The definition of a car accident is specifically one in which an automobile hits another object. This includes other cars, people, or things such as animals or buildings. Approximately 1.35 million people die each year in road traffic crashes according to statistics published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in February 2020, and not only are the injuries suffered in these cases the leading cause of death for those in the five to 29 age range but covering the various financial consequences of these incidents cost many countries three percent of their gross domestic product on average.
In the event that a pedestrian or piece of property is hit, a victim is able to attempt legal action to recoup any damages they could be entitled to. However, in New York, because a person physically injured in a car accident will, in almost all cases, be entitled to the basic level of medical expense and lost earnings benefits provided under the No-Fault system, in order to recover damages beyond No-Fault benefits, such as additional economic damages and pain & suffering, for example, an injured person must be able to demonstrate that they have sustained what the law considers a “significant injury.” If the accident is not the victim’s fault, a hired lawyer will fight to protect their right to compensation in a civil court, assuming that a settlement could not be reached beforehand with the parties liable for the negligence.
- What are Potential Recoverable Damages After a Car Accident?
- Car Accident Lawyers Holding Liable Parties Responsible for a Victim’s Hardships
What are Potential Recoverable Damages After a Car Accident?
If a victim chooses to file a claim for damages, typically doing so by retaining the services of a car accident lawyer and they are successful, the range of compensation they will typically be entitled to include economic, and non-economic damages.
Recoverable damages in a car accident case include:
- Economic damages: these will be awarded for hardships the victim faced that harmed their financial wellbeing. Most often the largest of these hardships will be associated with medical care, bills, surgeries, and rehabilitation costs. However, these often entail a loss of work during the recovery period, as well as potential property damage and other financial setbacks from an accident
- Non-economic damages: these damages will be related to more subjective kinds of pain and suffering, such as the mental toll an accident took on a victim. Examples of this include depression or anxiety. If they win their case and it proceeds to any sort of negotiations for compensation, some victims feel a sense of comfort knowing personal injury lawyers are able to call upon medical experts to explain their suffering further.
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Car Accident Lawyers Holding Liable Parties Responsible for a Victim’s Hardships
At Friedman & Simon, L.L.P., our personal injury team is able to fight for a victim’s right to the compensation they could be entitled to in the face of injustice. We keep our clients updated on their cases as we proceed through the claim and litigation process. We work to identify the liable parties and our ultimate goal is to hold these at-fault parties financially responsible for the pain and suffering their reckless conduct has caused. To most effectively prosecute your unique claim, we work to gather all relevant evidence in your case, to build the strongest most compelling case possible. By getting to know everything about your accident, our team is able to determine a value for your case that covers every part of your damages. This may include calling on expert witnesses like vocational rehabilitation specialists, life care planners, and economists to paint a clearer picture of the damages you could be entitled to.
There is a statute of limitations on personal injury cases set by New York Civil Practice Laws & Rules § 214 and there are other critical time limitations that apply to claims and litigation as well. So, whether you are on Long Island or elsewhere in the New York metropolitan area, it is best that we speak and meet with you as soon as possible to get started helping you right away. The sooner you contact us, the greater our opportunity to build the strongest case possible for you.
If you are still struggling with the legal definition of a car accident and would like more information call a Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. representative at (516) 932-0400 for a free consultation now.
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