BROOKLYN AUTO ACCIDENT LAWYER
Brooklyn Car Accident Lawyer Nicholas E. Tzaneteas specializes in helping car accident victims in New York City.Let’s take look at the various types of car accidents that occur, the top most common causes behind car accidents, and the avenues available to car accident victims for financial recovery.
NY Car Accident Statistics
New York streets are busy with automobiles, delivery trucks, motorcycles and bicycles. With all this on-street activity, it should come as no surprise that automobile accidents, often involving personal injury and property damage, are quite common.
The New York City Police Department estimates that there are over 500 collisions in the New York area every day, resulting in a range of injuries from minor to severe or even life-threatening.
Thousands of people in fact are injured in auto accidents and vehicle collisions each year. According to data compiled by the New York State Department of Health, 1,100 vehicle accident victims die each year. This includes casualties of automobiles (including ridesharing), motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrian collisions.
More than 12,000 people suffer a personal injury serious enough to require hospitalization as a result of these motor vehicle accidents, and well more than 136,000 accident victims land in the emergency room.
Staten Island vehicle accidents alone average way over 6,000 per year. The personal injury toll in the area of more than 1,500 persons results from these Staten Island accidents.
Every month an average of eight Brooklyn residents are killed in some type of traffic accident involving vehicles, bicycles or pedestrians.
Brooklyn motor vehicle accident statistics reveal that on a monthly basis there are approximately 95 hospitalizations and about 1,300 persons sent to the Emergency Room. This adds up to more than $68 million in hospital charges of various types for car accidents in Brooklyn.
Types of Vehicles Involved in Car Crashes
A Brooklyn car accident may involve different types of vehicles:
- Taxis
- Privately-owned passenger vehicles
- Ride-sharing vehicles
- Delivery trucks
- Motorcycles
- Bicycles
- Buses and shuttles
Main Causes Behind a New York Car Crash
Most car accidents are preventable. When drivers make careless choices, they do not only cause accidents, but also personal injury. Brooklyn car accidents occur as a result of the following:
- Distracted or inattentive driving. Among the leading cause of accidents is cellphone use or texting while driving even though it is illegal in New York to do so. Other distracted driving situations include retrieving a dropped item, eating or drinking, adjusting the temperature or music controls, or even conversing with passengers.
- Following too closely or tailgating. Failing to keep an appropriate distance between vehicles makes a collision likely if the lead car comes to a sudden or unexpected stop. Driving experts suggest a distance of one car length between vehicles for every 10 miles of speed. This translates to four car lengths if traffic is moving at 40 miles per hour.
- Drunk driving, impaired driving. Impairments caused by alcohol and drugs is the tragic cause of many accidents, injuries or deaths on New York streets. Drivers who cause car accidents or personal injury in Brooklyn or throughout New York City while under the influence face severe criminal charges with far-reaching results.
- Speeding. By its very nature, speeding increases the severity of any collisions and can definitely result in fatalities or severe injuries that may require a car accident lawyer to settle.
- Driving when tired or fatigued. This occurs far more often than people realize. In fact, sometimes a driver is unaware of how tired they are and dozes off at the wheel, causing an accident.
- Ignoring stoplights or road signs. Running stoplights has increased in all sections of the country, and New York City is no exception. This often results in T-bone collisions, failure to stop or yield for road signs can have devastating consequences as well.
- Driving a defective vehicle. Failing to replace worn tires or disregarding signs of defective brakes can have tragic ramifications.
Any of these behaviors or issues can lead to a car accident and personal injury in Brooklyn or any other borough of the city. Not only does this put the reckless driver at risk, but other innocent people often suffer harm as well.
Common Types of Vehicle Accident Injuries
Whether it’s a Brooklyn car accident or one in NYC, these injuries result in thousands of emergency room visits and hospitalizations, with rates exceeding that of other large cities. In many cases, injuries and deaths are no fault of the victim but are rather caused by the actions, inaction, or negligence of others.
Some of the more common injuries that an accident lawyer may see in Brooklyn car accident cases could include any of the following:
- Injuries of the brain or head areas, including skull fractures and concussions
- Neck, spinal cord and back problems, such as herniated discs or whiplash
- Burns, which can range from serious to fatal
- Damage to soft tissues, including ligaments or muscles, often causing long-term issues
- Broken bones, sometimes requiring surgery, long recovery periods and future limitations
What to Do if You Are Involved in a Car Accident
If you are involved in an auto accident, there are certain steps you must take to protect yourself and your rights:
- First, seek medical help immediately.
- Next, call the police. A police report of the circumstances of the accident is extremely important for filing insurance claims and pursuing legal remedies with accident lawyers for your injuries.
- Identify accident eyewitnesses and get their names and telephone numbers.
- Document the accident and any injuries with photographs, if possible. This will assist your car accident lawyer in the future.
What Are Your Rights as an Accident Victim?
Being involved in a car accident is devastating for both the injured party and their family. You may face significant medical expenses, physical therapy costs, and long-term rehabilitation. You may also be unable to work, leading to lost income.
Depending on the accident and details involved, including any negligence on the part of the at-fault driver, you may pursue compensation with a personal injury lawsuit. With the help of an experienced Brooklyn auto accident lawyer, injury victims may be entitled to fair compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Physical therapy
- Long-term care
- Property damage and/or property losses
- Lost wages/lost earning potential
- Wrongful death
- Pain and suffering
It’s important to note that under New York Civil Practice Laws & Rules section 214, anyone injured in a car accident, including a driver, passenger, motorcycle rider, bicyclist, or pedestrian, must file a lawsuit within three years of the crash.
However, if someone died as a result of the accident and the deceased person’s family or other representative wishes to file a New York wrongful death lawsuit against the driver who caused the accident, the deadline for starting that case is two years from the date of the deceased person’s death (and keep in mind that the date of the death might be different from the date of the accident).
What to Expect from a Car Accident Lawyer in NYC & Brooklyn
Not all accident attorneys offer the same expertise and level of service. Make sure the car accident lawyer you work with possesses the following qualifications:
- Maintains extensive experience as an attorney working with car accident settlements and personal injury claim cases in Brooklyn and NYC
- Understands New York law and its statutes of limitations and personal injury law
- Exhibits confidence based on a strong track record as a car accident attorney
- Understands the streets and traffic patterns of Brooklyn and greater NYC
- Knows how to interview witnesses
- Prepares meticulously for each case
- Has experience in working with an insurance company and a car accident claim
How Our Brooklyn Car Accident Lawyers Meet Your Expectations
Nicholas E. Tzaneteas is an award-winning Brooklyn, NY, car accident attorney with an amazing track record of winning settlements for his clients. He is very selective in taking cases but spares no effort in helping victims of a car accident caused by the negligence of others to receive a full and fair settlement.
Nicholas E. Tzaneteas offers a free consultation and leverages his knowledge and experience to protect the rights of his client and make sure any insurance company involved makes proper restitution. As a Brooklyn car accident lawyer, he puts his heart and soul into preparing and trying each car accident case and does not rest until his client receives justice.
Contact Us: Brooklyn Car Accident Attorneys Today
New York residents head out every day in vehicles, bicycles, motorcycles or on foot to travel to their jobs, buy groceries and keep doctor appointments. Most of these people take safety precautions, and they expect others on the road to do the same. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen, and innocent persons become accident victims in need of trusted Brooklyn car accident lawyers.
When you are in need of a Brooklyn car accident lawyer, call the Law Office of Nicholas E. Tzaneteas. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car crash through no fault of your own, you may have a case. Our experienced team can help preserve your rights and work to secure financial compensation for your injuries. Call our personal injury attorneys for a free case evaluation at (833) NTZ-FIRM today or contact us online.