injury cases can take several years from filing to resolution. Our attorneys will give you a realistic timeline assessment based on the specific facts of your situation.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partly at fault?
In New York, yes — under pure comparative negligence, compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault but not eliminated. In New Jersey, you can recover as long as you are not more than 50 percent responsible for the accident. Insurance companies routinely raise fault arguments to reduce claims. Our attorneys know how to document and present evidence that counters those arguments effectively.
Free Consultations for Injured New Yorkers and New Jersey Residents
Washor Kool Sosa Maiorana & Schwartz, LLP offers free consultations to injury victims and their families. There is no cost to speak with our attorneys, and no fee unless we recover compensation on your behalf. Our attorneys advance all case expenses, which are repaid from any recovery.
Our office is located at the Woolworth Building, 233 Broadway, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10279. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Call or contact us online to speak directly with our attorneys about your case.