Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when I contact The Law Office of Joyce A.
Faraone about my case?
Each prospective case is immediately evaluated by Ms.
Faraone. If you have suffered a serious injury, our
investigators go to the scene of the incident the day the
call is received, in order to take photographs, gather
important evidence and preserve it for trial. Potential
litigants should consult our office as soon as possible
after their injury, before evidence is lost and witnesses'
memories fade. 'The call to our office and initial
consultation are free.'
What are your fees?
Our firm handles all of its accident cases on a
"contingency" basis. Under this system, we earn attorneys'
fees when your case is successfully resolved. If your case
fails to earn a settlement and loses at trial, there still
is no cost to you. Generally, fees are 33.3% of your
settlement amount ( in workers' compensation cases, the fees
are limited to approximately 20%)
What is my case worth?
This is one of the most difficult questions to answer,
and you should be wary of any attorney who claims to know
what your case is worth when you first talk to him or her.
Normally, the value of a case cannot be accurately
determined until "discovery" is conducted, which involves
testimony under oath of yourself, witnesses to the incident,
and others. The reason this fact-finding must occur is that
a case value is based on two factors: "liability" and
"damages." Liability is the "fault" of the defendant, and
damages are the total losses that you have incurred,
including pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical bills.
The stronger the liability in a case, the more likely
settlement will occur at close to full value of the damages.
The more difficult it is to prove liability, the more likely
settlement will occur at less than full value of damages.
But remember, if settlement does not occur and the case goes
to trial, your case is worth whatever the jury decides it is
worth.
How much time do I have to file a lawsuit?
In Rhode Island, under the Statute of Limitations, you
are limited to Three years (with the exception of Workers
Compensation Claims which are limited to two years)
following the date of your injury for most type of cases.
However, there are exceptions such as medical negligence and
uninsured motorist claims that must be filed within one
year. Even if the statute is two years, you should not wait
that long before you contact an attorney. Valuable evidence
for your case may disappear if you wait, so it's important
to consult an attorney sooner rather than later.
Please also refer to our Frequently Asked Questions About
Workers' Compensation. ....> read more
Please Note: The information you obtain at this site is not,
nor is it intended to be, legal advice. This has been
prepared by The Law Offices of Joyce A. Faraone for
informational purposes only. We do not intend to create an
attorney-client relationship between our firm and the
recipient of the information contained on the pages that
follow. You should consult an attorney for individual advice
regarding your situation.
Verdicts & Settlements
$5 Million dollar settlement for wrongful death of 8 month old infant and injuries to mother from crash with a school bus and tractor trailer truck stopped in the break down lane.
$750,000.00 settlement for inadvertent movement of vehicle. Car jumped from park into reverse injuring Plaintiff while getting out of the car. It was determined that the transmission was defective and Ford Motor Company knew of it for years.
$500,000.00 settlement in a workers compensation claim for a career ending low back injury
$475,000 settlement for amputation of finger from table saw accident. Saw was not properly guarded as Plaintiff attempted to move saw from a friends shed.
$350,000 settlement in a workers compensation claim for a career ending back injury.
$56,274 Verdict for inmate injured during workout in prison. State of Rhode Island, ACI admitted the workout equipment had never been inspected or maintained. Plaintiff sustained a laceration over his eye requiring multiple sutures from equipment failure.
