Trusted New York Auto Accident Lawyers
Serious car accident injuries can leave a victim with staggering medical bills, a sudden drop in income, and months or years of pain and suffering.
At Belluck & Fox, our New York City car accident lawyers are dedicated to fighting for the compensation you need to get your life back in order after an accident. We believe that you shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s negligence, and our attorneys have more than two decades of experience successfully holding at-fault parties accountable through a personal injury lawsuit.
Frequently Asked Questions About New York Car Accidents
Table of Contents
- 1 Frequently Asked Questions About New York Car Accidents
- 1.1 Q: Do I have to tell my insurance company about the accident?
- 1.2 Q: Do I really need an attorney?
- 1.3 Q: How long do I have to file a lawsuit for injuries or property damage?
- 1.4 Q: How much does it cost to hire an attorney?
- 1.5 Q: I Was a Victim in a Distracted Driving Crash. Can Charges be Brought?
- 1.6 Q: My medical bills are piling up after an accident that wasn’t my fault. Do I have to pay them?
- 1.7 Q: Should I accept a settlement offer?
- 1.8 Q: Should I see a doctor even if I feel OK?
- 1.9 Q: What happens if I caused a collision?
- 1.10 Q: What should I do if my brakes failed and caused an accident?
- 1.11 Q: What should I say if the other driver’s insurance company contacts me?
- 1.12 Q: What types of compensation can I get after a crash?
- 1.13 Q: Will my case go to trial?
- 2 Why You Should Hire An Auto Accident Attorney After A Car Accident
- 3 Call The Top Rated Car Accident Attorneys at Belluck & Fox For Help With Your Auto Accident Claim
- 4 Types of Compensation You Can Pursue After a NY Car Accident
- 5 Common Causes of Car Accidents in New York
- 6 Schedule a Free Case Consultation With a New York Car Accident Lawyer Now
Q: Do I have to tell my insurance company about the accident?
A: You are obligated to tell your insurer within a certain amount of time (which should be outlined in your policy) if you plan to seek compensation for your accident.
Q: Do I really need an attorney?
A: You can go it alone, but keep in mind that you will be a minnow in a shark tank once you begin negotiating. Insurance companies, automakers, auto parts manufacturers, and distributors don’t have one lawyer, they have teams of lawyers.
Q: How long do I have to file a lawsuit for injuries or property damage?
A: New York has a three-year statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit to pursue compensation for injuries or property damage.
Q: How much does it cost to hire an attorney?
A: We take vehicle collision cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you do not have to pay upfront for us to start working on your claim. We collect legal fees if and when we recover compensation for you.
Q: I Was a Victim in a Distracted Driving Crash. Can Charges be Brought?
A: Even if no criminal charges are filed against the driver, a victim may be able to bring an action for damages.
Q: My medical bills are piling up after an accident that wasn’t my fault. Do I have to pay them?
A: Medical expenses, existing and those to come, are part of the reason it’s important to have a lawyer on your side to fight for full and fair compensation for your injuries.
Q: Should I accept a settlement offer?
A: Do not sign anything or accept any settlement offer without speaking to one of our knowledgeable attorneys. The insurance companies have lawyers working to protect their interests. You deserve to have the same.
Q: Should I see a doctor even if I feel OK?
A: Yes. Don’t take chances with your health. Injuries such as whiplash aren’t always immediately evident, and those scratches and bruises might be outward signs of internal problems.
Q: What happens if I caused a collision?
A: Never assume that you are the one at fault. New York state’s “comparative fault” law allows for both parties to be partially responsible. It’s important that you discuss exactly what happened with an experienced attorney to learn what your rights are.
Q: What should I do if my brakes failed and caused an accident?
A: Defective parts can cause wrecks. That’s why it’s a good idea not to jump to conclusions about who is at fault. Let the experts investigate and determine what caused the crash.
Q: What should I say if the other driver’s insurance company contacts me?
A: You don’t have to explain anything to the other driver’s insurance company. The best thing to do is refer them to your attorney.
Q: What types of compensation can I get after a crash?
A: Compensation depends on the circumstances of the collision and the severity of injuries and property damage. The attorneys at Belluck & Fox seek maximum compensation for:
- Medical bills
- The cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle
- Lost income from time missed on the job
- Pain and suffering, both physical and mental
- Punitive damages, in cases where extreme misconduct or criminal actions led to harm
Q: Will my case go to trial?
A: That answer depends on the circumstances in your case. Most cases settle before a verdict is delivered, but the settlement might come at the last possible minute.
Why You Should Hire An Auto Accident Attorney After A Car Accident
After a serious New York City car accident, you and your family may be completely overwhelmed just trying to cope with your injuries and get through each day. You shouldn’t have to go to battle with an insurance company or dig for evidence to prove what happened. That’s the job for an experienced nyc car accident lawyer.
At Belluck & Fox, our skilled NY car accident attorneys:
- Manage all communication with insurance companies and the at-fault party. We are fierce in negotiations against those who try to pressure our clients into low-ball settlement offers.
- Gather extensive documentation of your motor vehicle accident to support your claim for maximum compensation. Our detail-oriented attorneys will track down your medical records, proof of lost income, police reports, witness statements, and any other evidence that we need to build a strong case.
- Identify all possible sources of compensation. That could include tapping into your uninsured motorist coverage (UM) or underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. Or it could mean pursuing compensation from the manufacturer or motor vehicle company of a defective vehicle or a specific auto part that led to your crash.
- Build a strong case with in-depth understanding of New York accident laws. New York is a “comparative fault” state, which means the other party may try to argue that you were partially at-fault for the accident in order to reduce the amount of compensation you could receive. That’s why we will aggressively work to show how negligent the other party really was.
- Ensure time doesn’t run out on your car accident claims. New York has a strict time limit, known as a statute of limitations, on how long you have to file an auto collision lawsuit. Our attorneys will keep your case moving forward to make sure all deadlines are met in your claim for compensation.
You may have heard before that New York is a “no-fault” state, meaning in motor vehicle accident cases, victims typically must go through their own insurers to file a claim for compensation, regardless of who is at fault. However, depending on the severity of your injuries, you may have the right to pursue additional damages from the at-fault party. When you sit down with our skilled accident attorneys, we will go over all the details of your case to develop a plan for pursuing maximum compensation.
Call The Top Rated Car Accident Attorneys at Belluck & Fox For Help With Your Auto Accident Claim
- High-quality NY car accident lawyers with more than 20 years of experience
- Excellent track record of success, securing more than $1 billion in verdicts & settlements
- Consistently recognized for professional representation and personalized service
- Top-rated law firm, highly recommended by satisfied clients and trusted legal professionals
- Focused on fighting for the best possible outcome for clients after serious auto accidents
- Resources to investigate claims and uncover essential evidence
- Connections to popular and respected expert witnesses
- Dedicated to maintaining good communication with clients throughout the legal process
- Reasonable rates and no fee unless our attorneys secure compensation for you
- Authorized to handle claims involving all types of motor vehicles
Types of Compensation You Can Pursue After a NY Car Accident
At Belluck & Fox, when our attorneys take on your case, our goal is to recover full and fair compensation for you and your suffered injuries. Although no two auto accident cases are exactly alike, one thing holds true: Money can’t turn back the clock and reverse what you have been put through, but it can lessen your financial burden.
Our New York motor vehicle accident attorneys frequently fight for:
- Payment for past and future medical bills
- Compensation for lost income, as well as your reduced earning potential for the future
- Payment for damage to your vehicle
- Awards for the pain and suffering you have been put through due to your injury
- Punitive damages, which are meant to punish the at-fault party for extreme misconduct
An insurance company may have already approached you with an injury settlement offer. It is imperative that you speak with one of our dedicated New York car wreck lawyers before you sign your rights away.
Let us evaluate your case to give you a true picture of the injury claim compensation you deserve. Contact the experienced New York City lawyers Belluck & Fox now to get started.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in New York
The New York State Department of Health lists vehicle collisions as “the leading cause of injury-related death for New York State residents.”
Some of the most common causes of car wrecks in New York include:
- Driver inattention or driver distraction
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Driver fatigue or drowsiness
- Defective tires or brakes
- Failure to yield right of way
- Pedestrians
- Backing up unsafely
- Improper turns
- Driver inexperience
- Unsafe road conditions
- Trucks
- Motorcycles
NY traffic incident statistics can be terrifying, especially when you know that behind each number is a person and a family whose lives could have been forever changed. At Belluck & Fox, we treat every client with the personalized attention and compassion you deserve. To us, you are not a claim number or a statistic, you are a person who is hurting and deserves justice and guidance through legal advice.
Schedule a Free Case Consultation With a New York Car Accident Lawyer Now
Time is always a factor in car wreck cases. With every day that passes, the evidence is swept away and memories fade. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a wreck, you need to speak with one of our skilled NY auto accident law firm attorneys as soon as possible.
Schedule a free consultation with our top New York lawyers for personal injuries today, and find out how we can fight for the compensation you need to get your life back.
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