Personal Injury Lawyer in Sunnyside, Queens, NY
Victims injured by another person’s negligent acts have the right to recovery in Sunnyside, provided they do so within the necessary timeframe.
Victims in Sunnyside generally have three years from the date they sustained their injuries to sue for injury. When entering into litigation against another party, having statements from witnesses such as eyewitnesses, expert witnesses, and character witnesses, is helpful. For victims of vehicle accidents, proving that their injuries are severe enough to warrant civil action may be necessary. Depending on the cause of your injuries and the type of accident you were hurt in, you might be able to sue multiple parties for compensatory damages in Sunnyside.
To get a free and confidential review of your case from The Carrion Law Firm, call our Sunnyside personal injury lawyers today at (718) 841-0083.
Deadline to Sue for Personal Injury in Sunnyside, Queens
Personal injury cases are beholden to a filing deadline in Sunnyside. Claims that are not brought within a specific timeframe will not be successful.
The general filing deadline for injury claims is three years in Sunnyside. This is put into effect the day a victim is injured or the day a victim should have reasonably discovered their injuries. The filing timeline is also tolled for minor victims. Minors injured in Sunnyside have three years from the day they turn 18, or their 21st birthday, to sue for an injury.
The deadline to bring a claim for injury is strict. Suppose you do not contact our personal injury lawyers soon enough to bring a case before the time to sue runs out in Sunnyside. In that case, you will be unable to recover compensation of any kind against a negligent party. This is true for victims of any type of accident that falls under the umbrella of personal injury, such as victims of car crashes, defective product incidents, workplace accidents, and slip and fall accidents.
Helpful Witness Statements in a Sunnyside Personal Injury Claim
To succeed, personal injury cases often depend on certain types of evidence, such as witness statements. Several types of witness statements can be helpful in your lawsuit for injury in Sunnyside.
Statements from eyewitnesses can be crucial for victims seeking compensation for an injury in Sunnyside. These are accounts from those who saw an accident unfold first-hand. Eyewitnesses may be able to identify an at-fault party or provide additional insight into how a defendant acted negligently. Although law enforcement officers might not have witnessed an incident, they may be able to provide statements in support of a victim’s claim. For example, police officers can attest to a defendant’s demeanor, initial property damage, and a victim’s immediate injuries.
Statements from expert witnesses are also typically important. Medical experts can explain how a victim would most likely sustain the injuries they did and what medical treatment is necessary to aid in their physical recovery.
Finally, statements from people who know a plaintiff personally can be hugely beneficial. Statements from a victim’s close friends and family can help to demonstrate the pain and suffering they have experienced while living with injuries caused by an at-fault party in Sunnyside.
The Serious Injury Threshold and Personal Injury Claims in Sunnyside
New York’s serious injury threshold might impact certain victims looking to bring a compensation case for injury. These include victims of vehicle accidents, primarily.
If a pedestrian, driver, passenger, or bicyclist is struck by a car in Sunnyside, Queens, they must meet New York’s serious injury threshold to file a personal injury lawsuit. Otherwise, their recovery will typically be limited to the benefits available under no-fault or personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, which covers basic economic losses like medical expenses and lost wages.
Injuries that pass this serious injury threshold include death, disfigurement, dismemberment, loss of a fetus, and permanent or significant use of a body member, function, organ, or system, according to I.S.C. Law § 5102(d). Suppose your injuries do not pass these criteria. In that case, you may still be able to sue if a doctor confirms that your injuries will seriously disrupt your quality of life for at least 90 of the first 180 days of your recovery in Sunnyside.
New York’s serious injury threshold will not impact personal injury victims of non-vehicular accidents, nor does it impact victims of motorcycle accidents in Sunnyside.
Who to Sue for Personal Injury in Sunnyside, Queens
Identifying who to hold accountable after an accident in Sunnyside, Queens can be challenging, especially when multiple parties may share responsibility for your injuries. The key to a successful personal injury claim in Sunnyside is determining exactly who’s at fault and gathering the evidence necessary to prove negligence.
In many cases, the liable party may be the driver who caused a car accident, the property owner who failed to maintain safe conditions, or a business or landlord whose negligence led to your injuries. For example, if you slipped and fell inside a Sunnyside restaurant or apartment building, the property owner or management company could be legally responsible. If you were hit by a car on Queens Boulevard or Northern Boulevard, the negligent driver may be named in your lawsuit.
Sometimes, liability is more complex. A construction accident in Sunnyside could involve multiple responsible parties—such as your employer, a subcontractor, or the manufacturer of defective equipment. Likewise, if you were hit by a commercial truck, both the driver and the trucking company may share fault for your damages.
New York follows a pure comparative negligence rule, which means your compensation can be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you’re found 20% at fault for a Sunnyside car accident, your final award would be reduced by that amount. Having an experienced Queens personal injury lawyer anticipate and counter these arguments can make a significant difference in your financial recovery.
Learn More About Suing for Personal Injury in Sunnyside
Call (718) 841-0083 today to set up a free evaluation of your case from the personal injury lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm.