Vehicle Accidents
NEW YORK CITY CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS:
With the amount of time we spend in our cars – commuting to work, running errands, taking the kids to school or just driving around town – auto accidents are bound to happen. According to the National Safety Council, there are over 12 million motor vehicle accidents involving more than 20 million vehicles every year in the United States. Over 40,000 people are killed in auto accidents annually and there are also 5 million nonfatal injuries, of which almost 2 million are disabling. An accident occurs on our nation’s roadways every 5 seconds.
With these statistics, chances are you or someone you know has been involved in an auto accident. If the accident resulted in a serious or disabling injury, you should speak to an Attorney to protect your legal rights. An experienced personal injury attorney will look out for your best interests and protect your legal rights. Do not sign your rights away to an Insurance Company. Many times an insurance company will try to settle your case quickly and cheaply. Without an Attorney, you may be selling yourself short. You can be sure that the insurance companies have lawyers working for them. Put us to work for you. The law firm of Brian P. Wright & Associates, P.C. is known for returning millions of dollars on behalf of injured parties that have been involved in automobile accidents. Our lawyers have consistently attained some of the best results in New York car crash cases.
NEW YORK STATE FATAL ACCIDENT STATISTICS:
According to numbers from the New York State Department of Health motor vehicle accidents are the 4th leading cause of death in the state. Auto crashes cause around 91 deaths a month throughout the state of New York.
NEW YORK'S NO-FAULT STATUTE:
New York has a mandatory No-Fault Insurance Law under which requires every New York-registered motorist to carry at least a minimum of $50,000 of insurance. In New York, if a motor vehicle accident occurs, that insurance policy pays the policyholder’s, his passengers’ and pedestrians necessary medical expenses and lost wages up to a maximum of $50,000 regardless of who is responsible for the accident. Any additional recovery, such as for pain and suffering, must be pursued in court. New York’s No-Fault Statute permits you to sue a driver to seek damages for pain and suffering if you suffered serious and permanent injuries due to that driver’s negligence.
SERIOUS INJURIES: NEW YORK NO-FAULT INSURANCE LAW § 5102(d)
§5102(d) of New York’s No-Fault Insurance Law provides that a plaintiff in a personal injury action arising out of negligence in the use or operation of a motor vehicle must establish that he/she has incurred a basic economic loss exceeding $50,000 or must establish that he/she has suffered “serious injury.”
New York No-Fault Insurance Law § 5102(d) – Classification of Serious Injuries:
- Death
- Dismemberment
- Significant disfigurement
- Fracture
- Loss of a fetus
- Permanent loss of use of a body organ, member, function or system
- Permanent consequential limitation of a body organ or member
- Significant limitation of use of a body function or system
- Medically determined injury or impairment of a non–permanent nature which prevents the injured person from performing substantially all of the material acts which constitute such person‘s usual and customary daily activities for not less than 90 days during the 180 days immediately following the occurrence of the injury or impairment.
WHAT IF I WAS INJURED BY A MOTORIST WHO DOESN'T HAVE INSURANCE?
New York law requires that all motorists carry uninsured motorist coverage. That means that if you have auto insurance, and you are injured by a motorist who does not have insurance, your uninsured motorist coverage will cover your injuries. If you do not have auto insurance (because you do not own a car), you will have to pursue a claim against the driver who injured you. If you do not know who injured you (i.e., you were the victim of a hit-and-run), or if the person who hit you is of limited means, you may seek recovery from the New York Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification Company, which has established an insurance fund for the victims of uninsured motorists and drivers of stolen cars. However, your coverage under this plan is limited to $25,000 per accident.
AUTO ACCIDENT INJURY STATISTICS:
With the amount of time we spend in our cars – commuting to work, running errands, taking the kids to school or just driving around town – auto accidents are bound to happen. According to the National Safety Council, there are over 12 million motor vehicle accidents involving more than 20 million vehicles every year in the United States. Over 40,000 people are killed in auto accidents annually and there are also 5 million non fatal injuries, of which almost 2 million are disabling. An accident occurs on our nation’s roadways every 5 seconds. The New York State Department of Health estimates that auto accidents result in 11,409 emergency department visits a month in the state. With these statistics, chances are you or someone you know has been involved in an auto accident. If the accident resulted in a serious or disabling injury, you should speak to an Attorney to protect your legal rights. An experienced personal injury Attorney will look out for your best interests and protect your legal rights.
Do not sign your rights away to an Insurance Company! Many times an insurance company will try to settle your case quickly and cheaply. Without an Attorney, you may be selling yourself short. You can be sure that the insurance companies have lawyers working for them. Put us to work for you.
Settling with an insured: Although the decision is yours to make, your lawyer may advise you to settle with the person who caused your injury when there is a reasonable and good faith offer of settlement from an insurance company, even if going to trial might result in a larger judgment in your favor. In such a situation, accepting the sure recovery may be preferable because it will save years of litigation, and in cases where the defendant is of limited means, your ability to collect on a judgment for an amount beyond the insurance coverage may be likewise limited.
Furthermore, insurance companies have the resources to make recovery a long, drawn-out battle. That doesn’t mean that you cannot win against an insurance company; rather it can be difficult and time-consuming. If you’ve been hurt in an auto accident because of someone else’s negligence, our attorneys understand the pain, loss, and suffering that can follow the accident. We help our clients get the full and fair compensation they deserve – we are not satisfied with any other result. This includes the financial resources to cover damages such as:
- Medical treatment
- Pain and suffering (emotional and physical)
- Lost wages
- Property damage
Contact us for a free initial consultation. There is no fee unless we are successful. Call 347-886-9472 or fill out our contact form for a FREE no obligation legal case evaluation. Our lawyers provide legal advice to injured car crash victims, including pedestrians, drivers, passengers, cyclists, and many others.
To discuss your case with a personal injury lawyer experienced in vehicle accident injury lawsuits, please call 347-886-9472 We serve all of New York, including Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Long Island, Rochester, Albany, and Buffalo.
