Table of Contents
If you have been recently injured in a car accident, a New York car accident lawyer may be able to help. At Pitta & Baione LLP, we work with experienced attorneys to review the details of your accident and explore your legal options. If you need New York car accident legal help, contact us and find out why our satisfied clients recommend us to friends and family who need our services.
Types of Car Accident Cases
Navigating New York roads safely requires skill and caution, especially for those unfamiliar with the state’s traffic laws and regulations. Distracted driving, inexperienced drivers, and weather conditions often result in severe to fatal car accidents in the state.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end crashes are the most common kind of motor vehicle accident, accounting for nearly a third of roadway accidents across the United States.
The most common cause of rear-end accidents is distracted drivers, who often don’t see brake lights on time. Nearly 45% of rear-end accidents are the result of drivers who do not recognize that the car or truck ahead of them is slowing down or stopping.
Rear-end collisions often result in whiplash, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, facial disfigurement, fractures, and other severe injuries.
T-Bone and Side-Impact Accidents
T-bone collisions can cause fatal injuries and severe blunt force trauma. The sides of the car are less likely to offer safety measures like airbags, making them one of the worst kinds of accidents to suffer in terms of injury.
Side-impact accidents also come with additional legal ramifications. Often, the driver who fails to yield the right of way is at fault in a t-bone crash. For instance, if one driver blows through a stop sign or ignores a red light, they can cause a side impact collision that can make a routine drive a life-changing one.
Traffic camera footage is crucial for establishing liability in side-impact collisions. With the help of a skilled car accident lawyer, you can file a lawsuit against the person who ignored the rules of the road and caused the crash that led to your injuries.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions can be caused by late-night driving or driving during hazardous conditions, like rain or snowstorms. They are often caused by poor visibility, hazardous conditions, or impaired driving. Head-on collisions at times incur liability from the state for poor roadway conditions, unclear signage, blind corners, or sharp turns.
This type of car wreck can result in fatal injuries, fractures, internal bleeding, severe lacerations, and damage to the head, upper spine, and abdominal areas.
Hit-and-Run Accidents
After a hit-and-run accident, you might have high hospital bills, lost wages, and unforeseen costs. Unfortunately, you would also have a missing or delinquent driver who should cover the cost of those expenses. Our office can help conduct a thorough investigation of the car crash and fight for a favorable settlement.
Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents can cause extensive injuries, not only from the impact but also from crushed side panels, broken glass, and folding frames. Rollover accidents are rare, but may involve extended liability due to defective safety products or poor vehicular design.
A rollover accident is often deadly. Internal contusions, spinal fractures, soft tissue damage, chest injuries, crushed legs or arms, and traumatic brain injuries are all common with a rollover accident.
Drunk Driving Accidents
Drunk driving is never a smart or safe decision. A DUI can result in serious accidents, injuries, and even fatalities. If you suffered damages due to an intoxicated driver, our DUI accident attorneys can help you recover compensatory damages to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, among others.
Distracted Driving Accidents
Driving while texting, talking, listening to music, reading navigation, or other distractions can all lead to accidents that would never have occurred if the driver had been paying attention to the road. An experienced New York car accident lawyer can subpoena evidence, such as text messages, time stamps, and traffic camera footage, to prove distracted driving and establish liability for your damages.
Why Choose a Personal Injury Lawyer For Your Car Accident Claim?
Many accident victims need the maximum settlement possible in order to recover from their injuries and get their lives back on track. Healing after a New York car accident can involve not only immediate life-saving care, but also follow-up medical treatment, therapy for PTSD, lost wages, property damage, and other expenses. Our New York car accident lawyers bring their experience advocating for injured New Yorkers to each and every one of our client’s car accident claims. We don’t leave the table until we secure the compensation you deserve.
Our Experience
At Pitta & Baione LLP, we have a proven track record of successful outcomes and settlements on our clients’ behalf. Our firm includes top graduates from well-known law schools as well as community leaders who take a hands-on approach to advocating for their clients.
Client-Centered Approach
Our results speak for themselves. Our clients have offered testimonials about the positive impact our personalized legal strategies have had on the outcomes of their claims. While no law firm can guarantee a result (if they do, it is a red flag!), we can proudly say that our clients have had positive outcomes that have exceeded their expectations.
Knowledge of Local Laws
Pitta & Baione LLP is a New York law firm. We have dedicated our careers to improving the lives of New Yorkers who are our neighbors, friends, family, and clients. We have knowledge of local traffic laws and regulations, as well as in-depth familiarity with New York courts.
What to Do After a Car Accident
After a car accident, there are five important phone calls you should make: to 911 if necessary and to your doctor/urgent care, to your insurance company, to the police to file a report, to your loved ones to confirm your safety, and to your attorney.
Immediate Steps
Immediately after a car accident, remove yourself from the flow of traffic (if you can do so safely). Get yourself clear of the roadway and call for help. In the meantime, you may check for injuries, but avoid moving someone who is unable to move themselves.
As soon as practicable, exchange information with the other parties involved in the car crash, and ask for their contact and insurance information. Take photos and videos of the scene and collect contact information from any eyewitnesses.
Dealing with Insurance Companies
An insurance company is going to protect its bottom line after a crash. Their staff is trained to offer the lowest possible amount to minimize the company’s payout. They might attempt to get you to admit you feel better or to make you accept some percentage of fault for the crash.
Do not accept an early settlement offer from an insurer. Avoid communicating with an insurance adjustor without your attorney present. A car accident lawyer is trained to spot red flags so they can help you maximize your compensation after a crash.
Legal Considerations
New York follows a pure comparative negligence system. In an action to recover damages for a car wreck, the accident victim can still recover compensation even if they were partly to blame. However, contributory negligence or assumption of risk may proportionately reduce the total amount of recoverable damages.
An experienced and knowledgeable New York car accident lawyer can help you prove that the other party’s negligence caused the crash so you may get the compensation you need to get better or manage your post-accident life. Effective legal representation can protect your rights as well as identify all of the parties that can be held accountable for the harm done.
How Pitta & Baione LLP Can Help With Your Car Accident Claim
Pitta & Baione LLP can represent you every step of the way after a New York car accident. We specialize in:
Investigation and Evidence Gathering
Our attorneys can investigate the accident and gather evidence that can help establish liability. Examples include car maintenance records, text messages, camera footage, photographs, weather and accident reports, eyewitness accounts, police reports, and more. We can partner with other professionals to help create a fuller picture of the events leading to your accident and prove in court that the other party was at fault for your injuries.
Negotiation and Settlement
We are experienced negotiators who do not settle for less than you deserve. During the settlement process, we will protect your interests and help ensure that the other side’s attorneys take your claim very seriously and do not try to manipulate the facts.
Litigation and Trial
Litigation is the next step if the parties are unable to reach a settlement. Not all cases go to trial. You need an attorney who understands when to negotiate and when to take the case to court.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The following are some frequently asked questions about motor vehicle accident claims in New York. For a specific consultation about your case, contact Pitta & Baione LLP today.
How Much Compensation Can I Receive for a Car Accident Claim?
A car accident compensation lawyer advocates on your behalf to help you get compensation for medical bills, expenses paid for the damage done to your vehicle and property, missed pay for the time taken off work, pain and suffering, and other damages. These costs vary depending on the nature of the accident, the severity of the harm caused, the other driver’s liability, and the skill of your car accident injury attorney.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim?
Most New York accident injury claims carry a statute of limitations of three years. This means that within three years from the date of your accident, you must have filed a lawsuit in a court of appropriate jurisdiction. If the claim is against a municipality such as a county, town, city or one of its agencies, this time limit is even shorter: a 90 day deadline to file a notice of claim and one year and 90 days to file the actual suit. Certain exceptions apply in New York, so consult an attorney as soon as possible if you have questions or concerns.
What Should I Do if I Am Partially at Fault for the Accident?
If you believe you are partially at fault for an accident, you can still hire an attorney. New York is a pure comparative negligence jurisdiction, which means that regardless of your level of fault in an accident, you can still recover damages; however, your recovery will be reduced in proportion to your percentage of fault. To illustrate with an example, if you are 10% at fault in an accident, you may recover 90% of the total damages from the other party (as you would owe 10% of the damages).
How Are Medical Expenses Handled in a Car Accident Claim?
If you’re in a car accident, your medical bills are usually the most important part of your settlement. In other words, your medical expenses will make up the bulk of your claim in most cases. The at-fault driver’s insurance may be responsible for covering your past and future medical expenses. In case the driver of an uninsured vehicle caused the crash, you may rely on your uninsured motorists coverage for your medical expenses.
Contact Pitta & Baione LLP For a Free Consultation
Legal support after a New York car accident is just a phone call away. A car crash attorney can help you navigate the legal complexities of your case and achieve a favorable outcome. Contact Pitta & Baione LLP today for a free consultation and learn how we can help.
