Garden City Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
When pedestrians are hit by cars and trucks, they can face substantial injuries. If you were hurt in an accident involving a car or truck while walking on foot in Garden City, you should seek help from an experienced attorney right away.
After getting medical treatment, you might find that the medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses related to your accident are overwhelming. Our attorneys can fight to get the compensation you need while you focus on your recovery.
For a free case review, call the Garden City pedestrian accident lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm today. Contact us at (718) 841-0083.
When to Call a Lawyer for a Pedestrian Accident Injury Case in Garden City, NY
If you were hurt in an accident, you should consider calling a lawyer as soon as you are able to. Delaying help from one of our Garden City pedestrian accident lawyers could mean losing out on your opportunity to collect evidence and delaying your case. Waiting too long could even mean losing your case entirely if you wait too long to hire a lawyer and miss filing deadlines.
Collecting Evidence
When you work with a lawyer, your lawyer can help you collect the evidence you need to build a strong case. Often, this means taking pictures of the scene of the crash so that we can present them in court – especially when those photos show clear lines of sight that help prove the driver was negligent or distracted.
Additionally, video of the crash can be vital evidence in court. However, video from security cameras might be wiped and overwritten quite soon. Your lawyer can contact nearby homeowners or business owners, asking them to preserve any footage they have – but quick action is necessary. In some cases, our lawyers can also help put out a call for any video that witnesses might have from cell phones or dash cameras, especially if they gave their name and contact info to the responding police officers.
Along with these pieces of evidence, our lawyers can help collect and keep track of medical records, witness statements, police reports, and other evidence. Working with a lawyer from the beginning of your case helps avoid gaps in the record that could be used to challenge your claims.
Avoiding Delays
Every day that you wait to call a lawyer could be another day that your final damages are delayed. Getting compensation quickly after an injury can be important if you have medical expenses and other day-to-day expenses like rent and groceries to pay for. If your injury keeps you from returning to work, getting the money you need to support yourself quickly will be vital.
Our Garden City pedestrian accident lawyers can help you file insurance claims to potentially act as a stopgap while you pursue the rest of the damages in your case in court. We can also work to try to settle your case quickly and get you the damages that you need without the time and expense of going to trial. If the case does go to trial, we can challenge delay tactics the defense might use and fight to keep the case moving forward.
Filing Deadlines
You will also need to make sure that you hire a lawyer and file your case before time runs out. Moreover, your attorney will need time between when you contact them when they file the case to build a strong record and prepare your case for filing. This often means you will need to call an attorney months before your case’s filing deadline.
Under New York law, injury cases must typically be filed within 3 years of the date of injury. Note that this is a filing requirement; your case might ultimately take longer to resolve, but it must be properly filed in the correct court by this 3-year deadline. Missing this deadline can mean that your case is thrown out without giving you a chance to make your case, no matter how serious your injuries might have been. Our Garden City pedestrian accident lawyers can help you meet this deadline and avoid losing your case on such a strict technicality.
Although 3 years seems like a long time to file, it is important to file well before this deadline. Often, witnesses forget details, and evidence might be lost or lose its impact over time. Filing your case quickly helps ensure your evidence is still strong and relevant when you get to court.
How Pedestrian Accident Cases Work for Victims in Garden City, NY
You might be surprised to find that your right to sue is often limited in pedestrian accidents. Under NY law, every driver is required to carry no-fault insurance that will cover them and any pedestrians they hit in the event of a crash. This no-fault insurance pays for a portion of medical bills and lost wages, but you cannot generally file a lawsuit if you are covered by this insurance.
Our Garden City pedestrian accident lawyers will fight to show that your case involves “serious injuries” that allow you to overcome this limitation. When you have serious injuries – such as permanent injuries, loss of a fetus, or a broken bone – you are entitled to sue the at-fault driver for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
In many cases, going to trial could be necessary to get you the full value of your damages. However, our lawyers will work to settle your case at an appropriate value, if possible, potentially getting your damages paid faster.
For a Free Case Review, Call Our Garden City, NY Pedestrian Injury Lawyers Today
For a free review of your pedestrian accident case, call the Garden City pedestrian accident attorneys at The Carrion Law Firm. Our number is (718) 841-0083.