There are nearly three-quarters of a million people who are involved in New York motor vehicle accidents each year, according to the New York State Department of Health. Many of these individuals must seek medical care due to serious injuries caused by someone else’s negligence.
If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident, our Hollis motor vehicle accident lawyers from the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP are standing ready to help you through the claims process. We can discuss your rights during a free and confidential consultation. Call us at (516) 358-6900 to speak to a member of our team.
Types of Motor Vehicle Accident Claims We Can Assist With
Our lawyers can assist you with any motor vehicle accident claim, including the following types of accidents:
Intersection and Rear-End Crashes
Many crashes occur at intersections with a traffic light. When drivers are distracted or impaired, they may crash into the vehicle in front of them. Motorists are expected to maintain a safe distance between their vehicle and others. If they fail to obey these rules, they may be liable for any serious injuries that result.
Highway and Freeway Accidents
New York already has posted speed limits on highways and freeways, but many drivers still choose to exceed them. This increases the likelihood of getting in a high-speed collision that can result in serious injuries and traffic fatalities.
Multiple-Vehicle Collisions
Because multiple-vehicle collisions may involve a series of actions that led to your accident, it can be difficult to ascertain the factors that led to the crash (and who is ultimately liable for the resulting damages). Our team can help you identify all potential claims and sources of compensation.
Truck Accidents
Passenger vehicles are little competition to fully-loaded semi-trucks that may weigh up to 80,000 pounds. This is why 67% of people who die in truck accidents are occupants in passenger vehicles, while only 16% are truck occupants, as per the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists are at an increased risk of injury in New York due to factors such as:
- Congested traffic
- Harsh weather conditions
- Roads that are frequently under construction
- Deteriorating roads
- Debris on the roadway
Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents can occur when motorists fail to yield at intersections or when there are unsafe conditions on sidewalks.
Drunk Driving Crashes
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that approximately one-third of all traffic fatalities involve a driver who is drunk. This agency reports the following predictable effects of alcohol on driving, which gets worse as a driver’s blood alcohol content increases:
- A decline in the rapid tracking of a moving target and visual functions
- A decline in the ability to perform two tasks simultaneously
- Reduced coordination
- Difficulty steering
- Reduced response to emergency driving situations
- Problems concentrating
- Issues with short-term memory loss
- Difficulty controlling speed
- Reduced ability to process information such as detecting signals or recognizing visual cues
- Impaired perception
- Reduced ability to maintain the position in the lane and brake appropriately
Distracted Driving Crashes
A distracted driver mimics some of the same effects as impaired drivers. Distractions include any stimulus that takes a driver’s mind off the task of driving, their hands off the steering wheel, or their eyes off the road. Because texting while driving involves all three of these requisite driving functions, it is considered a dangerous form of distracted driving and is prohibited by state law, as per the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Drowsy Driving Accidents
Driving while tired can cause a person to fall asleep at the wheel, drift into other lanes, or run head-on into another driver.
Aggressive Driving Crashes
The following driving behaviors may indicate aggressive driving:
- Speeding
- Failing to obey traffic controls or devices
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Improper or unsafe lane changes
- Following too closely
- Improper passing
- Improper turning
In many serious cases, aggressive driving can become road rage when a driver uses their vehicle as a deadly weapon.
Hit and Run Crashes
It is illegal to leave the scene of a motor vehicle collision without stopping and exchanging information, according to New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law § 600. Your Hollis motor vehicle accident lawyers can help with your hit and run claim, including advising you of your rights to file a claim with your own UM/UIM coverage. Call (516) 358-6900 to tell the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP staff about your case.
Dangerous Roadways as a Contributing Factor to Accidents
In some accidents, roadways may be dangerous because of factors such as:
- Faulty design
- Poor construction
- Debris left on the roadway
- Roads not being repaired when it is necessary
Our lawyers can discuss how these types of factors may affect your claim and against whom you may be able to make a claim.
Fatal Crashes
Surviving family members to pursue compensation against a negligent party who caused the death of their loved one. Our team can guide you during this difficult time, if this situation applies to your family.
Possible Damages in Your Motor Vehicle Accident Claim
Motor vehicle accidents may involve extensive damages, including:
- Past, present, and future medical expenses
- Costs to repair and replace your vehicle and other damaged personal property
- Lost wages for the time you missed from work
- Reduced earning capacity if your claim involves partial or total disability
- Pain and suffering
Our lawyers can work with you to help you pursue compensation for these and other damages you sustained in a motor vehicle accident.
How Our Team Can Help with Your Claim
We can help with your claim by:
- Advising you of your rights throughout the claims process
- Investigating the cause (and parties responsible for) your accident
- Giving you advice about how to respond to urgent matters, such as communications from insurance companies or medical matters
- Gathering evidence about how the accident occurred and the damages you sustained
- Calculating the full extent of your damages
- Handling communications with the insurance company
- Negotiating a settlement of your claim
- Recommending whether to take a settlement or pursue other compensation
Contact us to learn more about how we can help.
Contact Our Hollis Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyers
If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP at (516) 358-6900 for a free case review.
For a free legal consultation with a motor vehicle accidents lawyer serving Hollis, call 516-358-6900
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information and may not be applicable in your jurisdiction.
