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Were you recently injured in a car accident in NYC? The experienced New York City car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers are ready to help you fight to secure the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (212) 564 2800 for a free case review.
You could be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and the suffering you’ve endured. Contact our New York City, NY law offices to discuss your legal rights and the potential options that might be available to you at this time.
Jay Knispel is a fierce advocate for car accident victims across the city – and has been for years.
Before focusing exclusively on personal injury litigation, attorney Jay Knispel spent years working as a Senior Trial Attorney for one of the largest insurance companies in the nation.
When you turn to our NYC personal injury attorneys for help after a crash, you can expect:
If insurance adjusters refuse to offer you a fair deal – or if they try to deny your claim without a justifiable reason – our award-winning trial lawyer will be fully prepared to take your case to a jury.
We know how much is at stake when you turn to us for help after a crash. We’re ready to do everything in our power ot help you walk away with the full value of your car accident injury claim. Call our NYC car accident lawyers to get started with a free initial case evaluation today.
Table of Contents
Based on an analysis of crash data published by the New York Police Department and the New York State Traffic Safety Statistical Repository (TSSR) – very common.
Car accident data from 2023 and 2022 is not yet available. But accident data from 2021 tell us there were a total of 97,059 car accidents across all five boroughs. That’s nearly 265 car accidents a day on NYC roads.
Here are some notable NYC car accident statistics from that recent year:
Traffic accidents don’t just affect motorists and their passengers. In 2021, at least 15,000 accidents in the city involved bicyclists, pedestrians, trucks, and motorcyclists.
According to the NYPD, there were a total of 7,865 motor vehicle accidents reported in NYC in March 2023, the latest month from which full data is available.
Those accidents were responsible for:
13 of the fatal accidents involved cyclists or pedestrians, which shows how dangerous NYC roads can be for those who walk or bike to get around town. Driver inattention was responsible for over 50% of the accidents in March of 2023.
While data from 2023 and 2022 are not yet available, analysis of NYPD crash data from 2021 shows us Brooklyn is the borough where car accidents in New York City tend to happen most.
That year the county breakdown of accidents was as follows:
There were 236 fatal crashes throughout NYC’s five counties in 2021.
Brooklyn, however, is where most accidents leave victims with non-fatal wounds.
In 2021, injury-causing collisions broke down across the boroughs as follows:
More recent crash statistics indicate that this is a fairly accurate representation of accidents across the Big Apple.
When you compare all of the boroughs, Queens and Brooklyn top the list. However, every borough in New York City typically sees tens of thousands of accidents every year. And, while collisions can happen just about anywhere, there are certain locations that tend to be more dangerous than others.
Some of the most dangerous roads and intersections in New York City include:
Knowing where accidents tend to happen most might be beneficial if you can avoid these stretches of road – or at least exercise extra caution while driving on them.
It depends on what type of injuries you’ve suffered and how serious they are.
According to the National Safety Council, the average cost of a car accident case in 2019 ranged significantly:
This includes all financial costs and losses, as well damages for things like pain and suffering. For information regarding your crash, contact our car accident attorneys.
Most often, crash victims are able to recover both economic damages and non-economic damages after getting hurt.
Economic damages are awarded to help make accident victims financially “whole” again after a crash. They’re typically paid to offset the present and future costs, expenses, and losses that are a result of an accident.
Examples of economic damages that are typically awarded in car accident cases include:
Economic damages must be backed by some sort of documentation – invoices, bills, receipts, or paystubs.
Not every consequence of a car accident in the city will come with a price tag. Rather, some injuries are intangible.
Examples include:
These types of injuries are personal to each and every accident victim. This makes them very difficult to value in terms of dollars and cents.
There are times when punitive damages might be awarded to crash victims or their families. However, this is the exception, rather than the rule.
Punitive damages are awarded for the sole purpose of punishing the defendant for conduct that’s simply inexcusable. In the context of a motor vehicle accident case, punitive damages might be appropriate if the at-fault driver was drunk at the time of the crash and caused catastrophic injuries or death.
There are two main ways to get compensation after an accident.
First, you’ll have to file a claim with your insurance company to recover benefits from your car insurance policy. Then, if your damages exceed your policy limits, you can file a lawsuit against at-fault parties.
New York is a no-fault insurance state. This means that your insurance company will be the first place you’ll have to turn after a crash – regardless of whether or not you share any responsibility.
Keep in mind that just because you’ve paid for your policy and might have a legitimate claim, your provider won’t just write you a check. They’ll probably put up a fight and make the process really difficult for you – in the hopes that you give up or accept a lowball offer.
The good news is that you can protect yourself by hiring the best car accident lawyers to represent you. Jay Knispel used to work defending insurance companies. He knows their tricks and what needs to be done to level the playing field.
If your insurance company refuses to pay your claim or if your costs exceed your policy limits, you can then turn your attention to a personal injury lawsuit.
If your injuries are severe, there’s a good chance that the costs of your accident will exceed your auto insurance policy limits. If that’s the case, then you might have to consider filing a third-party claim against whoever is responsible for causing you to get hurt.
In New York, you can file a lawsuit against anyone who contributed to your car accident.
This might include:
Our car accident attorneys will carefully investigate the details of your crash from every conceivable angle. The better we understand the “why” behind your crash, the better prepared we can be in determining who is to blame.
New York has something called pure comparative fault rules. In the most simple terms, comparative negligence means that sharing some – or even most – of the blame for an accident will not prevent you from recovering compensation. However, your financial award will be reduced in direct proportion to how much blame you’re assigned.
If you’re allocated 10% of the blame for a crash because you were texting, your damages will be reduced by 10%. At the same time, you’ll find that you’re on the hook for 10% of the damages sustained by other people in the crash, too.
Insurance adjusters and other parties to your accident will undoubtedly try to shift as much of the blame to you as they can. If you don’t fight back and defend yourself, you could watch your sizable financial award all-but-disappear.
New York law requires all motorists to have minimum amounts of car insurance coverage. But, not everyone follows the law. If you’ve been in an accident and the other driver is underinsured or uninsured, there may be a few options for recovering compensation.
Our car accident attorneys will assess all of your options and help you pursue the money you need to get better after your car accident in NYC.
Here’s a look into some of the most commonly-cited causes of car accidents in NYC, as reported by the NYPD.
Distracted driving is increasingly problematic across the nation. That’s particularly true in a gridlocked city like New York. In 2020, distracted driving practices – like texting, talking on the phone, eating, or anything that takes your hands off of the wheel – contributed to 33,074 car accidents. That means that distracted driving was a factor in more than 29% of all collisions, citywide.
Tailgating, or following too closely, is a leading cause of car accidents in NYC. In 2020, it was a factor in 9,082 reported traffic accidents.
It’s important to know the rules of the road before you drive. Unfortunately, not everyone understands – or cares about – when they have the right of way and when they have to yield. Failure to yield was cited as a factor in 7,731 car accidents in NYC in 2020.
Exceeding the speed limit is dangerous. But, after being stuck in NYC traffic, many drivers put the pedal to the metal to make up for lost time. In 2020, speeding contributed to 4,526 car accidents in the Big Apple. Many speeding accidents occur at intersections and traffic signals.
Alcohol was a factor in 1,763 crashes in New York City in 2020. That means drunk driving is a factor in more than 1 out of every 100 collisions.
Unsafe lane changes contributed to 8,945 auto accidents in Manhattan and other city boroughs in 2020. Only distracted driving and tailgating were reported as causes more often.
Other leading causes of collisions, wrecks, and crashes in New York City include:
At the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel, our car accident attorneys will be ready to investigate your crash from every possible angle.
The more we know about why your accident happened, the better prepared we can be to seek compensation from all contributing parties.
Here’s what you should (and shouldn’t) do if you are involved in an auto accident in the Big Apple:
Take the time you need to focus on getting back on your feet. Let a car accident attorney handle conversations and negotiations with insurance adjusters and other parties.
Nothing upfront. Then, our attorneys get paid a percentage of your financial settlement or award if you win. This is called a contingency fee, and it means that there’s no risk to you.
If we don’t win your case you pay nothing.
No two car accidents are the same. You deserve to work with the best car accident attorney who has extensive experience handling a variety of different car accident cases.
At the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel, we regularly represent clients who have suffered injuries in:
By handling different types of motor vehicle accident cases, we’re knowledgeable about how each individual case is truly unique. So, we strive to provide individual and customized solutions for each and every individual client.
We’ll give your case the time and attention it deserves from the start – because that’s what will be necessary to win a fair settlement.
We know that the costs of any injury – big or small – can be overwhelming. That’s why we’re prepared to put our 25+ years of experience to work to get you the money you need for all of your crash-related injuries.
We represent clients who, because of avoidable crashes in the city, have suffered:
Our legal team is also committed to helping family members who have experienced a tragic and untimely loss as a result of a fatal NYC collision. If you’ve experienced the wrongful death of a loved one, don’t hesitate to call our law firm for help. We’ll be there to help you make the tough decisions and work hard to secure the financial justice you and your family deserve.
The statute of limitations for most car accident claims in New York is just three years. This means that, following the date of your accident, you’ll have limited time (up to three years) to file a civil injury claim against responsible parties.
Note, you’ll have even less time to notify your insurance provider and formally request benefits from your insurance policy.
There are times when the statute of limitations can vary. For instance, you will have 90 days to file an administrative claim if a government agency is involved. Alternatively, you could have more time to act if a child was injured or if the responsible party can’t be found.
There’s great value in contacting an experienced attorney as soon as you can after a car accident in New York City. Not only does it help to ensure that your right to pursue compensation is preserved, but it also gives your lawyer a chance to get a jump-start on an investigation. A prompt investigation can, many times, make a world of difference in how an accident claim unfolds.
Did you recently get hurt or lose a family member in an NYC car accident due to someone else’s negligence? If so, you may have the right to recover compensation. Whether you’re fighting for insurance benefits or seeking damages from a negligent third party, it helps to have a qualified New York City car accident lawyer standing beside you.
At the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers, we are ready to fight for the compensation you deserve after your accident. When you hire our law firm, you’ll benefit from a team with 25+ years of experience who have recovered millions in life-changing awards for injury victims just like you.
Don’t give the insurance company any advantage. Give yourself the edge you deserve by calling attorney Jay Knispel and his accomplished legal team. We offer a free case evaluation – so please connect with us by email or by phone to get started today.
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Our personal injury law firm in NY, NY also provides:
New York City Office
450 7th Ave Suite 1605
New York, NY 10123
(212) 564 2800
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26 Court St., Suite 2511
Brooklyn, NY 11242
(718) 802-1600
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