New York City Car Accident Lawyers

Drivers who break traffic laws, drive distracted, or act recklessly are often the main parties responsible for accidents. Whether someone was speeding, texting, or driving under the influence, their negligence could make them liable for your injuries.

If the accident involved a commercial vehicle, such as a delivery truck or rideshare car, the driver’s employer might be liable for the crash. Employers are responsible for the actions of their employees operating vehicles during the course of their work.

Defective vehicles or parts can cause serious accidents. If a faulty brake system, airbag malfunction, or design flaw contributed to the collision, the manufacturer or designer of the vehicle or part could be held accountable.

Poorly maintained roads, faulty traffic signals, or hazardous conditions on public property may place responsibility on a local or state government agency. Suing a government entity involves specific rules and deadlines, so having an experienced attorney is essential for these claims.

If an insurance company has offered you a settlement, you may feel tempted to accept it immediately. After all, dealing with the aftermath of a car accident is stressful, and financial pressure can make a quick payout seem appealing. However, insurance companies often present their initial offer to minimize what they pay, not to fully compensate you for your injuries and losses. That’s why consulting with an experienced New York car accident attorney is essential before making any decisions.

When you work with the Rothenberg Law Firm, we will carefully evaluate the details of your case to determine the true extent of your damages. This includes not only medical bills but also lost income, emotional trauma, and any future expenses related to your injuries. Once we understand the full impact of your accident, we can counter insurance companies' lowball offers and advocate for the compensation genuinely needed to restore your life.

Don’t risk leaving money on the table or, worse, signing away your legal rights. Before you speak with an insurance adjuster or consider any settlement offers, contact us to ensure your case is handled with the expertise and care it deserves.

The idea of hiring an attorney can feel overwhelming, especially after a serious accident has already left you with financial stress. You may be wondering, “Can I afford quality legal representation?” At the Rothenberg Law Firm, the answer is yes.

Our team works on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay any upfront costs. We only get paid attorney’s fees if we successfully recover compensation for you. This structure allows anyone, regardless of their financial circumstances, to pursue justice without worrying about legal fees.

When you choose our firm, you’re choosing skilled advocates who are 100% committed to your case. There’s no risk to you—we only succeed when you succeed.

After a car accident, you may feel like the odds are stacked against you. Dealing with insurance companies, gathering evidence, and navigating legal rules can quickly become overwhelming. A  car accident lawyer can handle these challenges for you, ensuring your right to fair compensation is protected. Here’s how our team can help:

• Thorough Investigation: We will gather evidence to build a strong case, including accident reports, witness statements, photos, medical records, and more. We may also work with accident reconstruction experts to establish liability.
• Handling Insurance Companies: Insurance adjusters often prioritize protecting their bottom line over offering fair settlements. We will communicate with the insurance companies on your behalf, negotiating aggressively to secure a compensation package that reflects the full value of your claim.
• Legal Representation in Court: While many cases settle outside of court, some require litigation. If your case goes to trial, you can count on our team’s extensive courtroom experience and diligent preparation to fight for justice on your behalf.
• Providing Support and Guidance: Beyond the legal process, we know how hard life can be after a car accident. Our lawyers take the time to understand your unique circumstances and provide the compassionate support you need to focus on healing.

Don’t go through this alone. From beginning to end, the Rothenberg Law Firm is here to make your path to recovery as smooth as possible.

New York is a “No-Fault” state, which has both benefits and disadvantages for those seeking financial recovery after being injured in an auto collision.

Under No-Fault insurance laws, your auto insurance provider is obligated to provide you with personal injury protection (“No-fault”) benefits after a car accident, regardless of who was at fault in the accident. 

No-fault benefits are a part of your auto insurance policy and pay for medical treatment and out-of-pocket costs, up to policy limits (a minimum of $50,000). These benefits are a primary source of compensation in almost every injury claim.

No-fault benefits do not cover all losses or situations.  Property damages are not covered, and benefits are not available to owners of uninsured vehicles nor riders and passengers in motorcycle accidents. 

The No-Fault Insurance rules offer New Yorkers two significant advantages. If you are injured in an accident, you will automatically receive coverage for your injuries, regardless of whether you were at fault in the accident. 

This is particularly important when you are injured due to negligent driving by an uninsured driver or underinsured motorist. Importantly, you will receive this compensation relatively quickly.

At the same time, the No-Fault system can hinder your auto accident claim, as it does not allow compensation for additional damages like "pain and suffering" and other non-economic damages suffered in the accident. 

To file a civil claim against the at-fault driver or another liable party for "pain and suffering," your injuries must qualify as a "serious injury" according to New York law.

To meet the serious injury threshold in New York, accident victims must experience either bone fracture, dismemberment, significant disfigurement, permanent limitation of use of a body organ or member, a significant limitation of use of a body function or system, or a full disability for 90 days.

If you have suffered injuries that meet these criteria, you are not limited to receiving No-Fault benefits from your insurance provider. 

In these instances, you can bring a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party and may seek financial compensation for all types of injuries, both economic and non-economic.

Call an automobile accident attorney today to learn about your legal options.

It is impossible to make generalizations about the value of any car accident case without knowing the details of the injuries and the circumstances in which the accident took place. 

The law allows recovery for a wide range of economic and non-economic damages, many of which may not be readily apparent to the injured party. 

By contacting a car accident lawyer from our law firm, you may find that you are eligible for multiple forms of compensation, such as:

• Pain and suffering from physical injuries
• Emotional damages
• Lost past and future income
• Future financial costs and economic losses
• Loss of health care benefits
• Money for future medical bills
• Loss of value of household services
• Non-economic damages such as loss of consortium (where your spouse has been negatively impacted by your injury), loss of quality of life, loss of enjoyment of life, and other non-economic losses
• Punitive damages
• Wrongful death claim (following fatal collisions)

An experienced New York car accident attorney will always consider a range of issues when making determinations about what damages to seek. 

Insurance adjusters are notorious for drastically underestimating the value of victims' injuries. Only an experienced motor vehicle accident lawyer with a duty to fight for your interests can provide a fair assessment of the value of your case and ensure you receive fair compensation for your injury claim.

Insurance companies and insurance adjusters are not your friends. Insurance companies aim to pay as little as possible for every claim, to maximize their company's profits. 

No matter how nice the insurance adjuster seems, the adjuster's only goal is to pay you as little as possible. The adjuster is usually rewarded for resolving your claims quickly and for as little as possible.

For these reasons, an insurance adjuster will often contact you immediately after your car accident and may even offer to visit you soon after an accident. 

The adjuster's goal is to convince you to accept a settlement worth far less than you deserve and is often ready to buy you off with immediate payment. 

This is an underhanded tactic used to quickly end the claims process when an injured party is at their most vulnerable. 

It is extremely important not to fall prey to the common practices of insurance companies. There is no reason to rush into accepting a settlement without first seeking legal help. 

You should always think through all decisions before signing away your legal rights without being fully informed of the consequences. Not even your own insurance company works for you – we work for you.

The moments following an accident can be the most terrifying time of one's life. Before anything else, call the police or 911 and make sure that anyone injured in the accident receives the medical attention they require. 

After everyone has received the medical treatment, your next step is to obtain crucial information for your potential lawsuit. 

The responsible party may not remain at the accident scene until a police officer arrives. If possible, collect insurance information, addresses, witness testimony, video evidence, and other relevant information from the other drivers involved in the collision.

Make sure to remain at the scene until a police officer gets to the scene of the accident, and files an accident report. 

The police report will identify the other drivers and vehicles involved in the crash, and the relevant insurance companies and may also include witness statements. An accurate police report is important to ensure relevant evidence is recorded.

Although it is important to honestly answer the police officer's questions, be careful to avoid saying anything that could be construed as an admission of fault.

If you require medical treatment of any kind, collect any medical documentation or medical records that may be relevant to your claim for compensation.

Finally, seek legal advice from a New York car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

It is impossible to make generalizations about the value of any car accident case without knowing the details of the injuries and how the accident took place. 

The law allows recovery for a wide range of injuries and monetary losses, many of which may not be readily apparent to the injured party. 

Be careful not to fall for the trap of believing the worth of your case based on the value that an insurance adjuster has placed on your claim or solely on property damage. 

Only an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney with a duty to fight for your interests can provide a fair assessment of the value of your case.

As a general rule, if you were injured as a result of the negligence of someone else, you may have a legal claim against the person who injured you. 

Because every situation is very fact-specific, you should always consult a personal injury attorney to review the facts and circumstances of your situation. 

In many cases, there may be negligent parties who are not immediately obvious, such as government agencies responsible for poor road conditions. Call us for a free consultation to learn how the law applies in your case.

According to New York's No-Fault rules, there is a 30-day time frame to file a claim for benefits following a car accident. 

Therefore, before proceeding on your own, it is crucial to understand the pitfalls of trying to handle your case without legal representation.

Following a car crash in NYC, especially in our fast-moving city, it is understandable for an individual to want to settle the matter quickly and move on as soon as possible without getting help from an experienced lawyer. But trying to handle the matter on your own will place you at a serious disadvantage.

The party responsible for your accident will almost certainly be represented by insurance lawyers whose sole goal is to pay you as little as possible for your injuries. 

Insurance companies often calculate the value of car accident claims based on how aggressively the injured party fights for full compensation for the harm caused. 

When you retain an experienced car accident lawyer to fight for you, you are ensuring that you are not taken advantage of by the other side.

Retain a lawyer with vast experience in handling car accident cases, who can stand up to the insurance company. 

If the other side refuses to cooperate and your case requires judicial intervention, the lawyer must be prepared to take the case to court for a jury verdict to ensure full and fair recovery.

Knowing that you are willing to take all steps necessary to ensure justice by obtaining experienced legal counsel will often convince the opposing side to make a better offer right from the start.

You need trial lawyers knowledgeable and experienced in New York law to fight for your rights and to show the insurance company that you are serious about your case. 

Our auto accident attorneys will take your injury case on a contingency fee basis, which means that they are only compensated following a successful recovery on your behalf.

New York's Statute of Limitations allows accident victims to file a negligence lawsuit for up to three years from the time of the automobile accident. 

After a fatal car accident, the family or representative of the decedent has only 2 years to file a wrongful death lawsuit in New York.

Government claims, such as when a car accident is caused by the negligence of a government agency employee or government entity, must be filed more quickly than other legal claims.

Given the time limitations, it is important to call or contact our legal team right away to ensure that you can file a personal injury claim and do not waive your rights to financial compensation.

It cannot be reiterated enough that insurance companies are in the business of paying as little as possible for every claim, to help them maximize company profits. 

No matter how nice the insurance adjuster seems, the adjuster’s only goal is to pay car accident victims as little as possible. The adjuster is usually rewarded for resolving claims for as little as possible and as quickly as possible, thus taking money away from you that you deserve. 

For these reasons, an insurance adjuster will contact you immediately after your car accident and may even offer to visit you soon after an accident. 

An adjuster often comes ready to make an immediate payment to convince you to accept a settlement worth much less than you deserve. 

This is an underhanded tactic used to end a matter right away when an injured party is at its most vulnerable. 

It is extremely important not to fall for the shady practices of the insurance company. There is no reason to rush into accepting a settlement or offer from an insurance company without first seeking legal help. 

You should always think through all legal decisions and not sign away your legal rights without being fully informed of the consequences.

Do not deal with the insurance company alone. Retain the services of an experienced car accident attorney in New York City who can ensure that your rights are protected.