Hiring a New York Car Accident Attorney
Over 4 million Americans who are involved in automobile accidents suffer serious injuries that require medical attention. If you’ve been hurt in an auto accident in New York, you can count on the personal injury attorneys at Leav & Steinberg LLP to answer your questions and help you pursue your legal options.
Do I Need an Attorney After a Car Accident?
A major car accident can be a traumatic experience for everyone involved. After taking pictures of the scene and exchanging information with the other drivers, discussing your case with a New York car accident lawyer can be the best way to protect your rights. An experienced attorney will offer guidance for dealing with insurance companies and pursuing financial compensation from the driver who was responsible for the accident.
At Leav & Steinberg, our team of attorneys will work diligently to properly document your injuries and help you understand your legal options. Along with an attorney, you’ll also have a paralegal and access to our online case management system. This system allows you to keep track of documents, emails, and more, even after your case ends.
Types of Auto Accident Cases
Following an accident, drivers can file a no-fault claim in New York up to 30 days afterward. For damages that exceed New York no-fault limits, you have three years to file a lawsuit. However, motorcyclists cannot file a no-fault calm. Regardless of the type of accident or injuries you’ve experienced, a car accident lawyer can help you receive the compensation you deserve. Within New York City, some common types of auto accident cases include:
- Left Turn Collisions: In most situations, drivers who are making a left turn are supposed to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic, meaning they’re usually at fault if there’s an accident. The driver who is turning left may not be at fault if the oncoming car they struck was speeding, and the same is true if the driver who was turning left had a green light, and they hit someone who was running a red light or intoxicated.
- Rear-End Collisions: According to reports by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over a third of all auto accidents involve getting rear-ended. Similar to left-turn collisions, the fault usually lies with the driver of the trailing vehicle. In multi-car accidents, every car (aside from the one in the front) may share some degree of fault if they were tailgating the car in front of them because New York is a comparative negligence state.
- Pedestrian Accidents: Every day, millions of people walk to get to work, run errands, and meet with their friends. Sometimes, drivers aren’t paying attention and hit people as they cross an intersection. Pedestrians usually have the right of way unless they happened to be jaywalking (crossing the street outside of the crosswalk) and cause an accident.
- Underinsurance and Underinsured Driver Accidents: Many underinsurance policies pay out significantly less than the coverage you receive for your liability policy if you’re in an accident caused by a driver whose auto insurance can’t cover your medical bills. Uninsured motorist coverage can protect you if you’re in an accident with an at-fault driver who doesn’t carry liability insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage is applied when you’re in an accident with an at-fault driver whose liability limits are too low to cover the medical expenses for any injured parties involved. If your payout from an at-fault driver’s insurance company doesn’t cover your medical bills, lost wages, etc., you will have to hire a personal injury attorney to sue for additional compensation.
Do You Have a Case for a Car Accident Claim?
If you believe another driver was at fault for the accident that caused your injuries, you may have a strong claim for a lawsuit. A key factor in a successful case is proper evidence of an injury. Documentation for an accident injury should include proof of a medical evaluation, treatment, a police report, and pictures of your injuries and the damage to your vehicle. Section 5102(d) of the New York State Insurance Law states that a lawsuit can be filed for the following injuries:
- Death
- Dismemberment
- Bone fractures
- Significant cosmetic scarring
- Significant limitation of bodily function
- A medically determined injury that prevents a person from conducting all of their customary daily activities for at least 90 of the first 180 days after the injury
Leav & Steinberg Can Help You File a Car Accident Lawsuit
Leav & Steinberg will provide you with a legal team that will be committed to your case. Our experienced attorneys have worked on many New York car accident cases and earned our clients significant settlements. To request a free consultation at our offices in Manhattan and the Bronx, call Leav & Steinberg today at 212-766-5222.
