Civil Litigation and Personal Injury Attorneys

Some disputes resolve at the kitchen table. Others end up in a courtroom. And some begin the moment another driver runs a red light or a property owner ignores a hazard until someone gets hurt. Ianniello Anderson, P.C. has represented Capital Region clients on both sides of that line since 1971 — civil litigants who need a steady hand through a contested case, and injured people who need someone in their corner before the insurance company sets the terms. With offices in [Clifton Park](/clifton-park/), [Albany](/albany/), Saratoga Springs, and Glens Falls, our team is close by when something has gone wrong. Call **(518) 371-8888** to start a conversation.

When a Dispute Becomes a Lawsuit

Most disagreements never reach a courthouse. A demand letter, a phone call between counsel, or a structured negotiation resolves the matter and everyone moves on. But some disputes resist resolution — the other side will not engage, the dollar amounts are too large to compromise on, or the facts are genuinely contested. When that happens, the question is no longer whether you have a claim. It is whether you are ready to enforce one.

Our civil litigation practice covers the disputes that send Upstate New York individuals and businesses to court: contract breaches, property and boundary disputes, partnership and shareholder disputes, debt collection, fraud and misrepresentation claims, and the defense of clients who have been sued. We handle cases in Supreme Court across Saratoga, Albany, Warren, and surrounding counties, and appear in Federal court when the matter belongs there.

Civil litigation is not just trial work — it is the strategic build of a case from the first complaint through discovery and motion practice to settlement or verdict. We approach every matter with the assumption that it may be tried, and we prepare it accordingly. That preparation is often what produces the best settlement.

Personal Injury — When Someone Else’s Negligence Causes Harm

A personal injury case begins with a moment that should not have happened. A driver checking a phone instead of the road. A property owner who knew a step was broken and did nothing. A business that ignored a recurring hazard until someone slipped on it. When that moment results in real harm — medical bills, time out of work, lasting pain, a permanent change in what your body can do — the law allows you to seek recovery from the party at fault.

Our personal injury practice covers the situations Capital Region residents most often face:

• Motor vehicle accidents — car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian, and bicycle collisions, including disputes with no-fault insurance carriers and claims that exceed the statutory serious-injury threshold
• Slip, trip, and fall injuries — premises liability claims arising from unsafe conditions on commercial property, rental property, or public walkways
• Premises liability — injuries caused by negligent property maintenance, inadequate security, or hazards the owner knew or should have known about
• Dog bites and animal attacks — claims governed by New York’s specific rules on owner liability
• Other negligence claims — injuries caused by defective products, unsafe conditions at a workplace not covered by workers’ compensation, or third-party conduct

We represent injured people. We also, in appropriate circumstances, defend individuals and small businesses who have been accused of negligence and need counsel that will actually test the other side’s case rather than reflexively settle. Either side of the V, the work is the same: gather the evidence, understand the medicine and the mechanism of injury, and build a record the other side has to take seriously.

Contingency Fees and How Our Fee Structure Works

In personal injury matters, attorney fees are typically handled on a **contingency basis** — meaning you do not pay legal fees out of pocket. Our fee is a percentage of what we recover for you, and if there is no recovery, there is no fee. Case costs (filing fees, expert witnesses, medical record retrieval, court reporters) are advanced by the firm and reimbursed from the settlement or judgment. The exact percentages and terms are set out in writing at the start of the representation, and you will know before you sign what the arrangement looks like.

Civil litigation matters that are not personal injury — contract disputes, business cases, defense work — are typically handled on an hourly or flat-fee basis, depending on the case. We talk through the fee structure honestly at the first meeting so there are no surprises later.

What to Do After an Injury

The hours and days after an accident shape the case in ways most people never realize at the time. A short list of practical steps:

• Get medical attention. Even if you think you are fine, see a doctor. Adrenaline masks injury, and the medical record is the foundation of any later claim.
• Document everything. Photos of the scene, the vehicles, the hazard, your injuries. Names and numbers of witnesses. The police report number if one exists.
• Preserve evidence. Do not repair the damaged vehicle, replace the torn clothing, or discard anything related to the incident until you have spoken with counsel.
• Be careful with insurance adjusters. The adjuster who calls within 48 hours is not your advocate. Recorded statements, early settlement offers, and broad medical releases can damage your case before it begins. You are not required to give a recorded statement to the at-fault party’s insurer.
• Call counsel early. The sooner an attorney is involved, the better the evidence is preserved and the cleaner the medical narrative becomes.

Speed matters. We would rather have an early call where the answer is “you are fine, no representation needed” than a late call where the case has been compromised.

Commercial and Business Disputes

When the dispute is between businesses — or between a business and a customer, vendor, partner, or former employee — the litigation often runs parallel to ongoing operations. Our team handles breach of contract cases, partnership and shareholder disputes, non-compete and trade secret matters, collection actions, and commercial real estate disputes. For clients whose underlying [business law](/business-law/) work we already handle, the transition into litigation is seamless — we already know the operating agreement, the contracts, and the history.

For Capital Region businesses facing a lawsuit, the response matters. The first thirty days set the procedural posture of the case. Our [general litigation](/business/general-litigation/) team responds quickly and protects the client’s position while we evaluate the merits.

When Litigation Resolves Without Trial

The honest reality of civil litigation is that the vast majority of cases settle. That is true in personal injury, in contract disputes, and in most business cases. Settlement is not surrender — it is the result of one side, or both, deciding that the certain outcome of a negotiated resolution is better than the uncertain outcome of trial.

Our job is to make that decision an informed one. We evaluate what a case is worth, what the realistic trial outcome looks like, what the costs of going further are, and what the other side is likely to do at each step. When a settlement offer is fair, we recommend it. When it is not, we say so and continue to build the case. The decision to settle or try is ultimately yours — our role is to make sure you are choosing with full information rather than guessing.

When a case does need to be tried, we are ready. Trial preparation does not start the week before — it starts at the first client meeting and shapes every decision along the way.

When Something Has Gone Wrong, Start with a Conversation.

If you have been injured and are not sure what the next step looks like, call us. The first conversation costs nothing and carries no obligation — a chance to ask questions, hear what the process looks like, and decide whether to take a next step.

If you are facing a civil dispute — plaintiff or defendant, business or individual — and you need counsel who will prepare the case as if it is going to trial, the same number works. Call **(518) 371-8888**, or fill out the form on our [contact us](/contact-us/) page and a member of our team will be in touch within one business day. If your matter is time-sensitive — a deadline, a court date, a recent injury — please call us directly.

[Meet our attorneys](/our-attorneys/) · [Personal law services](/personal/) · [Business law services](/business-law/)