Rear-end accidents, side-impact collisions, head-on accidents, and sideswipe accidents are among the types of car accidents in the Bronx. Considering the densely populated Bronx, we must also note collisions between motor vehicles and pedestrians.
Any type of car accident in the Bronx can cause the victim(s) to suffer severe injuries. These injuries can contribute to damages, including medical bills and lost income. A Bronx car accident lawyer will seek fair compensation for your accident-related damages.
What to Do After Your Car Accident in the Bronx
The Bronx is already a chaotic environment, and being in a car accident can significantly increase the chaos in your life.
You can find some stability by:
- Getting medical attention for accident-related injuries: Even if you don’t experience immediate injury symptoms, seek medical attention after your car accident. Some injuries may have late-onset symptoms. If you suffered an injury, it will be important to document those injuries by seeing a doctor.
- Hiring your car accident lawyer as soon as possible: An attorney will immediately gather evidence and file your claim. If your case becomes a lawsuit, your lawyer will face a deadline for filing it. These time-sensitive considerations make hiring your car accident attorney as soon as possible important.
- Pursuing any mental health treatment you need: If you are struggling emotionally or psychologically because of your car accident, seek the counsel of a qualified mental health professional. They will provide necessary treatment and document your accident-related pain and suffering.
- Keeping notes and documenting your damages: You should keep a written record of injury symptoms, mental health difficulties, and other accident-related problems. You should also keep medical records, invoices for vehicle repairs, and any other documentation related to your accident.
Once you have found a lawyer to lead your case, follow their advice as closely as possible. Your attorney’s goal will be to obtain the compensation you deserve, and their advice will be oriented toward this mission.
How to Find Your Bronx Car Accident Attorney
Many car accident lawyers serve the Bronx, and you want to find the best possible attorney to handle your claim and any necessary lawsuit. You may find this lawyer by evaluating the following:
- The number of car accident cases the law firm has handled
- The results the law firm has achieved in car accident cases
- Reviews from former clients
- Whether the law firm makes you feel comfortable and prioritized during your free consultation
Do not pass up the chance to complete free consultations. Law firms typically offer these no-risk, no-cost phone calls. You can ask about the firm’s qualifications and hear the law firm’s reasoning why you should hire it for your car accident claim.
Common Causes of Auto Accidents in the Bronx (and Throughout New York)
Your lawyer will determine exactly why your accident happened. In doing so, your legal team can establish fault and determine who is responsible for your accident-related damages.
Common causes of car accidents in the Bronx include:
Dangerous Road Conditions
New York City roads take a beating from constant traffic, and the city’s infrastructure is not always up to par.
Dangerous road conditions that can contribute to a car accident include:
- Potholes
- Significant cracks in the driving surface
- Defective traffic lights
- Poor lighting
- Inadequate or unclear lane markings
- Defective pedestrian crossing signals
The city also has a responsibility to combat weather-related hazards like ice. If the city contributed to your accident, it may be liable for your damages.
Driver Error
- Speeding
- Failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians and other vehicles
- Tailgating
- Illegally passing
- Driving outside of one’s lane
- Running red lights, stop signs, and yield signs
If a motorist’s negligence played a role in your car accident, your lawyer will document that negligence. The motorist or their auto insurance provider may pay for your accident-related damages.
Driver Impairment
Even though New York tends to have lower rates of drunk driving than the national average, impaired drivers are a problem in the Bronx.
A motorist presents a danger to others when:
- They are under the influence of alcohol
- They have taken impairing drugs (whether the drugs are prescribed or not)
- They are emotionally unstable
- They are tired
- They are visually impaired
- They have a health condition that affects their driving
Impaired drivers can be personally liable when they cause a car accident.
Vehicle Defects
If any vehicle defect contributes to an accident, the party responsible for the defect may also be responsible for victims’ accident-related damages. The manufacturer may be liable for the defect if a vehicle is new. If a vehicle is used, the seller might share (or have sole) liability for the defect.
Your legal team will identify the cause of your accident and determine which parties owe you compensation for your damages.
Steps Your Lawyer Will Take While Fighting for Your Financial Recovery
Winning a car accident case requires completing an insurance claim or lawsuit.
Your unique circumstances will determine which course your lawyer recommends, and they will consider:
- Whether parties responsible for your accident have insurance
- How much insurance coverage you are entitled to
- The cost of your accident-related damages
- Whether insurance companies are willing to offer a fair settlement
If an at-fault driver does not have auto insurance, you may have no choice but to sue them. In some cases, a car accident victim will file an insurance claim and, if liable parties show bad faith, ultimately sue.
Your lawyer will handle every step involved in your case, including:
- Dealing with insurance companies (so you don’t have to)
- Securing evidence of liable parties’ negligence
- Documenting your accident-related damages
- Calculating a fair settlement value
- Negotiating a settlement with liable parties
- Overseeing all case-related strategy (and adapting the strategy as necessary)
- Drafting and filing your lawsuit
- Taking your case to trial, if necessary
Law firms also handle paperwork and communications, as these are critical features of any case. Your legal team will likely have many staff members who will contribute to your case, as well as any experts they work with.
Reasons Not to Handle Your Own Car Accident Claim (or Lawsuit)
Every car accident victim in the Bronx must decide whether to hire an attorney. To make the right decision, you should know that:
A Law Firm Will Fund Your Case
Attorneys provide total financial support for clients’ car accident cases.
Your law firm will:
- Pay the daily costs of completing a case, which includes transportation expenses
- Pay for case-related filing fees
- Hire experts to contribute to your case
- Cover the cost of completing a trial
Car accident lawyers recognize that victims are often stressed about medical bills and other accident-related challenges. A law firm’s willingness to fund your case may be hugely relieving during a difficult time in your life.
You Cannot Imitate a Lawyer’s Experience
There is never a substitute for long-term experience. You should seek a lawyer with years (or even decades) of experience leading car accident claims and lawsuits.
An experienced lawyer will be trustworthy and capable of overcoming all case-related challenges. At the same time, your lack of experience with the process will significantly hurt you if you handle your own case.
Handling Your Own Case May Diminish Your Quality of Life
There are explicit reasons not to handle your case, starting with your health. Victims of auto accidents often face symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and physical injuries.
If you don’t focus wholly on your recovery, you may:
- Expose yourself to allegations that your health condition isn’t as serious as you’re claiming to insurance companies
- Fail to recover from accident-related injuries
- Worsen existing injuries or create new health problems
Both your physical and mental health require your attention after your car accident. Allow a lawyer to take your case off your hands so you can heal.
A Lawyer Can File a Lawsuit if Necessary
When insurance companies know that the claimant can file a lawsuit and complete a trial:
- The claimant can pursue fair compensation through the civil legal process, if necessary
- Insurance companies may offer a fair settlement, as the claimant has the leverage of going to court
If you face the prospect of filing a lawsuit, you may not know how to start (let alone finish). If you hire a lawyer, they can file a lawsuit without delay and take your case to trial if necessary.
You Deserve Compensation for All Accident-Related Damages, Including These
Your attorney will conduct a detailed, personalized investigation of your damages.
While your profile of damages will be unique from any other accident victim’s, those damages may include:
- Pain and suffering: This may include PTSD, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, lost quality of life, and other conditions that qualify as pain and suffering.
- Professional damages: This may include lost income, diminished earning power, failure to earn bonuses or promotions, lost benefits, and any other professional harm from your accident.
- Property expenses: Your property-related expenses may include the cost of repairing a vehicle, replacing a vehicle, and replacing other items damaged during the car accident.
- Medical expenses: Medical bills can result from emergency transport and care, hospital services, doctor appointments, rehab, and other accident-related care.
If any of your injuries are disabling, it may increase the cost of your damages. You may need medical equipment as well as other items and services. You can also lose your income through retirement age and experience significant pain and suffering.
Your attorney will identify and document your damages. They will provide this information to insurers and any other party from whom they seek compensation.
Have You Lost a Loved One Because of a Car Accident in the Bronx?
If you lost a loved one due to a fatal car accident, a lawyer has your back. This is an immensely difficult time, and you are in no condition to handle an insurance claim or lawsuit.
A lawyer can lead a wrongful death case for you and will demand fair compensation for:
- Funeral and burial costs
- Your pain and suffering, which likely includes grief (and possibly depression)
- Any pain and suffering the decedent may have experienced because of their car accident
- Loss of a spouse’s companionship
- Loss of the decedent’s contributions to their family
- Loss of the decedent’s income and work-related benefits
Fatal and non-fatal injuries take a toll on the victim. Your car accident attorney will clarify the details of how your accident has affected you. They will communicate these details to liable parties and demand the compensation you deserve.
The No-Risk Fee Structure Car Accident Lawyers Use
The cost of hiring a car accident lawyer should be of no concern. Thanks to a contingency fee arrangement, your lawyer will handle all the financial risk associated with your case.
With this fee structure, you:
- Agree to pay your attorney a percentage of any settlement or verdict they obtain for you.
- Do not pay any upfront or out-of-pocket fees to the firm.
- Expect your lawyer to work with experts and invest other resources in your car accident case.
- Know that the law firm has a financial incentive to obtain compensation for you—the more you receive, the more your lawyer receives.
Contingency fees allow law firms to represent any car accident victim. This fee structure also allows you to avoid paying out-of-pocket for legal services. B
When Is the Time to Hire My Bronx Car Accident Lawyer?
Hire your car accident lawyer in the Bronx as soon as possible. Your attorney may face a strict filing deadline, particularly if you pursue a lawsuit. Your lawyer will often want to get right to work, but they must speak with you first.
You can find car accident lawyers serving the Bronx online, through word of mouth, or via local advertisements. You can speak with every firm you are considering hiring to best determine which personal injury attorney is most qualified to lead your case. Do not wait; the clock for filing your case may be winding down.
Take action today to protect yourself and your future following any type of car accident in the Bronx.
