Brooklyn is one of the largest cities in America, making Brooklyn Heights one of the busiest neighborhoods in the world. With countless vehicles entering and exiting the neighborhood via the Brooklyn Bridge, the chances of being injured in a car accident are exceedingly high.

Fortunately, our lawyers can help you get compensation for your losses by filing a lawsuit against the person who injured you. Even before you speak to our team, you can start building your case. The law requires those involved in car accidents to report the accident and exchange information with one another. This information will be critical to identifying the defendant and filing your claim against them. The police will also investigate your crash and make a report. Our attorneys can help you get a copy of your police report and gather of important evidence for your claim. If your injuries are serious enough, we can also pursue compensation for your pain and suffering.

For a free case assessment with our skilled Brooklyn car accident attorneys, contact The Carrion Law Firm by calling (718) 841-0083.

How to Respond After a Car Accident in Brooklyn Heights, NY

How you respond in the minutes and days following a car accident in Brooklyn Heights is often crucial. There are several steps you should not only take to protect any future legal claim but also because they are required by law. Fortunately, our car accident lawyers are here to help you prepare before an accident occurs and guide you on recovering compensation afterward. Considering that Brooklyn Heights is typically the first neighborhood you hit coming off the Brooklyn Bridge, the chances of being hit by a negligent driver are higher than most areas in the country, so you will want to be as prepared as possible by following the directions provided below:

Report the Accident

The first thing you should do after a car crash is call 911. This serves a few purposes. First, you can get immediate medical attention from emergency medical services, which will start building an evidentiary record of your damages for your case later.

Second, those involved in an accident usually must report their accident as a matter of law. V.A.T. Law § 605(a)(1) requires that any accident involving injury, property damage of more than $1,000, or death be reported to the police. While you have ten days to make your report, you should not wait. You would be surprised how much information can be misremembered after the fog of the accident wears off. Thus, it is best to have the police investigate your crash immediately after it so the police report contains the most accurate details possible.

After the NYPD crash report is finalized, our team can help you get a copy. For your own convenience, though, you can obtain a copy online from the NYPD’s website for a nominal fee. However, you can get a copy for free if you pick it up in person from the NYPD’s 84th Precinct, located at 301 Gold Street, Brooklyn, 11201.

Exchange Information

The next step you will want to take is to exchange information with the other drivers involved in the crash. Again, this is required of all drivers implicated in a Brooklyn Heights car accident under § 600(1)(a). Besides hurting your chances of recovering compensation, leaving the scene without exchanging information can also result in fines and other penalties.

However, you are only required to provide your name, address, insurance provider, and license number. We recommend sticking to only these facts. You are not obligated to determine liability on the scene or argue who did what. Just provide the above information and wait for the police before giving more details. Regardless of who you are talking to, though, do not apologize or admit to anything. What you did during the accident should be saved for discussions with our attorneys later.

Gather Evidence

If your injuries allow, gathering evidence while still on the scene is also a good move. You will be able to preserve evidence, such as debris, that will likely be cleaned up soon after. To keep important details of the accident, take pictures with your phone. You can also take videos of the crash site. The important thing is to capture as many important details as possible since you might not be sure what information will be helpful. However, photograph the vehicles, surrounding damages, and your injuries.

You should also try to speak with eyewitnesses before they leave the scene. Our team can follow up with them later to get a more detailed account of what they saw.

Start Your Claim

You will also want to start your claim as soon as possible since we will need time to determine a few issues vital to every car accident case. First, we must assess the extent of your economic damages and whether insurance is sufficient to cover your losses. In New York, car accident victims’ economic losses are covered by their own no-fault insurance policy. Unfortunately, no-fault insurance typically only covers up to $50,000 of your economic losses, including your medical bills and 80% of lost income. Worse, the no-fault insurance system bars many victims from filing lawsuits to recover pain and suffering damages.

Thus, the next step is to determine if you meet one of the exceptions to the no-fault rules that allow you to pursue compensation in court. One way is to provide evidence that shows you suffered “serious” injuries in your accident. I.S.C. Law § 5102(d) defines serious injuries in several ways, so we can likely make a strong case on your behalf. The other way to file a lawsuit is by having more economic damages than the basic losses. If your economic damages are more than $50,000, § 5102(a) also permits you to file a lawsuit for your full range of damages.

Call Our Brooklyn Heights, NY Car Accident Lawyers to Get the Help You Need with Your Case Today

Call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 to receive a free case review with our car accident lawyers.