A New York Accident Lawyer Can Help You Understand the No-Fault Insurance System
New York City is a city where car accidents are a common occurrence. Some of these accidents can cause serious injuries even if they're minor accidents. The injured party must immediately contact 911 and seek medical attention.
A New York car accident lawyer can assist victims with their legal needs following the crash. They can help victims get compensation for medical bills and lost income.
No-fault Insurance
New York is an insurance no-fault state. This means that motorists pedestrians, passengers and passengers as well as bicyclists and cyclists are covered automatically by their insurance policies for automobiles. This includes medical expenses, lost wages and other related costs to an accident. While this system has helped protect car accident victims from being buried due to out-of-pocket costs, it is important to know what it does and does not mean.
In order to qualify to benefit from No-Fault insurance, you have to meet certain requirements. You must first and foremost have been injured in an accident in New York. You must also be a driver, passenger in the insured vehicle or a pedestrian or bicyclist struck by the vehicle. The injured party also must be treated in a hospital or by a licensed medical professional. In addition you must have sustained an "serious injury."
New York State Insurance Law defines serious injuries as a permanent impairment or loss of function. These are all extremely serious injuries that could have a significant negative impact on the person's life. If you have been seriously injured in an New York car accident, an experienced New York injury attorney can assist you in obtaining the compensation that you deserve.
A lawyer can assist you with the legal process in numerous ways following a serious car accident. They can explain your legal options, conduct an extensive investigation, and engage with the insurance company on your behalf. They can also make a court-filed lawsuit on your behalf against the driver who caused the accident.
There is a chance that you will have to pay astronomical medical bills, lost wages and other expenses after a serious auto accident. These expenses can be paid for by no-fault insurance and you should seek treatment immediately following a collision, even if it feels as if you're in good shape.
If you are unable to return work because of an accident, no-fault insurance can pay up to $2,000 in lost wages per month. It can also cover an important portion of the cost you incur out-of-pocket, including the cost of household assistance.
Insurance companies typically schedule an IME (Independent Medical Examination) or EUO, or an Exam Under Oath. The requirement to attend is that failing to attend could result in denial of benefits retroactively.
Purely comparative fault
In many car accident lawsuits, plaintiffs are either completely or partially accountable for the crash. The law grants injured parties to recover damages in proportion to their share of fault. This is called pure comparative negligence. Pure comparative is different from modified comparative, which caps the amount a claimant could be considered to be owed to prevent them from receiving financial compensation. Modified comparative fault states usually set the bar between 49 and 51 percent.
In a car accident the plaintiff must prove two things to be legally accountable for the accident: negligence and causality. Negligence refers to breaking the law or acting in reckless disregard. Causation is the process by which the negligence directly contributed to the injury. To establish legal liability plaintiffs must also demonstrate economic losses, like medical expenses, lost income and travel expenses that result from their injuries. Other non-economic losses include emotional trauma, suffering and pain.
New York is among the 13 states with a pure comparative-fault law, which means that those who are injured could still be able to claim compensation even if they were partially at fault. If the claimant is found to be more than 50% at fault, they are exempt from any claim for damages. In this situation, it is important to consult with a seasoned attorney.
Comparative fault is applicable to any personal injury or wrongful-death situation in which the victim (or the heirs) have suffered mental or physical damages. However, the concept of comparative fault can be somewhat more complex in wrongful death claims.
The concept of comparative fault is essential to be aware of when making a claim for compensation after an accident in New York. Your lawyer will help you determine the severity of your own contribution to the accident and will work with insurance companies to ensure that you receive the maximum amount of compensation for your injuries.
In addition, if have several defendants in your case, the concept of joint and several liability may apply. This is a system that divides the judgment between all defendants in the event that the jury decides that you are jointly and multiplely responsible for the incident. This is a great method to ensure that you receive the most amount of compensation for your injuries.

The tactics of the insurance company
The aftermath of a car crash can be equally stressful. Injured victims are often faced with medical bills, lost income due to not being able to go to work and physical discomfort. They also have to worry about how they will pay rent and other daily expenses. They don't have to be subjected to the strategies of stalling employed by insurance companies to convince them to accept lower settlement offers.
The fact is, most insurance companies are in the business of making money and do this by denying or cutting claims. Insurance agents will use every trick to deny you the compensation you deserve. This is why it is so important to hire a New York car accident lawyer to level the playing field. The lawyers at Mirman Markovits & Landau PC are seasoned in fighting for the rights car accident victims. Our attorneys will take on insurance companies and their sneaky tactics.
To save money, insurance companies will do anything they can to delay or derail your claim. They also try to avoid accountability by arguing that your injuries aren't directly related to the crash, or that they don't require treatment. They may even argue that you have a prior medical condition that is the reason for the crash.
In some instances, an insurance adjuster will arrive at an amount of settlement that appears reasonable. This is a common tactic that many people fall to. In reality, the price is significantly less than the amount you will actually have to pay for your medical treatment and other damages.
The law in New York requires all drivers to have no-fault insurance. However, it is common for people to get injured when driving or riding in a person's vehicle. The most frequent causes of accidents are reckless driving, distracted driving, and speeding. Distracted driving happens when a driver is using a device while driving to send or receive texts or make phone calls or listen to music. Distracted driving can lead to drivers losing control of their vehicle, resulting in serious accidents. Other causes of accidents are drunk driving, road conditions and weather.
Reckless driving
If you've been injured in a car crash caused by reckless driving, you could be entitled to compensation. A New York City reckless driving accident lawyer can assist you determine the cause of the accident and identify all parties that could be liable for your injuries and losses. They may also file a lawsuit or claim against the driver in order to recover damages.
The New York criminal code defines reckless driving as the act of operating the vehicle in a way that poses a threat to the lives and safety of others on the road and pedestrians on bicycles. To find someone guilty the police officer must prove more than mere negligence or carelessness. This means that the police officer must prove that the driver was aware of their actions could cause an accident or put others at risk.
In certain instances, even a minor traffic violation can be viewed as a form of reckless driving in New York.
El Cajon injury lawsuits youtube.com of a stop sign, or a red light can result in a serious accident. If a driver is found driving recklessly, he or she could be found guilty of misdemeanors and be subject to penalties such as fines or jail time.
Unsuspecting driving can cause serious injuries to pedestrians, drivers, and bicyclists. A conviction for this offense can lead to the addition of points to your license as well as hefty fines. This could lead to a driver's insurance premiums increasing substantially. It is crucial to employ a New York reckless driving accident attorney who will ensure that the driver is convicted on a fair basis.
The laws governing reckless driving in New York are very strict and could result in substantial penalties that include fines and jail time. The severity of a penalty is contingent on a variety of variables including the severity of the accident and whether there were aggravating circumstances. A conviction for reckless driving could also result in the suspension of a driver's license.
An attorney for reckless driving who is experienced can determine the causes of an accident and gather evidence to prove your innocence. This could include witness statements as well as cell phone records to check for distracted driving, photographs and videos taken at the scene of the accident and official medical reports and toxicology reports. They will file and litigate lawsuits or insurance claims to get you the maximum amount of compensation for your injuries.