Manhattan Car Accident Lawyer

Car accidents happen every day. If your crash injuries were caused by another’s recklessness, reach out to a highly trained car accident attorney in Manhattan for help obtaining the compensation you deserve.

It isn’t all that unusual to get into a car accident in Manhattan. A significant population, with each person in a hurry to get where they are going, makes for a lot of moving vehicles that aren’t always operated as carefully as they should be.

At Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP, we understand how difficult it can be to deal with the aftermath of a car accident. You’re managing significant injuries, you’re unable to work, and now you need compensation for the rising stack of bills. Unfortunately, you’re unfamiliar with the court system, and now you’re not sure how to file a claim and get your compensation.

If you have been in a car accident in Manhattan, there might be factors at play that you aren’t even aware of at the time of the accident. You could even experience injuries that you don’t realize right away. This is just one of the many reasons you might need to consult an experienced Manhattan car accident lawyer.

Manhattan Driving Conditions and Car Accidents

Manhattan is a densely populated urban area, so there are always plenty of opportunities for an auto wreck to happen. Although some cities see very few accidents each month, the New York City Police Department reported 19,246 car accidents in the month of November 2018 alone.

At least 5,955 of these car accidents occurred due to driver inattention and could have been prevented. Following too closely runs second for the top reasons for accidents in November 2018, at 2,032.

In other words, the majority of the accidents that happen in Manhattan can be prevented, and there is every reason to believe your car accident could have been avoided, as well. You should not have to carry a burden you didn’t create. The experienced attorneys at Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP can ensure that if your accident is caused by someone else, you receive the compensation you deserve.

What Causes Car Accidents in Manhattan?

Once you’ve experienced a car accident, understanding what happened and why will be an important part of your claim. If you’ve suffered a serious injury, you might need to take your claim to court in Manhattan. If this happens, you’ll need to know who’s responsible for your damages.

Unfortunately, some crashes can be a little confusing. For example, who’s responsible for a T-bone accident? These crashes can be complex because it will depend on who was illegally passing through the intersection.

In this case and others, you’ll need a lawyer to help you investigate. An attorney can help you gather evidence of whether the traffic light had changed and how fast the other driver was going. By determining what happened, such as another driver running a red light, you can prove that you weren’t at fault for the accident.

In some cases, the other driver’s actions might be grounds for a criminal trial, too, which affects your car accident claim. For example, if they’re charged with a DUI, they’ll be subject to a criminal trial before your car accident lawsuit can proceed, and this can help your case. If they’re convicted of a crime, that provides more evidence they caused the crash that injured you.

Risks of Car Accidents in Manhattan

Car accidents can cause multiple unforeseen damages. It’s hard to tell exactly what some of these might be, but at the very least, property damage will be one issue. Even what seems like a minor Manhattan accident can cause thousands of dollars in damages, and your car could be totaled. Even if you weren’t injured, car repairs are pricey and can take time.

In many cases, you might also experience lost time from work due to physical injuries. When you’re unable to work, it doesn’t just put stress on you. You might have a family to support. If you’re the main earner in the family, a car accident can put additional stress on the rest of your family when you’re unable to afford rent, groceries, and other basic needs.

On a long-term basis, the car accident might even result in indirect physical issues. Sometimes, there might also be mental health considerations in the form of injuries such as PTSD. Although these injuries are intangible, they’re no less painful and frightening than a physical injury. PTSD can mean severe reactions such as flashbacks, paranoia, and anxiety, all of which can affect your everyday life.

To prevent making the situation worse than it has to be, contact the Manhattan police immediately following a car accident and be sure to have your insurance information readily available.

New York Law Can Affect Your Car Accident Claim

When you’re preparing for a lawsuit in New York, you’ll need to understand the laws and statutes that will govern your claim. These laws can affect your compensation, potentially reducing the total amount you’ll receive. In some cases, your claim might be dismissed completely.

For example, you need to file your car accident claim within three years. If you don’t act in time, your case will be dismissed, and you’ll be barred you from recovery. This means that you’ll be responsible for any and all expenses related to your accident, which can be an overwhelming amount.

It can be easy to miss this deadline when you’re injured. You’re trying to keep up with many other tasks already, and now you’re trying to handle a civil lawsuit, too. An experienced lawyer can help ensure your claim is filed on time and error-free.

Negligence Laws and Car Accidents

Unfortunately, there are other ways to lose your compensation. When you’re involved in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident, you’ll need to look at your own involvement in the accident, too. The defense will likely try to pin any blame possible on you, and it can hurt your claim.

For example, let’s say you were talking on the phone during your accident. You didn’t cause the accident, but you weren’t paying enough attention to avoid the accident, either. In this case, they might claim that you’re at least 20 percent at fault for the accident.

This means that you might only be able to recover 80 percent of your compensation. If that seems like plenty, consider this: You should have received $100,000 to cover all of your bills, repairs, and suffering. If you don’t dispute these accusations of negligence, you’ll have $20,000 less to cover all of your expenses.

Suing the Government in Manhattan

If your injury was caused by a government entity, such as a state-owned vehicle or a road hazard, which the Department of Transportation is responsible for, your claim can be even more complex. It’s difficult to sue the government, so be sure that you have a car crash attorney on your side before you start.

Remember that you’ll have a limited time to get started. Instead of the usual three years, you’ll have just three months to file a claim against a government entity. Worse, claims against the government come with more complex steps, which can be difficult to track when you’re injured. If you’ll need compensation from a government agency, be sure there’s a lawyer on your side to protect your funds.

Determining Fault in Car Accidents

New York is a no-fault state, so you might recover your expenses from your insurance or the insurance of the person who hit you. In either case, no-fault insurance coverage does not apply to bodily injury and must meet several requirements. If you don’t meet these requirements, you might be legally denied coverage.

For example, you must turn in paperwork to the insurance company within 30 days of the accident, and it must include everything that the insurance company requires, including the application, police report, and any other document outlined in the policy.

To ensure that your application has the best possible chance of approval, it’s a good idea to let your lawyer help you fill it out. Every step of a car accident can often require the expertise of qualified Manhattan accident attorneys.

Importance of an Experienced Manhattan Car Accident Attorney

There are many reasons it’s important to contact a lawyer immediately, primarily because there are time constrictions on filing certain documents. From insurance companies to courthouses, timeliness is often an essential element of getting the results you need.

To avoid overlooking important steps and details, it’s also important not just to have a lawyer, but also to have an experienced Manhattan car accident lawyer from Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP.

Experience with the laws, traffic patterns, and Manhattan courts in general, could mean the difference between receiving the compensation you deserve and missing a minor point that could make or break a case. No one wants to go to court, but you shouldn’t have to foot the bill for someone else’s mistake.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in the Manhattan area, call 1-800-VICTIM2 (842-8462) immediately. Your consultation is free, and you won’t pay for representation until you receive a settlement for your injuries.