What Are The First Steps in Recovering After a New York City Car Accident?

The aftermath of a car accident can be difficult to navigate. Financial compensation can provide valuable support to victims during their times of hardship. However, insurance companies may use various tactics to avoid paying the full value of your claim.

There are specific actions victims can take after car accidents that may help their ability to recover compensation. Keeping your composure can be difficult after suffering a crash. Accordingly, the assistance of a Hempstead car accident lawyer can be helpful when pursuing monetary damages.

If you were injured in a New York City car accident, get help recovering the financial compensation available to you. Contact our experienced New York City car accident lawyers by calling The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 for a free case review.

What to Do Immediately After a New York City Car Accident

There are certain actions you can take immediately after a crash that may help you when pursuing compensation. Our Queens car accident lawyers can offer further guidance to crash victims regarding each step of the following process:

Remain at the Scene

It is important to find a safe place to wait at the scene after an accident. Fleeing the scene of an accident could result in victims being charged with a hit and run. Accordingly, victims should remain at the scene until a police officer has arrive to draft his accident report.

Call 911

You should call 911 immediately after suffering a car accident. After calling 911, a police officer may visit the scene of the crash to draft an official accident report. An officer’s accident report may include statements from drivers regarding how a crash happened. Accordingly, accident reports can be valuable to or Schenectady car accident lawyers when building your case.

Furthermore, a 911 dispatcher will be able to send emergency services for anyone who requires immediate medical attention.

Exchange Information

Next, you should exchange contact information with other parties to your accident. Contact information should include names, addresses, and phone numbers. License plate numbers and insurance information should also be collected from all other drivers involved in the crash.

Additionally, you should exchange contact information with any potential witnesses to your accident. Witness statements can help demonstrate the cause of an accident. Therefore, witness statements may also be beneficial to our Rochester car accident lawyers when proving fault in your case.

Document the Scene of the Accident

You should also document the scene of your accident with photos and videos if possible. Photo documentation can help establish fault for an accident. For instance, photos of skid marks can be used to show that you attempted to avoid a crash.

Furthermore, photo documentation can be used to prove property damages related to an accident. Some insurers may attempt to assert that certain damage occurred after the date of your crash. Photos of your damaged vehicle at the accident scene can be used to show the full extent or property damage caused by an accident.

Seek Medical Attention

Car accident victims should not wait to seek medical attention after a crash. First, proper documentation of your injuries is required to recover compensation. Second, some severe internal injuries may not become noticeable until days after an accident. Accordingly, victims should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Our Riverhead car accident lawyers can help refer the right doctors for you.

Contact Our New York City Car Accident Lawyers

The next steps in the process to recovering compensation can differ depending on the circumstances surrounding your accident. Our experienced New York City car accident lawyers can help determine the right way forward during a free case review.

Filing an Insurance Claim After a New York City Car Accident

New York is a no-fault car insurance state. This means that you will typically seek compensation through your own insurance policy after an accident. When filing an insurance claim under their own policy, victims will be able to pursue damages for medical expenses and lost wages related to an accident. Our Smithtown car accident lawyers can offer assistance when filing a claim with your own insurer.

However, in certain cases, victims will be allowed to step outside of no-fault insurance laws and file lawsuits against at-fault motorists.

Filing a Lawsuit Against Another Driver After a New York City Car Accident

In cases where car accident victims suffered serious injuries, lawsuits may be filed against at-fault drivers. All categories of damages, including damages for physical pain and emotional suffering, may be sought in lawsuits against at-fault drivers. The legal strategies that apply to car accident lawsuits can vary. However, in each case, all of the following elements must be satisfied:

• The other driver was under a duty of care
• The other driver breached their duty of care
• You suffered injuries because of the other driver’s breach of duty
• You suffered damages because of your injuries

Our experienced Syracuse car accident lawyers can help car accident victims determine if these elements have been satisfied during a free case review.

“Serious” Injuries that Allow Victims to File Car Accident Lawsuits Against Other Drivers in New York City

Only victims who suffered serious injuries may file lawsuits against at-fault drivers after New York City car accidents. The following are the five categories of injuries that are considered serious under New York law:

• Noteworthy disfigurement
• Fractured or broken bones
• Permanent restriction of use of a body part or organ
• Substantial restriction of use of a body system or function
• Significant, total disability that lasts at least 90 days

There is a wide array of injuries covered by these five categories. Our New York City car accident lawyers can help crash victims determine if their injuries qualify as serious under New York law.

If You Were Injured Because of a New York City Car Accident, Our Lawyers Can Help

If you were injured because of a car crash, seek assistance from The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 for a free case review.