Being involved in a car accident is often a terrifying and overwhelming experience. When you’ve suffered a crash injury as a result, your world can turn upside down. A Manhattan car accident lawyer can provide you with injury help, providing you with the guidance you need for your case.
At Gregory Spektor & Associates, P.C., our trusted team of professionals are here to assist you through every step of the claim process. A lawyer can provide legal support and reassurance while you recover from your car crash injury.
Need injury support? Contact us now to learn more about our attorney services and to schedule your free consultation.
Why Choose Our Manhattan Car Accident Attorney?
After a car crash, getting legal assistance and crash support can be essential to receiving a favorable settlement. Choosing the right legal counsel for you should be one of the first steps on your journey to recovering accident compensation.
Our Manhattan accident lawyer provides clients with:
- Free consultation: Every case starts with a free case evaluation with a lawyer. They will listen to your story and explain how NY car accident law applies to your claim.
- Legal advice: With the help of an experienced accident lawyer, you can better understand the claim process. Your attorney can also help you make strategic decisions about your claim.
- Claims assistance: We will file and manage your auto injury claim, so you can focus on healing.
- Legal Representation: Whether it’s negotiating with the insurance company or representing you in the courtroom, your Manhattan personal injury lawyer is your advocate, acting on your behalf to resolve your claim and maximize compensation.
- Transparent Communication: Clear communication is a critical part of our lawyer services. Keeping our clients advised allows them to make informed choices about their claim.
When you’ve been hurt, you can count on our Manhattan crash counsel to provide you with the compassionate legal help you deserve.
Common Causes of Car Accident in Manhattan
Understanding the causes of car accidents does not just help with prevention, it can also be vital to your injury claims. By determining what happened, you can build a strong foundation for your case.
- Drowsy driving: Studies have shown that nodding off at the wheel can be as dangerous as driving drunk.
- Driving under the influence: Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can cause misjudgment, delayed reactions, and inability to operate a vehicle.
- Speeding: Driving over the speed limit increases stopping distance and decreases reaction time. It can also increase the severity of a crash.
- Aggressive driving: Aggressive drivers put themselves and others at risk. Driving too fast, erratically, or suddenly braking can cause them to collide with another vehicle, bicyclist, or pedestrian.
- Distracted driving: Using one’s phone, eating or drinking, checking GPS, or speaking with passengers can cause a driver to take their eyes off the road and collide into another car or object.
- Weather: Poor weather can reduce visibility and make for slippery roads. In these cases, drivers may lose control of their vehicles or not recognize a hazard until it is too late.
- Intersection accidents: Left turn incidents, failing to yield the right of way, or failing to obey traffic signals can cause cars to collide at or within an intersection.
- Rear-end collisions: A rear end accident happens when the front of one car hits the back of another car.
- Reckless driving: Driving with disregard for others is extremely unsafe. By failing to operate a vehicle with appropriate care, these drivers put themselves, their passengers, and other road users at risk.
- Road conditions: Potholes, objects lying in the road, snow, or ice, all present hazardous conditions that can lead to an accident. Drivers may try to swerve or may lose control of their car.
- Ignoring stop signs: Ignoring stop signs or a “rolling stop,” can put drivers and others directly in harm’s way. Others approaching the intersection may not expect the driver to pull out and an accident can occur.
- Multi-vehicle accidents: On packed streets and highways, a single driver’s negligence can cause a chain reaction, damaging multiple cars and hurting a lot of people.
- Rollover accidents: A rollover occurs when a car flips on its top one or more times. Trucks, SUVs, and other vehicles with a higher point of gravity are more likely to roll.
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance: Bad brakes, faulty transmissions, overheating engines, and stalling vehicles are dangerous on the streets of Manhattan. Properly maintaining your car is crucial to everyone’s safety.
- Sideswipe accidents: A sideswipe occurs when vehicles impact along the side of each other.
- Unsafe lane changes: Unsafe lane changes, or merging accidents, can occur when drivers maneuver their vehicle in a negligent or reckless manner, causing collisions.
- Construction zone accidents: Drivers are required to slow down, stay alert, and proceed with care through work zones. These rules keep other road users and construction workers safe.
Types Of Car Accident in Manhattan
Any number of crashes can happen on the streets of Manhattan. Depending on the type of car accident, the results can leave behind wreckage and devastating harm.
Some types of car wrecks we see include:
- Rollover crashes: A single vehicle rollover, or a multiple vehicle crash that leads to a rollover, can lead to a totaled car and serious injuries.
- Head-on collisions: A head-on collision happens when the front of two vehicles collide. These crashes can have terrible consequences and lead to catastrophic injuries.
- T-bone collisions: A T-bone, or broadside collision, occurs when the front of one vehicle hits the side of another. This most often occurs when one vehicle fails to obey traffic signals or laws.
- Hit and run accidents: A hit-and-run happens when a driver collides with another vehicle and flees the scene to avoid accountability. Your New York car insurance uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) coverage should compensate you in the event of a hit-and-run.
- Ridesharing accidents: Uber and Lyft are becoming an increasingly popular option for Manhattans. If you were a passenger in a ridesharing accident, it is important to seek legal advice on how to pursue compensation.
- Pedestrian Crashes: Manhattan is host to bustling streets and busy sidewalks. However, sometimes, these two things don’t mix and a pedestrian can find themselves run down by a negligent driver.
- Intersection Accidents: Intersections are one of the most common locations for crashes. Left turn accidents, broadsides, rear end collisions, and many other types of incidents can occur when multiple vehicles come upon an intersection.
Car Accident Injury Statistics in Manhattan, NY
In densely populated areas like Manhattan, car crashes are bound to occur. In just the first six months of 2024, the borough saw over 3,000 crashes. Driver inattention was a leading cause of these incidents, resulting in 1,113 crashes.
These crashes resulted in a total of 23 fatalities. Specifically, 3 cyclists, 17 pedestrians, and 3 motorists were killed. During that same time, 3,805 injuries occurred with 785 cyclists, 945 pedestrians, and 2,075 motorists hurt.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries in Manhattan
When an auto crash happens, injury is likely a result. Even the most minor of incidents can lead to serious harm.
Some common types of injuries include:
- Spinal cord injury: Damage to the vertebrae, discs, and nerves in the spine can be painful and immobilizing. A severed or crushed spine may even cause paralysis.
- Fractures: Broken bones can result in a long and painful recovery, limiting mobility and seriously impacting your daily life.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI): A brain injury occurs when something strikes the head, or when the brain impacts the inside of the skull. Concussions are a minor type of TBI. Severe injuries can impact motor function, cognitive abilities, and memory.
- Soft tissue injury: Damage to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons can limit mobility and take time to fully recover.
- Whiplash: Whiplash occurs when the head is thrown back-and-forth or side-to-side, causing strain to the neck and back. Medical intervention can be necessary.
- Internal injuries: Internal bleeding can have serious implications for car crash victims. Depending on the severity of the injury, medical intervention may be necessary to prevent further harm.
- Nerve damage: Pinched or severed nerves can be debilitating. Victims may experience pain or be unable to function normally.
- Paralysis: If the spine is severely damaged, a person may experience partial paralysis, paraplegia, or quadriplegia.
- Burns: Combustible materials and chemicals in vehicles can cause burns. This can result in severe injuries requiring multiple surgeries and possibly permanent disfigurement.
- Knee Injuries: Knee and other leg injuries from car accidents can be painful and disabling. When any part of the bone, cartilage, or ligament is damaged, victims may find themselves immobilized and struggling through months of physical therapy.
- Amputation: The loss of a limb is one of the most catastrophic injuries that can occur in a crash. Dismemberment may occur in the course of the accident, or the resulting damage may make amputation necessary.
- Chest injuries: Trauma to the chest, like from a seatbelt or airbag, can cause bruising and fractures to the ribs, punctured lungs, ruptures, or internal bleeding.
- Organ damage: Damage to organs can be life-threatening. Depending on the seriousness of the injury, an individual may partially or completely lose function of an organ.
What Types of Damages Can I Recover in a Car Accident Case?
Three types of damages are available in car injury cases: economic, non-economic, and punitive damages.
Economic and non-economic damages are compensatory damages. In other words, these damages are intended to compensate the victim for their financial and non-financial losses caused by the incident. Examples include:
- Economic: Lost wages, medical bills, vehicle repairs, and expenses-related to the crash.
- Non-Economic: Pain and suffering, disfigurement, loss of consortium, and emotional trauma.
Punitive damages, on the other hand, are intended to punish a defendant. These damages are only available in cases where the at-fault party acted in a malicious or reckless manner, or with wanton disregard for others.
How Much Is My Car Accident Case Worth in Manhattan?
In New York there is no cap on damages, this means there is unlimited potential for compensation. The value of your claim, however, will ultimately depend on the circumstances, your injuries, and the sources of compensation available.
Moreover, NY is a “pure” comparative negligence state. This means that even if you were partially to blame for your crash injury, you can still recover compensation. For instance, if your claim is worth $100,000 and you were 30% liable, you could recover $70,000 in injury compensation.
Your Manhattan car crash lawyer can help you understand the value of your case, accounting for all losses to maximize your potential compensation.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Manhattan?
Taking the right steps after a crash is vital to securing your right to compensation. Knowing what to do and how to proceed can be invaluable during such a chaotic situation.
- Seek immediate medical attention: It is vital to promptly seek medical help. This ensures your health and documents the injuries that resulted from the car wreck.
- Contact the authorities: You should call the police after a minor car accident or severe car wreck. Police can secure the scene and document what occurred.
- Gather evidence: If you are able, take photos and videos of the accident scene, damage to your vehicle, and any visible injuries. You should also try to gather witness information.
- Contact a car accident attorney: Seeking lawyer help early can be essential to efficiently and effectively managing your claim.
- File a Claim: Your injury attorney can help you file a car accident claim with your insurance and at-fault parties, if necessary.
- Keep good records: Keep track of all bills, expenses, and a daily diary of your symptoms. This can help your lawyer maximize your compensation by showing evidence of your losses.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Car Accident Case in Manhattan?
With some exceptions, there is a three-year statute of limitations for car crash claims in New York. This means that you must file a lawsuit within that time to secure your claim, otherwise you can be forever barred from recovering. In wrongful death cases, the timeframe is even shorter, with just a two-year statute of limitations. If the defendant is part of the government, the statute of limitations is only one year and 90 days.
Making a timely personal injury filing crucial. Your crash attorney can help you determine the statute of limitations in your case and make a timely filing to secure your legal rights.
How Can a Manhattan Car Crash Lawyer Help You?
An injury lawyer can not only help you determine what steps to take after a car accident, they can also support and represent you throughout the claim process. We use our knowledge and skills to help our clients pursue and secure adequate crash compensation so they can rebuild their lives. Our attorney services include:
- Claim filing
- Gathering evidence
- Negotiating with the insurance company
- Pursuing additional compensation from at-fault parties
- Taking legal action
- Discovery
- Pre-trial motions and proceedings
- Trial representation
We pride ourselves on providing our clients with comprehensive legal services and law guidance, giving them peace of mind that their claim is being effectively managed.
What Happens if My Case Goes to Trial in Manhattan?
Occasionally, car accident cases go to court. Your Manhattan auto accident lawyer can explain the process, what to expect during trial, and present your case to the judge and jury. Trials can last several days, with each side presenting their arguments, presenting evidence, and taking testimony from witnesses. The judge or jury will render a verdict after each side has an opportunity to present their claims and defenses.
How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost in Manhattan?
Financial hardships may make injury victims hesitant to seek accident help. Your finances shouldn’t be a barrier to getting attorney support. At Gregory Spektor & Associates, P.C., our car accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means that you only pay attorney fees if we win.
Typically, our lawyers charge a 33% fee, or one-third of your final settlement or jury award. During your lawyer consultation, they will explain their fees and any other costs. The first consultation is always free.
Contact Our Manhattan Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
When another driver comes crashing into your vehicle and life, you may not know where to turn. A Manhattan car accident attorney at Gregory Spektor & Associates, P.C. can help. Our law firm provides injury victims with comprehensive and compassionate legal support, helping set expectations and make strategic claim decisions.
Contact us now at 1 (800)-318-8888 to schedule a free consultation. Let us handle the insurance company, so you can get your life back-on-track.
