NYC Auto Accident Attorneys
If you’ve been injured in an auto accident in New York City, you may be wondering how to get your medical expenses paid. New York is a no-fault state, which means you must carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance that will reimburse you for medical expenses and lost wages. But what about your pain and suffering? In serious injury accidents, you may have the legal right to pursue a claim for damages against the at-fault party. To learn more about your legal rights, contact an auto accident attorney in NYC.
There is no cost to speak to us about your case. We’re here to help.
What Are the Key Mistakes to Avoid Making After an NYC Auto Accident?
Understandably, you may be in shock immediately following the accident. That can lead to simple mistakes, such as:
- Failing to document the scene thoroughly with photographs;
- Not calling the police or filing an accident report with the DMV;
- Letting the other driver go without obtaining their insurance information;
- Opting not to get medical treatment;
- Apologizing for the accident (saying “I’m sorry”) even though it was not your fault.
In the days and weeks following the accident, it is also very simple to make a misstep. Sometimes the other driver’s insurance company will contact you for a recorded statement, or perhaps even offer you a small amount of money “for your trouble.” These statements will be used against you and it is recommended that you avoid giving one without an attorney if you intend to bring a claim. And these attempts to pay you “for your trouble” are nothing more than these underhanded insurance carrier’s attempts to cheaply buy out your claim. They are not trying to help you.
Importantly, you only have a limited amount of time to file for no-fault benefits. These benefits will come from the car you were traveling in, which is often your own insurance, or if you were a pedestrian struck it will be the other driver’s insurance. A no-fault application must be submitted within 30 days of the accident. Do not risk your benefits by failing to file within this deadline.
Many accidents that occur in NYC could have been avoided if people were driving more responsibly. When you’re behind the wheel of a car, you’re operating thousands of pounds of metal on the road. Accidents can range from mild to severe, and we’ve handled accidents of all types.
How Do I Know If It’s Worth Hiring a NYC Auto Accident Attorney?
New York City auto accident lawyers can help you with various aspects of your claim, including helping you file for no-fault benefits and resolving your property damage.
If you suffered serious injuries in the accident, you want to hire a New York automobile accident attorney. Under New York law, you can pursue pain and suffering against the at-fault party in an accident if your injuries qualify as “serious.” The law defines a serious injury in an auto accident as one that results in one of the following conditions:
- Dismemberment;
- Death;
- Loss of a fetus;
- Significant disfigurement;
- Bone fracture;
- Significant limitation of a body system or function;
- Permanent consequential limitation of a body member or organ; or
- Permanent loss of use of a body member, organ, system, or function.
In addition, a medically determined impairment or injury that is non-permanent could qualify. It must prevent you from performing substantially all of the material acts which make up your usual and customary daily activities for a minimum of 90 days during the last 180 days following the injury or impairment.
Wherever you are, we’re here to help:
Manhattan
- Marble Hill
- Inwood
- Washington Heights
- West Harlem
- Harlem
- Manhattanville
- Morningside Heights
- Sugar Hill
- East Harlem (Spanish Harlem)
- Upper East Side
- Lenox Hill
- Carnegie Hill
- Yorkville
- Upper West Side
- Lincoln Square
- Columbus Circle
- Rockefeller Center
- Diamond District
- Theater District
- Turtle Bay
- Midtown East
- Midtown
- Tudor City
- Times Square
- Hudson Yards
- Midtown West
- Hell’s Kitchen
What Will a NYC Automobile Accident Lawyer Do for Me?
Obtaining fair compensation following a serious car accident requires a skilled and experienced accident lawyer who will fight for your rights every step of the way. Insurance companies will often refuse to pay for no fault benefits, accept liability and minimize the severity of your injuries. In many cases, they will even deny a claim without justification. An experienced car accident lawyer will protect your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.
At Ferrante & Koenig, we will conduct an independent investigation, speak to witnesses, and gather all pertinent evidence. We will obtain all your medical records, diagnostic reports, etc. If necessary, we will also retain experts that will help support your case.
If your case proceeds to litigation, we have the financial resources and courtroom experience necessary to take your case to trial.
What Makes a Good Car Accident Case?
There are three important factors to consider when evaluating any car accident case: liability (or fault), damages (or injuries) and insurance carrier and coverage amount. If all three factors are in your favor, you have a chance for a successful outcome.
Liability is essentially who is at fault for the accident. If you were rear ended, or the other driver ran a stop sign (among other scenarios), liability will likely fall in your favor. Here in NY, we use a comparative fault rule where each person’s fault is compared and an accident can be entirely one driver’s fault or it can be split between all involved.
Damages is the nature and extent of your injuries. In order to recover money for your injuries after a NY car accident, you must prove that your injuries are serious, as discussed above. In order to prove your injuries, you need medical evidence in the form of medical treatment, objective testing and a doctor who will stand up for you in Court.
Not every insurance carrier is made equal – some negotiate in good faith and some do not. Additionally the insurance coverage available is completely out of your control. In NY, drivers are required to have at least $25,000.00 in coverage on your vehicle in order to legally drive on our roads; but if the person who hits you has these limited policy limits it will greatly curtail your ability to recover everything you have lost.
Wherever you are, we’re here to help:
Manhattan
- Garment District
- Herald Square
- Koreatown
- Murray Hill
- Little Armenia
- Madison Square
- Hudson Yards
- Kips Bay
- Rose Hill
- NoMad
- Chelsea
- Flatiron District
- Gramercy Park
- Union Square
- Stuyvesant Town
- Meatpacking District
- Alphabet City
- East Village
- Greenwich Village
- NoHo
- Bowery
- West Village
- Lower East Side
- SoHo
- Nolita
- Little Italy
- Chinatown
- Financial District
- Tribeca (TriBeCa)
- South Street Seaport
- Battery Park City
What Are Examples of Automobile Accident Injury Settlements You’ve Achieved?
We’ve successfully recovered millions in compensation for our clients who were seriously injured in New York City auto accidents. Examples of case results include:
$1,415,000
For a client who was in a motor vehicle accident and suffered a leg injury resulting in a partial amputation. The plaintiff was stopped at a red light when the defendant struck the rear of the plaintiff’s vehicle. The plaintiff suffered knee injuries requiring surgery. Unfortunately post-operative complications led to infections, further surgeries, and ultimately required the amputation.
$850,000
For a client who was a front seat passenger involved in a motor vehicle accident resulting in neck injuries requiring surgery. The vehicle plaintiff was traveling in was side-swiped by the defendant’s vehicle. The defendant attempted to blame the driver of the plaintiff’s vehicle, but upon further questioning at deposition, the defendant provided inconsistent testimony, rending useless any claim that he was not at fault.
$550,000
For a client who was struck in the rear by a box truck causing shoulder injuries requiring surgery. The plaintiff was driving on a highway at night when, suddenly and without warning, the defendant operating a box-truck struck the rear of plaintiff’s vehicle, propelling it into the concrete Jersey barrier. As a result of the impact, plaintiff suffered injuries to the neck back and shoulder, ultimately requiring physical therapy and an arthroscopic shoulder surgery.
$1,000,000
For a 57 year old Queens teacher who was rear ended while stopped for traffic on her way home from work. Our client eventually underwent a 2 level cervical fusion surgery and was unable to work for 9 months following the incident. We won summary judgment on the issue of liability before taking depositions which strengthened our position early in the case. We also hired an economist to help establish a claim for future lost earnings, based on the claim that our client would be forced into early retirement.
$662,500
For client who was struck by a motor vehicle while riding his bicycle, suffering facial lacerations and leg injuries requiring surgery. The plaintiff was traveling on his bike through a intersection. The defendant went through a red light and struck the plaintiff after he finished crossing approximately 90% of the intersection. The defendant never admitted to running a red light, but through investigation, video and photographic evidence, the insurance carrier became convinced of the defendant’s fault and settled the matter.
$962,456
For a client who was struck in the rear in a motor vehicle accident and sustained injuries to neck, back and shoulder. The defendant claimed that a phantom vehicle made an illegal U-turn in front of it and caused him to swerve and strike the plaintiff’s vehicle as he was in it having just parked along the curb. The defendant admitted a series of facts during his deposition which gutted his claimed “emergency” defense—that he was unable to avoid the accident due to a claimed emergency. It became clear that the defendant created his own emergency, and thus was not entitled to a defense based upon the doctrine.
$650,000
A client sustained a fractured wrist, a fractured ankle and a shoulder injury requiring surgery as a result of a motorcycle incident. The defendant refused to accept responsibility and at first the Judge sided with them. But through persistent investigation and a persuasive re-argument summary judgment was obtained on the issue of liability. The case was resolved within a few short months of winning summary judgment on liability.
To view more settlements and trial verdicts, visit our case results page.
Contact an Auto Accident Attorney in NYC
If a negligent driver caused an accident that resulted in your serious injuries, it’s crucial to hire a lawyer as soon as possible. Please schedule a consultation with the New York City auto accident lawyers at Ferrante & Koenig to learn how we can help. We’re here to answer all your questions, and we are dedicated to helping you recover the compensation you deserve.
There is no cost to speak to us about your case. We’re here to help.