More often than not, car accidents are devastating for victims, who need compensation for financial and non-economic damages from negligent drivers.
It is best to report any car accident, even if it does not necessarily meet the requirements for reporting under New York law. Not all accidents are obviously serious right away, and victims with latent injuries might face difficulties with their claims if they do not report crashes to the police immediately. As we prepare your case, we can obtain and review the crash report, looking for information we might use as leverage during settlement negotiations. As we discuss settlements with the opposing side, our lawyers will remind them of your total losses and can take your case to court if they refuse to increase their offers. Preparation is often the key to securing a fair settlement, which is why our attorneys will closely monitor your losses as you incur them.
Schedule a free case review from our Queens car accident lawyers by calling The Carrion Law Firm today at (718) 841-0083.
Types of Car Accidents to Report to Law Enforcement in Woodside
After car accidents in New York, drivers must stop, exchange information with injured victims, and report incidents to local law enforcement, according to V.A.T. Law § 600(2).
When police officers arrive, they will gather information to complete a crash report. This document will ultimately contain important details about the collision, such as the involved parties, primary and contributing causes, road and weather conditions, and injuries sustained by victims.
In addition to writing accident reports, police officers can help victims take photos of property damage and injuries for their own records. Preserving physical evidence at the scene by taking pictures is crucial, and we can obtain photos and any other supplemental materials from law enforcement when accessing the report. When reviewing the police report, we can also search for possible inaccuracies and alert law enforcement to them.
Even if you feel physically fine after an accident, like a seemingly minor fender-bender, you should call the police. Suppose you notice underlying injuries in the following days, like whiplash. In that case, you might need to pursue compensatory damages, and having a crash report to use when building the foundation of your claim may be important.
According to V.A.T. Law § 605, drivers must also report accidents that cause injury, death, or upwards of $1,000 in property damage to the Department of Motor Vehicles within ten days. Minor property damage to vehicles can be costly, meaning many accidents are reportable.
Monitoring Your Economic Damages from a Woodside Car Accident
Losing track of your expenses from an accident could lead to incorrect compensation requests, and we can monitor victims’ losses to ensure accurate calculations.
Economic damages range from hospital costs to lost wages. All reasonable medical expenses from a crash, like emergency room visits, prescription medications, surgeries, and physical therapy sessions, should be covered. Victims who need mobility accommodation devices, like wheelchairs, can get compensation for those costs and any alterations they might need to make to their homes to accommodate permanent injuries, like wheelchair ramps.
Inform our car accident lawyers if you cannot return to work because of your injuries. Attempting to resume workplace duties before you are physically able could hurt your case, so follow doctors’ advice about waiting to return to work. We can monitor and calculate your lost wages using income statements and recent paychecks.
If you need support from mental health professionals to deal with emotional trauma from the accident, we can factor those costs into compensation requests. To file car accident lawsuits or get compensation for non-economic damages, victims must demonstrate they pass New York’s serious injury threshold, which our lawyers can do using certified medical records and expert witness statements.
We can consider all areas of your life the accident might have impacted and assess the financial damage to you and your family. For example, if your car was totaled in the crash and you cannot drive yourself to and from the hospital for treatment because of your injuries, we argue that transportation costs be compensated as well.
How to Evaluate Car Accident Settlement Offers in Woodside
Approaching car accident settlements with the expectation of getting low offers initially is important. The first offer you get will likely be low, and accepting it would end your case there, leaving you without a way to seek additional damages in the future.
Car accident injuries have long-term effects on victims’ lives. They might need years-long physical therapy or routine check-ups with doctors as they recover, incurring damages after their lawsuits end. Because of this likelihood, it is important to evaluate settlement offers for their ability to compensate you for all damages, including those you have not yet incurred.
We can do this by conferring with medical experts, who can explain the likely care you will need in the future and how much it will cost. If a settlement does not include compensation for future damages, we can respond with counteroffers supported by evidence. These conversations might take time, especially if the defendant is unwilling to compensate the victim for their pain and suffering.
Negligent drivers often want to avoid going to court, and indicating you are prepared to proceed with a trial could convince the defendant to increase their offers substantially. Juries in New York do not have to follow any compensation limits when awarding economic or non-economic damages to car accident victims, and defendants might agree to higher settlements to save the time and resources associated with a trial. As settlement negotiations progress, we can assess offers and help you decide whether to go to court or settle your case to get compensation sooner.
Call Our Woodside Accident Lawyers for Help with Your Case
Call The Carrion Law Firm’s car accident lawyers at (718) 841-0083 for a free case assessment.