If you’ve recently been injured in a car accident in New York, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
New York City is home to more than 8.399 million people. So, it’s really no surprise to learn that NYC has some of the most congested roads in the nation – and world.
Jam-packed roads can, and often do, lead to traffic accidents. And, New York has its fair share of collisions. In fact, in 2018, NYC averaged more than 624 motor vehicle accidents every single day. If you are from Illinois have a look at Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Near You
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TOTAL COLLISIONS IN NEW YORK CITY
NYPD crash data reveals that there were 228,047 car accidents in NYC in 2018. Queens saw the most collisions (67,244 or 29.5 percent) while Staten Island saw the fewest (12,900 or 5.7 percent)
INJURY-CAUSING COLLISIONS IN NEW YORK CITY:
Out of the 228,047 reported collisions in NYC, 44,300 resulted in an injury. Brooklyn and Queens saw the highest number of injury-causing crashes (14,112 or 31.9 percent, and 13,482 or 30.4 percent, accordingly), while Staten Island saw the fewest (2,238 or 5.1 percent).
FATAL COLLISIONS IN NEW YORK CITY
In 2018, there were a total of 197 fatal car accidents in NYC. The breakdown of these deadly crashes is as follows:
- Bronx: 33 fatal car accidents (16.8 percent)
- Brooklyn: 58 fatal car accidents (29.4 percent)
- Manhattan: 28 fatal car accidents (14.2 percent)
- Staten Island: 9 fatal car accidents (4.6 percent)
- Queens: 69 fatal car accidents (35 percent).
There was no month where fatal crashes didn’t reach double digits. September accounted for the most (27), while January saw the least (11).
WHAT CAUSES CAR ACCIDENTS IN NEW YORK, NY?
Here’s a look at some of the most common causal factors of car accidents in the Big Apple:
Distracted driving occurs whenever a driver diverts their eyes from the road, takes their hands off of the wheel, or allows their mind to wander from the task at hand.
In New York City, distractions contributed to more than 69,400 motor vehicle collisions in 2018. As a result, distraction played a role in nearly one out of every three car accidents (30.4 percent of total collisions involved distracted driving). For the people of Florida we gathered data about a list of Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Lawyers
FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY
When roads are congested, it can be difficult for drivers to maintain a safe distance between vehicles. However, just because something is difficult doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Unfortunately, following too closely – or tailgating – causes a lot of car accidents in the city. In 2018, tailgating caused 11.5 percent of all crashes.
FAILURE TO YIELD
When you’re driving in New York City, you have to be aware of traffic patterns and traffic laws. If you’re not, or you simply ignore them, accidents can occur when two vehicles attempt to enter the same space at the same time. In 2018, failure to yield resulted in 18,207 car accidents.
SPEEDING
Speeding contributes to plenty of car accidents in NYC. According to the NYPD, there are more than 13 speed-related collisions in the city every day.
DRUNK DRIVING
The NYPD reports that, in 2018, there were a total of 2,683 drunk driving collisions. On an average day, that’s roughly 7 or 8 drunk-driving accidents.
PASSING IMPROPERLY
A lot of drivers throw caution to the wind when passing other vehicles. And, in turn, these drivers cause a lot of accidents. In 2018, passing improperly was a factor in one out of every 10 collisions on New York roads.
ROAD DEFECTS
Sometimes, the way roads are designed or their lack of maintenance contribute to collisions. Potholes, obscured signage, uneven terrain, and sharp curves all factor into crashes now and then.
DEFECTIVE VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT
Sometimes these accidents happen because the vehicles that are driven (or components thereof) are defective. Sometimes brakes fail. Sometimes airbags deploy without reason or warning. When that happens, it’s the manufacturer that might be on the hook for the damage.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MY CAR ACCIDENT AND INJURIES?
Following a car accident in the city, you may be entitled to compensation. There are a few different mechanisms through which you can pursue the money you’re owed.
NEW YORK HAS NO-FAULT INSURANCE RULES
Insurance is the first place you’ll have to look for compensation after an unexpected crash in New York City. And, because New York state has “no-fault” insurance rules, this means that you’ll have to turn to your own insurance provider first. This is true, regardless of whether or not you are responsible for causing the crash and your injuries.
Your provider won’t be eager to write you a check. They’ll probably work fairly hard to find a reason to deny your claim or minimize your payout. If you don’t stand up for yourself, these tactics can prevent you from getting all of the money you deserve.
Insurance companies know the claims process inside and out. They want to deal with you – not a skilled lawyer. So, it’s smart to bring a New York car accident lawyer into the equation as soon as you can. We know the adversaries you’ll face. We’ve dealt with these scrupulous insurers for years. Give us a call, and we’ll do everything we can to make them play by the rules and pay you the money you deserve.
WE’LL WORK HARD TO IDENTIFY ALL LIABLE PARTIES
If your injuries are severe, the costs of your accident might exceed what your insurance provider is willing to pay. If that happens, you might need to consider filing a lawsuit directly against the responsible party or parties.
In New York, you can potentially file an injury claim against anyone who contributed to your car accident and caused you to get hurt. This might include:
- Drivers of other passenger vehicles
- The driver of your car (if you were a passenger)
- Your own passenger (if you were driving)
- Truck drivers
- Trucking companies
- Motorcyclists
- Bicyclists
- Pedestrians
- Bus drivers
- Transit companies
- New York City Transit Authority and other government transit agencies
- Employers of negligent parties
- Manufacturers
- Mechanics
- Lyft and Uber drivers
- Taxi drivers
- Cab companies, or
- Government agencies.
That’s a long list of possible defendants in a personal injury claim. The only way to know who is responsible for your NYC crash is by ensuring that it’s subject to a thorough and detailed investigation. At Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C., our New York car accident attorneys take the time and invest the resources that are necessary to do just that.