Whether you suffered injuries in a head-on collision or a fender-bender, you deserve compensation for your car accident injuries and property damage. For help getting what you deserve, work with an NYC car crash lawyer with experience.
One experience with New York City’s rush-hour traffic is enough to show you how easy it is to be involved in a car accident and experience several serious injuries. But the truth is that crashes happen at all hours in NYC on a yearly basis—not just while you’re driving your vehicle during the commute to and from work.
No matter when or how your car accident happened, you deserve full and fair compensation from the insurance for any expenses, injuries, and suffering that resulted from the collision when someone else’s fault or negligence was to blame. Unfortunately, because of the many negligent decisions drivers make on a daily basis, many safe drivers become injury victims every day and need urgent medical care after their accident.
Fortunately, collision victims can get compensated by the defendants or their insurance company by filing a personal injury or insurance claim. If recovering compensation for all of the damages you suffered in the accident—not just the basics the insurance company deems necessary—is something that interests you, get in touch with the legal consultants and NYC car accident lawyers at Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP to get started with your accident case. Our legal experience and winning record shows that we never allow our clients to become victims a second time and we always aim to provide the largest settlements possible for our clients.
CAUSES OF AUTO ACCIDENTS
Cars are a part of our daily lives, so they seem normal and safe. But if you give them a second look, you can start to see how dangerous a motor vehicle really can be, and how easy it really is to get into an accident. Moving at high speed in a complex and imperfect vehicle while surrounded by multi-ton vehicles in narrow, curving lanes isn’t exactly a stroll through the park, especially when you’re stuck in rush hour traffic after you’ve worked all day.
To make matters worse, countless car crashes could have been prevented yearly if an involved driver had been paying closer attention, had chosen not to drink and drive that night, or had otherwise held the safety of other drivers and pedestrians in higher regard and taken more care to avoid a collision.
Because we have handled many car accident and personal injury cases in NYC for our clients, we’ve seen all kinds of accidents, and our lawyers understand that identifying the exact cause and collecting evidence is a key step in determining who is responsible and therefore liable for your damages, injuries, and suffering.
Whether you were the driver or a passenger in the automobile, our law office can represent you and help to recover the rightful compensation you’re owed. The following information details some of the most common causes of car accidents our legal consultants encounter:
Distracted Driving
A growing problem throughout the city, distracted driving is marked by drivers focusing their attention on anything that isn’t the vehicle they’re in or the road in front of them, such as a phone during a rideshare accident.
Drowsy Driving
Some research and information has suggested drowsy driving is nearly as dangerous as drunk and distracted driving when it comes to causing accidents and personal injuries.
Drunk Driving
No matter how publicized the problem of people breaking the laws and driving drunk gets, it seems there will always be people who put others at risk for accidents by getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle while drunk and driving down the street. You can hold the defendant accountable with a car accident claim proving their liability.
Reckless or Careless Driving
Drivers disobeying traffic laws and signals, speeding, driving aggressively, and similar behaviors is a perfect example of negligence and the cause of many NYC car accidents.
Vehicle Failures
Cars are enormous combinations of parts and smaller machines, and a failure in any of those parts could cause an accident and leave someone in need of medical care. In these accident cases, the vehicle manufacturing companies could be liable for any injuries suffered.
Road Hazards
Roadside construction sites, large potholes or debris, narrow lanes and shoulders, and other hazards commonly cause crashes in NYC and the boroughs of Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
Your top-rated attorney will pinpoint the exact cause of your crash by reviewing all available evidence and putting it to use. In most all cases, the cause will lead our accident lawyers to who is at fault for the collision.
TYPES OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
Although all crashes feel serious at the time, some accidents are more serious than others. The type of car accident you suffered will also help the lawyers at our office determine who the at-fault party is, as well as support your side of the story with evidence when you describe your serious injuries and vehicle damage.
The following are some common types of car accident cases in NYC and a brief look at the types of injuries and damage these crashes can cause:
Head-On Collisions
Perhaps the most dangerous type of crash, these collisions can cause traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spine damage, facial disfigurement, and broken bones to the drivers and passengers involved.
Rear-End Accidents
These accidents are somewhat less dangerous than other types, but they can cause vehicle damage and injuries ranging from whiplash to chronic back pain to paralysis, which can all require significant medical care.
T-Bone Crashes
Depending on what side the other driver hit you on and whether you had passengers in the car, T-bone accidents can cause injuries that range from relatively minor sprains and fractures to deadly brain damage.
Sideswipe Accidents
If another driver sideswipes you hard enough, your motor vehicle can roll over into a dangerous accident, which can lead to broken bones brain injuries, and burns in the event of a vehicle fire.
Not sure what to do about your car accident or what to say to the insurance companies? Or how to get the evidence you need to prove the liability and negligence of the other driver? Our car accident attorneys can help you get compensated no matter the type of vehicle accident or the factors involved. Our legal consultants have the experience to work with the police and determine what type of accident you’re facing and get our clients the compensation they’re due from the insurance company.
UNDERSTANDING NO-FAULT INSURANCE
Your NYC car accident may be the first time that you really have to think about and understand New York’s no-fault insurance rules and laws. This is a somewhat tedious but very important step in order to recover the compensation you truly deserve for your injuries, vehicle damage, and expenses.
Put simply, in no-fault insurance claims, you will get compensated for your initial medical bills and property damage from your own insurer, despite the fact that the other driver crashed into you and was at fault for the collision.
Your insurance will be responsible for compensating you up to the limitation of your policy or the limits set by the state for the expense of your damage and medical care. However, this system can be detrimental to NYC car accident victims in two basic cases.
Case One: Low-Ball Insurance Settlement
The first case involves the insurance companies. No matter how faithfully you have paid your insurance premiums, your insurer will fail to back you up when it really counts and the medical bills start coming in.
Insurance adjusters will look for any reason to decrease the value of your accident claim or withhold compensation from accident victims altogether. This failure of a response is a moment when a qualified lawyer can step in, investigate, and demand the insurance compensation you deserve for what you’ve suffered.
Case Two: Expense Exceeded Policy Limits
The second case involves policy limitation on the accident compensation you can receive. What if your injuries, damages, medical bills, and loss exceed the relatively low limits imposed on you?
Fortunately, if your injuries exceed the state’s threshold for serious injuries, you can file a personal injury lawsuit with help from our accident lawyers to negotiate and recover maximum compensation for every hardship and damage your car accident has caused, regardless of a no-fault insurance policy limitation.
GET COMPENSATED FOR YOUR ACCIDENT CLAIM
Placing a value on your personal injury settlement is no easy task. You have to account for every way in which the car accident has impacted your life and what gave it meaning. That includes getting compensated for financial damages and damages that don’t impact your bank account but negatively affect your life nonetheless.
Even the amount of the financial costs and lost wages you suffered can be difficult to calculate. You may be unsure what possible legal fees you owe, what the collision damage to your vehicle will cost, and what long-term future costs you’ll face because of someone’s negligence. The lawyers in our law office can help you handle the costs and expense of your accident, while our lawyers handle the legal side of your personal injury case, collect evidence to prove your claims, and get the result you need.
The following are some examples of damages that resulted from the accident for which your car wreck attorney can seek compensation on your behalf. We’ve helped other accident victims from all over New York recover from costly injuries and losses, and we can get similar results for your accident case, too.
- All medical expenses
- Lost wages and benefits during your recovery
- Emotional trauma
- Pain and suffering
- Replacing or repairing your damaged vehicle
- Diminished quality of life
- Reduced ability to earn money in the future
- Disfigurement, scarring, injury, or death
SPEAK WITH A LAWYER ABOUT YOUR CASE NOW
The longer you wait to get started on your accident claim, the more difficult it will be to win the personal injury compensation you truly deserve from the insurance company. To get things moving and boost your chance of success, let Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP represent you after your collision. We never let our clients become a victim twice!
Call 1-800-VICTIM2 (842-8462) or fill out the form below to schedule a free consultation at our Manhattan office with our New York City car accident lawyers. We can help, whether you were driving a car, truck, motorcycle, or bicycle, even if you were a passenger or pedestrian.
Our New York Law Office
NEW YORK CAR ACCIDENT FAQ
The professional legal team at our law office has the practical answers to all your questions about your accident claim in the New York City area. If your question isn’t addressed in the information we provide here, don’t hesitate to give us a call, no matter what borough you're in—Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, or Staten Island.
How do I recover compensation for a single-car crash?
Single-car crashes are relatively common in NYC, and they aren’t always the driver’s fault. The manufacturer of a defective car part or the government agency responsible for keeping the roads clear of hazards could be to blame. In those cases, you would need substantial evidence to pursue rightful compensation for things like medical bills, medical expenses, and lost wages from the responsible entity.
What is the statute of limitations for car accidents in New York?
You have three years from the date of your car accident to file a personal injury claim for compensation. However, if you’re pursuing compensation from a government agency for their negligence, you’ll only have three months to get the ball rolling on your claim.
I’m partially responsible for my car accident. Am I still entitled to compensation?
With the help of our lawyers and the right evidence, if another party holds any blame at all for your NYC car accident, you can pursue compensation that is equal to the percentage of negligence the other party holds. This rule is called pure comparative negligence and could be of vital importance to your accident case.
Is it worth getting an accident lawyer?
While courts don’t require legal representation, it can be difficult to get compensated for a vehicle accident without legal experience on your side, even for a minor vehicle accident. Clients may find that insurance companies aren’t willing to pay out for their injuries, for example. If your accident resulted in any injuries, our lawyers can help you get answers, even if the police weren't called to the scene.
How are pain and suffering calculated for car accident victims?
Getting compensated for non-economic damages can be difficult because the damage is intangible. If you’re involved in an accident and have suffered for it, our lawyers can determine what your claim is worth based on the severity of your suffering and the impact of the suffering on your life. Your lawyer can provide the legal tools you need to calculate these damages.
When should you get a lawyer for a car accident in New York?
With auto accidents, it's always best to contact lawyers with experience as soon as possible. The first things you should are file a police report and then get medical care for your injuries. Once your medical condition is stable, contact our lawyers. It's imperative that you do this before speaking with any insurance companies, as they'll attempt to take advantage of you. If you follow these steps, your car accident claim will be off to the best start possible.