Mr. Goodwin is everything you want in an attorney: professional, honest, thorough, and genuinely caring. He always explains things clearly, so I understood exactly what was happening and what to expect next. His attention to detail and persistence really stood out. Looking back, I feel lucky to have found him. He guided me through the whole process expertly, and I deeply appreciate all his hard work. Would definitely recommend him to anyone needing legal help.
If you’ve been hit by a car in New York City, regardless of whether you think the driver has been negligent or not, you need to get a lawyer immediately and sue the driver. Sometimes, people underestimate the amount of damages they will sustain by reason of a car accident and settle for a lower amount. However, you must remember that you are entitled to damages, which should include medical expenses, lost wages, and future lost earning capacity. It may also include property damage, physical pain, loss of enjoyment in life, emotional trauma, and pain and suffering. An attorney, like us, can help you write a demand letter on your behalf to the car’s insurance company to set the stage for settlement negotiation.
If you’ve been hit by a car, we at the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin are available for an immediate free consultation. You can call us at 1-800-600-8267 or send us an email at [email protected].
Legal obligation to stop and share contact and insurance information
When a car accident happens, whether it involves two cars, a car and a bike, a car and a pedestrian, or a car and property of another, New York law requires that the driver stop to see if anyone is injured or if there is any damage, to share contact, license, and insurance information with the other party, and to call 911 or report to the nearest police station if someone has been seriously injured or killed. If one fails to observe this procedure, he can incur penalties which may include a fine, court costs, other fees, and jail time.
Elements of negligence
If you’ve been hit by a car, a personal injury attorney, like us, can help you prove that the driver owed you a duty of care, the driver breached that duty of care, the driver’s actions caused you harm, and because of the driver’s actions, you’ve suffered a physical, emotional, and/or financial injury.
What to do if you’ve been hit by a car
Although the requirements for negligence appear straightforward, each element has to be proven with as much documentary and testimonial evidence as possible. For this reason, you need to gather enough evidence to strengthen your claims. This includes the police report, medical reports regarding your injuries, photographs of the accident scene, photographs of injuries, medical bills and expenses, and a list of all property damage and repair expenses. If you are claiming for lost wages and future lost earning capacity, you need your pay stubs, bank statements, and tax returns to show how much you were earning and a medical report from your doctor stating the time you need to stay home for recovery.
A personal injury attorney, like us, will guide you through the process and will be able to tell you how much time you have after your accident to file a lawsuit. Generally, it’s three years from the time of the accident, but the periods are shorter if the claim is against the state, the city, or the municipality. You need to be ready to file your claim, even if you’re still negotiating with the insurance company. If you do it yourself, the insurance company might try to negotiate with you for a long time, just enough for the statute of limitations to expire and for your period to file a lawsuit to lapse.
If you’ve been hit by a car and you need assistance, we at the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin are here for you. We have offices in New York City, Brooklyn, NY and Queens, NY. We cover Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island and Westchester County. You can call us at 1-212-233-1233 or send us an email at [email protected].
About the Author
Albert Goodwin Esq. is a licenced New York attorney with over 17 years of courtroom experience. His extensive knowledge and expertise make him well-qualified to write authoritative articles on a wide range of legal topics. He can be reached at 212-233-1233 or [email protected].
