Car accidents can cause severe health and financial setbacks for those involved. Selecting and hiring a New York auto accident attorney takes the burden of filing a claim and proving liability off of you personally. Still, many people wonder if enlisting an attorney is worth the expense.
Those who avoid seeking help from an experienced lawyer miss out on opportunities to recover maximum compensation. Insurance companies and liable parties may try to resist covering medical bills or other expenses without legal intervention.
Don’t make the mistake of filing an auto accident claim on your own. The attorneys at Sattler Law Group PC explain how you can benefit from hiring a lawyer.
Car Accidents, Injuries, and Filing a Claim
The State of New York reports hundreds of thousands of vehicle collisions a year. Sometimes these car crashes cause injuries or thousands of dollars in property damage. If you operate a motor vehicle, you risk experiencing physical harm due to a collision.
In serious car accident cases, these injuries can lead to debilitating medical conditions, like broken bones or brain injuries. If you sustain injuries from a collision, you should seek medical help and keep track of your diagnosis and hospital expenses.
Understanding your condition helps you and your attorney pursue the appropriate amount of compensation.
Major Injuries
Significant or traumatic injuries may occur suddenly or begin to develop in the days following the accident. Types of catastrophic injury include:
- Penetrative wounds
- Concussion
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Collapsed lung
- Spinal damage
- Broken bones
- Lacerations
- Burns
- Internal bleeding
New York only allows a 90-day window to file your claim for personal injury protection (no fault). Sometimes, those injured in a car crash wait too long to file because they do not recognize immediate symptoms. For example, Traumatic Brain Injury is not always evident until cognitive issues like memory loss start to appear.
A New York auto accident attorney works with you to file a claim as soon as possible following the incident. This strategy reduces your risk of missing the deadline to obtain treatment for your injuries.
Minor Injuries
Minor injuries occur from collisions that create little or no physical harm to the occupants. Still, a New York car accident attorney still works to help you recover losses no matter how insignificant they may seem. Consider taking this route if you spend any money treating:
- Cuts
- Bruises
- Migraines
- Scars
Additionally, car accident counseling may be necessary for those who experience emotional distress. Your attorney considers these factors when negotiating with insurance companies and liable parties.
Attorneys and the No-Fault State
Understanding insurance is crucial to filing a claim correctly. New York law dictates that every driver/owner is responsible for maintaining car insurance. This policy protects motorists by offering a direct route to compensation following an accident.
Moreover, New York is a no-fault state, meaning if you are injured in a motor vehicle accident you must file a claim for your medical treatment and lost wages with the insurance company for the vehicle you are occupying at the time regardless of who caused the accident. Your insurance may cover some or all of your expenses.
However, don’t expect this to be a simple process. Many insurance companies do their best to pay less by diminishing the value of accident claims. Prepare for a struggle if you choose to confront insurance companies alone.
An accident attorney communicates to these entities on your behalf. Insurance companies sometimes concede when confronted by a knowledgeable New York auto accident attorney.
How Does a Car Accident Lawyer Help?
What can a car accident lawyer do that you can’t? Surprisingly, quite a bit. A car accident attorney helps streamline the filing process by gathering evidence, organizing witnesses, and negotiating fair settlements with painstaking detail.
If you are managing financial loss after an accident, you may not have the time or resources to complete these duties alone. A car accident lawyer dedicates themselves to helping you throughout the entire process. Moreover, a lawyer has the power of their whole firm behind them. Let’s explore their responsibilities in greater detail:
Investigation
At the scene of an accident, you might not be in a position to take pictures or gather the information you need for a claim. Your lawyer can collect and assess police reports for crucial details about the crash.
Evidence is essential to proving your case if you decide to take responsible parties to court. An attorney might spend weeks organizing comprehensive material and witness testimony.
Completing these duties independently can be challenging if you are recovering in the hospital. Surgeries and medication may prevent you from communicating with insurance companies or other parties. Hiring a lawyer allows you to focus on recovery while they do the groundwork.
Determining Liability
Proving liability can be tricky. Luckily, in no-fault states like New York, you do not need to prove liability to receive medical coverage or lost wages from as every occupant of the car (or pedestrian) received personal injury protection coverage. However, your attorney will still have to build a case against responsible parties to recover for you pain and suffering or additional economic losses.
Value Assessment
A New York auto accident attorney can help you calculate the total value of your losses. With years of experience, they ensure that you don’t miss any expense.
An attorney helps you factor in details like:
- Emergency medical care
- Property loss (vehicle)
- Additional property damage (eyeglasses, mobile devices, etc.)
- Long-term treatment
- Psychological or emotional distress
Negotiations
When the insurance company attempts to push back or diminish the value of your claim, you need a skillful negotiator. A car accident lawyer in New York can meet with you to discuss expectations. They work to reach a comfortable agreement between you and the insurance company or litigate the matter in court.
Legal Proceedings
If you must pursue further compensation against liable parties, your attorney will serve a complaint and then deal with the responsible party’s lawyer who is often hired by the insurance company. This action opens a new round of negotiations that may last months or even years as the matter progresses through the court system.
Be patient and remain honest with your lawyer throughout the process. They have the education and resources to support you as long as you need. In the meantime, they can continue building your case if negotiations are unfruitful.
When Should I Find a Car Accident Lawyer?
In a single word: Immediately. Don’t wait for your insurance company to call before contacting a car accident lawyer. Investing in a solution now enables you to ask for help at a moment’s notice.
Be proactive in your search by looking up law firms with five-star reviews, like Sattler Law Group PC.
Reviews and testimonials are excellent ways to determine which car accident lawyer is right for you. Additionally, you can explore these law offices’ websites to gather more information about their services.
Partner with a Car Accident Lawyer in New York
It’s time to enlist a car accident lawyer in New York you can trust. Sattler Law Group PC attorneys are here to help. Our law practitioners help hundreds of clients with their claims every year.
We represent clients who experience injuries from auto collisions, motorcycle accidents, trucking accidents, and more. Our firm prides itself on providing respectful counseling with deep knowledge of New York state laws.
We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. We will work tirelessly to develop personalized solutions for your case and support you throughout the process.
Schedule a free consultation at Sattler Law Group PC. Call us in New Rochelle, NY, at 914-239-4900 or New York City, NY, at 212-766-4484.
