Queens Car Accident Lawyer

A serious car accident occurred in Queens, resulting in multiple injuries. If you or a loved one have been involved in car accidents in Queens, you may contact a Queens car accident lawyer to thoroughly review your case and pursue compensation for any damages and costs you have incurred. Call Spektor & Associates, P.C., at 1 (800) 318-8888 to schedule a free consultation today.

The Spektor & Associates, P.C., law firm is a team of seasoned and successful accident lawyers who are well-versed in handling car accident cases for their clients. Our Queens personal injury lawyers specialize in car accident cases, providing compassionate and dedicated legal support to help you recover physically, emotionally, and financially. Following automobile accidents or other personal injuries, we can assist you with any legal advice and counsel you may need.

Why Choose a Queens Car Accident Attorney

At Gregory Spektor & Associates, P.C., our team of Queens car accident lawyers have the knowledge to handle your auto accident case to conclusion. We have a proven track record of representing our clients with care, dedication, and compassion in all issues related to car accidents, including recovering millions of dollars in insurance settlements and verdicts. We’ll work tirelessly as your advocate to get you the compensation results you deserve.

We’ll keep in close contact with you at every step of the process, so you’ll always know what’s going on and where your case stands.

We work on a contingency fee basis. That means you won’t owe any money or fees upfront. We only get paid at the end of the case if we recover compensation, i.e., a monetary award, for you. In the meantime, you can focus on yourself, your family, and your own recovery without worrying about any other bills or expenses.

How Queens Car Accident Lawyers Can Help You

If you have sustained any injuries, or had your insurance claim denied, or are fighting to establish liability, you could greatly benefit from contacting the Queens car accident attorneys at Spektor & Associates, P.C., as soon as possible to protect your rights. An attorney can make life a lot easier for you at this stressful moment in several key areas:

• Case evaluation: Based on our knowledge of New York traffic laws, insurance regulations, and evidentiary standards, as well as the specific details of your accident in Queens, we can authoritatively advise you of your rights, determine your options, and recommend the best way for you to proceed in the claims process.
• Evidence gathering: If we agree that your injuries are compensable under the law, we will interview witnesses, review police reports, and gather other relevant facts, records, and other evidence to establish the full details of the accident—and who is liable for causing your injuries.
• Potential damages determination: We’ll review the extent of your injuries, your financial losses, as well as your physical prognosis in order to come up with a fair compensation figure to make a demand on the insurance company for the damages you’ve suffered.
• Interaction representation: Car accidents typically require extensive back and forth with insurance companies, medical providers, and other legal or business entities when you pursue a claim. We will speak on your behalf in all of these encounters as well as filing any paperwork that may be required, so you can focus fully on your physical and emotional recovery without unnecessary stress.
• Settlement or verdict resolution: With a strong case in hand, we will push tirelessly to reach an appropriate insurance settlement—but if we cannot negotiate a settlement that fairly compensates you for the accident impact, we are prepared to go to trial if necessary to get you the justice you deserve from a jury.

Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle in Queens

The following are among, but not limited to, the car accident cases that we handle for our clients:

• Rear-end collisions: Following too closely or not paying attention, can cause a driver to run into another vehicle. Getting rear ended can seriously damage your car and result in painful injuries. Our attorneys understand this and are ready to assist you with recovering adequate compensation. 
• Head-on collisions: Head-on collisions are a terrifying and, sometimes tragic, type of accident. These crashes occur when the front of vehicles moving in opposite directions collide. Often unsafe passing, drunk driving, drowsy driving, or distracted driving are the cause.

  

• Sideswipe accidents: Sideswipes happen when the sides of two vehicles run into each other. Misjudgments of distance, unsafe lane changes, or improper turning can all cause these types of collisions. The result of a sideswipe is usually serious damage to your vehicle and injuries.
• T-bone accidents: T-bones, also known as angle collisions, side impact accidents, or broadsides, happen when the front of one vehicle hits the side of another. Intersections are a notorious location for these type of crashes and they usually occur when one car disobeys traffic controls. If you were seriously hurt in a T-bone crash in Queens, let our car crash attorney help. 
• Rollover accidents: A rollover happens when a vehicle rolls onto its top, sometimes a vehicle may roll over multiple times. Certain vehicles like pickup trucks and SUVs with a higher center of gravity are at-risk of these types of accidents. Losing control of the vehicle or being hit are some ways a rollover can happen.
• Parking lot accidents: Parking lot accidents are often caused by driver errors. Drivers failing to check blindspots, driving too fast, or exiting negligently can lead to crashes. Even slow moving vehicles can cause serious damage and injuries.
• Blind spot accidents: All vehicles have a blind spot and drivers are responsible for checking for other vehicles in these areas. Failing to see a vehicle in your blindspot before turning, passing, or changing lanes can have severe consequences. 
• Intersection accidents: Any number of accidents can occur at intersections. When drivers turn negligently, or proceed illegally into traffic, serious crashes can happen. Sideswipes and broadside accidents are often the result.

Causes of Car Accidents in Queens

A variety of factors, often through no fault of your own, can cause car accidents. Possible causes include:

• Distracted driving: When a driver takes their eyes off the road to reach for something, change the radio, use their phone, or speak to a passenger they put everyone at risk. Distractions can lead to erratic driving or failure to obey traffic signals, causing accidents to happen.
• Driving under the influence: Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol inhibits awareness, decision-making abilities, and crucial reflexes. Impaired drivers can make misjudgments or be incapable of properly operating their vehicle, risking injury to themselves and other road users.
• Speeding: When a driver goes over the speed limit, they risk more than a ticket. Driving too fast can make stopping and maneuvering a vehicle challenging. Speed can be a factor that worsens a crash causing additional damage and harm.
• Aggressive driving: Aggressive or reckless driving is extremely dangerous to everyone. Common aggressive driving behaviors like cutting off others, excessive speed, and inappropriate braking all can cause collisions. 
• Tailgating: Following too closely often leads to rear end accidents. Tailgating decreases stopping distance between vehicles, making it difficult for the tailgater to stop or maneuver their vehicle when the front vehicle stops or turns.
• Traffic violations: Failing to obey traffic laws is not just a violation that risks fines and your license, it also can be unsafe. Traffic rules are in place to set expectations for all drivers using a road and reduce the risks of collisions.
• Unsafe passing: Passing another vehicle illegally or when it is unsafe can lead to sideswipes and head-on accidents. It is critical to follow the rules of the road and be vigilant before passing another car.
• Fatigued driving: Studies have shown that drowsy driving is as dangerous as drunk driving. Nodding off at the wheel can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicle, leading to run offs and collisions with other vehicles. 
• Freight traffic: In a busy borough like Queens, freight traffic is common. Unfortunately, the presence of large trucks moving freight and making deliveries can create hazardous conditions for other drivers.
• Unsafe reversing: Awareness of surroundings and proceeding with caution is crucial to safely backing up a vehicle. Drivers who reverse unsafely out of parking spaces, driveways, or on the road can run into moving or parked cars causing damage and injury.
• Vehicle issues: Defective products or poor maintenance can create dangerous situations for those in the vehicle and other road users. When vehicles stall or operate erratically, it can create hazards that put drivers, passengers, and others at risk of injury.
• Driver Error: Accidents happen. Misjudgments, distractions, or inexperience are just a few errors that can lead to a crash. When drivers are negligent in their responsibilities behind the wheel, the injuries can be devastating.

Most Common Car Accident Injuries in Queens

If you are the victim of a car crash in New York, you could suffer serious physical and psychological injuries or even death. Potential car accident injuries include:

• Whiplash: Whiplash is one of the most common car crash injuries. The force of a crash can cause serious strain to muscles and ligaments in the neck and back. Whiplash injuries can be painful and take time to heal. 
• Traumatic brain injuries: A TBI happens when something strikes the head injuring the brain or when the brain bounces, striking inside of the skull. Concussions are a minor type of TBI. More serious brain injuries can cause damage to motor function, cognitive function, and memory.
• Broken bones: Fractures are a common result of the impact of a crash. While some breaks may be minor, severe ones can require surgery, months to heal, and therapy to recuperate. 

• Cuts and lacerations: Broken glass, seatbelts, and flying objects can cause vehicle occupants to be cut during a crash. Serious lacerations may require stitches and other interventions to repair. It may also lead to permanent scarring and disfigurement. 

• Neck and spinal cord injuries: Impact and force can cause the body to move in unnatural ways damaging the neck and spinal cord. Crushing, severing, or other damage can be painful and potentially cause paralysis. 

• Torn ligaments: Torn ligaments are a painful and debilitating injury. Severe tears may require surgery and physical therapy to repair, leaving you suffering and possibly even unable to work.

• Burns: Burns from a car crash can be caused by fire or chemicals leaking from the vehicle. Burns may require multiple surgeries to repair and leave victims with permanent scarring and disfigurement.
• Emotional pain and trauma: Car crashes are a common cause of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychological trauma, flashbacks, and the emotional suffering that accompanies physical injuries can all result from a car accident.
• Internal injuries: Bruises, internal bleeding, and organ damage are some internal injuries that can result from car wrecks. While contusions may simply be painful, serious internal damage may require medical intervention to repair. 
• Soft tissue injury: Injuries affecting the muscles, ligaments, and tendons are all soft tissue injuries. Sprains, strains, and bruises can be caused by blunt force trauma and unnatural movements during a collision.
• Chest injuries: Chest injuries from a car accident include rib fractures, punctured lungs, ruptured diaphragm, and other internal damage. Seatbelts, getting crushed, or being hit by objects can cause this trauma. 
• Herniated disk: Pressure on the spine can cause the discs between vertebrae to bulge. A herniated disc is not only painful, but can cause weakness in the extremities. Rest and medical interventions are often required to recover.
• Knee Injuries: Impact on the knee or unnatural motion can damage the joint. The knee is made up of bone, cartilage, and ligaments. If any part is damaged, the resulting injury can be painful and disabling.
• Loss of limbs: Car accidents can lead to limbs being severed, resulting in instant amputation. Additionally, in some cases, amputation may be medically necessary and limbs may be removed as a result of severe injury or infection. The loss of limbs can be life-altering and disabling.
• Facial trauma: A strike to the face during a crash can cause contusions, lacerations, and fractures to facial bones. Severe facial trauma can result in permanent disfigurement. 

While some car accident injuries may be relatively minor, others can be long-lasting or even life-changing. Property damage can also be a factor. Even if there is minimal damage to the car, or cars, involved, you can still have lingering physical or emotional trauma—not to mention medical bills or other economic losses. You shouldn’t have to be responsible for those bills or live with pain because of another driver’s actions that leave you injured.

What to Do After a Queens Car Accident

Depending on the circumstances and conditions of the accident and the accident scene, and the severity of your injuries, you may be understandably panicked or confused. The accident victim must take the following actions consistent with the law:

Remain at the scene of the accident

It is a violation of New York state law to leave a car accident scene—you could be considered a hit-and-run driver resulting in a warrant issued for your arrest.

Check yourself and any passengers for injuries

Do a check on yourself and anyone traveling with you to see if you can identify any obvious physical injuries. The more you can tell a medical professional, including paramedics responding to the scene, about your physical state, the faster and more successfully you can be treated for any immediate harm.

Get medical help

Even if you appear to be okay, some injuries in motor vehicle accidents may not present with immediate symptoms. Please understand that you could be seriously hurt and not realize it until the next day or shortly thereafter when the accident-induced adrenaline or a feeling of disorientation wears off. Always call for an ambulance or visit a doctor or hospital as soon as possible to get examined by a medical practitioner.

Contact the police

Regardless of the severity of the accident in New York, you should call the police immediately, so they can evaluate the car accident scene, identify all drivers and witnesses involved, and complete a full accident report. This initial documentation is vital to any insurance claim that you make. For that same reason, it will also be critical information for the case prepared by the Queens car accident attorney that you hire.

Remain quiet

Do not admit to any wrongdoing or apologize, or make any statements relating to blame along those lines, even if you think you might have been at fault. The other party’s insurance adjuster and/or attorney may attempt to use this information against you as a way to deny your claim for insurance compensation.

Avoid making any agreements or settlements

At some point, perhaps early on, you may be pushed to accept an insurance settlement offer. While the proposed dollar amount may seem fair or expeditious at least superficially, it may also be far less compensation than you deserve—and far less than you could get if you proceed with legal representation.

That is why, before engaging in any communication with an insurance company, including your own, it is essential to consult with a Queens auto accident lawyer regarding your motor vehicle accident case.

Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Cases in Queens

Under New York law, an injury victim in most instances must file a lawsuit against the liable party or parties no later than three years from the date of the accident, otherwise the judicial system considers the claim null and void. This legal deadline is referred to as the statute of limitations.

While three years may seem like a lot of time, it is advisable to retain a team of experienced lawyers as soon as possible so that your rights to compensation can be protected promptly even starting in the early stages of the claims process.

Acting quickly can also allow for sufficient time for the attorneys to negotiate a fair settlement which ideally dispenses the need for litigation. Exceptions to the three-year rule exist, however, so this is another reason to avoid waiting until the last minute to hire a lawyer.

Car Accident Statistics

Preliminary data from the NHTSA, shows that an estimated 40,990 people died in car accidents nationwide in 2023. In just the first six months of 2024, New York City alone has seen 20,642 crashes, 141 fatalities, and 27,843 injuries. Driver inattention was the leading cause of these accidents, with 6,366 crashes resulting.

While the total number of car accidents citywide is less than the first 6 months of 2023 (21,344), there has been a slight increase in the number of fatalities (from 139 killed). However, the number of injuries decreased by nearly 2,000.

In the first six months of 2024, Queens specifically experienced a total of 5,532 crashes, 37 fatalities, and 7,556 injuries. It is the second most dangerous borough for motor vehicle crashes, accounting for over a quarter of all crashes in NYC annually and surpassed only by Brooklyn.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Queens Car Accident Victims?

After a motor vehicle accident in New York, you naturally have a lot of questions about your rights and the compensation you might be entitled to collect in the context of injury claims. In general, victims of car accidents could be eligible for three main types of damages:

Economic damages

Economic damages refer to the specific monetary and economic losses you suffer as a result of a car accident, such as:

• Medical bills, including doctor visits, tests, ambulance transport, surgical procedures, and additional treatment
• Loss of income, either from missed or terminated employment or the loss of future pay
• Present and ongoing medical and rehabilitation expenses, especially for long-term or permanent disabilities
• Repair or replacement or damaged property, including your motor vehicle.

Non-Economic damages

Non-economic damages are the losses that you suffer when you are injured that are less easily calculated, but have hurt you nonetheless. These may include pain, suffering, and emotional trauma.

Punitive damages

Punitive damages are a form of additional compensation that sometimes can be added to your claim only if the other party’s actions were found to be particularly reprehensible. This is a type of compensation, which is meant to have a deterrent effect, only available in the formal legal process, i.e., only if a claim is adjudicated in court.

When recognized, punitive damages go beyond negligence or carelessness—the responsible party must have acted in a significantly or extremely harmful way that society frowns upon. As part of giving full attention to your case, a committed attorney in our firm with a sound understanding of the elements of this allegation can assess whether you have a viable claim for punitive damages under New York law.

Factors That Determine Damages in Car Accident Claim

The amount of money damages for which you could be eligible in accidents, including for pain and suffering, depends on the specifics of your case and the exact losses you have suffered. Factors in damage calculations include:

• The extent and seriousness of your injuries, including any long-term or permanent issues
• The amount of your medical bills
• The amount of lost wages
• The extent of damage to your vehicle and/or other property
• Present and future medical and therapeutic care needed, including any rehabilitation or nursing care
• Present and future impacts to your earning and economic potential

Calculating the full total of these damages available from insurance or other sources is one of the responsibilities of the Queens car accident lawyers at Spektor & Associates. We will walk you through the process and the final valuation.

Contact Our Queens Car Accident Lawyer at Spektor & Associates, P.C.

When you are involved in a Queens car accident, you may need the help of a Queens car accident lawyer to represent your interests in court. They will provide legal assistance to recover lost wages and medical bills for your injuries and damages.

Call us at 800-318-8888 to schedule an appointment to discuss your legal options for your case.

Call Now: 1(800)-318-8888