Whether it be commuters on their way to work or people flocking to the beaches over the weekend, Long Island, NY, has its fair share of traffic. Yet, no matter how careful we are, our lives can change drastically when a driver is negligent. A car accident’s impact may be far-reaching for you and your family.It may be hard to know what to do after a car accident, but our Long Island law firm is here to help. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries because of a driver’s careless actions, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries and financial losses. To find out your legal options, the lawyers at Hill & Moin LLP would be happy to answer your questions about your car accident case and share reliable legal advice.
Find out how qualified car accident lawyers can help you with your case. Call us at (212) 668-6000 to schedule a free consultation today.
How a Long Island Car Accident Lawyer May Help
Car accident victims must deal with much more than the physical pain caused by their injuries. The countless hospital visits, mounting medical bills, and financial worries only add to their burdens.On your own, you do not have the time, energy, or resources to pursue your personal injury rights. Having an experienced Long Island car accident attorney on your side, though, may significantly lighten your load and give you the peace of mind you need to focus on recovering.
When you hire an attorney, he or she puts your needs first while advocating for your rights. Some of the duties a car accident lawyer can carry out on your behalf include:
- Thoroughly investigating your case details to determine who is at fault
- Visiting the accident scene and gathering witness statements
- Collecting necessary evidence such as police reports, surveillance videos, and affidavits
- Seeking specialist opinions and reports from medical experts to support your claim
- Preparing an accident reconstruction presentation to establish fault
- Communicating with insurance companies, managing all correspondence and negotiations
- Filing essential documentation within the required time constraints
- Filing a lawsuit with the court if necessary
- Pursuing fair compensation from all responsible parties
If you have been seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident, we understand how devastating it may be to process all that has happened to you. As personal injury attorneys, we do the job we do because we believe the victims of car accidents deserve justice; you should be fairly compensated for your suffering. The attorneys of Hill & Moin aggressively defend the rights of Long Island residents who have needlessly suffered injury due to someone else’s negligence. We accomplish this by using our knowledge and experience to hold responsible parties accountable for their actions in seeking justice for our clients.
How Much It Costs to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Long Island
The Hill & Moin law firm works on a contingency basis, which means that you don’t need to worry about any up-front costs when you work with us. We don’t get paid until we have successfully won compensation for you.No matter your financial circ*mstances, our law firm offers quality legal representation for all Long Island residents. When we take on your case, you can be confident that we will do everything in our power to help you obtain the highest compensation for your injuries.
Find out what experienced car accident attorneys can do for you.
Contact us today for a free confidential consultation to discuss your case.
Common Reasons for Car Accidents in Long Island, NY
Motor vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of injury-related deaths among New York State residents. Although each situation is different, there are many contributing factors that may cause a car crash – such as road conditions, weather, human error, or even defective equipment in a vehicle. Sadly, driver negligence is one of the most common reasons for Long Island car accidents.
Careless driving or negligence may include some of the following behaviors:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Following too closely
- Improper lane changing
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Unsafe passing
- Disregarding traffic signals
- Drunk driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs
- Driving while drowsy
- Backing up unsafely
In some cases, car accident injuries may arise from aggressive driving behavior. Extreme cases of aggressive driving may escalate quickly, resulting in serious harm or even death. No matter the reason, if you or a family member has suffered serious injury at the hands of another party, it is important to seek legal advice as soon as possible before the statute of limitations runs out.
Common Types of Injuries Caused by Car Accidents
As frequent as car crashes are, we often do not fully comprehend how debilitating the consequences are until we experience them firsthand. Car accident injuries may inflict much pain and suffering on the victims and their families. Injuries can range from a few cuts and bruises that may heal within a few days to severe injuries that may leave the victim with life-long disabilities.
Common types of injuries caused by auto accidents include:
- Whiplash
- Soft tissue bruises
- Cuts and lacerations
- Broken bones
- Severe burns and scarring
- Neck and spinal cord injuries
- Head and brain injuries
- Disfigurement
- Paralysis
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
It is important to seek prompt medical treatment after an accident, even if you feel fine for now. There are times when an injury may not become evident until later on.
If you fail to seek prompt medical attention around the time of the accident, an insurance adjuster may argue that your injuries were caused after the incident. Therefore, it is crucial you get checked out by a proper healthcare professional as soon as possible so your condition may be documented on your health records.
How Pure Comparative Negligence Affects Your Case
Car accident cases that involve negligence in the State of New York fall under the pure comparative negligence rule (NY CPLR Section 1411). This means that each party involved in a personal injury lawsuit has the opportunity to recover compensation, even those who contributed to the accident.However, the amount that each party may recover may be adjusted according to the proportion of fault they carry. For example, if you are found to share 20 percent of the fault in the accident, your damages may be reduced by 20 percent.
The pure comparative negligence fault rule may make it challenging to maximize compensation for your serious injuries if you are accused of sharing fault. The other parties involved may try to shift some of the blame on you so as to reduce the amount of compensation that is paid out to you.
An experienced Long Island car accident lawyer is able to evaluate your case to determine who is at fault and the degree to which the parties involved were negligent. Your attorney can gather the evidence, establish the facts, and build a strong case that supports your car accident claim.
Establishing Negligence for a Long Island Car Accident Case
If negligence was at the root of your car accident, you may need to establish who was at fault and prove that his or her actions resulted in your damages. In the State of New York, there are four main elements you must establish to prove the negligence of an at-fault driver.
You must prove:
- The driver owed a duty of care: All drivers owe a duty of care to drive safely, obey traffic laws, and take reasonable steps to avoid causing harm
- There was a breach of duty: The driver breached the duty owed by creating foreseeable harm, such as speeding
- The breach caused injury: You sustained injuries due to the driver’s actions
- The injury led to compensable damages: You suffered damages due to your injuries, such as medical bills and lost wages
How Much Compensation Can a Car Accident Victim Get?
Every year, thousands of people lose their loved ones in fatal motor vehicle accidents, placing a heavy financial burden on their families. Car accident victims are often left in debt with high medical expenses, loss of income, and costly repair bills for their property damage.If you or a loved one has suffered harm due to the negligence of another party, you have the right to pursue proper compensation for your damages. An experienced Long Island car accident lawyer may thoroughly evaluate your case and help you obtain fair compensation for the damages that have resulted from your injuries.
Some of the recoverable damages a car accident attorney will try to seek might include:
- Past, current, and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Future earnings
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Psychological injuries
- Punitive damages
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of enjoyment
- Wrongful death claim
The financial amount your car accident lawyer pursues may depend on your own unique set of circ*mstances that surround the case. Consult with one of our car accident lawyers at Hill & Moin LLP for an honest evaluation of your motor vehicle accident case.
No-Fault Insurance in the State of New York
In the State of New York, residents who are involved in a car accident fall under the state’s no-fault insurance law. No-fault insurance, also known as Personal Injury Protection (PIP), is an auto insurance policy for personal injury coverage. It allows car accident victims to claim basic economic losses for up to $50,000/per person regardless of who was at fault.
Whether you are a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or cyclist, all those involved in the auto accident may make a no-fault insurance claim. Accident-related expenses you may claim against no-fault insurance include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reasonable out-of-pocket costs
If you are injured in an auto accident, you may first need to first make a claim against your no-fault insurance to recover the initial costs you have suffered. If your losses exceed your no-fault benefits, then you might be able to maximize your compensation with the help of a Long Island car accident lawyer. The attorneys at Hill & Moin LLP are familiar with the no-fault insurance laws in New York and know how to assess your claim.
Tips on Insurance Companies and Settlements
A motor vehicle accident victim may get weighed down with high medical costs and wind up in a financially desperate situation. Is this where you have found yourself? Although it may seem like the insurance company is there to ease your burden, your needs are not their top priority.Far too often, we see car crash victims manipulated and treated unfairly by insurance companies and insurance adjusters. When in doubt, you should speak to a lawyer.
Don’t accept the first settlement offer without speaking to an attorney
Whether it is your own insurance company or that of the at-fault party, it is common for insurance companies to make a low-ball offer, which might not even cover your immediate medical costs. It’s important not to rush into a settlement too quickly, as it may result in you losing out on future compensation.
Insurance adjusters may try to undervalue your claim to lower the settlement amount, possibly leaving you to cover future expenses out of your own pocket. It’s times like these when you need a reliable attorney on your side looking out for your interests. You should consult with a qualified Long Island car accident attorney before accepting any kind of settlement from your insurance company.
Have attorneys deal with insurance companies so you don’t have to
The lawyers at Hill & Moin LLP have the resources and wide-ranging network of attorneys that you need. Consult with us so we can advise you on your next steps.
An attorney may review your case, examine the evidence, and determine a fair evaluation for your damages. Experienced car accident lawyers are familiar with the tactics that insurance companies use and can help you tackle each obstacle they throw your way.Dealing directly with your insurance company is no problem for the right law firm. Whether it’s Hill & Moin or one of our partners who take on your case, we are fully capable of handling all communications and settlement negotiations on your behalf.
Don’t Delay – Time is Limited to File Your Car Accident Case
There are strict time limits for car accident cases in the State of New York. If you fail to file your claim within the necessary time constraints, your case may be rejected, costing you your chance of recovering financial compensation for your injuries. We don’t want that to happen to you.
To avoid missing the deadline to file your claim, it is wise to enlist the help of an experienced Long Island personal injury lawyer to assist you with your documentation. When you hire the lawyers at Hill & Moin LLP, our legal team can guide you through the complex legal system and file all the necessary paperwork within the required time limits.
Let Long Island, NY Attorneys Help You in Your Time of Need
With over 50 years of combined experience, Hill & Moin LLP has helped our clients and injury victims recover over $200 million in settlements and awards. Despite our success, working with us is “like having a lawyer in the family,” as many of our clients say. They have seen for themselves that we endeavor to listen with compassion and treat all our clients with dignity and respect.
Whether it is at your home, the hospital, or your office, the lawyers at the Hill & Moin LLP law firm can come meet you to discuss the details of your car accident case. We want you to feel calm and comfortable so that you can express your concerns as if you were talking to a family member.
Put a lawyer’s professional skills to work so that you may focus on your recovery and look to the future with hope. When we take on your case, we will strive to do all we can to fight for your justice and seek the maximum compensation you deserve.Don’t wonder about your rights! Contact us at (212) 668-6000 and schedule a free evaluation today to learn your Personal Injury Recovery SolutionsⓇ.
