the law office of dennis p. ryan
auto accident attorney in New York: understanding auto accidents
Auto accidents occur every hour of every day. They are one of the most common sources of personal injuries. Drivers who are responsible for the accident are liable for any damages, whether that’s personal bodily injury or property damage. Insurance payouts that are fair and adequate can cover the costs of some damage, but oftentimes, it’s not enough. When it’s not enough, you may need a personal injury lawyer who has specific experience with auto accidents.
At Law Office of Dennis P. Ryan, our auto accident attorney in New York can help you file a solid, well-supported personal injury claim to make sure you receive just and fair compensation. Call us today at (212) 441-4352 to schedule a Free Consultation about your case today.
Common Auto Accident Injuries in New York
- Injuries sustained from auto accidents can range anywhere from minor to fatal. The types of immediate bodily injuries that are often involved in personal injury claims include:
- Broken bones
- Lacerations and cuts
- Nerve damage
- Whiplash
- Spinal injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Chronic pain
- Any and all of the above injuries can be serious and life-threatening. All bodily injuries regardless of severity are compensable if you are the victim of the accident. In many cases, psychological, mental, and emotional injuries can be compensable, too.
Types of Auto Accidents in New York
- The type of injuries you sustain are often the result, in part, of the type of car accident. Most common types of crashes involve the following:
- Head-on collisions, which are among the most devastating types of collisions that result in serious and life-threatening bodily injuries
- Rear-end accidents, which are among the most common and frequently results in whiplash
- Side-impact collisions, which are common, usually occur at intersections and result in a range of injuries depending on where the vehicle was struck
- Roll-over accidents, which are less common but result in head and neck injuries
- Sideswipe accidents, which are less common and occur when two or more vehicles travel parallel with each other and one swipes the side of the other vehicle
- Blind spot accidents, which are less common and occur when one vehicle fails to spot another vehicle while changing or merging into another lane.
- Liability for property and bodily damages can often be determined, in part, by the type of accident. It's important to remember, though, that accidents can be complex events, and so though the type may initially and seemingly indicate fault, a thorough investigation must be conducted for a clear understanding of where liability falls.
Common Causes of Auto Accidents in New York
Car accidents happen due to many reasons. Typically, causes can be grouped into three categories: drivers, vehicles, and environment.
Vehicles
- Tires/wheels-related
- Brakes-related
- Steering / suspension / transmission / engine-related
- Manufacture defects
Environment
- Slick roads (e.g., ice, loose debris)
- Glare
- View obstructions
- Signs/signals
Drivers
- Intoxicated driving (e.g., alcohol, marijuana, prescription drugs, illicit drugs)
- Distracted driving (e.g., eating, texting, disciplining children)
- Drowsy driving or falling asleep while driving
- Speeding or reckless driving
- Decision error (e.g., driving too fast for the conditions, misjudging another driver's actions)
- Recognition error (e.g., inattention)
- Performance error (e.g., overcompensation, poor directional control)
Most crashes are the direct result of one or more drivers. Aside from crashes caused by drivers, vehicles, or environmental conditions, there are other reasons that don’t fall within these categories. For instance, pedestrians can sometimes be the cause of an accident. In other circumstances, the cause can’t be determined.
When the cause of an auto accident is easily identified, liability will also tend to be easily identifiable. More complex auto accident cases, however, require the insight of an experienced auto accident attorney and the knowledge and expertise of expert witnesses.
Benefits of Filing a Personal Injury Claim in New York?
- After a car accident, insurance companies will investigate the cause of the wreck to see who was at fault. They will then offer to cover the victim's expenses. Insurance companies, however, are for-profit entities. They make money by bringing in premium payments and increase profit margins by minimizing the amount of money they pay out in settlements.
- When an insurance company offers a settlement, that offer may not represent the true amount of compensation a victim deserves. Victims deserve to be compensated for their:
- Medical bills, past and future
- Property damage
- Lost wages, past and future
- Reduced earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- And more.
- Frequently, insurance settlement offers only cover property damage and medical bills, and only those that have been incurred so far. Sometimes the settlement will also include lost wages, but again, it may only include the wages lost to date and not necessarily future wages or loss of earned income. Much of it depends on the rules of your jurisdiction.
- By hiring a lawyer and pursuing these other forms of compensation, accident victims can fight for what they really deserve.
Contact an Auto Accident Lawyer in New York Today
Auto accidents can be straightforward or complex. Regardless of which, it is in your best interests to speak to an auto accident attorney. At Law Office of Dennis P. Ryan, we work hard for our clients to obtain fair and just compensation. Contact us using our online form or calling us directly at (212) 441-4352 to schedule a Free Consultation today.
recent results
bronx | personal injury | DSNY worker brings Personal Injury Claim
The Law Office of Dennis P. Ryan was able to win an important motion to allow a Department of Sanitation Supervisor to bring a Personal Injury Claim against the City of New York. Anyone who plans to sue a municipality in the State of New York, must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days of the date of the accident. A New York City Sanitation Supervisor recently contacted our law firm 5 months after the accident, and more than 2 months after the Notice of Deadline had passed. Our office was successfully able to convince the Court that our client’s claim fell under an exception and should be allowed to proceed. Our client is now likely going to be able to receive money for his pain pain and suffering and lost wages.
bronx | personal injury | sanitation worker hit by car in the bronx
Our client was a Sanitation Worker who was hit by a car while he was servicing his route. He suffered an ankle injury that required him to go for Physical Therapy for 1-2 months. Even though he did not need any injections or surgery, we were able to convince the insurance company to offer the full amount of its $25,000 to settle the case. We were able to achieve this settlement before our client needed to appear for a deposition.
brooklyn | personal injury | full amount of insurance policy for sanitation worker hit by car
Our client was a Sanitation Worker who was hit by a car while he was servicing his route. He had to have a shoulder surgery and missed several months of work, losing Chart Money, Truck Money and Overtime Money. We filed a lawsuit on his behalf in Kings County (Brooklyn). Our office was able to settle case for the full amount of the driver’s Insurance Policy. We were able to achieve this settlement before our client needed to appear for a deposition.
nassau | personal injury | full amount of Insurance Policy for Pedestrian
Our office was able to settle a case for the full amount of Insurance Policy for Pedestrian who tripped and fell on sidewalk in Nassau County. This was a tough case in a tough venue for Plaintiff’s attorneys. Our client had contacted 2 previous law firms who declined her case because they thought it would be too difficult to obtain a settlement. Our office was not only able to settle the case but we were able to persuade the insurance company to offer the full amount of its insurance policy to settle the case.
bronx | personal injury | settles Sanitation Supervisor's case for $95,000
Our office was able to obtain a settlement for $95,000 (out of a total of $100,000) for a Sanitation Supervisor who hurt his ankle in a car crash. The insurance company for the other driver made several motions to the court asking the Judge to dismiss the case. We were able to defeat each of these motions and eventually settle the case for $95,000. This was more than 3 times the initial settlement offer that the insurance company made.
bronx | personal injury | $75,000 settlement for Pedestrian who fell on broken sidewalk in the Bronx
Our client fell on a broken sidewalk in the Bronx in front of a 1 family house. We brought a lawsuit against the City of New York and the insurance company for the homeowner. Our client aggravated injuries to his ankle that he had suffered years ago while playing sports. The Insurance Company made a Motion to the Court asking to dismiss our case. We were able to defeat this Motion and we were eventually able to settle this case against the City of New York and the Insurance Company for a total of $75,000.
hudson | personal injury | settles car crash case for $97,500 out of $100,000 of available coverage
Our office was able to obtain a settlement of $97,500 out of a possible $100,000 in available insurance coverage for a Car Crash that happened in New Jersey. Our client was involved in a 2 car crash. She had a stop sign and the other driver did not have a stop sign. For that reason, the insurance company claimed that the crash was completely the fault of our client. Our firm hired investigators who canvassed the scene for witnesses, photos and videos of the crash. We were able to prove that the other driver was driving too fast for the intersection and was also at fault for the crash.
staten island | personal injury | $170,000 for Woman who slipped and fell on ice
Our office was able to obtain a settlement of $170,000 for a woman who slipped and fell on ice on the stairs of the house that she rented an apartment at. Her landlord’s insurance company argued that the landlord had done everything it could to prevent our client’s fall. We were able to prove that the landlord had not properly shoveled and salted the steps before our client’s fall.
bronx | personal injury | Sanitation Worker with prior LODIs injured inside Sanitation Garage
Our Office settled a case for a Sanitation Worker who tripped and fell on uneven pavement inside his Sanitation Garage and hurt his ankle. The Worker had several prior Line of Duty Injuries (LODIs) where he had also hurt his ankle. Our office was able to prove that this LODI aggravated the old injuries and made the injuries worse.
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