Our story began in 1983 at Brooklyn Law School. When Jonathan & Andrew met in their first class on the first day of law school, the two bright and charismatic law students had an immediate connection that led to a friendship that has lasted over 40 years. Jonathan & Andrew wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of people who needed help. They knew together they could achieve that. The two partnered up and opened Goidel and Siegel in New York City in 1990.
Today, Goidel & Siegel continues to thrive. With four offices throughout New Jersey and New York, our attorneys are proud to serve and support our communities with their years of experience and hard work.
Andrew Siegel: I have a deep desire to help those in need – those who are unable to stand up for themselves, especially when confronted by powerful people or corporations.
Jonathan Goidel: Originally, upon entering law school, my goal was to become a real estate lawyer at a large firm. When I achieved that goal, I became disillusioned. I did not want to spend my time making the rich richer, by poring over documents and negotiating with others who were doing the exact same thing on the other side. I realized I could have a more profound impact on the lives of people who needed someone to speak for them by representing injured laborers, immigrants and others for whom my work could have life-changing results.
Andrew Siegel: There are many – but a couple that stand out are the following. We obtained a multi-million dollar recovery for a laborer who was struck by a vehicle while working at a construction site. He sustained multiple injuries to his back and underwent surgery to address those injuries. He was unable to work after the accident, support his family or live his life as he did prior to the injuries he sustained. In another case, we obtained a multi-million dollar recovery for a woman who was seriously burned by scalding hot water in her apartment. The landlord was aware that the water temperature was far above the legal limit but failed to address the problem. Our client sustained third degree burns on her leg and back and will live the rest of her life with scarring as a result. In yet another case, we obtained a multi-million dollar recovery for a young man struck by a New York City vehicle being operated inside a public park. He fractured his leg and underwent surgery.
Jonathan Goidel: I represented a widowed, Ukrainian immigrant who was alone in this Country. His daughter emigrated to Australia and he to New York because she was unable to obtain a visa to America. Though trained as an engineer in Ukraine, he worked as a night watchman while learning English. One winter night, he was patrolling an icy storage lot under the Brooklyn Bridge where supplies were stored for a municipal painting project. His employer required that he punch clocks around the perimeter of the lot to prove he was on duty. At 3:00 in the morning, he slipped while walking to punch a clock and fractured his hip. He crawled in pain back into the unheated trailer where he was found at 9:00 a.m. unconscious, having developed pneumonia. We took the case and proved he was given an unsafe work environment. With the money we collected for him he was able to afford air travel to Australia where he was re-united with his daughter and the grandchild he had never met.
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