Who Is At Fault for My New York City Car Accident?

Car accidents can lead to considerable consequences, including serious injuries, mounting medical bills, and significant pain and suffering that can negatively impact your enjoyment of life and your relationship with loved ones. This may lead you to ask, “Who is at fault for my NYC car accident?”

The legal team at the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers in New York City, New York can help determine the answer to that question after conducting an in-depth investigation into the crash.

Table of Contents

How Our NYC Car Accident Lawyers Can Help Prove Fault

How Our NYC Car Accident Lawyers Can Help Prove Fault At the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers, we focus exclusively on personal injury law, which has given us in-depth knowledge of this area of the law and these types of cases.

Attorney Jay S. Knispel has over 25 years of legal experience and has worked as an insurance defense attorney, so he knows what it takes to build a strong claim.

Our New York City car accident lawyers can help establish your claim by:

Determining all at-fault parties
Gathering evidence to establish liability in your case, such as accident reports and witness statements
Working with medical providers to understand the full extent of your injuries
Handling communications on your behalf
Negotiating for fair compensation on your behalf

If you were hurt in a car accident in New York City, NY, contact our law firm today for your free, no-obligation consultation.

Who Could Be At Fault for a Multi-Vehicle Accident?

Most car crashes involve two or more vehicles. Common causes of these collisions and evidence that may help establish who is responsible for them include:

Distracted Driving

A common cause of auto accidents is distracted driving.

While texting and driving is one of the most noticeable and dangerous forms of distracted driving, other distractions may affect drivers, such as:

Food and drinks
GPS and infotainment systems
Radio and other controls
Other passengers
Children or pets in the vehicle
Daydreaming
Grooming

A rear-end crash in which the driver behind you hit the back of your vehicle may indicate distractions were at play. Cell phone records could also help demonstrate distracted driving if messages, videos, or other electronic distractions played a role in the accident.

Drunk Driving

If the other driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident, they are most likely at fault for the DUI accident.

Evidence that may help establish intoxication may include:

Accident report
Criminal records that show the other driver was arrested
Medical records showing the other driver’s test results
Witness statements or video footage showing the driver drinking shortly before the accident

An experienced New York City car accident attorney can help gather the evidence you need to establish your claim.

Drowsy Driving

Drowsy drivers show similar impairment to drivers who are impaired by drugs or alcohol and are more likely to fall asleep at the wheel. Drowsy driving may be established by witness statements or employment records that show the driver has been awake for a substantial period of time.

Drowsy driving is also a common cause of truck accidents because commercial drivers often drive for many hours before taking a break.

Speeding

Driving above the speed limit or too fast for conditions can put other motorists at risk for serious injury or even death. Accident reports, witness statements, and traffic cameras may help show if the other driver was speeding and is responsible for your injuries.

Who Could Be At Fault for a Single-Vehicle Accident?

According to the NHTSA, single-vehicle accident fatalities increased by 9% in 2020 from the year before. If you were the passenger in a single-vehicle accident, you generally have the same right to pursue compensation as you would if you were involved in an accident with another vehicle.

Other parties that may share responsibility for a single-vehicle accident include:

Product Manufacturers

Sometimes, motor vehicle crashes occur because the vehicle or an auto part is defective. Vehicles and auto parts may be defective if their initial design is defective, a problem occurred during the manufacturing process, or they do not provide adequate warnings.

Auto defects include mechanical issues that can cause a crash, such as tires that unexpectedly blow out, as well as makers of safety features that failed to protect you, such as defective airbags or seat belts.

Government Entity

State, county, or municipal organizations may be responsible for maintaining roads according to safety standards. If they fail to uphold this legal responsibility, they may be responsible for the harm you suffer.

Dangerous road conditions that may raise questions of liability may include:

Missing or broken guardrails
Debris on the roadway
Large potholes
A lack of rumble strips
Steep shoulder drop-offs
Dangerously designed roads with sharp turns
Missing road signage

Our team can explain whether you may have a viable claim against the government for the harm you suffered. If you do, you will need to act quickly because you may only have 90 days to file a notice of claim with the government entity responsible for road maintenance to preserve your right to compensation.

Contact a New York City Car Crash Lawyer for Help Proving Your Claim

If you have any other questions regarding who shares fault for your collision in NYC, reach out to the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers.

You can discuss your case in detail with a knowledgeable NYC car crash lawyer to determine who is responsible for your crash and your options for recovering compensation. Contact us today for your free consultation.