New Windsor, New York Personal Injury, Criminal Defense and Family Law Attorneys

Silver, Forrester & Lesser, P.C.

3250 Route 9W
New Windsor, New York 12553
USA

(845) 764-4757 or (866) 687-1338

(845) 562-9025

www.hudsonvalleylawyers.com

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Law Firm Overview

Silver, Forrester & Lesser located in the Hudson Valley has been achieving results for people with serious legal concerns since 1965. During this time, we have built a reputation for success that sets us apart.

By combining the highest level of professional legal representation with personal service, we have helped our clients achieve the right results for their needs and goals. Families remain our clients for life because we have earned their trust through cost-effective and successful legal representation.

Our attorneys are extremely well respected by clients as well as other lawyers. Our criminal defense attorneys are all former Orange County assistant district attorneys who developed their defense skills through intense trial work. Our personal injury practice has achieved millions of dollars in settlements and jury verdicts for thousands of clients. And our matrimonial practice is regionally known for results obtained only by a select group of elite lawyers.

Together, we take a team approach to achieving success in matters of law including personal injury, criminal defense, bankruptcy and matrimonial law. We are regarded as highly effective advocates— and we have the track record to prove it.

Regardless of your legal problem, we are well equipped to resolve it. We are a full-service law firm, and we have the lawyers with skill, knowledge and background to assist you in obtaining a successful resolution to your legal issue. Our experience includes successful litigation of auto accident cases, personal bankruptcy, matrimonial law disputes and criminal defense from felonies to misdemeanors.

If you do require additional services outside the scope of our fields, we can put you in touch with the proper person to assist you. One of the benefits of our longevity in the Hudson Valley area is that we are well connected with the people who can provide assistance. We know bankers, title companies, accountants and other professionals whom we can call upon if needed.

Practice Areas

Additional Practice Areas: Trampoline Accidents, Scaffold Accidents, Defective Machinery, Driver Negligence, Reckless Driving, Machine Operator Errors, Swimming Pool Accidents, Explosions, Dog Bites, Unsafe Products, Paraplegia, Quadriplegia, Whiplash, Shoulder Injury, Knee Injury, Disfigurement, Vehicular Homicide, Tax Fraud, Medicaid Fraud, Medicare Fraud, Solicitation of a Minor, Date Rape Statutory Rape, Reckless Endangerment, Attempted Murder, Murder for Hire, Contested Divorce, Uncontested Divorce, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Health Care Proxy, Deportation, Asylum

Practice Areas Description

Silver, Forrester & Lesser provides legal services and representation in the following areas of law:

- Personal Injury

Silver, Forrester & Lesser is a full service New York law firm that has been providing personal service in handling personal injury claims since 1965. Conveniently located in New Windsor, New York, our law firm represents seriously injured clients throughout the Newburgh-Hudson Valley area.

We understand that an injury affects you and your family. You not only have the pain and suffering that accompany a serious injury, but also the additional expenses of medical bills and possibly a loss of income from not being able to work.
Aggressive Newburgh Personal Injury Lawyers

At Silver, Forrester & Lesser, your needs are our top priority. That is why we will take the time to investigate your claim, wait until we know the full extent of your injuries, and then aggressively pursue your claim. We handle personal injury cases on a contingent fee basis, which means you don't pay attorney's fees unless we get you compensation for your claim.

Our experienced trial lawyers have won millions of dollars for thousands of clients. We can skillfully negotiate a favorable settlement or zealously advocate on your behalf at trial. Our aggressive personal injury lawyers can handle a wide variety of personal injury claims, including the following:

* Car accident
* Truck accident
* Dog bites
* Slip, trip, and fall
* Construction accidents
* Motorcycle accident
* Premises liability
* Trampoline accidents
* Scaffold accidents
* Pedestrian accidents
* Product liability
* Wrongful death

* Wrongful Death

No amount of money can ever replace the loss of someone you care about, but it can give your family the necessary resources to move forward. And it can often be an effective way to hold wrongdoers accountable for the fatal injury they caused and, hopefully, to prevent the same harm from happening to others in the future.

At Silver, Forrester & Lesser, our trial attorneys take wrongful death actions seriously. Throughout our law firm's long and distinguished history, we have helped thousands of clients win millions of dollars in settlements and jury verdicts for all types of wrongful death and personal injury cases.

We have what it takes to create success at trial — an unrelenting pursuit of excellence. Attorneys at Silver, Forrester & Lesser truly care about clients, and we fight aggressively for them. Our focus is doing what it takes within the bounds of the law to win your case.

* Construction Accident

We have helped thousands of New Yorkers collect millions of dollars as fair and just compensation for their injuries. Clients come to us because of our reputation for excellence, our track record of success, and the friendly, personal service we provide. Our clients know that when they retain us, they get knowledgeable and skilled attorneys who zealously pursue their claim through negotiations and, when necessary, trial.

New York has seen an increase in new construction, whether it is a new development, or reconstructing an existing site. An increase in construction, unfortunately, is followed by an increase in construction accidents. Our lawyers understand construction cases. We have been handling construction cases since 1965. We have the experience, background, skill, and knowledge to assist construction accident victims obtain the fair and just compensation they deserve. Our attorneys will take on most construction accident claims, including the following:

* Building construction accidents
* Scaffold accidents
* Defective machinery accidents
* Car driver negligence
* Truck driver recklessness
* Machine operator errors
* falling off ladders
* Pedestrians hit by falling debris
* Wrongful death

If you have been seriously injured, from a scaffold injury or a ladder injury for example, you should hire the best possible representation available. You, and your family, have a lot at stake. It is not a coincidence that we have been here since 1965.

* Slip and Fall / Premises Liability

When you have been injured on another’s property, when it is his or her fault, you are entitled to compensation for your pain and to help you get your life back on track again. The experienced premises liability lawyers at Silver, Forrester & Lesser can help. Since 1965, we have been fighting for the victims of personal injury including slip and fall and trip and fall cases throughout the Hudson Valley region of New York state.

* Motor Vehicle Accidents

Whether you have been in a car collision, a motorcycle wreck, or trucking accident, we have the experience, background, and skill to aggressively pursue your motor vehicle accident claim. We handle a variety of motor vehicle accident claims, including the following:

* Car accident - including serious injuries to drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, as well as property damage
* Trucking accident - also known as big rig accident, tractor trailer accident, semi truck accident, 18 wheeler accident, and include fire truck accident and dump truck accident
* Motorcycle accident - including claims for damage to your bike, your leathers, and, of course, you
* Boating accident - including boat accidents on the Hudson River
* Bicycle accident - including bicycles struck by cars, trucks, motorcycles, SUVs, vans, or other vehicles
* Pedestrian accident - including a pedestrian being hit by a car while crossing the street, injured by a bus while getting on or off, or sideswiped by a truck

For questions on how Silver, Forrester & Lesser can put their 45 years of legal service to work for you. Contact us and discover why thousands of families have turned to us for legal assistance.

* Various Accidents

Because we are experienced trial lawyers with many years of courtroom experience, the attorneys at the Hudson Valley law offices of Silver, Forrester & Lesser are able to accommodate a full range of personal injury cases — from simple matters that can be resolved with quick action by a lawyer to complex matters that require a difficult courtroom fight:

Swimming Pool Accidents
When a private pool owner has failed to secure a pool correctly by leaving it ungated, unfenced or unlocked, he or she should be held accountable for the injuries that result. The same is true for pool owners who negligently install or maintain defective pool pumps or diving boards.

Fires and Explosions
Whether they were caused by arson or negligence — cause serious injuries that can change lives completely. We represent these injury victims to help them get the compensation they deserve

Dog Bites
When a dog has bitten you or your child, we take many things into consideration. Investigating thoroughly, we help determine if the dog had its shots, if there was a violation of the local leash law, if the dog was a dangerous breed or any other information that may help you get the results you depend on in court.

Defective and Unsafe Products
We represent the victims of personal injuries caused by unsafe consumer products, as well as construction and workplace accidents.

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
When you have trusted a nursing home or skilled care facility to take care of a loved one, it can feel especially devastating when that loved one becomes the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect. We fight back, representing the victims of personal injuries that include bedsores, burns, broken bones and head injuries from repetitive falls or abuse.

Serious personal injury can happen unexpectedly. Most accidents occur in a matter of seconds, but the injuries they leave can change lives forever. At Silver, Forrester & Lesser, we have represented victims of a wide range of personal injury including back injury, spinal cord injury, injuries to the neck, shoulders and joints, as well as burns and broken bones.

* Brain Injury, Head Injuries and Closed Head Injuries

Brain injury is an especially devastating experience for people and their families. As experienced personal injury attorneys, we understand that even mild brain injuries can keep people from enjoying the relationships with loved ones, the careers and the normal way of life they once enjoyed.

We support victims of mild, moderate and severe brain injury and their families through effective legal action. Over the years, our experienced personal injury attorneys have achieved millions of dollars for thousands of clients.
Spinal Cord Trauma That Causes Paralysis

* Spinal Cord Injuries

Our experienced personal injury attorneys represent people suffering from paraplegia or quadriplegia as a result of a spinal injury. We believe that taking legal action in court is necessary — not just to hold wrongdoers accountable for the pain they caused — but to help paraplegics, quadriplegics and their families get the resources necessary to accommodate special needs.

* Neck and Back Injuries

At Silver, Forrester & Lesser in New Windsor, New York, we represent people who have experienced all types of neck injury and back trauma:

* Whiplash
* Herniated, dislocated or bulging discs
* Sprains and strains
* Soft tissue injuries
* Sciatica/nerve pain, numbness and weakness

Neck and back injury cases are often difficult cases to take to court. While some people know how debilitating a neck or back injury can be, others have doubts. In personal injury law, many jurors believe that back and neck injury victims always play up their injuries to get more money. We know that this is not true. We also know that it takes a strong attorney to convince judges and jurors to hold wrongdoers accountable for your pain — we are up to the challenge.

* Shoulder and Knee Injuries

Sometimes, the true extent of a shoulder or knee injury is not known until long after an accident occurs. Because of this, it is important to work with an experienced personal injury lawyer — a trial attorney who has the experience and foresight to make sure that wrongdoers are held fully accountable for the true extent of your pain.

At Silver, Forrester & Lesser in New Windsor, New York, we have what it takes. Since 1965, we have been representing the victims of personal injury. We have established a reputation for success that continues with each case and each client we represent.

Shoulder Injury
The pain of a shoulder injury can truly prevent you from doing the things you once enjoyed. Suddenly, simple movements become painful and the things you took for granted seem like unmanageable tasks. At Silver, Forrester & Lesser, we can help. We represent the victims of shoulder injury including torn rotator cuff injuries requiring surgery, muscle tears, dislocated shoulders and shoulder injuries requiring arthroscopic surgery.

Knee Injury
We represent the victims of knee injuries requiring pain management, extensive treatments arthroscopic or reconstructive surgery. These include people experiencing post-traumatic arthritis, torn ligaments, loose patella, fractures and other more severe injuries to the knee.

* Scars and Disfigurement

Sometimes an injury that happens very quickly can have a lasting impact. This is especially true in personal injury cases involving scars and disfigurement. At the Hudson Valley, New York, law offices of Silver, Forrester & Lesser, we understand how serious these injuries are. That is why we fight so hard to stand up for injury victims in court.

Since 1965, attorneys at Silver, Forrester & Lesser have been representing the victims of serious personal injuries including scars and disfigurement. We take cases related to all types of accidents, from dog bites to fires and explosions, to defective products and car and truck accidents.

Our in-depth experience gives us the ability to successfully manage even the most difficult cases. This has helped us earn a reputation in the community as legal leaders who help injured people move forward with their lives.

- Criminal Defense

The attorneys at Silver, Forrester & Lesser have been providing the highest level of personal service in handling our clients' criminal defense for more than 45 years. Our Newburgh office is conveniently located in New Windsor, New York, where we defend clients against a variety of criminal charges.

Our firm features three former prosecutors who know and understand the criminal justice system. Their experience as former prosecutors gives them a unique perspective and understanding of the prosecution's burden of proof, as well as of the most effective way of protecting your rights. Our former prosecutors have extensive experience in a variety of criminal matters, including:

* Arson

Arson includes allegations of burning your own property for insurance gain, and includes loss of property or loss of life.

* Assault, Battery, Murder, Homicide and Manslaughter

Allegations of violent crime are serious. So, when you are facing homicide or assault and battery charges, you need a lawyer who has the courtroom experience to handle your case seriously — helping you achieve the best possible results.

Lawyers at Silver, Forrester & Lesser in New Windsor, New York, have that experience. All three of our criminal defense attorneys are no strangers to the courtroom. As former Orange County assistant district attorneys, they have managed hundreds of criminal jury trials including the most complex murder trials.

Throughout many years of practice, we have handled a wide range of homicide and assault crimes. We continue to meet our clients' needs, from misdemeanor to serious felony charges:

* Misdemeanor assault
* Felony assault
* Reckless endangerment
* Attempted murder
* Manslaughter
* Vehicular manslaughter/vehicular homicide
* Murder in the first degree
* Murder for hire

Not every death is a homicide. A conviction for criminal homicide requires some kind of intent to commit the crime. Depending on the specific charge, the prosecutor must prove that you committed the act purposely, knowingly, recklessly or negligently. As experienced criminal defense lawyers and former assistant district attorneys, we hold the prosecutors to their burden of proof so that juries and judges can clearly see when the intent just wasn't there.
* Drunk Driving (DWI) / (DUI)

Drunk driving charges are also referred to as driving while intoxicate (DWI), driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), and drinking and driving. We also represent clients in driver's license suspension and driver's license revocation hearings.

A drunk driving arrest can result from a mistake by the police or a mistake in your judgment, but your defense lawyer should always be the right choice. At Silver, Forrester & Lesser, we have years of experience and a record of success in drunk driving defense that sets us apart. No matter how serious the charges you face, we are prepared to help you get the best possible results:

* DWI / DUI
* Driving while impaired by drugs
* Driving under the combined influence of drugs and alcohol
* Aggravated DWI
* Vehicular homicide

* Drug Charges

Drug offenses include possession of drugs, possession of narcotics, possession with intent to distribute drugs or drug dealing, and drug manufacturing; drugs include crack cocaine, methamphetamine (meth or crystal meth), and marijuana.

* Theft, Burglary and Robbery

Sometimes, small decisions that people make in a split second can lead to potential serious consequences. If you face charges of burglary or robbery, the smartest plan is to work with the experienced criminal defense lawyers at the Hudson Valley law offices of Silver, Forrester & Lesser. We represent people accused of wide range of theft crimes including burglary and robbery:

Burglary
Burglary charges stem from accusations of breaking and entering any building with the intent to commit a felony inside.

Robbery
Robbery charges involve the illegal taking of property using violence or intimidation.

The criminal defense attorneys at Silver, Forrester & Lesser are no strangers to the courtroom. All three lawyers — Sol Lesser and Michael Ferraro — are all former Orange County assistant district attorneys who started their careers prosecuting a full range of crimes, from simple misdemeanors to the most complex murder trials. Together, we have at least 100 jury trial verdicts in criminal defense cases.

This experience has given them an insider's perspective that they use to help our criminal defense clients achieve the best possible results. When you have been arrested for burglary or robbery, we know every aspect of the case that prosecutors must prove. We know when police have overstepped their bounds. We know when to push for a fight in court and when a negotiated plea is the best choice.

* Traffic Tickets

Traffic offenses include speeding, driving on a revoked license, driving on a suspended license, reckless driving, careless and imprudent driving (C&I), and failing to stop or yield.

* White Collar Crimes

White collar crimes include embezzlement, computer crimes, fraud, mail crimes, and banking crimes. Allegations of fraud or embezzlement can stem from a wide range of circumstances — sometimes against people who are widely regarded as upstanding citizens. So, it is understandable that people facing fraud or embezzlement charges can often feel overwhelmed.

At Silver, Forrester & Lesser in New Windsor, New York, we understand. We support clients facing allegations of white collar crime by standing with them in the courtroom and making sure that they get the best possible defense. Our experienced criminal defense attorneys represent people charged with a wide range of white collar crimes including fraud and embezzlement:

* Mortgage fraud
* Insurance fraud
* Tax fraud
* Medicaid/Medicare fraud
* Embezzlement
* Theft crimes

Not all criminal defense attorneys have trial experience necessary to achieve the best possible results in fraud or embezzlement cases. But the lawyers at Silver, Forrester & Lesser have handled hundreds of jury trials. All three attorneys are former assistant district attorneys, so they know the strategies prosecutors use to convict you — and they use them to your advantage as experienced defense attorneys.

* Sex Crimes

Sex crime convictions can carry huge consequences. In addition to incarceration, a conviction for a sexual offense can carry with it a lasting stigma that's reinforced by a registration requirement — guaranteeing that if you are convicted; your life will be changed permanently. At Silver, Forrester & Lesser in New Windsor, New York, we represent people facing a full range of sex crime charges:

* Computer and Internet sex crimes, like possession or distribution of child pornography
* Solicitation of a minor
* Violent rape
* Date rape
* Statutory rape

At Silver, Forrester & Lesser, we try to put our clients in the exact same position as they were the day before their arrest. As your criminal defense attorneys, our goal is to protect you. We focus on protecting you from a conviction, from the police, from the courts and even from potentially wrong decisions about your case.

Because of the seriousness of a conviction for a sex crime, it is critical to work with an attorney who can take your case seriously. The criminal defense attorneys at Silver, Forrester & Lesser are no strangers to the courtroom. All three criminal defense lawyers are all former Orange County assistant district attorneys who started their careers prosecuting a full range of crimes, from simple misdemeanors to the most complex murder trials.

* Weapon Crimes

Many people each year face weapons charges in New York state because of events that just got out of control. These charges are often related to items people never intended the police to see as weapons — like knives left in cars or screwdrivers and other tools — as well as gun possession.

Regardless of your situation, the criminal defense lawyers at Silver, Forrester & Lesser can help. Attorneys at our New Windsor, New York, law office are no strangers to the courtroom. All three criminal defense lawyers are all former Orange County assistant district attorneys who started their careers prosecuting a full range of crimes including weapons crimes.

- Divorce and Family Law

Silver, Forrester & Lesser is a full service law firm that has been assisting clients throughout the Hudson Valley area with their divorce and family law issues for over four decades. Our experienced family law attorneys can help you through your divorce. Our lawyers bring a rational, objective voice to the table, and help ground you so you can make informed, rational decisions on how to proceed.

The family law attorneys at Silver, Forrester & Lesser can put the firm's 45 years of experience to work for you. One of our greatest assets is the camaraderie between attorneys in the firm. When you hire us, you have a team of highly experienced lawyers working on your case to ensure you get the best possible representation. We represent husbands and wives in a variety of family law matters, including the following:

* Divorce - including contested divorce and uncontested divorce
* Child support issues - including child support modification requests and deadbeat fathers or deadbeat mothers
* Child visitation issues - including visitation scheduling, grandparent rights, child visitation modifications, and child kidnapping issues
* Child custody issues - including joint custody, child custody modification requests, and unfit spouse issues
* Post-decree modifications - to address significant changes in circumstances
* Spousal support - also referred to as alimony or maintenance, and including modifications to spousal support
* Equitable distribution of marital property - including asset valuation issues (such as professional practices, closed corporations, and collectibles) - it should be noted that New York is not a community property state; it is an equitable distribution state
* Adoptions - including domestic adoption
* Paternity suits - including establishing paternity for child support
* Prenuptial agreements - including drafting prenuptial agreements or litigating their validity

- Bankruptcy

Sometimes, for reasons beyond their control, people find themselves in bad financial situations that can only be solved by bankruptcy. At Silver, Forrester & Lesser, we understand. Our experienced lawyers can help guide you through the bankruptcy process — protecting things that are important to you, like your family home, and focusing on a brighter financial future.

When we meet with you, we'll talk about which type of bankruptcy is right for you: Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. We will also review the steps for filing bankruptcy and advise you on putting together all the necessary information including your income, assets, liabilities, and exempt and non-exempt property.

* Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a type of liquidation that is preferable for many people. This type of bankruptcy excuses your debts and allows you to keep exempt property like your car, the equity you have in your home, your pension and much of your income. If you make over the median income for a family of your size in your geographic area, you may not qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Instead, you may qualify for a Chapter 13 debt payment plan that requires you to give creditors some of what is owed.

*Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

Chapter 13 bankruptcy is a reorganization where you submit a payment plan to the court to pay all your debts over a three or a five-year period. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy is often an effective way to save your home from foreclosure. At Silver, Forrester & Lesser we can show you how.

- Real Estate Law

From our Newburgh location in New Windsor, we assist clients throughout the Hudson Valley area with their residential property matters and their commercial real estate transactions. At Silver, Forrester & Lesser we have over 45 years of real estate experience. We provide the following real estate services for in-state and out-of-state clients engaging in real estate transactions (residential real estate or commercial real estate) or requiring real estate services in the New York Hudson River Valley area:

* Commercial leasing
* Purchase agreement
* Mortgage and foreclosures
* Landlord-tenant
* Evictions
* Condominiums and cooperatives
* Real estate closings
* Property sales
* Real estate development

We are on the approved list of most banks, and because we are local, we can assist with acquainting you with the area, and ensure that your transaction goes smoothly and completes in a timely manner.

- Estate Planning

Located in Newburgh (New Windsor), Silver, Forrester & Lesser is a full service law firm. Our experienced attorneys have been assisting clients throughout the Hudson Valley-Newburgh area with their estate planning needs since 1965. Our highly experienced estate planning lawyers can assist you with all your estate planning needs, including the following:

* Wills - including simple wills, pour over wills, and living wills (health care proxy)
* Trusts - including revocable trust, living trust, irrevocable trust, special needs trust, and charitable remainder trust
* Powers of Attorney - including a general power of attorney or a specific power of attorney (restricted to a specific purpose)
* Health Care Proxy - also called a living will
* Estate Administration - including administering the state and issues involving estate administration
* Probate - including assisting administrators with probate issues such as will contests and validity issues

For more information regarding estate planning, or to schedule a confidential consultation, contact one of our experienced Newburgh estate planning lawyers.

- Family and Business Immigration

Silver, Forrester & Lesser is a full service New York law firm that has been providing personal service and resolving legal issues since 1965. Conveniently located in New Windsor, New York, our law firm represents clients throughout the Hudson Valley area with their immigration issues.

We know you have a lot at stake. That is why we take the time to listen and understand the immigration issues you face and also take the time to explain your options to you. We will work to keep you informed throughout the process.