Legal Question in Real Estate Law in New York

Re: Can I Collect?

Social Security payments are immune from attachment. Once the money resides in her account, you can levy on the account. Unless the claim is covered by her insurance (in which case you will get paid if you win) it is unlikely that she would hire an attorney unless she felt she was at risk. Here's the trick: call the attorney. Settle the case, conditioned on getting paid before the court date. Put a clause in the settlement agreement that if you are not paid before the court date, you win the full amount you're suing for.

Chin up! it's not nearly as bad as most cases are!

Re: Can I Collect?

If you are successful, you can go after her bank accounts, but not social security. If she refuses to pay, you can get a discovery order from the court, which will allow you to make discovery of her assets and locations, so you can levy against them.