Regardless of how bad an accident initially appears, having a lawyer helps you learn about your options for compensation, like if you can file a lawsuit and how long getting damages might take. Without a lawyer, the risks of you accepting a lowball settlement or otherwise jeopardizing your case increase.
You may need a lawyer to compare your injuries to New York’s serious injury threshold, which determines whether you can sue rather than using your personal injury protection insurance. Our lawyers offer additional valuable services to injury victims, including preserving evidence, calculating damages, and filing claims before the three-year statute of limitations expires. After filing lawsuits, victims can rely on us to negotiate fair settlements or prove fault at trial, ensuring they receive their deserved compensation.
Call our New York car accident lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm for a free case review at (718) 841-0083.
Why Do You Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident in New York?
Contacting our car accident lawyers right after a crash helps victims preserve evidence, file claims on time, and get the compensation they deserve. Without a skilled attorney, recovering damages becomes much harder, so do not wait to reach out about your case.
To Preserve and Collect Evidence
One of the first things we can do is preserve and collect evidence. Give us any pictures you took of property damage or debris. We will review them, along with any photos we get from eyewitnesses or law enforcement.
We may also get video footage from nearby surveillance cameras, so tell us the accident’s location. Our Albany, NY car accident lawyers can identify and interview eyewitnesses, preserving their statements in case they need to testify during a trial.
We can also get plaintiffs’ medical records, which is a time-consuming and tedious task for victims still physically recovering from bad injuries.
Without our lawyers, important evidence might be lost or destroyed, so let us begin investigating and collecting proof immediately.
To Learn if You Pass the Serious Injury Threshold
New York is a no-fault state for car accidents, and our lawyers can explain how that affects your recovery. Unless you suffer a “serious injury” or “basic economic loss,” you may not file a lawsuit and instead can only get compensation from your personal injury protection insurance.
We know which injuries automatically pass the serious injury threshold and can see if yours qualify you to sue. Filing a lawsuit lets you get more compensation than personal injury protection insurance provides, like for pain and suffering.
Don’t assume your injuries are not serious enough to warrant a lawsuit, and let us review your case now.
To Identify All Liable Parties
Some car accidents seem cut and dry but may ultimately involve more parties than victims expect. For example, suppose a commercial truck driver hit you in New York. While the truck driver may have been speeding or otherwise negligent, their employer, the trucking company, may also be liable. The legal doctrine of respondeat superior allows victims to sue employers for the actions of their employees while they are on the job. Identifying all liable parties may enable us to maximize the damages in your case, so let us do so after an accident.
To File Your Case on Time
Our lawyers ensure lawsuits get filed on time in New York. If they do not, victims lose their opportunity for compensation. The statute of limitations for most injury claims is three years, barring some exceptions. For example, if an out-of-state driver hit you and then left the state, the statute of limitations would not run for that time, according to C.V.P. Law § 207.
Three years seems like plenty of time at first, though bad injuries and other roadblocks might complicate matters and delay claims. To avoid such situations altogether, let us handle your case from the get-go. We can not only file your case before the statute of limitations runs out but as soon as possible to speed up your recovery.
To Calculate Compensable Damages
You also need an experienced attorney to calculate your damages from a car crash. Without knowing your claim’s value, you may accept less compensation than you deserve. We will factor in all economic and non-economic damages you incur, including upcoming expenses.
All medical bills, lost wages, and miscellaneous out-of-pocket costs are compensable in car accident lawsuits. As are damages for pain and suffering, which attempt to compensate victims for the intangible harms they suffer because of a negligent driver.
To Negotiate a Good Settlement
You need strong representation during settlement negotiations, or you might sign a bad agreement. Let us assess all offers from the defense and reject any that are unfair. We can navigate settlement negotiations, leverage evidence, send counteroffers, and advise you on whether to accept an offer.
Signing a settlement agreement ends your case, so don’t do so without consulting our lawyers. Even if you need compensation fast, avoid settling too quickly, especially if you sustained permanent injuries that will bring long-term damages.
To Prove Fault
Car accident lawsuits that do not settle go to trial. Trials are complex, and plaintiffs must prove fault in order to get compensation. Our experienced lawyers understand what it takes to meet the standard of proof for injury claims, which involves convincing the jury that the defendant is more likely than not liable for the plaintiff’s injuries.
Your testimony helps establish fault so we can prepare to testify on the stand in case your lawsuit goes to trial. Your testimony not only explains how the accident occurred but also how it has affected your life. This can yield greater non-economic damages from a jury award.
Get Help with Your Case from Our New York Attorneys
Call The Carrion Law Firm for a free case analysis from our Brentwood, NY car accident lawyers at (718) 841-0083.