Firm Profile

The Law Offices of Jeffley S. Shein & Associates, P.C., an insurance defense law firm, handles trials and appeals in all stale and federal court venues in New York. We have remained committed to working with our clients to meet their legal needs and to provide cost-effective, pro-active, and practical services. Our firm is dedicated to continuing this high level of service as we face a changing insurance world.

At the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Shein & Associates, P.C., we pride ourselves on providing high quality and efficient services to our clients, In the relevant practice areas, our attorneys focus on the core issues of each case. We value excellent communication; early matter analysis, active versus reactive decision making; and a desire to bring matters to a successful conclusion in a cost-effective manner.

We understand that the insurance world is changing, and we strive to comply not only with the letter of our client's guidelines, but to practice within the spirit of those guidelines by developing strategies to resolve cases successfully and in an expeditious fashion.

Our Attorneys and Staff

The attorneys associated with The Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Shein & Associates, P.C. are highly trained, effective advocates for our clients. We encourage our attorneys to become active members in local, state and national bar associations and other professional organizations.

Our offices employ support staff who are specifically trained to handle the distinct needs attendant to an insurance defense matter. The use of specialized personnel to arrange for medical reviews; to obtain records; to schedule depositions; to handle the calendaring of matters; and to arrange for trial preparation results in a particularly cost-effective service to our clients. In addition, a competent and attentive staff ensures that our clients receive prompt, accurate and personalized attention.

Our Practice Areas

Coverage Issues

Our clients benefit from our extensive knowledge of coverage issues and our reputations as diligent negotiators and litigators. We provide direct representation to insurers in matters of coverage and coverage litigation. We analyze all types of claims and we provide clear and concise coverage analysis of all issues that apply to each claim so as to assist insurers in properly reserving rights, preserving coverage issues and, when appropriate, denying claims for coverage. We also represent insurers in declaratory judgment actions involving issues of insurance coverage.

Motor Vehicle Torts

Our staff has the ability to handle matters ranging from the simple to the complex. This includes all types of motor vehicle cases, from simple soft-tissue claims to catastrophic losses, including wrongful death claims. When necessary, we work with accident reconstruction experts, high quality investigators, and members of the medical community who routinely testify in New York.

Premises Liability

We have vast experience in premises liability matters. Cases which we have handled range from slip/trip and fail, to dog bites, inadequate security and nuisance claims. We have litigated virtually every manner of alleged defect from snow and ice to raised sidewalks, handicap ramps, fire escapes, curbs, and stairways. We are familiar with applicable building codes and work with experts in the fields of forensic engineering, human factors, accident reconstruction and security.

Construction Accidents/Labor Law

In recent years, our focus has seen a steady shift towards the litigation of construction site accidents within the pm-view of the New York State Labor Law. We maintain a vigilant effort to remain up to date in this ever evolving area of the law. This includes a regular review of Appellate decisions and/or the monitoring of changes in the Industrial/Building Codes and the regulations of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration.

Of particular note is our expertise in reviewing project agreements for issues involving indemnification and our pursuit of the appropriate parties for such indemnification and the reimbursement of costs. The shifting of liability is most important given the stringent Labor Law Statutes which bold owners and contractors liable by operation of law. In that regard, we have obtained thousands of dollars in the reimbursement of defense costs while protecting the interests of our clients through the aggressive enforcement of indemnification provisions.

This area of practice is especially ripe for the use of Pre-Trial Motions to delineate the status of the parties and to exclude or to limit evidence at the time of trial with respect to any expert testimony. We have found that the use of such Pie-Trial proceedings is effective in bringing the parties "to the table", so to speak, for fruitful settlement negotiations.

School Districts

We represent public school districts in personal injury actions arising out of the alleged negligent supervision of students and the negligent maintenance of school district property.

Public Authorities

For a number of years, we have represented Public Authorities, in actions arising out of the use of Authority facilities, and we are keenly attuned to the special requirements and needs of these self-insured entities.

Our attorneys try cases in all Civil Courts within the State of New York. In addition to jury trials, we are involved in mediations and arbitrations. Our attorneys have also argued numerous cases in the Appellate Courts of New York, including precedent setting cases in the field of premises liability.

Our Commitment

The Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Shein & Associates, P.C. is committed to fulfilling our mission of working in concert with our clients to make a difference in the outcome of a case by delivering timely, skilled legal services while minimizing costs and exposure, We take pride in our staff and we work to continually provide the best service possible to our clients.

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